how to install ubuntu linux with winxp?Please Help a noob

[astarter]

Hi Pals
I am very new to this forum or i shud say to this linux world.
I have just got the cds of ubuntu linux, tried live cd and found it quite interesting.
Now i want to install linux on my hdd but the instructions says that it wud wipe off all my existing softwares including windows.
I just want to know that is there any middle way out such that i can have windows and linux both.?
I have heard about some "VMWare" software which create a virtual machine on ur harddisk and linux can be installed on it. but having two os simultaneously cause a loss in RAM which i dont want to have. I have only 256mb RAM.
Please Help...
The more you tell in detail, the more it is easier for me......
Thanks in advance.

[devils casper]

you have to resize Windows partition to create space for Ubuntu. you can do this easily through GParted. boot up from Ubuntu LiveCD and look for GParted in Menu. shrink last partition of Windows. Ubuntu needs 6-9GB disk space. leave new space unpartitioned/free.
during installation, select 'Unpartitioned/Free space for install'.






Casper

[smolloy]

It's very important to defragment your hard drive in windows before shrinking the windows partition. This may save you some problems later.

Otherwise, do exactly as devils_casper told you. Use GParted on the live CD to shrink the windows partition (probably the only partition on the drive at the moment), and leave the rest of the space unformatted. Then start the Ubuntu install, and make sure it uses the "unpartitioned/free space".

Good luck, and welcome to the forums.

[devils casper]

It's very important to defragment your hard drive in windows before shrinking the windows partition. This may save you some problems later.

hi smolloy !

AFAIK, GParted defrags partition before applying changes. you dont need to defrag partitions manually.





Casper

[smolloy]

AFAIK, GParted defrags partition before applying changes. you dont need to defrag partitions manually.

Are you sure about this casper? This is the first time I've heard of this! I've always heard people giving out the recommendation to defragment before resizing, and I've never heard mention of Gparted doing it automatically when resizing.

You could be right, but, if so, it's completely new to me!

[bryansmith]

AFAIK, GParted defrags partition before applying changes. you dont need to defrag partitions manually.

I'm not saying your wrong but are you sure about this? I, like smolloy, have never heard about this.

Bryan

[devils casper]

i am sure about this and i used GParted many times. Latest version of GParted uses ntfsresize utility. According to the ntfsresize page, it is NOT necessary to defrag your NTFS filesystem before resizing it. check here.






Casper

[smolloy]

i am sure about this and i used GParted many times. Latest version of GParted uses ntfsresize utility. According to the ntfsresize page, it is NOT necessary to defrag your NTFS filesystem before resizing it. check here.

Well look at that!

Thanks casper! You learn something new every day, don't you!

[devils casper]

yes ! every day. remember the 'dar' script you posted, i am using that regularly...








Casper

[bryansmith]

Well look at that!

Thanks casper! You learn something new every day, don't you!

Ditto! Thanks for the info devils_casper!

Bryan