On Tue, Sep 18, 2012 at 6:14 AM, Robbie Smith <zoqaeski@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi everyone > > TL;DR: I've just bought a new HP Pavilion g6-2103ax, and I'm having > difficulties trying to figure out how I can dual-boot it with Windows 7 > (which was preinstalled). > > Windows *still* defaults to using MBR partitions, and even though the > system is UEFI, HP have used some trickery somewhere to make it boot from > BIOS. To make matters worse, the disk table already has four partitions: > > SYSTEM: 199 MB NTFS > Windows C drive: ~ 450 GB NTFS > HP Recovery partition: 18.5 GB NTFS > HP_TOOLS: 99 MB FAT32 > > The SYSTEM partition seems to contain the Windows bootloader, or something > along those lines. The HP Recovery partition contains the software > necessary to do a factory reset, and HP_TOOLS contains some UEFI > applications (some system diagnostic things). C drive is Windows. > > What I was thinking of doing was shrinking C drive, and deleting the > recovery partition to make space for Arch. But on my first attempt, parted > bricked the table, and whilst I was able to recover it, Windows refused to > boot. I obtained recovery disks to restore it, but they are completely > non-interactive so cannot be used to rescue Windows, only reset to factory > initial state. > > Due to the arrangement of the partitions, I don't think creating an > Extended partition will work (they need to be the last one in the table, > don't they?), and while I've read GRUB2 can use /boot in LVM, I'm not sure > whether this will work. Also, I've never used GRUB2 before, and its configs > look formidable compared to Syslinux. Ideally I'd switch to GPT, but > Windows needs to be booted in UEFI mode for this, but I have no idea how to > enable this as there's neither a switch in the BIOS settings, nor settings > in Windows. > > Can anyone advise me on how I could overcome these issues? Has anyone had > any experience with new HP g6 models? > On Tue, Sep 18, 2012 at 6:14 AM, Robbie Smith <zoqaeski@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi everyone > > TL;DR: I've just bought a new HP Pavilion g6-2103ax, and I'm having > difficulties trying to figure out how I can dual-boot it with Windows 7 > (which was preinstalled). > > Windows *still* defaults to using MBR partitions, and even though the > system is UEFI, HP have used some trickery somewhere to make it boot from > BIOS. To make matters worse, the disk table already has four partitions: > > SYSTEM: 199 MB NTFS > Windows C drive: ~ 450 GB NTFS > HP Recovery partition: 18.5 GB NTFS > HP_TOOLS: 99 MB FAT32 > > The SYSTEM partition seems to contain the Windows bootloader, or something > along those lines. The HP Recovery partition contains the software > necessary to do a factory reset, and HP_TOOLS contains some UEFI > applications (some system diagnostic things). C drive is Windows. > > What I was thinking of doing was shrinking C drive, and deleting the > recovery partition to make space for Arch. But on my first attempt, parted > bricked the table, and whilst I was able to recover it, Windows refused to > boot. I obtained recovery disks to restore it, but they are completely > non-interactive so cannot be used to rescue Windows, only reset to factory > initial state. > > Due to the arrangement of the partitions, I don't think creating an > Extended partition will work (they need to be the last one in the table, > don't they?), and while I've read GRUB2 can use /boot in LVM, I'm not sure > whether this will work. Also, I've never used GRUB2 before, and its configs > look formidable compared to Syslinux. Ideally I'd switch to GPT, but > Windows needs to be booted in UEFI mode for this, but I have no idea how to > enable this as there's neither a switch in the BIOS settings, nor settings > in Windows. > > Can anyone advise me on how I could overcome these issues? Has anyone had > any experience with new HP g6 models? > Hi Robbie I will try to give you some advice based on my own experience with my HP laptop (Pavilion dv7-4287cl) I bought roughly one year and half ago. Short answer: nuke Windows, GPT your disk -be aware that it's likely to be a 4kb/sector hd so take that in mind when partitioning-, install Arch, what else? Oh yeah: never again buy any HP related product. But I want to keep Windoze! answer: the four partitions layout is a shitty move from HP/Microsoft, they enforce you to use only Windows because as you already discovered the "rescue DVD" (rescue, yeah, they're shameless) restores exactly that layout: it wipes your disk and recreate the same structure; worst: if you read the HP warranty they say that it will be void if you modify in any way the original layout of your hard drive, so in the case -we hope not of course- you need to send your computer to their tech support staff be sure to restore your HD to factory defaults before send it or you'll be out of luck - yeah, they sucks. So if you can't resize the actual Windows C: partition to make space for Arch then you're out of luck but if you can then remember to backup your MBR and partition table just in case: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB2#MBR_aka_msdos_partitioning_specific_instructions, I think your best bet here will be GRUB Legacy (Syslinux may do the job too but since I never really used it besides some playing I don't know if it will work or not, check the wiki). Another thing you may try -if you *really* need a physical install of W7- is downloading a W7 that matchs your installed W7 version and try to use your license key on it - I'm pretty sure it will likely don't work since the good people at Micro$oft makes sure the licenses you already paid from one source don't work on any other side (good people!) but who knows... One last thing: if you choose to go with the Arch Linux only install you are legally backed to ask for a full money refund for what you paid for the Windows license -at least in my country-, do check at the store where you bought your machine for the refund.
