4

I formatted my laptop due to messing up GRUB and MBR.

And I don't want that to happen again, so... Where is the correct partition that I should install GRUB?

My partitions are

System Reserved (/dev/sda1 I beleive)
Windows 8 (/dev/sda2)

The next ones are not made but are supposed to be as I list when I create them:

Ubuntu (/dev/sda3)
Pear OS 8 32-Bit (/dev/sda4)
Swap Partition (2GB /dev/sda5)

Now, where should I put GRUB?!

Braiam
  • 69,112
Lucas Smith
  • 85
  • 1
  • 4
  • 13

3 Answers3

5

If you are using your internal hard disk for both Windows 8 and Ubuntu, then you should be storing your grub on the first sector of the HDD.

This is while installing Ubuntu, in the partitioning stage. You will get a dialog box with all your partitions mentioned and at the bottom, you will be asked where you want to store your grub. Here, you should point it to /dev/sda. Note that there is no number at the end and just the device name.

jobin
  • 28,567
1

if your hdd is gpt (not ntfs), Ubuntu should put grub in a "bios grub" partition. Shouldn't need a GB, 2MB is plenty for multiple OS's in Grub

BillV
  • 61
0

This is a matter of planning and preferences. In your case since you will have several OS's installed you should use a single partition for the /boot separated of everything else. The size should be about 1GB for the amount of OS's you will be installing.

You didn't put more information into your question but, if you are not using Windows 8 with UEFI and/or plan to deactivate UEFI, I don't see problems when you install Ubuntu. BTW, the order of installation should be:

  1. Windows 8 (remembering to leave space for other OS's)
  2. Other OS
  3. Ubuntu, here you select were to install the boot partition. The reason is that GRUB seems to do not like several kernels into the /boot (I had to experience that myself) so it's better to leave the /boot partition till the end.
Braiam
  • 69,112