Bootloader install issue

[Awesomeclaw]

Hello,
I recently bought a Lenovo Y580 with an SSD acting as a cache for the main drive. This seems to cause some issues when trying to dual-boot Windows and Fedora, since the SSD is the main drive (sda) but the Fedora installer considers this drive to be unformatted and seems to skip the bootloader options screen when I tell it not to use the SSD. So, when I get to partitioning the storage drive for the install, the installer complains that I haven't set up a bootloader.

So, just to clarify:
1. I open the 'Install to Hard Drive' shortcut
2. I select a keyboard language and click 'Next'
3. I select 'Basic Storage Devices' and click 'Next'
4. The installer asks if I want to remove the SSD from the installation - I click 'No, keep any data'
5. The next screen I get asks me to select a hostname
6. Timezone selection
7. Password selection
8. 'Use free space' (I've shrunk my Windows partition by 200GB)
9. Error: you have not created a bootloader stage1 target device, sdb6 must have one of the following disklabel types: gpt. I also get this error if I try and set up a custom layout.

Is there any way to either get Fedora to install the bootloader to sdb (which will be chain-loaded from the Windows bootloader) with this setup (or otherwise fix this issue)?

[george_toolan]

This error message has nothing to do with your SSD cache.

If you boot your computer in UEFI mode Fedora 17 will insist on using a GPT partitioning scheme instead of MBR.

If you want to keep your MBR partitions you have to boot the Fedora 17 DVD in BIOS compatibility mode.

Otherwise you could create a GPT partition table with gdisk and then reinstall Windows in UEFI mode ;-)

[Awesomeclaw]

Ah, OK. Why does Fedora 17 insist on using a GPT scheme without providing information on why or an option to use an existing MBR scheme?

[george_toolan]

Your shiny new computer decided to boot in UEFI mode when it recognized an UEFI bootable medium and now Fedora is trying to perform an UEFI install which requires a GPT.

That's why ;-)

[alfchung]

I have the same problem. Then what is the correct way to install Fedora 17 on Y580 while keeping the pre-installed Windows? Or, we have to make partition to the whole hard drive? Why Fedora can't automatically do that?

I have been using Fedora on desktop for a long time and never have a problem installing dual boot.

[arifur]

Not sure if this helps or not, here is a simple Grub installation and reinstallation guide that I found useful
http://www.abouthack.com/articles/li...fedora-17.html

[alfchung]

@arifur, Thanks a lot! However, this page is about how to fix bootloader after Fedora installation. I can't even install b/c it complains no GPT partition. And I have no idea if I can or how to create this fancy "GPT partition" .

[arifur]

Try gparted. It may help

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

[alfchung]

@arifur
Thanks again! gparted is available on Ubuntu Live CD but not Fedora Live CD. And yes, I tried, it can create and edit partitions. However, I don't see how to set boot partition, or create GPT partition ...

Do you know if gparted can do that?

[arifur]

Originally Posted by alfchung

@arifur
Thanks again! gparted is available on Ubuntu Live CD but not Fedora Live CD. And yes, I tried, it can create and edit partitions. However, I don't see how to set boot partition, or create GPT partition ...

Do you know if gparted can do that?

You can select a partition in Gparted and set it as boot partition. I think there is an option to do that.