Where to install bootloader when installing Ubuntu as secondary OS?

Question

I'm trying to install Ubuntu as secondary OS on my laptop. I have Windows 8 already installed on my laptop.

Now, I know how to run Ubuntu from USB drive, I created addition partition and formatted it to EXT4.

So I'm ready to install.

Now, 'Device for boot loader installation:' displays:

/dev/sta ATA HITACHI (750 GB)
/dev/sta1 Windows 8 (loader)
/dev/sta2
/dev/sta5
/dev/sta6 Ubuntu 12.04 (12.04)
/dev/stb

I tries choosing Ubuntu 12.04 partition but it doesn't even let me to pick which OS to install and goes straight to Windows 8.

Which partition I must choose to be able to pick which OS to boot from? Preferably, set up so Windows 8 will be at first place, and Ubuntu on second.

Any ideas? I don't want to mess up anything if I pick something wrong.

Greenish · Answer

I created a separate partition of size 1MB with type biosgrub for the boot loader.
To create this partition, choose + to add a partition (size: 1MB) on the Installation type window (shown in @madjoe answer). Under the Use as drobpox pick Reserved BIOS boot area.

XavierStuvw · Answer

Out of my experience:

if the boot system is legacy/BIOS, choose the device /dev/sda straight away. Even suggesting other possibilities had been earmarked as a bug (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/1049549)
if the boot system is UEFI, choose the partition where the UEFI files are stored, with a name /dev/sda. where the dot indicates the partition number applying to your situation. You can launch gparted and see which partition this is upon looking at the column 'Flags' and at where the tag 'boot' is.

These solutions had me reinstalling Ubuntu 14.04 without compromising the dual-boot menu at start up.

If you are uncertain about the sort of bootstrapping in your machine, consider the post Is my Windows installation booting in UEFI mode or legacy mode?

For general information: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Installing

madjoe · Answer

Here's an example that could help you out:

Under "Device for boot loader installation":

if you choose dev/sda, it will use Grub (Ubuntu's boot loader) to
load all systems on this hard drive. 
if you choose dev/sda1, Ubuntu need to be manually added to drive's boot loader after installation. (for example, you previously have Windows installed on another    partition of this drive, you'll need manually add Ubuntu into mbr)

Source

These two could also be relevant to your question:

How to make Windows the default OS in grub menu?
http://ycode.blogspot.com/2012/06/ubuntu-1204-boot-windows-by-default.html

Where to install bootloader when installing Ubuntu as secondary OS?

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