How do i partion my hard drive so i can put the Linux OS(Unbuntu) onto it and choose to boot Linux instead?

4 Comments

1. Eric P says:

   5. June 2009 at 16:58

   you need to provide more information when you ask a question like this. Assuming you have windows xp installed on your computer:

   http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm

   assuming you have vista installed

   http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_first.htm
2. earl2k8 says:

   5. June 2009 at 16:58

   on xp vista go on start and right click on my computer then click manage you sshould see your drive and its prity easy after that but after you partitioned right click on it in the manager thing and format it
3. Albundy says:

   5. June 2009 at 16:58

   First get informed trough a search engine about linux ubuntu, because they have so many choices, you can even download the CD,DVD version that you can run fron there, without install into you HD, and they have versions that can be instaled and you HD as a virtual machine, but the old way is it to created a second parttion into you HD with parttion magic, let win to be the first, then you format the rest with fat32, then linux can take over, and format that acording to their rules, and they create a boot menu, so you can chose with OS start, in boot time.
4. l d says:

   5. June 2009 at 16:58

   I agree with Albundy – do a bit of on-line research and reading.

   You can use Ubuntu's liveCD / DVD to partition and install. If you go that route, I recommend that you do it manually, not automatically! I have always set up the free space and created the partitions before installing and used the manual partitioning, to good effect.

   Once you create enough free space, set up 3 partitions; swap = 2x RAM or 1024 max; / (or root) around 5 gigs; and /home 2-5 gigs, or more depending on what you plan to do with Linux.

   Format / and /home as ext3; install. Upon rebooting you will have a grub menu that will appear for about 10 seconds – if you sit and watch it, it will boot automatically into Ubuntu. Or you can manually boot into windoze if you wish. The default will be Ubuntu.

   You edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst if you want to change the delays or default OS.

   If you don't understand the process and make a mistake, you will at worst have a door stop, with all of the windoze progarms and data gone, and no ubuntu. If you understand the process and are careful, you will have a nicely functioning dual-boot system.

   Soooo, as the old saying goes, back up your data first! And make sure you have your windoze and other software install CDs and install keys in hand before you start.