The latest version of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) has an application called Wubi which is a Ubuntu Installer for Windows. It sounds like the best way to go for someone who wants to try out Ubuntu.
Wubi needs 5 Gbytes of hard drive space to install Ubuntu so you should defrag your hard drive and make sure you have that much free space before proceeding.
You'll need to download the Ubuntu image file and burn the .iso image to a CD using something like InfraRecorder available from SourceForge.net.
It will take awhile to download Ubuntu. The Ubuntu disk image is about 700 Mbytes and it took me about an hour to download it using BitTorrent over DSL. It took me about ten minutes to download using 15 Mbps FiOS and I wasn't using a torrent. If you don't have a fast connection you can get a free CD from Ubuntu (delivery may take up to 10 weeks), or for a small fee from various resellers. As an example, OSdisc.com will ship you the CD for $4.90 ($1.95 for burning the disk and $2.95 for shipping).
I haven't used Wubi but it sounds like a good way to go from what I've read.
Linux.com :: Use Wubi to install Ubuntu without partitioning.
Another Way -
When I installed Ubuntu I downloaded the image file from Ubuntu and then burned the .iso (image) file to a CD using ISO Recorder. Note: I couldn't get the latest version of ISO recorder to work recently but a good open-source free software alternative is InfraRecorder available from SourceForge.net.
Before you download Ubuntu and install it you should -
- Run the Windows defrag application.
- Verify you have at least 8 Gbytes of free contiguous hard drive space to install Ubuntu.
- Read a little about hard drive disk partitioning because during the Ubuntu installation you will be asked to repartition your hard drive to shrink the amount of hard drive space that Windows is allowed to use to allow space for Ubuntu. Installing Ubuntu allows you to use something called Grub (Grand Unified Boot Loader) to repartition your hard drive. After installing Ubuntu, when you turn on your computer a text screen appears allowing you to select which operating system you want to use (Ubuntu or Windows).
- Back up any files you can't stand to lose (in case something goes wrong with the install).
- Find a blank 700 Mbyte CD you can use to burn the .iso file on
These instructions for Installing a Dual-Boot with Windows and Ubuntu and Dual Boot Ubuntu and Windows - Community Ubuntu Documentation look pretty good to me for more detailed information.
A couple of things about Linux or Ubuntu to keep in mind is that it should be fun to play with your computer, and there are a lot of ways to accomplish the same thing. Just keep trying until you figure out what works for you. There are lots of good resources on the web where you can learn from expert users. One thing I've observed is that the level of knowledge you see on the forums tends to be high since you have a mix of open source programmers who know the code and regular users like me.
