Installing Windows and Linux On the Same Computer

You can pick from many versions of Linux, but I'll
confine my instructions here to Ubuntu. It's
popular, it's powerful, and it plays well with
Windows.
There are other versions that I'll recommend for
specific jobs (such as diagnosing an unbootable
PC), but for learning Linux and possibly using it
for productive work, Ubuntu is the best choice I
know.
You download Ubuntu in the form of an .iso file,
which is an image file of a CD--in this case a
bootable one. Double-click the file, and a program
will likely come up and walk you through the
process of burning the disc.
If no such program pops up, download and install
the Active@ ISO Burner , then try again.
Another option: Use the Universal USB Installer to
create a bootable flash drive out of that same .iso
file. I actually prefer the flash drive; it's faster.
So what can you do with this CD or flash drive?
Plenty, but I'll give you three options:
Just Boot It
Ubuntu is a live version of Linux. You don't have
to install it. You can simply boot it from the CD
or flash drive, and, when asked, say you want to
run rather than install Ubuntu.
This works for getting a feel for the operating
system, but not for actual work. For instance, the
contents of Ubuntu's Document folder disappears
when you reboot.
Install Ubuntu Within Windows
You can actually install Ubuntu as a Windows
program, although you can't launch it as one.
Insert the CD or flash drive. If nothing starts up
automatically, open the drive in Windows Explorer
and run wubi.exe. Select the option Install
inside Windows, and follow the prompts.