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Hi all.
I've been using XBMC via Windows 7 for some time now, but wish to make the move to XBMCBuntu.

I've been running the Live version with persistence from a USB stick for a while and set up audio etc with the help of this forum, and IMHO I find that video quality is better and the whole thing is smoother with XBMCBuntu (vs Win7!), so now I feel it's time to take the plunge and install XBMCBuntu to my HDD.

This is where I am having problems! I wish to keep the option to boot into Windows 7 so need a dual boot option.
I have gotten to the point during install that gives me 3 options:
Code:
1. Install Ubuntu alongside Windows 7 (default option)
2. Replace Windows 7 with Ubuntu
3. Something else.
I'm guessing I need option 1 and so click "Continue".
I then am presented with a screen that says Select Drive via a dropdown list - but I can only select 1 drive (which presume is my Windows 7 install drive?) and a title: Allocate drive space by dragging the divider below. However, I cannot drag anything!!!! But it does show a graphic with (in my case):
Code:
Files (340.3GB) /dev/sdd1 'ntfs' and Ubuntu /dev/sdd2 'ext4'
If I click "Install Now" I am presented with a pop-up that states:
Code:
Before you can select a new partition size, any previous changes have to be written to disk.
You cannot undo this operation.
Please note that the resize operation may take a long time.

This is where I panic and stop!!

Can anyone please help with this? I don't wish to overwrite Windows 7 and I wish to dual-boot both Ubuntu & Windows 7.

Thanks
Am I the only one who wants do do this?
Can anyone help me?
Excuse my impatience on this matter but I'm eager to install XBMCbuntu!!!!

Thanks

EDIT: After many hours Googling I found this Guide (Here)for setting up Ubuntu 10.1 with a pre-existing Windows 7 installation. Apart from a few cosmetic differences in the installer, it seems to be what I want!!
Repartitioning or resizing a partition on a disk which contains data always carries some risk, however miniscule. If you are at all concerned about the possibility of losing data on your Windows 7 partition, then you should back it up first... or at least backup your personal data (documents, music, video, photos) that can't be recreated in the unlikely scenario where you have to reinstall Windows 7.

That aside, I am a bit concerned when you said you couldn't drag the divider to allocate space for the XBMCbuntu partition. How much space is it allocating to XBMCbuntu by default? I haven't used the disk allocation function in the XBMCbuntu installer, so I don't know it behaves or what to expect. Someone who's actually installed XBMCbuntu in a dual-boot environment will have to chime in.
(2012-06-17, 20:12)artrafael Wrote: [ -> ]Repartitioning or resizing a partition on a disk which contains data always carries some risk, however miniscule. If you are at all concerned about the possibility of losing data on your Windows 7 partition, then you should back it up first... or at least backup your personal data (documents, music, video, photos) that can't be recreated in the unlikely scenario where you have to reinstall Windows 7.

That aside, I am a bit concerned when you said you couldn't drag the divider to allocate space for the XBMCbuntu partition. How much space is it allocating to XBMCbuntu by default? I haven't used the disk allocation function in the XBMCbuntu installer, so I don't know it behaves or what to expect. Someone who's actually installed XBMCbuntu in a dual-boot environment will have to chime in.
Thank you so much for your reply - as can be seen by my above EDIT, I think I have found the solution. However, if anyone else has any words of wisdom, please feel free!
Good luck with this! I spent a couple of days trying to figure this one out and in the end decided rather than waste anymore time researching I'd just reinstall a fresh copy of Win 7 and create the partition during the Win 7 install then install XBMCBuntu on that. I'm sure this isn't the best way the techies would recommend but it worked for me.
Dum question why just get a sec box put that under the tv
(2012-06-18, 10:45)myle Wrote: [ -> ]Dum question why just get a sec box put that under the tv
LMAO!!!RoflRoflRofl
In the words of ABBA...Money, money, money!!!

