Linux Mint: Unable to install along side Windows 7?

[Vanhishikha]

So to cut a long story short, I want to install Linux Mint along side Windows 7 because I like experimenting and it'd be nice to have Linux installed on my computer, installed it onto USB > Install > and then I'm only left with two options:

1. Install instead of W7, replacing all current files, etc.
2. Use the advanced options.

I tried to make a partition from with-in windows, so that I could back onto Linux and do it that way? but I can't even make a partition from inside Windows, so I am stumped.

 

[Vanhishikha]

Make sure you back up anything from Windows 7 before you proceed. I had a bad experience with the latest Linux Mint recently, where I installed it alongside Windows 7 but on booting and selecting Windows 7 from the boot menu an error was thrown (something about unknown device). Even trying to restore the original Windows 7 partition using acronis didn't work either, even when I tried to overwrite both partitiions (including the 100MB MBR part). Next up I reinstalled Windows and all seemed fine until I did all the software updates and suddenly the error came back again. Think I did complete format and a cold boot and reinstall again before it worked fine.

Might have been a way of fixing it. I'm technically minded but when something says "install alongside" I expect it to just damn work . Was not impressed by that palava, didn't expect to lose a day of my life trying to fix it.
Still like Mint though so gone back to using it in a VM.

I'm thinking about going through the VM route myself to be honest, it's less hassle and I wont mess up anything in the meanwhile (because I still haven't got that "install alongside windows" option), I'm sure I've got a copy of VMware around here somewhere!

Thanks man, I didn't even thinking about virtualisation until now, xD.

 

[Vanhishikha]

I thought it would be pointless to make a new thread, so hopefully someone can help me here.

I gave up with Mint and decided, I like the mac looks and simplicity of the Mac side of things, so why not go for Elementary OS? I put it on my USB drive, did all of that and booted up, it was going great and it even gave me that "Boot alongside Windows 7" option, so I was ecstatic.

It began to install and while it was installing I was clicking through the options (language, location etc), but after I clicked next on "Location" it would not proceed any further and thus, I do not have an active install of eOS.

Is this a known problem with installing off USB or is this a bug?