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I am installing Ubuntu 12.04 on a laptop that had pre-installed Windows 7.

The computer has one hard drive (1 TB SSD), which contained the following partitions:

2GB = system partition, (no letter assigned)

the rest = C:, boot Windows 7 partition

To install Ubuntu alongside with my Windows 7, I was basically following the instructions that I found here: http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2012/05/17/how-to-dual-boot-ubuntu-12-04-and-windows-7/

I successfully shrunk the C: partition by ~450GB. Then, in the beginning of the Ubuntu installation process, (using a DVD image disk), I created 4 new partitions for the linux system (/boot, /, /home, and swap space). Then I told the installer program to put the boot loader to /dev/sda5 (/boot partition), since I planned to use Windows loader to control the dual booting.

The rest of the installation seemed to have worked fine, I re-started the computer and got back to my Windows 7 system (which was expected, as I still had to set up the dual boot from Windows.)

However, that's where I have a problem. According to the above-mentioned instructions, I should be able to use EasyBCD to set up dual boot configuration. However, EasyBCD DOESN'T FIND any BCD records in my system (not even the one for Windows 7). It suggests me to find the file manually, however how can I do it? I am also being cautious as not to damage my existing Windows installation, by randomly trying things I do not understand.

The error that EasyBCD throws in, reads as follows: "The boot configuration data store could not be opened. The system cannot find the file specified. Would you like to manually load a BCD registry for EasyBCD to manage? Please note that EasyBCD requires the Windows Vista/7 bootloader, and will not work in XP-only environments".

I have checked a few related pages here, but none seems to contain exactly my case.

Any help much appreciated!

PS Maybe there is some other dual boot software, that I could use instead of EasyBCD?

Mateo
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Alex443
  • 21

2 Answers2

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UPDATE: the problem was solved by assigning a letter to the "System" partition in Windows 7 (using the Disk Management tool). After that, EasyBCD was able to detect the BCD record for Windows 7, and I could then add the record for Ubuntu.

Alex443
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Actually any kind of messing with bootloader can do harm, even EasyBCD. Be warned!

You can try pointing EasyBCD manually to "c:\boot\bcd". How exactly? I don't know. I've never used this app.

And you can also just use GRUB2. (That might be made harder by using a separate /boot partition.) Either use boot repair, as oldfred said or reinstall Ubuntu. While reinstalling, use either automatic partitioning or use just / and swap partitions. ( /home is optional, you may choose it too.) Auto/easy partitioning may be not available if installer detects complicated layout of partitions that you just created.

user31389
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