Installing Ubuntu: gparted problems

[K3nt]

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I am a windows user and i'm attempting to install Linux (Ubuntu 6.06). I am dealing with a partition problem which can probably be summed up by this screen shot:



I was looking to have around 7gb for the ubuntu install, 2gb for swap (used for hibernation?) and approx 15-20gb for storage. I am using a Dell xps m1210, it uses windows MCE, i have a 120gb hd, 2gb ram, 1.82ghz core2duo.

Any help would be great
thanks

[tuxv]

Inside the extended partition create 3 partitions

7GB (ext3 or Reiserfs) - for Ubuntu - /
512 MB (swap) - 512MB is enough for swap
20GB (ext3 or Reiserfs) - for home (used for storage) - /home

I hope this will help you to get into Linux & welcome to the Linux Forums. Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you want to know more help.

[stubbe]

what exactly do you have in /dev/sda4?

I never see such partition configuration, I never even tried using more than 1 primary partition. Back on the windows 98 days, I dual booted both 98 and XP, 98 in primary with XP/2k and data partition in extended.

so here goes, don't poke the first two partitions (sda1 and 2), copy of whatever content you got in sda4, remove the last two partition you've created. Create a new extended partition, then create a new partition WITHIN the extended partition.

The very first partition (54.88 mb fat16) is useless. I've been using dell before, I got the same partition right out of the box, I browse it there're some stuffs in there. I copied the whole content for a backup, just remove it, everything still working fine. But if you got everything's working anyway without removing it, just leave it there. your choice.

[zba78]

Just to explain the situation.

A PC hard-disk can only have a maximum of 4 primary partitions. That is a PC thing, not a linux/windows/*bsd etc. thing.

However 1 of those 4 primary partitions can be an extended partition. And then you can place many partitions inside the extended partition.

Generally I create 1 primary partition of a certain size and create an extended partition using up the rest of the disk. I then create as many partitions as I need inside the extended for all my other operating systems.

Oh and the 54MB partition is something many vendors do (My acer laptop has a similar thing, but much bigger). It normally contains drivers and sometimes (in my laptop's case) an image of the hard-disk as it was from first install.

[flipjargendy]

i haven't read all the way through the other replies but i went through similar problems. Although i did have to install with the "Alternate Install CD" because of a similar problem. The "Alternate Install CD" is like the old Kubuntu install disc, which was text based (no liveCD). It worked great and i haven't had any problems.

This is important:
You cannot have more then 3 primary partitions. If you don't have that many or something weird is going on use the "Alternate Install CD" it will most likely work. There have been some problems with the partitioning phase of the installation.