If I install a Linux OS, should I back up my hard drive prior to the installation?

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If you have data that you want to keep, of course!

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yea dude, just in case summin go wrong

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An install of Linux will format and repartition your hard drive. Everything that was on it, will be gone. If you want to save any of it, then certainly you will want to back it up.

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no doubt
many things can go wrong when you install linux
on a windows computer
my advice
back up your hard drive
another thing i would suggest however
is to install the OS
on a flash drive
so you wouldnt have to ***** up your computer
just a suggestion

hoped it helped though
peace out

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Any time you install a new OS and you have existing data you don’t want to lose, you should back up your hard drive. If you are not going to save your old OS and the data in it then go crazy and skip doing a backup.

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I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 7 Main Edition which is Ubuntu based. Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled

Linux Mint has a feature called mint4win based on the Wubi installer (Ubuntu) which enables you to install Linux Mint within windows

You keep Windows as it is, mint4win only adds an extra option to boot into Linux Mint. mint4win does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.

mint4win keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.

Linux Mint 7 Download

Linux Mint 7 User Guide

You download the iso. image of Linux Mint then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD

Boot in to windows insert the LiveCD you have just created and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where mint4win comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Linux Mint (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.

Once Linux Mint is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Linux Mint.

Linux Mint can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive

Linux Mint is a quality distro. which I reckon cannot be beaten. Also it is built upon Ubuntu which are reputable underpinnings indeed.

CURRENT DISTROS.

Linux Mint 6 ext3 with Compiz 0.7.0

Linux Mint 6 ext3 with Beryl 0.2.1

Linux Mint 7 ext3 with Compiz 0.8.2

CURRENT SESSION

Linux Mint 6 ext3 with Compiz 0.7.0

LUg.