Installed Ubuntu 11.10 64 alongside Win 7 64, now Ubuntu won't start

Question

Two previous threads brought this up but both seem unresolved. I have a 64-bit Windows 7 system and am looking to install 64-bit Ubuntu as dual-boot. I have no experience with Ubuntu or Linux, this is a first time install.

Prior to install, I divided Master HDD into two partitions (one Windows and one blank NTFS) with 40GB reserved as unallocated for Ubuntu install. I installed from CD, chose "install alongside Windows", the instructions for which stated I will have option to boot either OS at startup. Ubuntu seems to have created two partitions out of the unallocated space, and the installation process completed and prompted reboot.

Upon reboot (and any subsequent attempts), computer automatically boots into Windows, with no option to start Ubuntu at all. Upon reboot, F8 allows choice of HDD to boot from, but does not display multiple OS to choose from. Holding down Shift and/or Esc (and also rapidly depressing either key) at startup also had no effect.

Thanks in advance. Been at this all day and at my wit's end. If I can't get it working then I guess I'll have to reformat the two partitions Ubuntu installed on/created and try installing the 32-bit version. Hardware is Asus p5q-e mobo, bios ver 2101, 8gb ram

Answer 1

If I can't get it working then I guess I'll have to reformat the two partitions Ubuntu installed on/created and try installing the 32-bit version.

I don't really think your problem booting Ubuntu has anything at all to do with whether or not you are using the 32-bit or 64-bit version of either OS. My guess would be that Ubuntu just never installed its boot loader when it was installed.

Possibly this happened because the Windows 7 bootloader files were already installed in your first (aka Windows 7) partition?

Rather than try to guess at a solution and try to sketch it out, I'll suggest that you try out this Boot Repair tool.

I'll also risk suggesting another way to go. If you are interested in experimenting/learning Ubuntu consider installing and running Ubuntu as a guest inside a Virtual Machine running in Windows 7?

The state of the art of VMs has improved a lot and they are much easier to set up and use then you might have thought. You might try either VirtualBox and/or VMware Player. (They're both free.)

The advantage of using a virtual machine is that you can switch between the VM and windows easily. My feeling is this is nice to be able to do when you're still just feeling your way along with Ubuntu.

Answer 2

I would install ubuntu again, following this steps:

I go into W7, with the partition tool and if I allready have the space I'm going to use Ubuntu in, delete that/those partitions, leaving like this

xMB for Windows 7 Unallocated space (free space, don't format it to anything)

Then, boot from your CD or live usb and start the Ubuntu installation, when it asks you what to do:

Install Ubuntu alonside W7 Replace W7 with Ubuntu Something else

Choose something else, and partition the hard drive yourself

You'll notice your W7 partition(s) and the unallocated space, set the unallocated space and click new, create a partition with 15-20GB set the format to ext4 and set the mounting point to / (That is root, where your OS will be installed)

Now create a swap partition (This isn't an obligation, but it's higly suggested) it's like extra RAM in your hard disk, I usually give 1-2GB because I have 4GB RAM

And now, the home partition, where your Ubuntu files, pics and stuff will be, with the rest of the unallocated space create this one, set it to ext4 format and mounting point set to /home

After that the install goes pretty much easy, you choose keyboard layout, user name, passwords etc...

Once it's done, you can reboot, take out the CD and the GRUB manager should appear asking you to boot Ubuntu, W7 and some other fallback options

This is how I set up my OS when I was dualbooting

I hope that can help you and if you have any questions just ask :)

Answer 3

I had the same issue. This answer worked for me.