Jump to content

Trouble with installing Linux with existing Win system

Ivan Granic 01
 Share
Posted

Hello!
I want to get familiar with Linux. On my PC I have 1 SSD (with Windows) and 2 HDDs, but they are mostly full, so I took 2.5 HDD from my old laptop and tried to install Linux Mint on it. It is 4th drive in my PC.
I want to have dual boot (Win/Mint), and I was wondering is dual boot possible if operating systems are on different drives?


I already tried to install it, but I ran into few problems:

  1.  Mint didn't recognize that I already had Windows installed, so I couldn't install it on my SSD even if I wanted to. 
  2.  I'm not sure what type should my HDD be? I read it should be ext4, but want to be sure.
  3.  I tried to install it on  2.5 HDD, even thought it didn't give me the option to have dual boot, I just wanted to install it. I went through the whole process of installation and after that it just said that installation wasn't successful.

 

What am I doing wrong? What can I do about dual boot to make it show in options?

 

My system is: i5 6400, RX460 and Gigabyte H170M-D3H-CF.

 

Any help will be much appreciated! 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Dear Ivan,

 

thank you for your well structured question.

3 hours ago, Ivan Granic 01 said:

is dual boot possible if operating systems are on different drives?

Yes, it is.

 

I am confused: You say you want to install Mint on the 2.5HDD from your old Laptop but in point 1. you say you want to install it onto your SSD? Can you please clarify?

 

3 hours ago, Ivan Granic 01 said:

 I'm not sure what type should my HDD be?

For most Desktop use cases ext4 is really the way to go.

3 hours ago, Ivan Granic 01 said:

 I tried to install it on  2.5 HDD, even thought it didn't give me the option to have dual boot, I just wanted to install it. I went through the whole process of installation and after that it just said that installation wasn't successful.

Hard to tell what caused that problem.

How did you partition the 2.5 HDD?

 

3 hours ago, Ivan Granic 01 said:

What can I do about dual boot to make it show in options?

As far as I know there will be no "Do you want to dual boot?" kind of option during the Installation process. 

It works like this: When you install Linux Mint it will automatically install a boot-loader called GRUB. This little guy will manage your boot devices just after POST. You will be able to select the desired device after POST. Usually it will detect your windows drive and (of course)  your new linux drive out of the box. Should be no problem.

 

By the way I am very surprised with how many youtube videos / written guides are out there that lead you through the installation of any Linux Distribution step by step. They might be a good place to start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for your answers.

 

5 hours ago, benitiv said:

I am confused: You say you want to install Mint on the 2.5HDD from your old Laptop but in point 1. you say you want to install it onto your SSD? Can you please clarify?

I want to install it on my 2.5HDD. What i wanted to say is: I didn't got option to "install alongside Windows". (This is image from YT video, I only had option to erase disk and option to keep files and install Linux).

option2.PNG.bdcb6655b3eb7aa0e5b342c6b9505b8e.PNG 

 

 

6 hours ago, benitiv said:

How did you partition the 2.5 HDD?

I have it as one partition. That is for  all my drives, one drive one partition.

 

6 hours ago, benitiv said:

As far as I know there will be no "Do you want to dual boot?" kind of option during the Installation process.

I know I saw it when I was watching video about it. But i don't know what should I do to make it appear. 

 

6 hours ago, benitiv said:

By the way I am very surprised with how many youtube videos / written guides are out there that lead you through the installation of any Linux Distribution step by step. They might be a good place to start.

I did watch lot of them but I haven't seen anybody who pointed out why option "Install alongside Windows" might not appear and how to fix it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Hi,

 

thank you for the clarification. 

 

Maybe all the soy and raw fish makes me a bit slow but, as far as I could understand now you are baffled about "Why does it not show "Install alongside WIN" when I am installing it to the 2.5" HDD?"

If I understand correctly this is because there is no Windows installed on the 2.5" HDD, so it won't of course not show up.

You have to careful though, you'll need to install the GRUB boot loader (aka "Boot Manager") to the device which will be booted from first - otherwise it will - potentially - just bypass the boot loader and startup windows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
9 minutes ago, benitiv said:

If I understand correctly this is because there is no Windows installed on the 2.5" HDD, so it won't of course not show up.

Option to to install alongside Windows should be before choosing a drive to install Linux on.
Image that i posted, that is before you can make any partitions or anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Okok, one step on a time.

 

What is currently on your 2.5" HDD?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

There we go.

Chose "use whole disk" and set up the Boot Manager later.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
32 minutes ago, benitiv said:

"use whole disk"

Where do I choose that option?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

"Erase disk and install Linux Mint"

 

Sorry for the bad wording..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
12 hours ago, benitiv said:

Erase disk and install Linux Mint"

Will I have dual boot than? How could it know it should dual boot when it don't recognise that i have Windows? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Basically I already gave as much information as you need. To wrap it up: there is no problem at all, just keep your eyes open during the installation process. This thread is not about having an technical issue but more looking for a "take my hand and lead me through the land" kind of guidance.

 

HOWEVER,

i had to look up a step by step guide myself since I don't now every single button click of a MINT installation. 

and it seems that I mildly mislead you by telling you to to use "Erase disk ..."

because - this seems to go fully on auto mode what might give you little options on where to install the boot manager later.

So, at least in the 5 seconds of research I did, you have to chose "something else" and format everything by hand.

Maybe that is not even necessary IF you can choose where to put the boot manager in the "Erase disk..." installation path anyway..

The point is:  just keep an eye on where you are going to install the boot manager and everything will be ok.

 

See "Device for boot loader installation" - You have to choose the Windows Boot Manager partition

taken from (https://www.tecmint.com/install-linux-mint-alongside-windows-dual-boot-uefi-mode/ )

Linux-Mint-18-Installation-Summary.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing Linux, macOS and Everything Not-Windows

×