How can I install Ubuntu without removing Windows?

Question

I need my pre-installed version of Windows 7 (or any other version of Windows), how could I install Ubuntu without erasing it?

Answer 1

The instructions below are for Ubuntu 11.10. Other versions will be similar but might have a slightly different appearance or order.

1. Boot from your Ubuntu CD or USB stick. When prompted, choose "Install Ubuntu".
   
   
   
   
2. Ensure that you meet all the installation prerequisites. Ideally, connect to the internet at this time as well.
   
   
   
   
3. If you have wireless network hardware and there is an available network, you can (optionally) connect to it at this time.
   
   
   
   
4. Be certain to choose "Install Ubuntu alongside Windows" (or "other operating systems" or other similar wording, depending on your system configuration). This is the important step that will ensure that Ubuntu and windows are both available after the installation.
   
   
   
   
5. Choose how much space to give to Ubuntu and Windows. How much you give each one is up to you.
   
   
   
   
6. Complete the rest of the installation by setting your timezone and entering information about your computer and yourself.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Enjoy the informative slide show while the system installs.
   
   
   
   

8. Restart and enjoy Ubuntu!
   
   

   • http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/windows-installer

Answer 2

You can do it either with Wubi or you can install it in a separate partition.

These links may be useful:

• Wubi Guide
• How to partition

Answer 3

Resize your Windows 7 partition by going to Start > My Computer > Right Click and select Manage > Disk Management > Right click your Windows Partition and Select Shrink Volume. Just shrink to whatever Windows suggests and leave it Unallocated.

On the Ubuntu install you select your Unallocated partition and click "New" and select the file system as a "EXT3" and select the mount point as "/" and click Okay (If you dont want swap)

If you do want swap type in the amount you want (in MB) select the file system as a "Swap Partition" and there is no mount point. Click Okay then you do the step in the paragraph above

After Install, Windows will now be in your GRUB menu with Ubuntu as default but that can be fixed by editing your /boot/menu.lst

Answer 4

One way would be to do a Wubi install. That way you would basically install Ubuntu as an application that you run from within Windows. More information on that can be found here and here, as well as here.

The other way would be to resize your Windows partition to allow room for Ubuntu. There's a comphrehensive guide on that here.

Answer 5

Install Ubuntu in an ext4 partition you created, and GRUB will do the rest for you.

Answer 6

http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Ubuntu Another guide

Answer 7

I went to ubuntu.com and downloaded the desired OS I wanted.More than likely if your computer is new then it has a 64bit system but check and make sure. Windows 7 allowed me to put the OS onto a flash drive just as you would burn it to a cd. I restarted the computer and the loader started and gave me a choice of installing along side of windows. Choose that and you are good to go. I did it on the day I bought my Acer laptop and both run smoothly. It is easier than it sounds, just follow the prompts and you will not have any problems. Good Luck

Answer 8

1) You download the ISO of the desired Linux distro

2) Use the free UNetbootin to write the ISO to a USB key

3) boot from the USB key

4) double click on install

5) follow the straight-forward install instructions

Answer 9

Did you consider virtualization ?

If you just need an execution environment for command line unix tools (programming), virtualization is great !

The other advantage is that you have no more risk to wreck your Windows install.

You can use Virtualbox which is free, or vmware server, which is also free.

As for myself, I'm doing web development with ubuntu 10.4 LTS virtualized with vmware/Win7