Just got ubuntu linux, need some help with hard drive partitioning

Hello everyone,
I ordered ubuntu linux online, and the cd's just came (after about six or seven weeks). I have two computers I'd like to install it on, one is a dell Dimension desktop 4600 with intel pentium 4 processor, etc., the other is an old Aptiva running Windows 95 with about five gig's of hard drive. The default setting for the installation is to reformat the entire hard drive, but there is a way to install it to a partition. I'm experimenting with the Aptiva first, before trying it on the more valuable Dell.

I've done some research in partitioning, and found how to do it, but that requires clearing the entire hard drive in the process! I can't really back it up, and would prefer not to go through the trouble, if I can help it. Is there any way to partition a hard drive without clearing all the data? Or can I just store some of the data in the hard drive and the booting info. in a floppy disk? Or, if there is no other option, how do I back up a hard drive when I do not have a cd burner, or a hundred thousand floppies and several days to spare :D ?

I appreciate any help you can give me.

Try getting a copy of partition magic and posting in the tech forum with non-programming related questions. The combination of the two should solve your problems.

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Originally Posted by AdamLAN

I can't really back it up, and would prefer not to go through the trouble, if I can help it... Or, if there is no other option, how do I back up a hard drive when I do not have a cd burner, or a hundred thousand floppies and several days to spare :D ?

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I STRONGLY recommend backing up... I would say listen to confuted, because that's really the only way to go about partitioning your drive without wiping it... but even if you do that, you should definately back up... usually I just throw in another HDD and use a program like ghost to clone my working disk to the backup.

if you don't really have any reliable methods of backing up your system, GET ONE!.