I want to install ubuntu on windows laptop

Hi guys

I need your help in installing ubuntu on my new machine. The reason why i have come here is because installing windows 10 on my laptop after i installed an SSD was a pain, and i dont want to ruin anything. It took me forever for some reason and i also would like to keep my windows boot loader as well just in case id like to remove ubuntu.

I want to install ubuntu 16.04 LTS on my SSD. I have a SSD with windows 10 installed on it and a second HDD that i store other things in.
My questions is, what shall i do? Shall i make a partition on my SSD or what?
Note: I want to use ubuntu to practice some networking, im taking a course called Data communications and Networking and we use ubuntu in the lab to practice commands, its fairly easy but i havent
used ubuntu in forever and would also like to customize my ubuntu computer in addition to working on it.


Any suggestions are welcome

I would instead take an alternative approach, don't install Ubuntu in dual-boot, but instead, install some virtualization software and put it in a virtual machine inside Windows. That way, you don't touch the existing install at all (and most important, leave the fragile boot loader alone) and can install/uninstall at will as many OSs as you want.

I would suggest to use VirtualBox for the hypervisor. Just download and install into Windows as with any other software. Then create a virtual machine inside it and put the Ubuntu CD as the virtual disk drive, and you can install it as if it were an empty computer. Afterwards, it just behave like a normal install.