[saxofoner]

I've been reading up on dual booting windows and linux. I think I'm going to use Ubuntu. (If I shouldn't, let me know).

I realize now, after reading a bunch of tutorials, I see that I should have prepared at the beginning by partitioning the drive. But I didn't. I have a 160GB HD, so I have lots of room. Is it still possible to do this easily? I built my computer, and installed Windows, so I'm not TOTALLY clueless, but I know NoThInG about partitions. Can anyone help me?

[TheRecluse]

you'll need a program like partition magic to partition your existing partitions. be careful though, and back up all your data. messing with partitions can be risky at times.

[jakec]

saxofoner,

good to see you are getting into Linux, Although I personally Wouldn't use Ubuntu

PCLinuxOS is much Better
http://www.pclinuxos.com/page.php?7

Kubuntu (they also send Live CDs)
https://shipit.kubuntu.org/

anyway, you have Made it difficult to install Linux because you have already got your windows system fully functional. You can follow the installation Userguide that can be found here:

http://www.hezardastan.org/breezy_xp_dualboot/en/

you can also use a Gpated Live CD to create Linux partitions with Win XP alredy installed (tells you howTO in the userguide)

D/L it here:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

You can also use Partition Magic for this Like Recluse Suggested, but the EASIST way is simply to get another HDD and use that, Have windows on 1 and Linux on the other, belive me saves a whole lot of messing around

But as recluse said if you are going to share the partition, please backup your data before you start

Hope this Helps,

Jake

[The General]

Originally posted by jakec
I personally Wouldn't use Ubuntu

Kubuntu (they also send Live CDs)
https://shipit.kubuntu.org/

Clarification:

Ubuntu = Kubuntu

The difference is that Ubuntu ships with http://www.gnome.org and Kubuntu ships with http://www.kde.org

[jakec]

General,

Originally posted by macdude425
IIRC, all of the config tools are reconfigured for QT and not GTK.

Also, if you prefer KDE over GNOME and use Ubuntu, then you also have to delete all of GNOME, which just wastes time.

that is the major difference Between the two distros, so Saxaphoner would be better off Getting this distro if he was to use KDE as opposed to gnome.

Jake

[The General]

>.< I totally forgot about that. Lol, the worst part is that I was the one macdude425 was telling that to.

[saxofoner]

Well seeing as I know nothing about KDE or GNOME, I'll listen to whatever you Linux-people say.

I understand that installing M$ Windoze without partitions was a mistake, and I don't really know what to do now. Here's my proposal:
Since I haven't had this computer set up for more than a week, I hardly have any files on it. And it's got a kickbutt DVD drive. So I could burn everything but Windows to a disk, THEN try the partitions thingy, and if anything goes wrong...(God forbid.) I won't have lost anything important.(I think.)

Would it be possible for me to lose Windows? I'm not going to try this if there's any risk of having to buy another Windows OS CD.
[Someone] made a point of Windows' purposeful incompatibility with other software. That made me think too. Do any of you dual boot Windows and Linux? If so, is it safe?

Dang that was a long post... Here's a QUICK summary:
1. Can I back up my stuff and install Linux with NO risk of losing Windows?
2. Does Windows ACTUALLY get along with Linux?

[The General]

I prefer Gnome, but KDE is also good. Its just a matter of preferance. It'd definitely be a good idea to backup. You can not backup too often I've learned this serveral times. As far as the Windows-not-getting-along-with-Linux part. When you press the "on" button, your computer will ask you if you want to boot to Linux or Windows, and if you boot to Windows, as far as Windows is concerned, there Linux doesn't exist. If you boot to Linux, as far as Linux is concerned, Windows doesn't exist. There are, of course instances where they could be said to communicate, but its more like siphoning gas out of a car that isn't running. This would be when you mount your Windows partition in Linux, to exchange data. But really, I haven't heard anything about Microsoft doing anything like this on purpose. Except, of course, not adding EFI support for Windows Vista, which would make it really easy to install on an Intel Mac. (But who needs Windows Vista anyway )

Short answers:

1. Can I back up my stuff and install Linux with NO risk of losing Windows?

No, there is ALWAYS a risk. But don't be scared, because it doesn't happen very often.

2. Does Windows ACTUALLY get along with Linux?

Yes, kind of. Windows doesn't run when Linux is running. And vise versa. This is like two people who hate eachother that are dead and barried next to eachother. It's wrong, but they don't know the other one is there. (For the most part.)

[macdude425]

Let me expand on your last point:
I'd say it's more like two old men. Both are blind and deaf. Now, I can give one (Linux) a hearing aid and he will know that Windows is there. Give him glasses, and he'll know just where to smack Windows to make him hurt.

The same is true for Windows. I can give him a hearing aid, and he'll know Linux is there. I can give him glasses, but it isn't as easy for him to smack Linux because of that arm injury he got in the war. So, he can still do it, it just isn't as effortless.

Make sense?

[The General]

I agree, thank you macdude.


Oh and to help you decide,

Here's a bunch of Gnome 2.14 screenshots:
http://art.gnome.org/screenshots/gnome214

And here's some KDE 3.5.x screenshots:
http://kde.org/screenshots/kde350shots.php