Live CD Does Not Boot, WUBI leaves Too Many Primary Partitions error

Support & Help Requests
1

I know my Sony Vaio VGN running win 7(8 years old maybe) boots from CD for other windows installations. Both i386 and 64bit Live CD Ubuntu Mate 15.04 do not boot on this laptop or an HP Pavillion gen 7 running win 7 using DVD.
I read all the tips and tricks. I burned at slowest speed. I restart computer> Vaio splash screen> DVD starts spinning>Windows splash screen>DVD spins some more>Windows logon screen

The HP is very similar except for the splash screen is HP

So I did what any intermediate hacker would do and tried to install from windows using WUBI onto a new partition I made via windows disk management tool - looked like it was gonna do it on reboot…even the wifi was working…then the infamous error “Prolly cuz too many partitions” infinite loop.

The desktop looks cool. I wish the DVD would boot as it was supposed to.
I am not a noob to linux. I’ve used Unix, and several versions of Linux in the past on a multiboot desktop 8 years ago, Debian, Redhat, Ubuntu, win xp, etc. I don’t understand why 8 years later this stuff is still giving anyone fits.

It is touted as a Live CD try before install but it doesn’t…why?
I am not just being rhetorical, maybe a bit sarcastic from frustration…sorry about that. Why?

2

I have a bit of a win and a lose situation at this point. First let me say that I used the Unetbootin app from windows 7 on my Sony Vaio and successfully created the i386 iso image and it boots on the HP providing the try “Ubuntu Mate before install” option on the HP Pavillion gen 7 - so the Live CD works for the HP. BTW it was the exact image I used on the DVD, I did not re-download it or etc. The only conclusion is that the burned discs were bad.

However on my Sony I am not able to boot from usb or dvd. So I dug around and found my Bios has locked me out without me having opted for any password protected bios. Not sure how this happened but I know I had nothing to do with it. Looking around the internet I found thousands of people with the same issue on Sony Vaio laptops. Now I have to find a way to hack into my own bios. Anyone have any ideas? One solution I read had to do with using my license key and a serial number to derive a master password from some calculator. The sticky MS lic label was rubbed off of this computer years ago. Unless some guru happens to see this post I am likely SOL. Just another reason to want to get away from MS however this time they have me imprisoned in my own computer.

I like what I saw on the Live CD so I really need to figure this out or…let it go.
Thanks for listening :smile:

3

I tried it, too. IMHO, the issues are:

  • There is no official Wubi version where you can select "Ubuntu MATE".
  • There is no official Wubi version for 15.04. The version on the iso for 15.04 is for 14.10.
  • The official Wubi version for 14.10 has known bugs like "Two many primary partitions" error.

But finally, I succeeded. I found this post of user hakuna_matata. At the end of the post there is a link, where you can download a patched version for "Ubuntu MATE": wubi1504SB.exe

It worked for me without any problems.

4

Thank you for that link I will research it.
I found out about this so called “frugal boot” mode using UNetbootin. I am going to attempt this method. My only concerns are that the method uses Parted Magic via boot from UNetbootin. It then allows you to partition and load into the partition and then upon reboot the partition is made bootable and begins the install. Why can’t I shrink my volume in Windows using Disk Management tool first? And If I do that am I supposed to leave it as blank unallocated unformatted space that UM will recognize during the UNetbootin bootloader method. From what I read UNetbootin was designed for this frugal boot method. I’ll research some more before I do it and I need to back up everything for either method, WUBI or “frugal boot” so there is time :slight_smile:

5

If it is no problem for you to create a new partition, I read that Wubi has a “Demo mode” which starts a Live CD.

I tried this, too. The first part is as equal as a Wubi install, but you should select a drive/partition which you do not use for real install.The reason is that this partition is locked during live session.

After first reboot, you see a screen with “Completing the Ubuntu installation. For more installation boot options, press ‘ESC’ now …”.

There you can press “ESC” and then select “Demo mode”. That boots into a live CD where you can make an install on real partitions.

P.S. I tried a lot of Ubuntu flavours, too. “Ubuntu MATE” is my favourite one.

6

You can use UNetbootin to install Ubuntu 15.04 from Windows 7 into a dual boot system without the use of a cd/dvd or a USB drive. I am writing this from a fresh Ubuntu 15.04 install using the method below.

Step 1: Backup all your files…just in case

Step 2: Defrag your C:\ drive [right click C drive>click on Tools Tab>Defrag]

Step 3: Check for errors [right click C drive>click on Tools Tab>Error Checking] reboot and wait for the app to finish completely, the system will reboot when finished

Step 4: Create Unallocated Unformatted free space on the C drive [Control Panel> Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Disk Manager>right click the C drive>Shrink Volume] I believe the suggested space for a full Ubuntu install is 16 Gig, I made 41,000 MB about 40 Gig. Just type the size into the already selected box. The wording MS uses is confusing be assured typing 41000 will make 40Gig free space. Click next, if it asks to format, DON’T! Also Do Not assign a letter to the newly made volume.

Step 5: Reboot Windows 7 a couple times to be sure the changes in the volume have taken without errors

Step 6: Download the Ubuntu 15.04 ISO

Step 7: Run UNetbootin [choose disk image radio button and select the Ubuntu ISO image you downloaded. Make sure that Type: Hard Disk is selected in the drop down. Make sure Drive: C:\ drive is selected in the drop down. Click OK] The program will run through 4 steps and then ask to reboot now…Comply

Step 8: During reboot you will have a choice between Windows and UNetbootin, [Choose UNetbootin] This will boot a Live CD try before you install desktop.

Step 9: After you look around a bit you will notice an Install Ubuntu 15.04 shortcut on the desktop [start the install, I think the 4th step of the install shows the main volume with Windows and the free space you created using Disk Manager. [Make sure you click the free space and set it for “/”, also I made sure it was a logical drive NOT PRIMARY click continue install] Takes a few minutes then it will reboot automatically. If you don’t press any keys it will default to the Ubuntu OS. Let it boot. setup your WiFi look around a bit then reboot when you are ready. Upon reboot arrow to Windows and it will boot Windows 7 boot loader where you will see the UNetbootin is still a choice. Windows will be the default there and allow to boot.

As I stated before I am typing this from Chromium running on Ubuntu 15.04. I wrote all this so you wouldn’t be worried about using other partition software such as Gparted or Parted Magic. No need to purchase anything Windows already has a good tool> Disk Manager

I’ll be honest I still need to figure how to uninstall the UNetbootin loader from the Windows boot loader but that is a small issue, I just “Frugal Installed” Ubuntu successfully. :slight_smile:

7

So, I’ll start off by saying that I don’t have a fix. As far as installing Ubuntu, it worked every time from a USB for me.
I, too, am using an older Sony VAIO laptop and have not been able to use my DVD drive in any Ubuntu distro. So, the problem isn’t limited to a boot disc as far as I know. There are apparently many, many VAIO users who have had this issue and I’m just jumping into every related thread I see in the hopes that someone will find a fix or that some wonderful programmer much more skilled than myself will correct this problem for the minority of Ubuntu users of which we are a part. I love Ubuntu, but not having an optical drive kinda sucks.

8

I don't have a Sony VAIO laptop. But the possibility with Wubi still exists. I found here an overview with new releases. The new repository is mentioned in readme.txt of hakuna_matata's dropbox folder which I posted here one year ago.

Currently, I am using Ubuntu MATE 16.04 LTS with Wubi without any problems.