HomeBrainDump Page 3 - How to Replace an Invalid Windows XP Installation with Ubuntu
Burn the ISO Image installer onto one CD-R - BrainDump
Let us assume that you do not love your invalid Windows XP anymore, can't afford to buy a license, and have some important files on it that you can just transfer to a flash drive or Windows Sky drive (a free online hard drive service by Windows). Then the best solution is to replace your computer's operating system with Linux Ubuntu. Keep reading and we'll show you how and why.
This requires some caution, since you cannot just directly burn the file into the CD; if you did, the installer wouldn't work properly. In this case follow the procedures below:
You need "Infra Recorder." This is open source CD burning software recommended by the Ubuntu developers to burn the image to disc. This is the location where you can download the installer: http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/
After installing the file, Go to Actions ---> then "Burn Image." I recommend setting the burning speed to 4x. This will ensure that the burning process is error free.
Click OK to continue burning the image file. After that, make sure you have properly labeled the CD for identification purposes.
Starting the Basic Installation
Dual boot is useless if you have an invalid Windows XP CD. The primary reason is that if Windows XP's life will end, it just wastes memory resources.
The next important thing to do is to set your CD to boot first during restart in Windows XP. This can be done by restarting your Windows XP system and pressing F2 several times (BIOS dependent) until the BIOS screen displays. Depending on the brand of the motherboard BIOS, go to the section where you can customize the order of boot during restart, then set it to boot the CD first. Finally press "exit and save changes" to load Windows XP again.
This time, place the Linux Ubuntu installer in the D drive (CD drive) and restart the system again. Windows XP will boot the CD first and will display the installation screen.
The installation steps are pretty simple and user friendly. Ubuntu will ask you to input the following information:
Selecting your language: If you are a native English speaker, select the "English" language in all options.
Installation options will then follow. Click "Install Ubuntu."
What happens next is that Ubuntu will load the installation files to your system. Then it will display the permanent installation steps:
In Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition it will display seven installation steps, so in Step 1 of 7, you will again select "English" as your language and then click "Forward."
Next, you will select your time zone and location. In selecting the location, refer to their drop down menu. In case you do not see your specific country, try looking at the map with several dots and click it. If you still cannot see your exact location on the map, try clicking the dots nearest to you.
Ubuntu will ask you to test your keyboard. The default is US English, so depending on the country where you live, I highly recommend that you test it. Try typing in the installation screen to see if it works according to your needs.