Home / ubuntu / Questions / 1531942
Accepted
Zach
Asked: 2024-11-03 19:44:50 +0800 CST

Ubuntu 24.04 installation - Unable to set my hard drive for bootloader

  • 772

I am trying to install Ubuntu 24.04. Since I have a windows partition, I chose the manual partitioning. I must choose a drive to install the bootloader. Two drives are listed: my hard drive and my usb stick. Obviously, I want to install the bootloader on the hard drive but it is grayed out and I can only select the USB (see image).

On my hard drive, there is a partition of 104Mo that I indicated I want to use as /boot with format VFAT. I thought maybe it was too small but even if I put a larger /boot VFAT partition, the hard drive is still grayed out... (I will also use sda6 as my root partition but when I set it does not change anything)

I installed several times ubuntu and it is the first time that I face this issue... I have no idea what could be the problem.

Could you tell me how to fix it?

EDIT: As suggested by @user68186, deleting the root and swap partitions on the live USB using gparted before the installation made it possible to select my hardrive for the bootloader.

manual partition

Edit adding the parted screenshot:

enter image description here

system-installation

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Backup your data

    It look like you have a dual boot computer with Windows and Mint. You want to replace Mint with Ubuntu.

    First, backup your personal data from the Mint OS partition into an external drive. When you install Ubuntu, all the personal files and folders in the /dev/sda6 will be lost. Second, back up your personal data from the Windows partition into an external drive.

    Try Ubuntu and Gparted

    1. Boot from the Ubuntu Live Installation USB, and choose the Try Ubuntu option. If you have already started the installation process then cancel installation. You will be in the Ubuntu desktop.
    2. Open Gparted and select the /dev/sda6. You may have to select the drive /dev/sda from the top right drop down menu first.
    3. click on the Partition at the top menu, and click Delete.
    4. Click on the Green arrow to "Apply all operations".
    5. Optional, if you don't use hibernation: Select /dev/sda7 the swap partition. and delete it using the partition menu. Ubuntu uses swap files by default. A separate swap partition is only needed for hibernation. Hibernation is turned off in Ubuntu by default.
    6. Click on the Green arrow to "Apply all operations" again.

    This will delete the /dev/sda6 partition containing Linux Mint for ever.

    1. Close Gparted.

    Install Ubuntu with default option

    Click on the Install Ubuntu icon on the Live Ubuntu USB desktop to start the install process.

    Select Ubuntu side by side Windows option. The installer will find the empty space you created where the /dev/sda6 was (and /dev/sda7 if you deleted it) and install Ubuntu there. You will get a chance to verify the partition location before you moving forward with the installation.

    The installer will take care of the bootloader location. Part of the bootloader will go into the UEFI partition.

    Hope this helps

    • 2