Ubuntu on Dell Recovery Partition?

[pixelot]

Sorry to keep troubling the Linux thread, but I now have Windows back under my thumb, and having used the Recovery Partition, am now ready to remove it and free up 10GB.

Now, I read somewhere that I can use Windows to delete the Recovery Partition, but to use the disk space, I have to use a third-party app like gparted. Now bear with me here. I was thinking of deleting the partition and merging it with the Windows partition, then resizing it so that the 10GB are available for Ubuntu.

Then I realized that I might be able to just spare myself the trouble. Could I boot Ubuntu, and choose to install it in the space left by the removed Recovery Partition? This way I wouldn't be endangering my Windows partition, would I? Has anyone else done this before? PLEASE HELP ME!

[Gautam]

If you have your Windows discs, then you don't really need the recovery partition. You could install Ubuntu on it, but make a smaller swap (not the default size). If you are serious about Ubuntu, 10GB may be just far too small.

[pixelot]

What do you mean by "a smaller swap?" I don't know that term.
For now, I think 10GB will suffice. I won't be using it as a main OS for now.

But it will work? That's good. Do I delete the partition in Windows first, or can I do it all with gparted?

Thanks for your reply!

[John B]

What do you mean by "a smaller swap?" I don't know that term.
For now, I think 10GB will suffice. I won't be using it as a main OS for now.

But it will work? That's good. Do I delete the partition in Windows first, or can I do it all with gparted?

Thanks for your reply!

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwapFaq
http://linux.about.com/od/ptn_howto/a/hwtptn04t04.htm

[pixelot]

Thanks, John B! I still think 10GB will be fine for the present. I really just need to familiarize myself with Ubuntu. And that way, by the time I need more space, I'll be comfortable with the process of messing with partitions and whatnot.

[Enunes]

Take a look on this before giving ur final word on going with 10gb
Is it possible to resize this?
That was on less than 2 monts after i started my Linux journey.

[pixelot]

Thanks, Enunes, but I am positive I will still be using Windows after installing Linux. This is my learning period with Linux.

[NotebookYoozer]

you will have full access to your Vista partition if you need more space for data.

[theZoid]

Thanks, Enunes, but I am positive I will still be using Windows after installing Linux. This is my learning period with Linux.

I went thru a learning phase also (well, I've used it years ago, then quit), but this time around it has taken over my life Keep us posted.

[pixelot]

Alright. I am now staring at a box that is title "Install." Underneath that, it says "Prepare partitions." Under that we have four "Devices." Above them all, it says "/dev/sda." I want to install on the Dell Recovery Partition (10GB). Which one is it? We have:

/dev/sda1 fat16 /media/sda1 82MB 33MB
/dev/sda2 ntfs /media/sda2 10737MB 3200MB
/dev/sda3 ntfs /media/sda3 66520MB 21500MB
/dev/sda5 fat32 /media/sda5 2683MB 1900MB

I think the one I'm after is the second one. Am I right?
Also, why no sda4?

Alright, assuming that it is the second one, do I need to format it to fat32 or something other than ntfs?

Anyway, if I go "Forward," having selected the second one, I get the error "No root file system is defined. Please correct this from the partitioning menu."

I go to edit the partition, and there are three boxes. The first one has the new partition size, which is atm the whole thing. The second one is entitled "Use as:" and is set at ntfs. (Do I need to change this?) And the third is the "Mount point:" which is set at /media/sda2.

Obviously, this configuration is not working, because of the aforementioned error message.
Down below, there is a helpful blurb about a mount point and swap file. Does that mean I need to set that partition in the edit menu to a swap file size, and that will create two partitions: one swap file and one for installing Ubuntu? Again, does this all need to be FAT32, or part of it, or what?

And do I need to change the mount point any?

PLEASE HELP ME!