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

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 1:

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:

    enter image description here

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

    enter image description here

  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?

    enter image description here

    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!
    

    enter image description here

    At last, click on "Add Entry".

    Done! Now, restart you computer again:

    enter image description here

    (the above picture is related to Ubuntu + Win8)