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i want to install ubuntu as the only os. that means remove the cuttent os win XP and install ubuntu 11.10. now it will use the entire hard disc for that. but i want to only use the C: drive for that and keep the other partitions safe. is their a method to do so...

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During the installation, you will be prompt to install alongside/replace/something else. Choose something else and install Ubuntu on C. Make sure you know of what you are doing. – penreturn Oct 6 '12 at 16:42

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The C: drive in Windows is most likely referred to in Linux as sda, where the first (and possibly only) partition on that drive would be sda1. If you have a 2nd fixed disk drive, normally D: in Windows, it would be called sdb.

When you run the Ubuntu install, it will normally run a live version from the CD or USB, with an option to install permanently. You can use disk tools to be sure that your Windows disk is indeed sda1. Then, when you install, I believe there will be a choice to install onto sda, with an option to erase everything and reformat the drive to ext4, the default file system type. This is what you want to choose. This will not do anything to the 2nd drive, or any other drives. Just be sure the disk you choose is the one with Windows on it; it should be pretty clear with the installer, as it is a GUI representation of your disk, and shows what is currently on it.

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after this operation is their a method to undo the operation back, that means format that drive as NTFS and install windows back – lakshitha Oct 6 '12 at 17:03
Yes. Just insert your MS W$ cd and format. – penreturn Oct 6 '12 at 17:09
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Another option, assuming you have a bootable XP CD, is to install the free VirtualBox virtual machine software from Oracle, and then install XP within the virtual machine. I've done this a number of times, for running Quicken and iTunes, and it works well - as well as you can expect from XP, anyway. – Marty Fried Oct 6 '12 at 17:49
Does XP "works well"? I agree if it means "BAD by nature..." – Geppettvs D'Constanzo Oct 7 '12 at 0:35

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