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I'm about to switch from windows to ubuntu but I'm pondering if I should do a whole format when installing ubuntu or keep windows on the side. I'm saving some files that I care about on an external hard drive but I'm anxious I might miss some of those. I don't save everything because it's too large (and larger than my hdd).

My question is whether I should do a full format or install ubuntu in another partition :

  • Since I might miss some files and I'm planning to install ubuntu and let the windows install intact (until I'm sure there is no file I forgot to save). I'm planning to remove the windows files in the upcoming months. I'm wondering if making an install "next to" windows is not as clean as doing a full formatting ? In other words, ubuntu will be installed in another partition (I guess) then the windows partition will be deleted, will ubuntu then take the whole hard drive for itself ? Will there be any residual garbage from windows ?

If it's indeed cleaner to remove everything and install ubuntu I'll take the risk of missing some files.

Ced
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2 Answers2

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Some pointers:

  1. If you use a dual boot you can keep track of how many times you still use Windows.
  2. If you keep files on an NTFS formatted place you probably want to keep a workable version of Windows. When partitions have errors on NTFS it mosttimes is better to use Windows to fix it. Easy way out: when you have Ubuntu you can take the files out of there, format to EXT and move them back.
  3. If you have the space to spare you can shrink Windows to a bare minimum it will boot with and set Grub to boot straight into Ubuntu. You never going to see the option to boot Windows but it is still there.

Mind though: it is also possible to use Ubuntu and install Windows inside of Ubuntu (with VM-Ware, Virtual Box).

I'm wondering if making an install "next to" windows is not as clean as doing a full formatting ?

You can always remove Windows from inside Ubuntu and re-install grub so it ends up at the beginning of your disk.

In other words, ubuntu will be installed in another partition (I guess) then the windows partition will be deleted, will ubuntu then take the whole hard drive for itself ?

That depends on what you choose during install. If you have Windows + unallocated space you can create a dual boot by installing Ubuntu into the unallocated space. If you do not have unallocated space you can only remove Windows. That will remove -ALL- partitions (so in Windows terms: it will also delete D:, E:).

Rinzwind
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Well, if you want to keep Windows, do a dual-boot. If you do not want Windows anymore I would recommend you to format the full disk to make the Ubuntu Installation. If you keep Windows, Install Ubuntu and THEN remove Windows, Ubuntu will not take up the whole disk, and you have to consider that a system in the first partition of a disk is always faster.

Eduardo Cola
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