You can either have Ubuntu use the available space on drive C or you can manually use the partition manager, gparted. The easiest way for a novice is to use the defaults, but I prefer to set-up things manually.
I like three partitions for Linux. With your Windows partition that makes four altogether. You will first need to resize your Windows partition (smaller) to make room for Ubuntu. You can run all of Ubuntu from one partition, but there are good reasons to use separate partitions. I am not sure if you need to first make and extended partition from your empty space after re-sizing Windows, not having done this in a while. I suspect that you do. If this is the case, then you will have to do this before making your Linux partition(s). This is all done graphically. You can either drag the handles to make the drive smaller or you can type in the boxes. I suggest that you back up essential data in your Windows drive before beginning, just in case. Three partition method: You will need a tiny one for a swap disk. This should equal the amount of RAM you have in your computer. Bigger isn't necessarily better. 512 MB is usually enough. Format it as a swap disk format. How large you make your other partitions is up to you. If you plan on changing the system lots and add lots of applications, then you will need room to grow. If you have lots of HD space then choose 10 - 20 GB of the root partition. If you have little HD space then choose 4 GB. Choose ext3 for your FS format. For the root partition set the mount point as /. You will also want a home partition. It can be small or large depending on available space and your habits. If you do lots of downloading using file sharing programs, collect pictures, videos or music then this uses lots of space. Format it as ext3 as well and set the mount point as /home. You can run it all from one ext3 partition with your home directory included, but if you need to re-install at any point you lose all of your data and preference settings. If you use separate partitions you can re-install or upgrade without losing anything. Good luck! ----- Original Message ---- From: neils93940 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 2:31:09 AM Subject: [LINUX_Newbies] Hard Disk Free Space Consolidation At End Have just gotten my first M$WinXP on which to dual boot load Ubuntu 710. What program is available to move all the disk files to the front so that I can partition C: during Ubuntu installation? Essentially, need to find how to have all unused C: drive space consolidated onto the end, hence all files to be packed into the beginning. Used to be able to do this with Norton Speedisk on earlier M$Win OS's; but, XP appears to prevent doing this. Alternative is to find a reliable backup onto CD to allow wiping C: drive followed by partitioning and then reload back in from that backup. I tried that with a move onto an external using the Ubuntu CD bootup and after I moved all the files back I found the files were back in the same scattered locations and all the long file names in the registry were reduced to 6~1.3 format. Need to know how folks are doing this. ALSO, some are telling me Linux can read/write NTFS partitions. If so, I would use that for all the Ubuntu partitions save the Linux SwapFile Partition. For a while, I expect to be dual booting to be able to keep productively working until I can convert all I have from M$ to Ubuntu. Otherwise, the data partition could be Ext2 as I found a driver for M$WinXP which allows XP to read/write to an Ext2 formatted partition. Hmmmmm...... Need help on this one too..... <!-- #ygrp-mkp{ border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:14px 0px;padding:0px 14px;} #ygrp-mkp hr{ border:1px solid #d8d8d8;} #ygrp-mkp #hd{ color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:bold;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0px;} #ygrp-mkp #ads{ margin-bottom:10px;} #ygrp-mkp .ad{ padding:0 0;} #ygrp-mkp .ad a{ color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;} --> <!-- #ygrp-sponsor #ygrp-lc{ font-family:Arial;} #ygrp-sponsor #ygrp-lc #hd{ margin:10px 0px;font-weight:bold;font-size:78%;line-height:122%;} #ygrp-sponsor #ygrp-lc .ad{ margin-bottom:10px;padding:0 0;} --> <!-- #ygrp-mlmsg {font-size:13px;font-family:arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;} #ygrp-mlmsg table {font-size:inherit;font:100%;} #ygrp-mlmsg select, input, textarea {font:99% arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;} #ygrp-mlmsg pre, code {font:115% monospace;} #ygrp-mlmsg * {line-height:1.22em;} #ygrp-text{ font-family:Georgia; } #ygrp-text p{ margin:0 0 1em 0;} #ygrp-tpmsgs{ font-family:Arial; clear:both;} #ygrp-vitnav{ padding-top:10px;font-family:Verdana;font-size:77%;margin:0;} #ygrp-vitnav a{ padding:0 1px;} #ygrp-actbar{ clear:both;margin:25px 0;white-space:nowrap;color:#666;text-align:right;} #ygrp-actbar .left{ float:left;white-space:nowrap;} .bld{font-weight:bold;} #ygrp-grft{ font-family:Verdana;font-size:77%;padding:15px 0;} #ygrp-ft{ font-family:verdana;font-size:77%;border-top:1px solid #666; padding:5px 0; } #ygrp-mlmsg #logo{ padding-bottom:10px;} #ygrp-vital{ background-color:#e0ecee;margin-bottom:20px;padding:2px 0 8px 8px;} #ygrp-vital #vithd{ font-size:77%;font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold;color:#333;text-transform:uppercase;} #ygrp-vital ul{ padding:0;margin:2px 0;} #ygrp-vital ul li{ list-style-type:none;clear:both;border:1px solid #e0ecee; } #ygrp-vital ul li .ct{ font-weight:bold;color:#ff7900;float:right;width:2em;text-align:right;padding-right:.5em;} #ygrp-vital ul li .cat{ font-weight:bold;} #ygrp-vital a{ text-decoration:none;} #ygrp-vital a:hover{ text-decoration:underline;} #ygrp-sponsor #hd{ color:#999;font-size:77%;} #ygrp-sponsor #ov{ padding:6px 13px;background-color:#e0ecee;margin-bottom:20px;} #ygrp-sponsor #ov ul{ padding:0 0 0 8px;margin:0;} #ygrp-sponsor #ov li{ list-style-type:square;padding:6px 0;font-size:77%;} #ygrp-sponsor #ov li a{ text-decoration:none;font-size:130%;} #ygrp-sponsor #nc{ background-color:#eee;margin-bottom:20px;padding:0 8px;} #ygrp-sponsor .ad{ padding:8px 0;} #ygrp-sponsor .ad #hd1{ font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;color:#628c2a;font-size:100%;line-height:122%;} #ygrp-sponsor .ad a{ text-decoration:none;} #ygrp-sponsor .ad a:hover{ text-decoration:underline;} #ygrp-sponsor .ad p{ margin:0;} o{font-size:0;} .MsoNormal{ margin:0 0 0 0;} #ygrp-text tt{ font-size:120%;} blockquote{margin:0 0 0 4px;} .replbq{margin:4;} --> ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To unsubscribe from this list, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] & you will be removed. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
