Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10
Stream-of-consciousness log about my experiences on installing Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10 on my new computer.
Introduction
The computer is using an Intel Xeon E5520 in a Supermicro X8DAL-i-O board, an ATI Radeon 5850, 12 GB of RAM, and an Intel X25-M SSD. The video card is hooked up to a monitor with a native resolution of 2560×1600.
First installation: Ubuntu 9.10
I install Ubuntu 9.10 to the SSD off a USB stick, using the suggested disk partitioning method. This allocates approximately 71 GB of space to the root (/) partition and 3.5 GB for a swap partition. Installation completes in approximately 10 minutes. System reboot takes approximately 1 minute. The Ubuntu GNOME configuration comes up at 1400×1050; this is because I have not yet enabled the proprietary fglrx driver. I enable the proprietary fglrx driver. Reboot; approximately 30 seconds this time. The Ubuntu GNOME installation comes up running at the LCD’s native resolution. I run updates; this fetches around 80 packages, installation proceeds with no reported errors. Reboot; approximately 30 seconds. The Ubuntu GNOME installation comes up and the system appears to be fully functional.
Second installation: Windows 7
I decided I wanted a Windows 7 installation for Steam-based games. I purchase Windows 7 Professional and create a bootable USB stick (my computer doesn’t have a functioning optical drive). I boot off of the USB stick. I erase the existing Ubuntu installation using the partitioning tool in Windows 7 Setup. I allocate 11000 MB — about 10.7 GB — to Windows 7; Windows 7 notifies me that ~ 27-28 GB is recommended, but does not prevent me from proceeding. (I later find out that Windows 7’s install footprint is approximately 8 GB.) I proceed with Windows 7 installation. Windows 7 installation completes in approximately 10 minutes and reboots the machine. I change boot order to boot off of the SSD.
Windows 7 did not erase GRUB out of the SSD’s boot sector. This triggers an error condition in GRUB, which appears to not be able to boot off of NTFS partitions, which prevents me from continuing with Windows 7 installation.
Third installation: Ubuntu 9.10
I reinstall Ubuntu 9.10 to establish a bootable OS for GRUB. Ubuntu 9.10 setup detects the Windows 7 installation and prompts me to either erase the installation or choose manual partitioning. I choose manual partitioning and install the Ubuntu 9.10 system in the remaining 65 GB or so of space. I reboot the system after the installation is complete. The GRUB boot menu now appears, with an entry for Windows 7. I select the Windows 7 option and press Enter.
Continuing the second installation: Windows 7
The Windows 7 installation continues; about 5 minutes. The Windows 7 installation reaches its “completing installation” phase, at which point I receive an error message to the effect of “Windows 7 cannot be installed on this hardware.” I click OK; the system reboots. I reach the GRUB boot menu again, and select the Windows 7 option again. I receive another error: “Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer, restart the installation.”
So that’s what I’m looking at now. I’m not really sure how to proceed with this.
At least Ubuntu works.
Update (3:47 AM): complete wipe
I wipe out all partitions and install Ubuntu first this time. I create two physical partitions on the SSD: an 11000 MB partition as partition 1, and allocate the rest as partition 2 as an ext4 filesystem. I install Ubuntu to partition 2 and reboot the system to make sure it works. I then install Windows 7 to partition 1. This wipes out GRUB; I will reinstall it later from the Ubuntu installation media. I reboot the system. Windows 7 installation continues. The installation program reboots the system. I am prompted to enter my product key; I enter my product key from my receipt. Windows 7 installation tells me the product key is not valid. I double-check my product key against the receipt; it matches. I re-type the product key. Windows 7 installation tells me the product key is not valid.
Typical.
Update (5:36 AM): Windows 7 installed
Microsoft (or some Windows 7 distributor) seems to be locking ISO images to specific product keys. I was attempting to install Windows 7 using a friend’s image and my key, which did not work. Downloading the image via the Digital River downloader provided to me in the confirmation email I received after purchase did work.
Some observations
- All three installations of Ubuntu 9.10 were successful, where “successful” means “I had a software loadout where I could use all installed hardware”. Two out of three Windows 7 installations failed.
- Locking specific keys to ISOs is quite an annoyance, as is the subsequent activation process. There is no reason why I should have to spend half an hour downloading what someone I know has already downloaded. The product key, as far as I know, is my proof-of-purchase, and Microsoft can verify this with whatever invasive activation and verification procedures they clandestinely perform.
- I would have saved money, time, and immediate inconvenience if I had decided to use an unauthorized copy of Windows 7. I cannot say whether I would have been inconvenienced later by e.g. malware injected into the unauthorized copies, because I have not examined any such copies.
- Windows 7 does not recognize the RAID controller on my board; I think the drivers shipped on the motherboard CD are required. The default install of Ubuntu 9.10 finds the RAID controller. This isn’t really a problem since I don’t plan on using hardware RAID in the immediate future, but it is nevertheless something to note.
- Neither Windows 7 nor Ubuntu had the correct driver for my video card in the default install, but the fglrx driver download is on the order of a few megabytes. The ATI Catalyst download for Windows 7 approaches 90 megabytes. I realize this isn’t Microsoft’s fault, but the difference is pretty striking.
- The Windows Experience Index tool rates my hardware configuration a 7.3 on a scale of 1.0 to 7.9.