Booting Win7/12.04 -- what do I need for EasyBCD?

Question

I've tried installing 12.04 about three times now into a 150GB partition on the same HD as Win7. No luck so far -- the install always seems to work, but I never get a boot option. The 12.04 live CD doesn't have Internet drivers for my mobo, so I can't access boot-repair from a live CD run.

So I'm trying EasyBCD on Windows, and can't get it to work either.

What settings do I need for EasyBCD to locate and boot Ubuntu from this partition?

Solution

I assume that Win7 is pre-installed and you are going to install Ubuntu.

1. You need enough free space on your hard disk. If not, prepare it via WIndows7 > Computer (right-click) > Manage > Disk Management > choose your partition and shrink volume for at least 8500 MB:

   

   However, after booting Ubuntu for installation, choose advanced partitioning entry (see below picture) that is called 'Something else':

   

2. Create root partition and your desired partitions as in /home, Swap, etc.

   Here you have an extra choice: creating a separated /boot partition (>1GB) if you want to make Windows boot-loader as the original page for choosing your OSes after this installation.

3. A place for grub?

   

   When you created partitions, now you should choose a place for installing linux boot-loader. If you choose your whole disk (/dev/sda), grub installs on MBR and grub menu will be the original page when you power on the computer. If you like the windows boot-loader page, you should NOT choose /dev/sda:

   If /boot partition is ready, choose it: /dev/sda5 in my case on above picture

   If you have not created the /boot partition, choose root partition: /dev/sda6 in my case on the picture

4. Go ahead; Restart your computer finally.

5. Where did you choose to install grub?

   /dev/sda? -> Now grub menu is in front of your eyes! choose Win7/Ubuntu

   /dev/sda5or6 -> You will go to windows7 directly! don't worry! Download and install EasyBCD on your Windows7. Run it > Add New Entry > Linux/BCD tab:

   Type: Grub2
   Name: Ubuntu
   Drive: Choose the partition Where you installed Grub:
   -> sda6 or sda5, of course, numbers are in my case!
   -> this step is very important!
   

   

   At last, click on "Add Entry".

   Done! Now, restart you computer again:

   

   (the above picture is related to Ubuntu + Win8)

Comments

[mini]

Which bootloader page do you want: Grub or Windows7 bootloader?

[JeanSibelius]

Windows7 bootloader would be fine.

[JeanSibelius]

I already have an empty partition on the HD. Linux does not give me the "Windows is already installed on this computer" screen. It gives me a different screen that asks if I want to install Ubuntu 12.04 alongside my existing installation, or delete Ubuntu and reinstall.

[mini]

don't you have "Something else" option? please take a screenshot of installation window and share it with us.

[JeanSibelius]

I moved through the process using the "Something Else" option, and the following installation completely eradicated my bootloader.