Best -- or perhaps easiest? -- way to install Ubuntu for dual bootin' on a laptop?

[villager]

It's an IBM T40, running XP (my favorite, anyway, of the Gatesian OS's)

I have an Ubuntu disc on the way.

What's my best procedure for installing it and getting into a "dual boot" environment, which may even suit my Gemini nature? ;-)

thanks in advance...

[JPettus]

1. Just follow the steps.

You boot from the CD and select Install or Run Ubuntu from the menu and let it load the Live CD. You can play with it for a while without touching your hard drive if you like before installing.

Once you choose to install it will pretty much run without problems for the most part. You will usually want to take the defaults. The only issue you may have is when it gets to the partition part of the install. The selections, sadly, start with Use the Whole Disk or Partition Manually.

You can partition the disk as part of the install but I've had better luck when I partition the drive before the install. Commercial software like Partition Magic will let you change the partition size while keeping your information. Linux-based freeware that works just as well, IMO, is GParted, which is also very intuitive for changing your partition sizes on the fly. (Recommend that you defrag your disk before running this operation with either one.)

Partitions for Linux: you will need at least one and two is better. Three is best if you are going to keep the Linux install and just update. One partition, which should be one of the largest, would be your / directory. A second, smaller, partition would be for /swap. If you add a third partition for /home then when you update all your regular data remains where it is during the update and as long as you don't choose to format that partition again you should be able to update easily. Maximum number of primary partitions on a hard drive is four and your Windows drive would take up one of those.

Once it installs, set up your IP address/networking settings and make sure you are online and the computer will start checking for updates. You can also start Add/Remove Programs and check out some of the software offerings available.

Hope that helps.

[villager]

2. thanks! So should I go ahead and download a copy of GParted now,

with the XP?

[JPettus]

5. Sure

Though what you will be downloading is an ISO image. I don't think Windows can burn an ISO image directly to a CD without additional software. You may need to check into that.

[Omphaloskepsis]

3. Things will probably be fine..

But, back-up your data first. It sucks when you are the 1% that has things go wrong.

[CK_John]

4. Another approach is to find on eBay or newegg a 6 to 10 gig hard drive, with it's container if your

model has one. I have an old IBM TP760 and their HD can be easily be snapped in and out without any tools or opening compartments. Just lift the keyboard and snap it out. Check out replacing HD for your model on google.

Then you can just put in a new hard drive and install Ubantu and not worry about wiping out XP.

Edit: Link to replace HD
<http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-50021.html>

[villager]

6. thanks, all, for the tips!

:thumbsup: