Ubuntu and Windows XP on same hard drive

minCruzer

minCruzer

New Member
I am currently downloading Ubuntu (215MB of 695) onto my computer. I am running Windows XP currently, and I would like to install Ubuntu with Windows XP on my hard drive - C:. I am completley new to all this Partition and NTFS stuff. When I installed XP, I chose FAT32 - will this be a problem? Here is my machine info:
  • Dell Optiplex GX50
  • 512 MB RAM
  • WINXP SP2 Home Edition V. 2002
  • Intel Celeron Processor
  • 996MHz
  • External CD Writer
  • 18.6GB (8.83GB Free Space) - I will free up as much as possible before install

I have 4 Blank Memorex CD-R 700 MB CD's and I will purchase a few more if neccessary. And If I need to I can also get a couple DVD discs. The External CD Writer works fine its a Phillips in case you need to know. I have a broadband wireless connection but its max is 54Mbps with the wireless adapter. I can hard wire it for a little bit maximizing to 100Mbps. I don't want to purchase any software.

I will need a list of software that needs to be downloaded if any and what you recommend/use (Free). My hard drive is EXTREMLEY small and I can uninstall smaller versions of software or just remove the uneccessary if I need to.

If Ubuntu is too big for my C: I would like to know of another one smaller and free that suits my wimpy little computer. I will provide additional information as neccessary and please make responses detailed because I'll get lost and depoly a shark into all the Ubuntu files somehow...:eek:
 
There are methods for converting a Fat32 partition into an NTFS type while that wouldn't be necessary to see any Linux distro go on there. Linux uses VFat not Fat or NTFS for it's own root and commonly seen swap type partitions which can be the primary or extended type while Windows require the primary.

The two tools for creating Linux type partitions are QParted and the Gnome Partition Editor called GParted. There a few live for cd releases of GParted that are cross platdorm or seen at the download page as platform independent you can use to resize and even create if not delete Fat16/32 and NTFS partitions.

The live for cd 0.3.3.0 release is found at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828

To understand how easy it can be to boot from a GParted cd-r and use that tool read through the documentation seen at http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/generalities/gparted.htm

For alternate distros that are smaller in size Knoppix, Zenwalk, Puppy Linux, Getoo, Mephis are some of the names there. You may want to run a live for cd version before actually installing one and finding another later that you prefer. Or you may decide that you don't want Linux at all?!

The free version of one program that will burn to cd-r the Linux drive tool as well as various live and iso segaments for distros is BurnOn while many use Deep Burner. BurnOn is found at http://www.burnworld.com/burnoncddvd/
 
If I were you I would buy another 40 or 20 gigabyte hard drive and install it. Hard drives this size aren't expensive. 20 gigabytes is almost too small for a system nowadays.

I personally dual boot with Linux Ubuntu 7.10 and Windows XP. I use Ubuntu for internet use as it adds another layer of security to keep garbage out of my Windows Operating System.
 
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If deciding on whether or not to go for a new larger drive like the one seen there the 20gb will still have enough room for any Linux distro since that OS uses less drive space as a rule over Windows. 8gb is a good round figure for ubuntu and other large distros and could easily go on a 4-5gb root leaving 1-1.5gb for the swap.

WD drives are backward compatible to ATA33/66 so there's no worry about a new larger drive not working. With older 95 systems enabling lba support was needed in the bios since no one saw drives over 16gb at that time.
 
I was thinking, you would probably be better off buying a used system with better specifications than buying an 80 gigabyte hard drive for $50. You could probably buy a new system and double your processor speed for around $95.

I would say to look for a system with a processor that has either the following:

Pentium 4 2.0 GHz and faster

AMD Athlon 2400 and faster
 
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I was able to free up about a GB of space and now is at 9GB Free Space. I'm waiting to see how much $$ I get for Christmas because I don't want to go out and spend money just for this because this isn't a big thing that I absolutley have to do. I can probably uninstall OpenOffice because I hardly ever use it. I normally make all my downloadable files in .rtf so I know most users can read it. I sorta need Java. I don't use iTunes and QTime very much but I still need it from time to time. A new Frostwire came out and I am assuming its file size is even smaller than the ones before it. Limewire is bigger than Frostwire, so I think I can safley make that assumption. I may just get an external harddrive and put all my junk on it and leave my securtity center on my pc (ZoneAlarm Firewall, AVG Free Anti Spyware & Anti Virus).
 
Limewire is a bug in itself and not something you need for sure there. ITunes you can readily dump at any time while Quick Time is usually required for certain online videos and active x type controls. When you go to look at something you find at some site you will see the prompt for downloading QT then if it's not on.

It's kind of the catch 22 where you need Apple's stuff at times since MS lacks in those areas. Flash Players are typically Apple while Java was developed by SUN Microsystems and is also needed often. Without replacing the current drive or simply splitting it into two partitions the option for simply adding in a second drive can work two ways there.

The first is trying Linux out without any effect on the XP host drive. The second is storage and backup of anything you have on the XP host in the even the first drive fails at some point. On a new build and when you are resourced for a new system then you can boost capacity as well as performance there to a much larger degree.
 
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