I'm struggling with the installation of an Ubuntu dual boot alongside Windows in my new computer. (it's taking me days of my free time!). First of all my device specs:
- HDD: 1TB
- SSD: 120GB
I wanted to share partitions within the SSD for both Windows 7 and Ubuntu 14.04, and leave the HDD for data storage. All my efforts proved in vain. Windows 7 was installed without problems, but then Ubuntu messed everything up during installation and I couldn't eventually start anything.
This was the configuration:
/dev/sda
/dev/sda1 ntfs 104MB (the reserved Windows recovery partition)
/dev/sda3 ext4 32218MB (Ubuntu 14.04 root)
/dev/sda2 ntfs 87707MB (Windows 7)
/dev/sb
/dev/sdb5 swap 8180MB
/dev/sdb2 ext4 102399MB (Ubuntu /home)
unallocated space 889623MB (a future ntfs partition for data storage)
Next I decided to separate them in different drives: SSD for Ubuntu only, HDD for Windows 7 only. After having Windows 7 installed, there was no way now to enter the Ubuntu installation. I also tried with other distros: Linux Mint and Fedora, without success: the CD kept loading on and on until there was no response. I could only see a black or a gray screen. The same happened when I tried booting a Boot-Repair CD.
I tried to find out and read about something in the BIOS called EFI or UEFI, which I haven't ever heard before. Someone told me this may prevent OSs different from Windows from starting, but I don't know what to check or uncheck. There are many options in this BIOS (it's not even blue screened, but more graphically advanced). I've tried to enable anything called "legacy" and disable anything called "UEFI" or similar, without success. I finally restored the defaults just in case.
So here I am, completely helpless and about to throw in the towel. I've never had any problem installing both Windows and Ubuntu together until now.