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I am a complete novice and intend remove Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit from my PC and complete clean install Ubuntu 13.10. I have backed up my files to my D drive (documents, music and photos) is it just a job of sending them to Ubuntu or is it more difficult than that. I should explain that I am not technical and do not understand the workings of software, I also must apologize for my ignorance on the workings of your software as I am only used to Windows

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Backing up your data to a D: partition on the same drive will not prevent the Ubuntu installer to use the whole drive.

To keep our data safe from accidental deletion we need to make a backup on an external drive before we install Ubuntu.

Do not connect this backup drive while removing Windows and installing Ubuntu.

Of course you can install Ubuntu on your existing Windows partition withoud deleting your data partition on choosing "someting else" during the installation. But this needs some basic understanding of a hard drive partitioning and the following precautions to be taken:

  • Do not choose "remove Windows and install Ubuntu" on installation. This will warn yout that it will remove everything from your computer. This warning is serious!
  • Choose "something else" for a guided partitioning.
  • Do not hibernate or "fast boot" your Windows before you remove it. Properly shut down Windows on last usage.
  • Do not have your Windows partitions encrypted.
  • Do not have your data partition on a Windows "dynamic" disk. Ubuntu can only access "basic" NTFS formatted disks.
  • Do not partition, use or format the data partition when installing. Know exactly on which partition your data are. Don't proceed if unsure.

Still people succeeded in deleting all their data. Therefore:

Back up your data on an external drive, please.

Also related:

For dual-boot and UEFI see

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  • You could add information about "fast boot" in Windows : on your last use of Windows, use 'restart' instead, this will prevent the fast boot mode. // You can also add that the "other" menu in the partitionning part of the installation should be choosed in order to keep the D: drive safe.
    – MrVaykadji
    Mar 23, 2014 at 15:37
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You can keep your documents, music and photos on your D drive if it's a separate hard disk of your C drive, not a partition on the same disk. Ubuntu will automatically mount such drive and all your documents will be visible to Ubuntu File Manager:

Look at my system below, I can see my windows drives:

enter image description here

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  • It lacks important information : automatic Ubuntu installation will erase all Hard Drive.
    – MrVaykadji
    Mar 23, 2014 at 15:34

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