1

I want to install Ubuntu/Lubuntu over the top of the C: drive where Windows 10 is now installed, removing it completely while preserving my data on the other partition doesn't gets formatted.

Is there any way to do that?

Thanks

5
  • 5
    Why is the question title the opposite of the question body? What do you want to do? Replace ubuntu with windows or replace windows with ubuntu?
    – mook765
    Sep 17, 2019 at 17:07
  • 1
    On the installer options window use the 'something else' option. Format C drive to ext4 and install to that partition. Make sure you know which partition is the right one. Be a good idea to check if a bios version update is available first and do it before deleting Windows.
    – crip659
    Sep 17, 2019 at 17:30
  • Make sure that Win 10 fast boot is turned off before shutting down Windows for the last time. If not, it could lock down your D drive.
    – crip659
    Sep 17, 2019 at 17:39
  • Neither purported duplicate answers the OP question and neither has an accepted answer. Suggest reopening.
    – K7AAY
    Sep 17, 2019 at 18:58
  • Possible duplicate of How to use manual partitioning during installation?
    – karel
    Sep 18, 2019 at 5:55

1 Answer 1

2

Yes, there is a way to preserve a data partition while removing Windows 10 and its partition, but first, we must be very careful to do six things:

  1. Reboot your PC and in the BIOS/firmware settings, disable Fast Boot and Secure Boot. Different BIOS have different options, so I can't tell you precisely how to do that. After you have changed those settings, boot into Windows as you normally would.

  2. Make sure we know the drive letter and its partition number which has the data. We do this by running Disk Management from the Control Panel in Windows. Write down the partition number.

  3. Copy all data from C:, your Windows System drive letter, to your data drive. Things like files in and under C:\USERS\yourusername\APPDATA\ contain browser configurations including passwords and bookmarks you may need again. Also copy all the data in the Quick Access locations to that data-only partition,

  4. When you've confirmed that, make a backup of the data anyway, because disk partition changes can be tricky, and one small mistake can lose data forever.

  5. Make an Ubuntu LiveUSB (or Lubuntu, or whichever flavour you want) LiveUSB.

  6. When you are absolutely, positively, done with Windows 10, then click on the windows button, click on the power icon at lower left, and while holding down the Shift key, click on Shut Down. This makes sure all changes are written to disk and the disks are released.

    When 1-6 are done, then you can install Ubuntu / Lubuntu / *buntu. When it asks where to put Ubuntu, you choose Something Else and specify to put *buntu where Windows was, while not changing the other partition where your data is.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .