n00b

Hey all,
I'm a noob at linux, and trying it out for the first time. As much as I am excited, I am a little concerned about the whole process. I was reading the documentation and a few ebooks on . Anyway, coming down to the point,  requires a RAW partition, and i presently have two partitions on my hdd.

C: 30 GB (FAT32) - Windows Drive
D: 210 GB (NTFS) - Data Storage

So right now, I'm on XP, I was planning to abandon XP totally and move to linux, but I think I need more exposure to linux before i can phase out xp. Anyway, so then came my idea to dual boot.

So I wanted to get a few things clear. Here is what I plan to do, and guide me if I'm wrong anywhere.

Create RAW Unformatted 10-20 GB Partition with partition magic in windows.
Boot with  Disc
Install  on New Drive.

Does ubuntu give me an option on which drive i want to install it on?
Plus will I be able to select the OS I want to boot from at start up?

Sorry, but I'm a total n00b, so really need some help.
Thanks in advance,
Sibot

there is no need for you to even create partition with partition magic since ubuntu does it all for u.

backup your system data if necessary .just boot the ubuntu cd and it will ask u series of questions an then comes to perform partitioning (auto /manual ).

auto will erase entire harddisk. select carefully manual partitioing option.

u can create new partitions if you have free space or remove existing partition and create new ones. removal of existing ones will result in loss of data from that partition.  do this carefully.
if you have another os installed ubuntu will auto detect at the time of installking its boot loader grub and after installation when u r rebooting it will provide options for which os to boot.read this link before install. it has links to installation and other things. it will help you more. from : localhost//showthread.php?t=232059

Thanks! one more question would the linux installer detect my NTFS partition?

If the space is unpartitioned the installer will allow you to choose the quot;emptyquot; space to install .  That's how I always do my installs.  I shrink a partition to a size I desire, then let Ubunti use the blank space to install itself.

from : localhost/www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installing

yes its detecting ntfs partitions  for me....

hmmm yeah i think ill go about it that way too atomic dog, create a RAW partition with partition magic and let ubuntu installer install there. Whats the whole deal with the swap partition? does it have to be manually created or the installer makes it?

Originally Posted by sibothmmm yeah i think ill go about it that way too atomic dog, create a RAW partition with partition magic and let ubuntu installer install there. Whats the whole deal with the swap partition? does it have to be manually created or the installer makes it?

If you choose the manual partition, you have to make it yourself, otherwise it will do it for you, if you choose a guided partition.

from : localhost/www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/partitioning

thanks for the link, I read the matter. I have one question, say I create a RAW Partition out of my free space in D: (NTFS) (Data Drive) and I want to install ubuntu on that, plus create the swap space out of that provided space only. Is it possible? Correct me if I'm wrong; I'll have to choose manual installation, and choose the unformatted space?

sorry for all the fuss, but i have around 150 gb of data on my hdd which i cannot afford to lose, so i need to be extra extra sure what im going to be doing while installing ubuntu. I'm thinking of keeping another computer alongside and taking help from the IRC Chat alongside.