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I have two partitions on my hard drive. One with Windows 10 installed and the other with my personal data, "C:" and "D:" respectively. I want to remove windows from that machine and install Ubuntu on it (no dual-boot). Is there a way by which I can install Ubuntu without loosing data on "D:". And, is it possible to mount "D:" as "/home" in Ubuntu during installation? If it is possible, then how to do it?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I was not asking Using a folder on an ntfs partition as /home. Instead, I was saying can I mount that "D:" partition as "/home" by converting it to ext4 without formatting it.

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  • Please backup the needed files and documents and install. And transfer the files into Ubuntu, but of course, remember that Windows apps won't work on Ubuntu! Feb 18, 2018 at 13:55
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    It would help to know the size of C: and D:. For example if C: is an SSD with 256 GB and D: is a HDD with 1000 GB there are a lot of options we can recommend including keeping a smaller size of Windows around for accessing Internet when Ubuntu is broken and installing hardware BIOS / Firmware upgrades from Windows that can't be done from Ubuntu.. Feb 18, 2018 at 14:09
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    @GeorgeUdosen, thanks for your response. I don't have some sort of storage device which I could use for backup and my Internet connection is very slow and it would take forever to upload my files to cloud.
    – user796688
    Feb 18, 2018 at 14:10
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    @WinEunuuchs2Unix, I have a single 500 GB HDD and C: is of 149 GB and D: is 315 GB. Hope this helps.
    – user796688
    Feb 18, 2018 at 14:12
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    'Converting' NTFS to ext4 requires reformatting the partition which will destroy all data.
    – user535733
    Feb 18, 2018 at 14:37

1 Answer 1

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You can dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu

The advantage of keeping Windows is:

  • You can install BIOS and firmware updates for your hardware from Windows which aren't available from Linux/Ubuntu.
  • You can keep a working copy of Windows to access Internet for support if Ubuntu is broken.
  • You can have a transition period of working with files in Windows that haven't been converted to Ubuntu yet.

Shrink Windows 10 from 149 GB

In order to make space for Ubuntu you can shrink your Windows partition (from within Windows Explorer) from 149 GB to about 40 GB. This will leave you with more than 100 GB for Ubuntu which, for most users, is more than enough for the short term.

Keep your Windows 10 data files on D: partition.

You can keep your D: drive as is with Windows data files. Over time you can convert them (if necessary) into Ubuntu/Linux format. Ubuntu can access the files on D: partition via nautilius (file manager called Files in newer versions of Ubuntu).

Later on if your 100 GB of Ubuntu programs and data on C: drive hits 80% you can use Windows Explorer to shrink the size of D: from 315 GB to say 100 GB and make way for a new Ubuntu partition of 215 GB on D: drive.

A new partition is usually possible because over time you discover Windows data files on D: that are no longer needed and you have deleted to free up space. For example you have a Windows Excel spreadsheet called Monthly_Payroll_hours.xls which you convert to Ubuntu LibreOffice Calc spreadsheet called Monthly_Payroll_hours.ods. After conversion you delete the Windows spreadsheet freeing up more space on D: for future "shrinking"

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  • Thanks for answering. This is very useful information, but can you please tell what you mean by "Over time you can convert them (if necessary) into Ubuntu/Linux format". I didn't understand what to convert.. ntfs to ext4? I am a newbie here in Linux world.
    – user796688
    Feb 18, 2018 at 14:34
  • @Mubashir I mean you can convert data files, not programs (Excel to LibreOffice Calc) and not partitions (NTFS to ext4). For example you have a Windows Excel spreadsheet (Monthly_Payroll_hours.xls) which you convert to LibreOffice Calc ( (Monthly_Payroll_hours.ods) within Ubuntu. After conversion you delete the Windows spreadsheet freeing up more space on D: for future "shrinking". Feb 18, 2018 at 14:40