Dual boot install Ubuntu 20.04 lts with window 11 on hp

Hi @rick1
OK, so all 3 partitions were there and belong to windows, and they use about 162 Gb. Then there is free space with no partition on it of about 700Gb.

So, the question is, why did the Ubuntu install not find the free space?
One possibility,
Inthe step before the screen you showed, it may have asked whether to install on an existing partition, or whether to make a new partition on free space? You might have answered (wrongly) install on an existng partition.
Another possibility
The installer may have expected you to make a partition on the free space, before you went into the install step. Most installers force you thru this step. You have to 1. make a partition, 2. put a filesystem on it, usually ext3 or ext4, and 3. give it a mount point name (eg /).
You usually need to make a minimum of a root filesystem partition ( called /), and a swap partition.

So when you did step 4, you only made free space, not a partition.

Can we go back and try the ubuntu install again, and be careful to do the make partitions step, before you get to the install step?

Neville

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The installer may have expected you to make a partition on the free space, before you went into the install step

Would you kindly share a link or youtute on how to do that. I think this is the issue, figured crossed

which option should I select?


Hi @rick1
You seem to be in Windows
You need to do it in the Ubuntu installer ( or do it before you start with gparted live)

Inside the Ubuntu installer there should be a sequence of steps
Find some free space (you have that)
Put partition(s) on that free space
Put filesystem(s) on partition(s)
Give filesystem(s) a mount point
Do the actual install of Ubuntu, which just consists of copying Ubuntu to the root filesystem

The last step is the easiest. You are getting stuck on the disk partition preparation.

I dont know of any video or blurb. Read the Ubuntu install instructions.
Every linux distro is slightly different and I have never done Ubunto so I can not be any more specific.

Did you try reading the guide @berninghausen suggested?

I must say I am not impressed with what you have shown me of Ubuntu. It is supposed to be a user friendly distro. It seems to have confused you thoroughly.

Neville

Neville

@rick1
Partition 1 is the EFI partition for Windows
Partition 2 is C drive for Windows
You have over 700G of unallocated space
Partition 3 is Windows Recovery
Download Ubuntu and create a bootable media and use the installer to create the partitions needed
to run Linux in the unallocated space. You will need a Fat32 EFI partition, a Swap partition, a / root
partition, and a / home partition, if you want a separate home from root. Use the installer to mount
the Linux partition as per use. Secure boot, if you can, will probably have to be disabled, and since
you already have an EFI partition, you may be able to mount this partition and use it to install grub2.
It will over write your Windows boot.

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@4dandl4
Daniel, are we assuming Rick has a GPT disk? Thanks for sorting out what the Partitions are.
and
Rick, read Daniels’s post carefully. It is equivalent to going back to Step 5 of your original guide. It is good clear advice.
Neville

I appreciate your help guys but really I am not sure what is happing. I have read all the links and steps but here on steps 5 and 6, I can not select these option and do the partition in the installer process

Here is what I am trying to do as you mention

Here I can not click on the + sing or anything

I can not get to use grub2 because I have not to complete the installation. Is there another to get access to grub that you are referring to?

my idea:
as you have prepared a USB with the linux iso on it, I would put it in your computer.
provided you have set in the BIOS/UEFI the order of start as DVD/HD, you will start the linux install.
Then, go for the try linux, NOT the install
have the linux running and look to start either Gparted or Disk
this will show you the partitions.

now you will have to find a partition with at least 20-30 GB for the installations of the root of Linux.
if that is not there, use gparted or disk to create a 30Gb partition and use that for the install
it that is there , go for install and choose "other install "

in other install , look at the partitions and give the root about 30GB and the /home partition as large as you like (swap not really required as nowadays swap is a swap file)

during the install the Grub file will override the Windows boot, but the grub file will allow you both the start the linux as well as windows, be it that the linux will be default starting

BTW: I am running Ubuntu21.10 and W11 in dual boot. However I upgraded to W11 while I already had a dual boot with W10 . I have Acer PC from 2019 , UEFI 16GB RAM and 1TB HD

success and if problems , refer back.

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I finally think that I am getting close to the solution. So I am using gparted is this where I create what @nevj was talking about here

Most installers force you thru this step. You have to 1. make a partition, 2. put a filesystem on it, usually ext3 or ext4, and 3. give it a mount point name (eg /).
You usually need to make a minimum of a root filesystem partition ( called /), and a swap partition.

I also found this here so I am a little confused! would explain more on the next step from here

So I have more specific questions as I am making progress thanks to all of you.

having ~ 80,000 MB
what size would you give to
Swap
root

root is OK with 30GB but with so much left you can also make upto100GB , provided you make a /home partition for all you documents and apps; IF you do not make a /home partition but let it be on the root partition, this should be as big as possible.
the advantage of a /home partition for all your files etc, is that with an upgrade or change of distro you can keep all your documents save and connect it to the new upgraded linux OS>

swap partition , is recommended as big as your RAM, though where you have 32 GB , I think a Swap partition of 20-25 GB will do.

If rick1 is running W11 then it will be GPT, since W11 will only run on GPT.

@nevj is correct. with gparted you see the existing partitions.

preferably leave windows partition as is, and use the free space on the other partitions.

on installing linux , choose “other options” and specify where the Linux should install with / and /home

make a partition ext4 for / , this is root
make a partition ext 4 for /home, for storage of your documents
make swap if you need,

gpart let you specify the new partitions but will execute only after you action it.

after these partitions are made, the installation will continue, firts making a statement what, which changes in partitions are made.

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@rick1
gparted is fine to use, but it will not install Ubuntu.
The installer gives you several options for an install
#1 Wipe the drive and install Ubuntu
#2 Install Ubuntu alongside of Windows
#3 Manual install where you create and mount the partitions
For you, you might consider #2

why you say you have 80,000 MB = 80 GB?
there seems to be an 791 GB on unallocated space on you HD, this can be used by linux installation, just make a partition with Gparted and you can use it.

be careful here as the #2 option will install hte new Linux on the same partition as Window. that is not what is preferred.
the best is #3 other options to manually check and make and specify the partitions you need for the new install.

@ard
Then extend the Windows C drive and the use the #2 option, before he trashes the machine trying
to create and mount partitions. It is all going to be on one drive no matter how it is done.

Hi @rick1 ,
Yes that is where you setup a partiton with gparted.
Congratulations, you are doing 2 things right - reading around and being cautious.
I looked at your link, yes that is about using gparted before putting in ubuntu. Lots of opinions and stories there. It does point out that with using gparted you set your partiton up, make a filesystem on it , and give it a label ( a label is a good idea, it helps you identify it), but nothing happens till you press the final go ahead button. So you get a chance to review what you are doing, before it actually does anything on the disk.
When you are done with gparted, you will have to go back to the ubuntu install drive, use the no3 option, and all that will be left to do is to say which partition the root file system of ubuntu goes on, then press the button to install , and it should copy it there.
Neville

OK, can do
it for sure is more safe.

@4dandl4 ,
This no 2 option is confusing me.
How could it put linux in the windows partition? It must put it in the free space alongside the windows partition? If it does that, yes @rick1 might consider it . I would be safer as you say.
I think @rick1 needs some consistent advice- we have all put forward a view, what is the best recommendation?
Neville