Anyway, I followed that guide I found. Everything went well......until I tried booting into Windows. The PC rebooted and then came the dreaded "Verifying DMI pool data..." curse. The PC wouldn't boot from there. Several hours of Googling later I managed to download a Windows 7 recovery disc (as can you ever find your bl@@dy Windows 7 install disk when you need it?!) and before you could say bootrec.exe/fixmbr, I was back into Windows 7 and I could follow the rest of the original guide and use EasyBDC to create a GRUB2 menu so I can dual boot.
Phew!
Looking on the bright side, I learnt a lot yesterday and XBMCbuntu is rapid-fast and IMHO the video quality is better. Now all I have to do is configure my Harmony One remote to work with Linux as the configuration I have at the mo doesn't seem to work for all keys!!
Oh well, it's all good fun!!!!!
There is a tool built into windows to partition the harddrive. I am about to do this myself, and i assume it is going to work... I also assume that the XBMC installer will recognize premade partitions and allow me to select one to install XBMC onto. There are even programs you can install to create partitions of your harddrive.
(2012-06-17, 20:16)spinecho Wrote: [ -> ]
(2012-06-17, 20:12)artrafael Wrote: [ -> ]Repartitioning or resizing a partition on a disk which contains data always carries some risk, however miniscule. If you are at all concerned about the possibility of losing data on your Windows 7 partition, then you should back it up first... or at least backup your personal data (documents, music, video, photos) that can't be recreated in the unlikely scenario where you have to reinstall Windows 7.

That aside, I am a bit concerned when you said you couldn't drag the divider to allocate space for the XBMCbuntu partition. How much space is it allocating to XBMCbuntu by default? I haven't used the disk allocation function in the XBMCbuntu installer, so I don't know it behaves or what to expect. Someone who's actually installed XBMCbuntu in a dual-boot environment will have to chime in.
Thank you so much for your reply - as can be seen by my above EDIT, I think I have found the solution. However, if anyone else has any words of wisdom, please feel free!

Absolutely brilliant! Followed the tutorial for creating "dual-booting windows 7 and Ubuntu 10.10" (In my case dual-booting Windows 8 Pro and XBMCbuntu 12) and went marvelous! Although the screens might look something different they're basically the same.

This tutorial can be followed to the letter, and it's perfect! Thanks Spinecho!
I would also look into Xubuntu, its much more light weight than ubuntu, has most of the same features like the ubuntu download center, uses the same apps, and runs much much faster...also it is a bit more similar in interface design to windows if you are moving from win to linux...I just made a HTPC for my parents from a few older comp parts (altho still fairly uptodate, the MoBo had an HDMI) and Xubuntu, They found xubuntu much more intuitive than ubuntu and it also simply ran better. Long story short, if you like ubuntu but wish they would just make it better, try Xubuntu
Or Lubuntu... or anything that doesn't use Unity by default. Smile
(2013-02-23, 18:58)desperadoo7 Wrote: [ -> ]Absolutely brilliant! Followed the tutorial for creating "dual-booting windows 7 and Ubuntu 10.10" (In my case dual-booting Windows 8 Pro and XBMCbuntu 12) and went marvelous! Although the screens might look something different they're basically the same.

This tutorial can be followed to the letter, and it's perfect! Thanks Spinecho!

How did you get around Windows using up two primary partitions and then not being able to have three for Ubuntu (boot, home and swap)? Did you just not bother with a swap partition?
Create a extended partition for xbmcbuntu. Depwnding on how you use xbmc and how much ram you have, I wouldn't bother with a swap partition.
I did it successfully roughly following the guide. I reformatted the hard drive on my Revo R3700 and installed Windows 7 Home Premium back on, which created two partitions (one system and one for Windows - two primary partitions taken). I then used the XBMCbuntu installer to create an 'other' type installtion, and created a 500MB EXT2 partition monted as /boot and a 30GB EXT4 partition mounted as / at the end of the drive (wasn't worried about using that much on XBMCBuntu as I don't hold any media on the Revo). I selected the /boot (sda5) as the boot partition.

That was all four primary partitions used so I couldn't create a linux-swap partition. I finished the install and when it rebooted it booted into Windows. I then installed EasyBCD in WIndows and added in the linux boot entry as XBMCBuntu and set that to the default, and it worked straight away. I do get two boot menus (first the Windows one with both XBMCbuntu (default) and Windows, which then goes to the GRUB loader after that (unless Windows is selected), but I reduced the boot time in EasyBCD to 3 seconds to make it shorter.

I just need to work out how to edit the boot time on the Grub loader to 3 as well and it'll be fine....!

I had been trialling OpenELEC as well. I do find XBMCBuntu a lot slower to load and slightly less responsive than OpenELEC, even though that's running off a USB stick, but as getting OpenElec dual booting with Windows is a nightmare (I tried, tried a few more times, then gave up!) I'll stick with XBMCBuntu and WIndows for now!