Ubuntu – Dual-boot partitioning

dual-bootpartitioningwindows 7

I just bought a new laptop with Windows 7 installed and I'm planning on installing Ubuntu 11.10 for a dual-boot.

Here's my rather basic problem :

I have a 750go hard drive, pretty much partitioned like this :

  • Recovery : 25go
  • C: (Windows 7) : 295go
  • D: (Data) : 380go

That is the factory configuration, the hard drive is still fairly empty (I removed all the bloatware and didn't install anything yet).

This is what I'd like to obtain :

  • Keep my recovery partition
  • A partition for Windows 7
  • A partition for Ubuntu
  • A "big" common partition for Windows and Ubuntu data, all the files I'm going to create.

How can I do that? Do I have to resize/create the partitions in Windows 7 before installing Ubuntu? Do I have to do it while installing Ubuntu using Gparted?

I'm quite confused and I'd like to make it right so I guess I need your help.

Thanks a lot everyone.

Best Answer

The Ubuntu installer will give you the option to resize your partitions, there will be a optionto install it next to windows, use up the whole disk, and 1 that says 'something else' in which you can manually set all the partitions you'd like, like that common data one.