Dual booting Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux

[Malcolm W]

Hello,
I've got a Windows XP computer which I've been using for several months, but I want to install Ubantu Linux on it. In the few months I've been using the computer, I've installed programs, created files and I want to install Linux without having to put all of my files back on and reinstall everything. Is it possible?

[kattman]

Your problem has been already discussed on our forums. Here, checkout the following threads:
Dual boot - Installing Windows (XP) when Linux (Ubuntu) already installed
How to dual boot Windows XP with Ubuntu already installed
Windows & over Ubuntu for dual boot?
Windows XP and Linux dual boot

[Aseem Sheik]

Make sure your computer is set to boot from a CD. To check this go into your BIOS. From there go to "Boot" and go to "Boot Priorities". Make sure CD-ROM is set to boot first and you're all set. UNetbootin is a tool that allows you to install various Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, OpenSuSE, Debian, ArchLinux) from a Windows or a Linux desktop over the internet (i.e., you don't need to burn the Ubuntu, Fedora, ... CDs). Unlike the Ubuntu installation with Wubi, real partitions are created during the installation. In the end, you have a dual-boot system (Linux/Windows or Linux/Linux).