installing linux on a complicated computer

[cntrygrl17]

Hi, idk if this is in the right section or not but oh well. im trying to install linux on my friends computer and didn't realize til after she handed it over to me that it has a virus in windows. I am doing a system restore right now but i was wondering if linux would work if i completely got rid of the windows vista that is already on it?

[kelvin spratt]

System restore does what it says so if you had a virus before your last restore it will restore it you really should remove all restore points then remove the virus by hand. if that does not work reinstall windows. I would advise dual booting till you are really sure Linux is for you Install windows 1st then Linux.

[oldos2er]

"i was wondering if linux would work if i completely got rid of the windows vista that is already on it?"

Of course.

[raymondh]

I'd re-install Vista ... update .... defrag .... and then install/dual-boot Ubuntu. You may also try to just clean existing Vista, update, defrag and then install Ubuntu to dual-boot.

Some references , though you may know them already ...

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_f irst.htm
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicalInstall
http://members.iinet.net/~herman546/index.html
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/resize/resizing.htm

Good luck.

[soltanis]

i was wondering if linux would work if i completely got rid of the windows vista that is already on it?

Yes...that's kinda how my system came to run Linux.
I doubt the computer is "complicated" enough for Linux not to install, Ubuntu has pretty good out-of-box configurations and you'd be hard-pressed to find a PC that Linux doesn't install on nowadays.