to actually install ubuntu on the same hard drive as xp you have to set up a dual boot, you would have to create a partition for your ubuntu to live on, which entails using the partition program that is on the live cd, probably Gparted, you then make the windows partition smaller and from that new free space you create the partition for linux. This is the most dangerous part because if you do it wrong you can wipe out your entire windows partition, so it is usually best to get help from someone who has experience if you feel you are not up to the task. Once you have the partition set up the rest is basically naming the proper areas for your root, swap, what ever you want to set up. What happens after it is set up as a dual boot system is that when you boot up it will present you with a boot screen that lets you select which you want to boot to the xp or the linux. I bet there is a linux users group (LUG) around you somewhere, they are a great resource and very helpful to new linux users, in fact most have an install day about once a month or so where you can bring your computer up there to where they meet and they will help you do your install. Look up linux user groups on google and see where the nearest one is. I have ubuntu 7.10 and Mepis 7.0 dual boot system on one of my computers. I have not upgraded to ubuntu 8.04 yet because it is still a bit buggy, I am happy with 7.10 so will wait a while till some of the stuff gets worked out, like all new distro upgrades there is that break in period. What ever you do before you attempt to set up a dual boot with windows BACK UP every single thing, if possible do an image with Acronis True Image or some image program, because I have seen way too many people come crying to the linux forums about losing windows, be safe not sorry. I love linux I am using Mepis right now, I never surf the net on windows anymore, for day to day use I only use linux. this is a link to a good guide. Here is a link that might be useful: partitioning

I also did not want to mess too much with my windows so when I boot my machine I immediately hit the Esc key which takes me to the boot order screen and there I select the one I want to boot too, if I don't do that it will default to windows and boot right up to windows. So I only have to access that menu if I am booting into the linux drive. May be weird to some but it works fine for me just one little extra step to take in the bootup for linux. When I select the drive with linux then it begins that boot process, says loading grub and then up comes my Mepis. My linux guru was here visiting last year and that is when we tackled installing the new hard drive, I was glad he was here! I am not very good at that kind of stuff so he handled most of the process. for those considering linux you might check your area to see if there are any Linux user groups or LUGs around that is an excellent way to meet linux users and get hands on help. You can look them up online using google. Mint is a good choice for new users, not sure if openSUSE would be. if you go to distro watch they list all the flavors and you can click on each and get some info on them. I also love the coding studio site, you can click on each distro and see it in pictures, they have changed the site and it is not as good as it used to be but still ok. The Coding Studio OS Screenshots Here is a link that might be useful: distrowatch

I don't know how I did it but I somehow have created a folder in the bar right below the address and I can drag and drop into that folder with FF 3.x. Then I sort into meaningfully named folders at my leisure. I can drag and drop down from the address or up from anywhere on the screen. This seemed very different and awkward for about a day and a half and then it became so natural I can bookmark without thinking.

"tired of the habit Windows has of constantly trying to plug me into deals to monetize me" I don't use Windows enough to know for sure what you mean but maybe you mean those "Modern Apps"? Maybe that's why they're willing to give it away for free? The last computer I bought came with Windows 10. The first thing I did was go though the menu, turn off the annoying (to me) live tiles. Then I removed whatever I wasn't interested in that I could. Some by just removing from "Start". Others by uninstalling (right-click and read). The others that offered no easy way of uninstalling, I used PowerShell to remove. (I think CCleaner now offers a way to uninstall them?) " ... I'm intending to replace everything on my new ssd with everything on my old, now Linux machine ... " That should work the same as the first time. Or easier since you've done it before. If you haven't, you may want to create a boot-able version of your cloning software. If Linux is fast on the older spin drive, it will be even faster on the ssd. Especially booting. " ... trouble getting the computer to let me boot from anything except the Windows C drive ... " On my Acer F12 lets me select the boot device. You'll might want to go into BIOS/UEFI and change the boot order though. So you don't have to select it every time. I just not long ago got around to getting a computer with UEFI instead of the older BIOS. I had a lot of trouble learning how to deal with it. I'm still not 100% confident using it. So... I keep images just in case. And just in case I somehow mess up grub so badly it won't boot (I have): Super Grub2 Disk Of course, if you blow away Windows, you won't have to worry about boot order. I keep Windows as dual boot in case I want to use it. And I do use it, if for no other reason than to boot into and use Macrium Reflect to image my Linux drive. Gives me nice small images and it's quick.