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I have just bought a new dell inspiron 14r laptop. I want to install ubuntu on the system but the main problem I am facing is there are already 4 partitions built in to the laptop and other than that i have three partitions, one of which contain windows 8.

So as of now there are total 7 primary partitions as under:

1. EFI System Partition (500MB) 
2. OEM Partition (400MB)
3. Recovery Partition (500MB)
4. Recovery Partition (7.87GB)
5. Windows8 Partition (105GB)
6. Other 1 (255GB)
7. Other 2 (100GB)

Please suggest how to install ubuntu 12.04 LTS on the machine as it says the machine should have only four primary partitions and rest all it identifies as raw partitions.

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Can you give more information about the error? The EFI system partition suggests this is a GPT disk, in which case, the 4 primary partitions limit does not apply. – Eliah Kagan Jan 30 at 16:26
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12.04 is probably not the best choice for (U)EFI systems, it'd be better to try a more recent release. – Andrea Corbellini Jan 30 at 19:28
Thanks guys I got it installed the in UEFI mode. – codeomnitrix Mar 25 at 9:15

3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

If you want to install Ubuntu on your system you dont have to worry about partitions of your hard disk. A very simple way to install ubuntu is given in following link. plese go through it and have your installation done

Install Ubuntu alongside Windows using "wubi"

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Wubi doesn't work on GPT disks – bcbc Feb 3 at 4:50
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After a searching on your error I found that Windows system uses MBR partition which will not support more than 4 primary partitions. To get your installation done you have two solutions but in any of the case you will have to format your HDD completely.

  1. First and simple solution is that Windows system will need primary partition to boot, whereas Ubuntu system wont need primary partition and so you create 3 primary paritions and last partition as extended. Under Extended partition you can create any number of logical drives and install ubuntu on to it.
  2. In case if you want more than 4 primari partition I will suggest you to use "BOOTIT NG(boot it next generation)". Links are provided to download and how to use.

Download BOOTIT NG

HOW TO USE BOOTIT NG

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up vote 0 down vote

First disable EFI on bios!

I installed on my ultrabook dell inspiron 14z

The problem is that it used GPT partitioning. ( I had a litle more trouble because it used SSD also )

I would not use windows 8 so I could erase it all. If that is your choice. You can do I did.

REMEMBER WILL LOSE ALL PARTITIONS AND DATA ON DISK

First of all use live CD and install parted

Now run this:

$ sudo parted /dev/sdX
$(parted) mklabel msdos
$(parted) quit

Now you are good to go and install ubuntu.

If you decide not to use the windows 8 on your notebook you can get a refund for you Windows license key from dell.

Hope that helps.

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