Install Problems (Several Operating Systems)

[num1bryanp]

Hello,
I am trying to install BackTrack 5 R1 from CD on a windows 7 home system.
I made it to the “Prepare Disk space” step.
I was expecting to select the “side by side” option (dual boot).
The “side by side” option is not present, only the “erase or manual”.

Here is what the “Prepare Disk Space” screen says.

This computer has several operating systems on it.
Window 7 (loader) /dev/sda1 NTFS 208M
Windows Vista /dev/sda2 NTFS 978G
Windows Vista /dev/sda3 NTFA 21G (Restore section I think)
/dev/sda4 FAT32 100M

How do I set up the dual boot in the manual mode and not mess up what I have.
Or is there other tricks to get the "side by side" option to show up.

Thank you in advance for any help,
Bryan

[scottm99]

It's been awhile since I installed BT as dual-boot, so my memory is a bit rusty. I don't recall seeing a side-by-side option, as such. I think the default install is for dual-boot. You should see a slider bar for /dev/sda2 (as that looks to be your primary partition). Try adjusting that to suit your needs, and continue with the install, per the wiki directions. Also, like the wiki says, be sure to back up your Windows partition first!

[ckchessmaster]

Hey so I just recently installed BT dual-boot. I had a somewhat similar problem when I tried to dual boot. Side by side only works if you have another linux distro installed I believe as I had this option when I was dual-booting Ubuntu. Basically the easiest way for me to do it without another linux distro already installed was to login to Win7 and open up the partition manager. Then shrink your main volume down so that there is enough empty space for BT. Next when u boot up with your BT cd select the use largest continuous free space option that should install it with no problem. Note: I think you can also specify the partition from the BT boot at the page you are talking about under manual setup but I couldn't get it to work for some reason.

[Snayler]

scottm99 is right, the default install should already be for dual-boot, except in some cases. I did had some issues in the past with the default option being "use the whole disk" when I had other operating systems installed.

If that's your case, or if you still want to set up the dual-boot manually, just choose "choose manually" (or something equivalent), shrink one of your partitions to get some space for BT5, create a swap partition (double the size of your RAM size if you have a small amount of RAM, half of it if you have lots of RAM) and create a ext4 partition (the size is up to you, but IIRC, I think it should be a minimum of 10Gb) with mount point on "/" (no quotes, you'll see it on the drop-down menu). Then select the ext4 partition, click next and install. That should do it.

If you can't shrink your partition on BT, you can do it with Windows 7 (Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management > Right-click on the partition you want to shrink and select "Shrink...".

Oh, and as scottm99 said, remember to backup your Windows partition first!

[kupholder]

I recently helped someone with this same situation. Both of them are correct. I've found with people not experienced in the installation of backtrack that creating an empty partition in windows is often easier for most people.

[abelwho]

I think the side to side option was in bt4, wen i install bt5 idid not see it.

[nekromantik]

I got a different issue.
I already created some empty space of 20gb and currently have my Windows 7 on my SSD while I want Backtrack on my HDD.
I make it to copying files and then it crashes with exit code 137.

[maverik35]

Ok..I have in my laptop winXP, Win7, BT4, Debian Squeeze....And yes, you will have issues unless you know how to use the grub2, like when booting, you won't get the windows partition, but it is there, the only thing you have to do is update the grub ("update-grub2")....
Do this:
Boot with the gparted cd. You need to download the gparted and burn it onto a cd. If you boot from BT5 cd or dvd, open a terminal and type "gparted" if it is contained in the cd or dvd..
Choose the sda4 partition and delete it...
Then boot up with the BT5 disk and use the "use the next available partition" option....Follow instructions.
Or the other thing is to use the manual option, use the sda4 (fat32) and in the procces, mark it to format it as ext4. You have to create the root (/), swap and home if you want, this is optional...But this method is for people who have worked before with linux....
You won't be able to install BT5 the way you have you partitions since there is no space available..That is why you have to delete the sd4 partition..
As I said, you can use it, but if you are new to linux, delete the sd4 partition instead and use the "next available space" or something like that....It will create the swap partition for you and your home directory will be in the sd4....

Hope it helps.

[snafu777]

Bryan,

Out of curiosity, why would you be installing Back|Track if you do not understand the aspects of things such as simple partitioning? I understand the want to use Back|Track to learn from, but.... Some things are "required" base-knowledge.

As well, make sure that you are careful when you connect to the internet with root, as is the case with Back|Track default installations.

[snafu777]

Bryan,

Out of curiosity, why would you be installing Back|Track if you do not understand the aspects of things such as simple partitioning? I understand the want to use Back|Track to learn from, but.... Some things are "required" base-knowledge.

As well, make sure that you are careful when you connect to the internet with root, as is the case with Back|Track default installations.


Heh,

Devs.... Quick Reply creates a double post...