[ubuntu] Installing Ubuntu to 2nd hard drive in Win 7 machine w/ legacy BIOS

With two drives you should not even need EasyBCD.
Keep Windows boot loader in Windows drive and install grub to MBR of Ubuntu drive or sdb, not sdb1.

Do not create a /boot partition. Only required with full drive encryption or LVM. Possibly with server installs, but not normal Desktop installs.

If system is UEFI, I would still use gpt partitioning on Ubuntu drive.
And I would add an ESP - efi system partition for future use. Difficult to add to begiing of drive, later when drive is full of data.
Ubuntu can boot in either BIOS or UEFI boot modes from gpt.
Windows only boots in BIOS mode from MBR or only UEFI mode from gpt. Changing partitioning in effect erases drive. So yes you would have to back up Windows data & reinstall if you wanted UEFI boot for Windows.

You can install Ubuntu in UEFI mode, but then could only boot from UEFI boot menu or perhaps one time boot key like f10 or f12, check manual. Once you start booting in one mode you caot switch, so neither grub nor EasyBCD will boot system in different mode.

If you have 4GB of RAM or more, I would just make swap 2GB and put it at end of drive. That may save some partition issues.
I suggest gpt as then you do not have any issue of primary or logical partitions. But if you want MBR, then Ubuntu can boot from either primary or logical partitions.

I used gparted and selected gpt under device, advanced & select gpt over msdos(MBR) default partitioning. I used gpt with many old versions of Ubuntu with my XP on MBR partitioned drive. But started including both the ESP & bios_grub partitions so drive could be configured for either BIOS or UEFI later.

How you boot install media, UEFI or BIOS is then how it installs. If you use gpt partitioning, you can convert Ubuntu from BIOS to UEFI or vice-versa. With MBR you have BIOS boot only.

For the Total space you want for Ubuntu:
Ubuntu's standard install is just / (root) & swap, but it is better to add another partition for /home if allocating over 30GB.:
Only if gpt - all partitions in gpt are primary (no logicals):
gpt: 300 MB efi FAT32 w/boot flag (for UEFI boot or future use for UEFI, you only can have one per drive, so if already existing do not attempt another)
gpt: 1 or 2 MB No Format w/bios_grub flag (for BIOS boot not required for UEFI)
for gpt(GUID) or MBR(msdos) partitioning
Ubuntu partitions - smaller root only where hard drive space is limited.
If total space less than about 30GB just use / not separate /home or standard install.

1. 20-25 GB Mountpoint / primary or logical begiing ext4
2. all but 2 GB Mountpoint /home logical begiing ext4
3. 2 GB Mountpoint swap logical

Depending on how much memory you have you may not absolutely need swap but having some is still recommended. I do not hibeate (boots fast enough for me) but if hibeating then you need swap equal to RAM in GiB not GB. And if dual booting with windows a shared NTFS partition is also recommended. But you usually caot create that as part of the install, just leave some space. Or partition in advance (recommended).
One advantage of partitioning in advance is that the installer will use the swap space to speed up the install. Thanks Herman for the tip.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DiskSpace
suggested partitions for just Ubuntu on 3TB drive.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/33643...rtition-scheme
Another advanced suggestion from TheFu with Multiple / (root) - Post #5 similar to what I actually do
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2170308
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2021534
UEFI/gpt partitioning in Advance:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/74309...-pc-for-ubuntu

Any install with Something Else which is required with exteal drives or any second drive or any install with separate /home
Also shows combo box with location of grub2 boot loader
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Installing
Does not hightlight changing boot loader to sdb, if exteal drive, but shows other install screenshots:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/31278...in-a-dual-boot
http://askubuntu.com/questions/27437...p-boot-optiond
Install 14.04 Something Else explanation and screenshots (note boot load to VM, most may install to MBR of drive sda, or sdb)
http://www.tecmint.com/ubuntu-14-04-installation-guide/
And you want this screen to choose where to install the grub2 boot loader which is only available with Something Else or manual install
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...ing_Else.22.29: