Where to install ubuntu in my system?

Hello i am running a system with windows 7 64 bit in it........, my hard disk is of 500GB.....................i had four partitions of 100GB each and all of them are primary..............,now I want to install ubuntu in my system.

I am worried that if i have to install them in on of the primary partitions already made.....,my data will be lost...............,so now I am interested in using the reamining part of my hard disk of 100GB.Bt as the system allows us to do only 4 maximum primay partitons.....,where should I install ubuntu in my system..........

As the OS(ubuntu) demands a primary partition for installing it..........,how would i be able to install it?

Jonathan_King said:

See this tutorial: Dual-Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu in Perfect Harmony - windows 7 - Lifehacker

That tutorial does not solve his problem with already having four primary partitions. It starts assuming you have fewer partitions than that.

Your data should not be lost if you install to a primary partition.

If you install Ubuntu into one of your existing primary partitions, it must be converted from NTFS to EXT3 or EXT4 (needed for a Linux system) and you will lose all your data in that partition.

You should first move all valuable data from one of the existing primary partitions to the other partitions, or to another hard disk or DVDs. Then you can use that one for Ubuntu.

Then boot the ubuntu DVD and just run it from it's bootable CD at first, without installing it. That way you can run the gparted partition manager to sort out your partitions. The easiest thing is to expand one of your partitions so it uses up all the remaining unallocated space. That way you still have the maximum number allowed of primary partitions, but no wasted space.

Also in gparted, you can convert the partition you emptied, from NTFS to EXT3, ready for Ubuntu

If you really want more than 4 partitions, you must convert one of the primary partitions into an extended partition instead, which can contain several logical drives, but that is more complicated. Also logical drives in an extended partition cannot be booted, they are only for data not for operating systems (except maybe by using some difficult tricks).
It's better to keep it simple to avoid problems later.

Barman58 said:

It is of course possible using the WUBI installer to install Ubuntu 10.04 from within windows.

If you create a logical partition from your free space and format it with NTFS and give it a drive letter you can simply run the WUBI installer and point this to the new partition.

This will add a Ubuntu entry to the windows boot loader, and allow you to remove Ubuntu simply by use of the Add & Remove Programs in Windows.

Use Wubi it's much more easy to install Ubuntu with it and uninstall Ubuntu with it.

Wubi - Ubuntu Installer for Windows

Clean one partition then leave a open space by deleting it, then use the Ubuntu installer it will automatically put a extended partition in with the primary ext4 and swap that you will need within it. You can do a custom install where you build the extended with the ext4 and swap just as you like it but personally I would start with a standard install. Now when you install make sure that grub goes to the MBR=sda if you only have one HD. In the install the last gui has a advanced button click on it and make sure you are only installing grub in the MBR of the HD. If you have more then one HD make sure that grub goes to the MBR of where your installing to and that it is 1st in line to boot.

+1 for Wubi. It is simple and installs directly in Windows so if you decide to you can uninstall it just like a regular program on Windows. You have the option when you boot your computer which to boot to and everything. It is just like installing it to a partition except you can uninstall it without messing up your MBR or having any problems later on. If you like it you can then download and burn the disc and install it permanently. This is the simplest and easiest way to do it. I highly recommend doing it this way. No way to lose data and no partitioning. You can specify which partition to install it to(it works best on the Windows partition) and you can set the size of the installation anywhere from 8gb to 30gb. Good luck.