Install setup desired -- dual boot -- need partition help

[butsam]

My computer is a new HP Pavilion HPE h8-1360t (64-bit) w/ 3rd gen quad-core i7 processor, 12 GB RAM, and 2 separate 1 TiB hard drives.

I want to keep hard disk #1 as Windows 7, and hard disk #2 I want kubuntu.

When I went through the kubuntu setup, it seemed more unintuitive than with old versions of Ubuntu to set up this scenario.

In Windows, I used the default Partition Editor to free up the 2nd HDD, so it now shows as unpartitioned space.

Is there an easy way to have kubuntu use the space I freed up on the 2nd HDD, but keep the main Windows hard drive untouched? I thought there used to be a "use all unpartitioned space" option or something like that...but now I can't find it in kubuntu 12.04.1 x64's install.

I do not want to use the whole 2nd HDD. When I view the partitioning, I see each of the 1 TiB hard drives have a 128 MB partitioned space in unknown format listed as reserved for msft...I have no clue what Microsoft is using space for on the 2nd HDD in an unknown format (it is not NTFS), but I would prefer to not kill my brand new computer, so I'll sacrifice the 128 MB out of 1 TiB for peace of mind.

When I try manual set-up, I add a partition to cover all of partitioned space, and I get an error that I need a place for grub that is at least 1 MB. I have no idea where to put this, and if possible I wish I could just put it at the start of the 900+ GiB that I allocated for Linux already. I thought in the past grub found the right home automatically, but now for some reason it isn't.

So, it looks to me like the install has become less intuitive than previous versions. Can someone help me through this process? (I get extra paranoid when partitions are involved, especially on a new machine with some "unknown" partitions!)

Please help me! What should I do to get this desired setup?

Thanks!

Sam

[SecretCode]

I always think it's good to be a little paranoid when it comes to partitioning.

Are you able to physically unplug the drive that windows is on before booting the kubuntu cd? (or dvd or usb, not sure which you are using)
That's the paranoid way of ensuring the windows drive does not get touched.

I'm pretty sure if you erase that 128mb partition (if it is a partition) on the second drive, windows won't mind, but I'm not sure.

Is this a BIOS or UEFI machine? Are the disks MBR or GPT? If the second disk is MBR, what does gparted say it has on it (booted from the kubuntu disc as live)?

[oshunluvr]

Unsure but guessing the 128MB is for secure boot or UEFI.

Safe enough to leave it alone I would guess. I've never heard of a grub error because of it needing more than 1 MB. It uses the MBR (512 bytes) and then keeps it's files in /boot within / unless you create a separate boot partition (which isn't really needed unless you're using RAID).

I suggest booting to the liveCD/USB, partitioning in advance of the install, then run the installer - and install to your newly created partition and but grub on the second drive leaving the windows boot manager intact. Then change the boot drive in your BIOS to drive B or link to the linux install using the Windows7 boot loader.

[butsam]

Thanks for the willingness to help I'm still encountering an error -- it would be easier for me if I can somehow get my wireless to work on the LiveCD so I could attach screenshots and direct information, instead of booting back into Windows. Any clue how I may be able to get kubuntu 12.04 to recognize my "Atheros AR8161/8165 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.20)" (Broadcom WLAN), or am I just out of luck for wireless on the LiveCD?

[butsam]

I am using WPA2, which is the default for AT&T U-verse; I don't want to mess with it because I have a lot of other things goin. Also, the U-verse box is a significant distance from my computer. That said, you gave me an idea to double-check...I have an old router lying around that is using WEP, maybe I could try that out instead

With partitioning in advance, the error I'm getting essentially is this...I create the partition from LiveCD in Ext4 format, then the installer complains it needs a separate partition for Grub. I thought Ubuntu used to create the Grub partition automatically from Linux-formatted space? But it appears this is not working on my system.

If I can get the LiveCD wireless going, I'll post a screenshot of my partition layout...but it is essentially as follows:

* First hard drive (non-RAID), 1 TiB: Windows partitions. This includes: 1 MB unused (I suspect bootloader, not unused); 128 MB reserved by msft but not NTFS or any known format (I suspect this may be UEFI); a small portion for HP recovery; the rest (well over 900 GB) for the primary HDD.
* Second hard drive (non-RAID), 1TiB: 1 MB unused; 128 MB reserved by msft but not NTFS or any known format (again I suspect this may be for UEFI); the rest originally was NTFS but I reformatted into Ext4.

[vinnywright]

With partitioning in advance, the error I'm getting essentially is this...I create the partition from LiveCD in Ext4 format, then the installer complains it needs a separate partition for Grub. I thought Ubuntu used to create the Grub partition automatically from Linux-formatted space? But it appears this is not working on my system.

I think you have UEFI instead of a BIOS .....look hear for some guidance in this http://www.kubuntuforums.net/forumdi...EFI-assistance

grub will need it's own UEFI partition for this I think.

VINNY