How to move my partition for linux for window use?

Hi. Couple of years ago I was trying to install ubuntu along with my existing window xp. I guess it's called the dual boot?

I'm not good in linux but want to learn and at that moment I did created a partition so I can install ubuntu but then it had a message that prevented me to proceed the install. And I couldn't figure out what's the problem. Then I never gone back to resolve it as I had plans later on I will do it again.

But after couple of yrs now I want to install ubuntu again and saw their site that they've this windows installer (Wubi) will help you to run Ubuntu within your current system.

It seems you no longer need to have a partition for it.

So I wonder how can I moved the partition I created long time ago back for window use?

I'm not sure if I should ask here or window forum?

Hope anyone can help me.

Thank you.

You can get the free gparted live cd and use gparted to re-arrange your partitions. Older versions of windows install media used to include the program fdisk that you could use, I don't know with newer windows. Or there are many windows partition utilities like partition magic but the ones I know about aren't free.

I don't recommend to install Ubuntu from Windows. And don't try to install any GNU/Linux distro to FAT/NTFS. It will work but that is very bad practice. Get some additional HDD for Linux installation and use Linux file systems for installing Ubuntu, like ext3/ext4/JFS/XFS. You can partition your HDD either from any LiveCD or when installing Ubuntu.

i used ubuntu for a while using the wubi installer and i liked it allot, it just adds some files in c:\ubuntu , which is very clean

i think that all ubuntu live cds include gparted, burn it and boot and you can resize your partitions

If I can an additional hard drive and install Linux then how does it work? Like how do I tell the pc to load window or linux?

Search Google for "Linux Dual Boot".

As long as you do choose the new HDD to install Ubuntu on, GRUB will appear when you turn on your PC and it will ask you what you would like to boot, Windows or Ubuntu. From there it will boot from the corresponding HDD.

Technically you can also use the Windows boot manager, all of them support loading a 512 byte boot sector. Although this does take some extra work to do, and it's more recommended to just boot using GRUB.