Ubuntu 8.10 - Problems with windows/linux partition recognition.

[nimnull]

Hi.

I have: sudo fdisk -l (from Live CD)
/dev/sda1 * 1 54 204088+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 55 31010 117013680 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 10336 14398 15358140 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5 55 5473 20483788+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 5474 10335 18378328+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 14399 14452 204088+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 14453 19869 20476228+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 19870 20356 1840828+ 83 Linux Swap
/dev/sda10 20357 31010 40272088+ 83 Linux

I have Linux already installed and I have GRAB.

I want to install Ubuntu to the existing Linux partitions, But Ubuntu's installer does not see them. And it does not see any partition on my disk.
What to do?

Thank you.

[D-cat]

If you choose manual partitioning, what does the installer show you?

[devils casper]

You have three Linux Partitions + one SWAP partition. Why did you create three partitions for Linux? I would suggest you to delete all Linux partitions and create two new partitions.

SWAP -- 512 MB - 1GB
ext3 for / -- 8-10GB or as much space as you like.

You can re-install Linux on existing partitions though but recreating partition structure is recommended.

[D-cat]

I can understand a / partition and a separate /home partition to keep the data safe during upgrades and maybe a separate /var to keep temp and log files from growing out of control.

[nimnull]

Thank you all.

The problem was in /dev/sda2 55 31010 117013680 5 Extended.
All other sda in the extended disk.
So, I dont understand why, but ubuntu's installer do not want to install it this way. In "ubuntuforums" I was suggested to change whole things, but I already have GRAB and it works.
So I chose not to change anything, I will install ubuntu to different disk, and will give it a try.

Thanks all.

[D-cat]

That is really friggin odd since the Ubuntu installer in automatic, when detecting windows is already installed, does exactly that- creates a boot and a swap partition wrapped in an extended partition. Sooo, if it's already like that Ubuntu installer goes blind? Somebody needs to check their code.

I personally agree with the other forum, any booting partition should be a primary partition. If for nothing else, you can place the boot loader on the partition instead of the MBR and it wont get confused or interfere with other installed operating systems. *sigh* Just another example of people doing something because they can without really debating whether they should.

[devils casper]

Ubuntu installer will re-install GRUB also. Why do you want to keep using existing GRUB? In that case, you have to keep conf file of GRUB safe and edit menu.lst file after Ubuntu installation. I don't think thats a good idea.

Regarding Extended Partitions, Ubuntu installer works pretty fine with that too. Unlike Windows OS, Linux doesn't care about partition type. Could explain error thrown by installer a bit more?

[nimnull]

To: devils casper.

There wasn't any error messages - it simply did not see ANYTHING on my disk.

But now I install it to the different disk. And I have another problem, which could decides the fate of it - there is not a little very good programm - pcitweak. I use it to cool my 915 chipset when USB mouse is connected.
If I will not find pcitweak - I wount use ubuntu, and will try another linux.

[nimnull]

I've solved that problem - I just copy "pcitweak" from Mandriva.
And it works.

Thank you.
Now I am happy with it.