Installing linux, need advice

[anex]

A) can i install them to seperate partitions on the drive, even if it's NTFS,
B) can i then place data accessable to both linux and windows (my main laptop hard drive will remain vista), and
C) if i enable GRUB, will the computer default to the windows bootloader whenever the USB drive isn't connected?

i plan to set my BIOS boot order to (primary) USB/connected external drive, and (secondary) c: (tertiary) CD drive.

Yes you can install on separate partitions. Its the same principal how people are able to use windows on a mac. Usually (with ubuntu) it will automatically set up a new partition just for itself with the free space on the HDD. However you can use partition magic to do this. (Be careful with partitioning, you can easily lose everything if you don't know what you are doing).

I do not know if while on your windows partition if you can access files on the linux partition, however it is easy for the linux partition to access window files. It takes a little while to figure out how to actually do it, but I have done it before.

It depends. It will automatically load windows if it can't find the GRUB on the usb hdd. However, I am confused on why you would want to load the GRUB onto an external. If you install the linux on the external, you would still want the GRUB to be on the internal hdd. It is better to load it onto the internal as to avoid extra work and pulling your hair out. Although what do I know, I have never setup an operating system on an external before. That is alien to me.

I was satisfied with ubuntu feisty fawn w/ beryl eye candy. That was the only thing I loved linux for, the eye candy. ... so pretty... anyways Ubuntu was the only linux I have ever used, and I have to say that I enjoyed using it.

[acolyte_to_jippity]

It depends. It will automatically load windows if it can't find the GRUB on the usb hdd. However, I am confused on why you would want to load the GRUB onto an external. If you install the linux on the external, you would still want the GRUB to be on the internal hdd. It is better to load it onto the internal as to avoid extra work and pulling your hair out. Although what do I know, I have never setup an operating system on an external before. That is alien to me.

I was satisfied with ubuntu feisty fawn w/ beryl eye candy. That was the only thing I loved linux for, the eye candy. ... so pretty... anyways Ubuntu was the only linux I have ever used, and I have to say that I enjoyed using it.

well, i want to keep GRUB off of the internal hard drive because when i don't have the external plugged in, i want to go straight to windows. duh.
I just need to set the usb port as primary in the boot order

and i have 9.04 i think (maybe 9.40). whatever. it's jackalope.

[anex]

well, i want to keep GRUB off of the internal hard drive because when i don't have the external plugged in, i want to go straight to windows. duh.
I just need to set the usb port as primary in the boot order

AH, sorry. I'm tired.

[acolyte_to_jippity]

back-up of my external's complete, installing now

[SCRIBBLE]

feisty fawn + beryl

[acolyte_to_jippity]

ok, so it installed. i can boot to ubuntu through GRUB if i start computer w/ the portable HD connected, but GRUB won't let me boot into windows.

now, i have another really big problem.

i can't remember/find the wep key for my family's fios wireless network. is there some way for me to look it up on my windows login? since that one automatically applies the password every time i try connecting to the network

[SCRIBBLE]

ok, so it installed. i can boot to ubuntu through GRUB if i start computer w/ the portable HD connected, but GRUB won't let me boot into windows.

now, i have another really big problem.

i can't remember/find the wep key for my family's fios wireless network. is there some way for me to look it up on my windows login? since that one automatically applies the password every time i try connecting to the network

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

I have used this software before and it will do the trick, good luck.

Glad to hear you got it working. I didn't think it should cause you any trouble.

[acolyte_to_jippity]

Did you get the wireless key?

not yet. at work atm

one of the it guys at work suggested i either look in this really obscure .dll on my system32 folder (wzcdlg.dll) for the automatically entered encryption key (because when i go to connect in windows, it doesn't ask for the key. it just supplies it.)
and also if that don't work to look into resetting password for the router

UPDATE!! first post on linux!!

edit: ok, to fix an issue w/ windows and the storage space on the portable, i formatted it two days ago (5 1/2 fucking hours) and reinstalled today. used liveCD version of Gparted to make the partitions i needed in correct order (storage NTFS first) and reinstalled to the pre-made partitions. only problem: i installed the bootloader to the "do not use partition"...so GRUB doesn't even load properly.