Dual Boot Installing Ubuntu 12.04 with Windows 7 (64) on a non UEFI system

Posted by Randnum on Ask Ubuntu See other posts from Ask Ubuntu or by Randnum
Published on 2012-07-07T22:49:58Z Indexed on 2012/07/08 3:22 UTC
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I cannot seem to install the correct boot loader for a non-UEFI firmware system. I'm trying to install Ubuntu 12.04 and Windows 7 (64) which are technically compatible with GPT but for windows only if the firmware is UEFI enabled. My system uses the old BIOS system and does not support UEFI. Therefore, whenever I finish my Ubuntu install and try to install Windows I get a "cannot install to GPT partition type" error.

Even if I use Gparted to format a special NTFS file format for windows it can't handle the GPT partition style because it doesn't have UEFI. But my ubuntu install always forces GPT during installation and never asks if I want to install the old BIOS style MBR instead.

How do I resolve this? Both OS's will install fine on their own the problem is when I try to install the second OS it doesn't recognize any of the other's partitions and tries to rewrite it's own on top of the other. I've tried both OS's first and always run into the same problem. Since there is no way to make Windows recognize GPT without upgrading my Motherboard how do I tell Ubuntu to use the old BIOS MBR on install?

Do I have to download a special Ubuntu with a specific grub version? or should I manaually configure my partition somehow to force it not to use GPT?

Thank you,

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