Partitioning problems installing Ubuntu

[Cloudz]

I've recently been trying to install Ubuntu on this PC, and everytime I try I hit a roadblock during the partitioning phase. The computer is a year-old Sony Vaio with a 200GB ATA HD (6 gig swap partition, windows is installed on the other 193 gig partition).

Usually, this is what happens --

Try to have the installer resize the 193GB partition (Partition 2). A prompt comes up asking how much space to use either in GB or percent. No matter what I enter, the resize always fails. I just want to use about 40-45 GB of that particular partition.

There are also something like four (if I recall right) options at the partition screen: Guided Partitioning, Help Partitioning, and two manual partitioning options. However, being a newb, I'm a bit weary of doing it manually - this PC is used by more than just me, and there a good number of games and programs that get used regularly by everyone else. I just want to see how Ubuntu will run on a better PC (I have another that's just an Ubuntu machine, with no internet connection and crappy specs).


Sorry if I didn't provide enough detail..
I just want to figure out how to partition this PC without screwing anything up. >__<

 

[horndude]

6 gig swap partition? 512mb is fine for that, you will need 3gigs minimum for ubuntu, 10gigs would be a better minimum

I dont think ubuntu will resize a partition, just create some from existing blank space, you will have to resize your partition for windows in windows using a program specifically for that I believe. Linux cant write ot NTFS to begin with, but it can read from it.

 

[Cloudz]

6 gig swap partition? 512mb is fine for that, you will need 3gigs minimum for ubuntu, 10gigs would be a better minimum

I dont think ubuntu will resize a partition, just create some from existing blank space, you will have to resize your partition for windows in windows using a program specifically for that I believe. Linux cant write ot NTFS to begin with, but it can read from it.

Ooohhh.. alright. Thank you.
And yeah, 6 gigs is pretty excessive, but it's always been 6 gigs - came like that.

Dumber question: what Windows programme are you talking about?

 

[horndude]

none in particular, partition magic should work though

well if it came like that, thats a windows swap partiton, not a linux one, you need a linux one too, two times RAM up to 512mb is adequate

 

[Cloudz]

none in particular, partition magic should work though

well if it came like that, thats a windows swap partiton, not a linux one, you need a linux one too, two times RAM up to 512mb is adequate

Alright, so.. I should just create two new partitions, one 512MB linux swap and another for however much space I wanna use with Ubuntu, right?

 

[horndude]

yep

shrink existing windows partition while running windows using partition magic

shut off PC

turn PC back on and boot ubuntu, follow install prompts and let it do its thing

if whatever space leftover from shrinking the windows NTFS partition is NOT empty it will need erased, not sure if ubuntu will let you wipe out a partition or not(it should)

 

[Cloudz]

@_@
Partition Magic.. is $70.. woah.

 

[horndude]

windows XP-->$100-$130 woah

 

[Cloudz]

I don't see the relevance. I already have an XP disc.

 

[horndude]

linux is free

wanna play with windows, you will find out that an awful lot of the useful software costs money, it does not with linux

there may be freeware out there that can resize a partition, Im just not aware of any, do a search and see what you can find

better check to make sure your laptop is compatible with linux before you get much further to begin with