Dual Booting Windows 7 Ultimate & Ubuntu 10.10

[tom982]

I unhid them all, and one of them stayed unhidden, but the other two instantly hid themselves again. None of the partitions show up in Windows Explorer, so I right clicked on them in Partition Wizard and selected Explore, here are the contents:

http://img26.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=d1p1.png

Tom

 

[Lottiemansion]

Hi,

Just add to the information.


I too cannot see the Linux drive in Windows explorer. All the information in this thread has been applied. i.e Show hidden files, allocate a drive letter etc. etc.

I only get the delete option on Disk manager even though the partion manager (Paragon Backup & Recovery™ 10 Home) has a letter allocated to the Linux drive.

 

[tom982]

That's not my problem, the reason that that happens is because Windows doesn't have any native support for the linux filesystems.

Take a look at this: Three Ways To Access Linux Partitions (ext2/ext3) From Windows On Dual-Boot Systems | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

Tom

 

[Lottiemansion]

Tom982.

Thank you for the information, I have downloaded the file & it works like a charm.

Just a question regarding your system & the hidden drives: -

How many times & did you use the "Advanced" set-up & "Shared drive" too?

I ask this because it looks like the Linux system has created "Extra" drives to what you need.

From the story above I understand about the recovery system drive from XP (I think) & as you can see from the pictures I posted, I have only one drive for the Linux operating system. So, unless you are installing multiple copies I would have thought you would have the same?

Ignore everthing in this post if I am wrong & good luck in your quest to get it working to your satisfaction.

Paul H.

 

[Lottiemansion]

Hi again,

Just been looking for DELL recovery information & found this: -

http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/index.htm

Which states DELL recovery is on "Two" hidden partitions.

Analyzing Your System

Dell computers now come with two hidden partitions: a Utility partition and a Restore partition. DSR (Dell System Restore) is a feature that returns a computer to its "as-shipped" state, through the use of these two specialized partitions.

The third one could be the DELL utility drive in WinPE format, I'm not sure: -

Inside the Dell Utility Partition

 

[tom982]

Tom982.

Thank you for the information, I have downloaded the file & it works like a charm.

Just a question regarding your system & the hidden drives: -

How many times & did you use the "Advanced" set-up & "Shared drive" too?

I ask this because it looks like the Linux system has created "Extra" drives to what you need.

From the story above I understand about the recovery system drive from XP (I think) & as you can see from the pictures I posted, I have only one drive for the Linux operating system. So, unless you are installing multiple copies I would have thought you would have the same?

Ignore everthing in this post if I am wrong & good luck in your quest to get it working to your satisfaction.

Paul H.

I haven't installed Linux yet because I booted into the Live CD, and ran GParted and tried to create a new partition but it said that I couldn't because you couldn't have any more simple partitions. This is my problem and I am trying to find out which of my partitions I can delete. Linux hasn't created any drives at all hopefully (because I haven't told it to).

What do you mean when you say:

How many times & did you use the "Advanced" set-up & "Shared drive" too?

Tom

 

[Lottiemansion]

Tom

First remember this is on an external drive (USB drive "2.5 Caddy") & not my main (internal) system one.

When I first used the CD to install, I went into "Advanced setup" I got lost when making the drive partions. It kept asking for something which I did'nt understand & I cannot remember.

When I completed a shared installation from within the same boot session I had created four drives of varying sizes! 2.7Gig, 3.0 Gig, 10 Gig & the leftovers for my Windows partion.

So, I started again deleted all drives & just elected for a shared installation & created the one 10 Gig drive. BOOT loader is on the USB drive too. Therefore it does not affect my normal HP boot loader etc.

I then used the remainder for the Windows stuff. Which as you have seen in the pictures is what I have now & it is working fine!

 

[tom982]

Tom

First remember this is on an external drive (USB drive "2.5 Caddy") & not my main (internal) system one.

When I first used the CD to install, I went into "Advanced setup" I got lost when making the drive partions. It kept asking for something which I did'nt understand & I cannot remember.

When I completed a shared installation from within the same boot session I had created four drives of varying sizes! 2.7Gig, 3.0 Gig, 10 Gig & the leftovers for my Windows partion.

So, I started again deleted all drives & just elected for a shared installation & created the one 10 Gig drive. BOOT loader is on the USB drive too. Therefore it does not affect my normal HP boot loader etc.

I then used the remainder for the Windows stuff. Which as you have seen in the pictures is what I have now & it is working fine!

Oh right, is there any reason that you installed Linux on an external hard drive and not on a partition of the built in one?

Thanks for the link in the post above this, it's really interesting. I never realised what the Dell MediaDirect partition was for, and I have now deleted that partition and everything is fine I'll try and install Linux now on that free space

 

[Lottiemansion]

Tom.

The main reason for the external install is purely because I am lazy I guess & Windows is the main one I use anyway.

I didnt want to complicate the boot loader stuff or have to choose/ wait each time I booted.

Edit: -
Also the Linux boot loader is only effective when I connect the 2.5" Caddy Linux drive & boot from it. Otherwise the drive is just a data drive, which is exactly what I want & is good for me!

 

[tom982]

Oh right, thats quite good actually

I used macrium to make an image of my hard drive, then I deleted the MediaDirect partition and one of the unnamed partitions. I have since installed Ubuntu 10.10 and there is no problems with W7 or Ubuntu fortunately.

Thanks for all of your help guys,

Tom

 

[Lottiemansion]

Hi,

I am glad you are now sorted & thank for the rep. Enjoy!