Thinking of Trying Linux.

I am thinking about trying out a linux platform. I am overdue on a windows reinstall, and would like to try out linux and still have windows. Right now I have 4 partitions:

1. Dell Diagnostics
2. MediaDirect
3. Vista
4. Data Storage

I don't really use my MediaDirect and think I can live with out it. If I wanna watch a movie I can just start my laptop. What I would like to do is use the MediaDirect button to boot Linux and the standard power button to boot vista. I Plan to backup my data and re-partition my hard drive. I have a 160gb and am thinking of setting it up like this:
~1gb Dell Diagnostics
25gb Vista (right now its 40 and its at the limits, but desperately needs a clean up.)
20gb Linux
1gb Swap (For Linux, I don't know if this is right. Just what I saw in some of my reading.)
~90gb Data Storage (this can be shared between Linux and Vista, right?)

I am looking for recommendations on which platform of Linux to install. Also am I sorta on the right track with the above partitioning or do I need to allow more space in the Vista and Linux partitions? I know that I need to manage my Vista Programs better so that I don't use up so much space.

I would like it so that my main power button will boot Windows Vista and my MediaDirect button will boot Linux.

Now, If i go thorough with this, can I ever get back to the setup I had before with MediaDirect and Vista and Data? I know this does something to my boot file and is not easily reversed, but I may have been reading old info.

Let me know if I am on the right track or should just scrap it all. I still got more reading to do.

 

quickly....you can restore your boot file easily
one gig is OK for swap
Linux and can read and write to ntfs whether it's a separate partition or one big windows partition
you can cut down your linux / partition to 13 gigs or so and add somewhere else.
your /home HAS to be a linux system, so forget any thoughts about using ntfs.
Media direct I know nothing about

 

I know nothing about Dell Diagnostics / MediaDirect either, but here's how I'd do it..

1GB Dell Diagnostics (again, no idea, just using your number)
25GB Vista
15GB Linux (ext4) \
5GB Linux (ext4) \home
1GB Swap
113GB (or whatever is left) Storage

Have you decided on a distribution? There are plenty of LiveCD's you can use first to decide if you want to go with that distro..

Personally, I'd recommend LinuxMint, but you'll find people are very die-hard about their favorite distros..

 

Very user friendly. Good Recommendation

 

Linux Mint
All the power of ubuntu.. but better looking and there is less you have to fiddle with after the install.
It's a great distro for everyone. Those who just want to use their OS, and those who want to fiddle with its inner workings..

Did i mention it looks better? Good style on mint with a pretty large though, very very particular art community engaged in its development.

 

I would recommend Mint for a new user also. Or for that matter, any user

 

How about Ultimate Edition? And Sabayon? What are your guys' thoughts on these?

 

For a new user, you want a distro that has a big user friendly community, and for which most of the noob problems (and believe me, there will be problems) have already been encountered by someone else and solution posted.
Hence Mint/Ubuntu would be the first choice

 

Sabayon is unstable and doesnt have a decent package manager. Its 32 and 64 bit varient were absolute garbage.

 

^^ Depends on your catalog. Some games will run on linux under wine.
Also, I beleive there are now games that are released concurrently under windows and linux.

Anyway, the nice thing about linux is that its not a questions of either/or. You can run linux AND windows on your machine.

 

One nice thing about Ubuntu and ubuntu-based distros is that the community is really responsive. If you need to get something done, you can find tons of up-to-date howto guides and/or have your questions answered on the forums.