i have a computer running with windows xp installed onto one hard drive, i only have one. i want to buy another one and install linux onto it.
how do i do this?

thanks!

Are the drives all IDE or do you also have SATA ports?

What type of Linux do you want to install?

i only have SATA. i plan on installing ubuntu 7.04. Right now im just planning to buy a Seagate 80 gig Hard drive SATA from newegg. should i go bigger or smaller? I dont want Linux files even showing up onto my 320 gig hard drive. because i just want to learn how to use linux

You can go bigger for probably the same money or even less money.

160GB drives run about the same price and sometimes less than 80GB.

Then it is just a matter of screwing in and plugging in the drive.

Then go to the BIOS Setup and verify the location of the drive e.g. Seagate160 = SATA 04

Then install ubuntu to SATA 04.

Then you can get a boot manager program or just enter the BIOS Setup and choose which hard drive to boot. XP or ubuntu.

okay thank you. are boot manager programs free for windows? i know that macintosh has one that you can buy

GAG is free:

http://gag.sourceforge.net/

Although personally I find it just as easy to use the BIOS Setup menu.

ok bios sounds easier as well. lol. how would i access it through BIOS? would it be under SATA 4 if i installed it under there. or would there be something else?

It depends on your particular BIOS.


Mine for example is under:

Advanced BIOS Features > Hard Disk Boot Priority


Here you should see all your hard drives and choose the one to boot.

okay, ill just look around my BIOS when i install linux, it shouldnt be too hard to find, Bios is pretty well organized

Hi pajelaandrew

Ubuntu contains all the applications you'll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools also has graphic applications, Ubuntu contains only free software applications, downloads as an ISO image to be burnt to a CD, File size 697MB, once burnt to Disk it can be run live or installed to a Hard Drive, Ubuntu has its own Boot Loader called Grub.

I have use Ubuntu and found it very pleasant and easy to use, probably the easiest Linux to use and i would recommend it to anyone interested in trying a Linux based Operating System. Read more about Ubuntu / instructions on burning and download at > Ubuntu.Com Home Page

Cindy X