This may sound like the install from hell, but I'm still trying. I wanted to try out Linux after a *very* long association with windows, but to say I'm having problems would be an understatment. Let me go through the whole sorry tale, and my question is at the end. I have chosen Ubuntu 9.04 as it was recommended to me. I used wubi to create a dual boot system, but when I tried to increase the resolution from 800 x 600 the system fell over (selecting nvidia glx package). So I tried to do an install by downloading the distro and burning a CD. I tried booting from the CD. It decided to put the two partitions on my external 750GB hard drive (presumably because there was more space on it than my other partitions) at the end, and wouldn't boot from there. (error 18: selected cylinder exceeds maximim supported by BIOS). Finally, tried wubi again for the dual boot and chose the USB drive to put the ubuntu directory on. Now when I boot and chose Ubuntu I get the message "GRUB4DOS. Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported." and so on, ending in a GRUB prompt. Why won't it boot properly?
normanallen
4
Junior Poster
Xlphos
16
Veteran Poster
If you want to try ubuntu I would remove the usb hard drive and install it on the hard drive.
Use the live cd to shrink the windows partition, then create two new partitions one swap and one for linux. The GRUB should be reinstalled and then you should be able to use both OSes.
I don't think it likes too boot from USB in your case, play it safe and put it on your internal hard drive.
I believe Ubuntu has an uninstall option now.
If you need advice on partition sizes let us know how much space you are using and how big your hard drive(s) is.
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