Maybe the best option is to just install a 2nd hard drive, and put Linux on that. if you don't have the Windows Vista disk, I wouldn't mess with the pre-installed drive at all. Removing Windows Vista entirely is a damned expensive way to install to Linux. Rubyxx "Ton 't Lam" <ton.tlam@casema.nospam.nl> wrote in message news:70fa9$46dbcf7e$5352f129$8590@cache100.multikabel.net... > Dear all, > > I'm bringing up a new Acer Aspire 5630 (2 Gb mem) for my daughter. She > worked effortlessly with Linux the last 6 years, and she prefers to use > this OS. However the Acer comes with a Vista image on the HD. Acer (and > other manufacturers) don't deliver installation disks, unless bought. So, > if you want/need these, you have payed twice for the same MicroSoft stuff. > What a sad situation. > > The issue is that starting the new PC will force to install Vista. After > browsing for some hours, it brought me me to the next options: > > 1) Install Vista, and from there load Cygwin to have the desired Linux > tools, and OpenOffice. This is just a matter of installing. Should be > straightforward. > > 2) Do a partitioning of the HD. I understand partitioning tools comes with > Vista. Then install Fedora, or Ubuntu on the second partion. What are the > experiences with this approach ? Thus have Vista dormant available, and > just use Linux. > > 3) Following (2), install VMWare, and have the possibility to launch Vista > from the first partion, if desired. Or do an image copy to the Linux HD, > and consider Vista on the first section as the golden image. What are the > experiences here ? What are the do-s and particularly the don't-s. > > Thanks in advance > Ton >