I want to move my windows XP image from my old PC's C:\ and put it onto my new PC, with Ubuntu 9.10 already on it. Will this procedure work?
First I'll burn an iso image of the windows C:\ to a CD or DVD, using the Win XP computer. Then, I'll load a (live Ubuntu), from my thumb drive and boot into my new PC, and move the Ubuntu partition to another location, in order to create the partition needed to install a Windows OS. I know that Windows, God bless them, needs to be first on the HDD. This procedure will destroy the grub loader. I then reset the grub by typing:$ grub
find /boot/grub/stage1
root hda,0
setup hda.0
quit
Then rebooting should load correctly to the grub bootloader, right? Thanks in advance, crazyx4. I'm a bit of a linux newcomer, so if there is a much easier way, I'm game to learn.

I believe that Microsoft requires you to purchase an additional Windows license for your new PC and do a fresh install. (But you can get a definitive answer by contacting them directly; certainly a Linux forum is the wrong place to ask).

I don't think Windows needs to be the 1st partition on the drive. However, you are on the right track with your plan to reinstall GRUB after the Windows install; just check your syntax.

For most of it, I don't know. But I have comments on some of the details.

How? By an "iso image" I assume you mean the whole directory/file structure, as opposed to a raw image of the partition. While Windows is booted, I think many of the key files cannot be read, so you could not include them in that iso image.

No it doesn't.

If you were doing ordinary installs, it is easier to install Windows first (in time, not necessarily position) because a Ubuntu installer will behave well for pre existing Windows, while a Windows installer will behave badly for pre existing Ubuntu. But that doesn't apply at all to your plan.

Since you are copying a Windows that saw itself as C: it is best to keep it seeing itself as C:. That mean in the partition table, the Windows partition should be the first partition of any type that Windows would give a drive letter to. But Windows won't give a drive letter to your Ubuntu partitions, so the relative position in the partition table won't matter. Also, even the position in the partition table is not necessarily the same as the position on disk.

Windows is easier to set up if it has a primary partition. So if you already have three primary plus one extended you'll need to move some things around. But as long as you make its partition primary, the position shouldn't matter.

If you move or change the partition containing grub's files, or cause it to be renumbered by changing the count of earlier partitions, you will need to repair grub.

Repairing grub should regain the ability to reboot Ubuntu, but won't automatically add the ability to boot Windows. I think you would need to manually edit that into grub's control file.

I think it would be easier and faster to backup your data and do fresh installs of both operating systems. If you go according to your plans, chances are high that your Windows will not boot anyways, because of other hardware.

it was my understanding that with XP the install cd ( from 2001) you can move it to 1 ( one) and only one new computer
BUT MS dose not like that and wants you to re buy it

why xp , it is ding a slow " death of 1000 cuts"

you will NEED a MS OFFICIAL install cd
and A REAL OFFICIAL MS hash / regeneration code ( that should BE ON THE official case from the original "MS Windows XP " install cd

if not call MS on the phone , use there automated reg system .and get a new one --- if you can , i think ms is no longer offering that as a option on the 9 year old os

Depends on where you are living, e.g. in Germany it is allowed to move Windows XP from one computer to another, of course only if you delete in on the old one. You do not have to rebuy it, only because you bought a new computer.

Thanks for this information, it may be helpful for me to know one day.

The thought has occured to me of installing an old Hard Drive in a new computer as well. I always wanted to research having operating systems on two differnt drives but never did.

This should work fine for most Linux distros (possibly with a little tinkering of the device drivers, if the hardware is very different).

Windows is "smart" enough to detect this and require reactivation.

When I said an image, I meant that I have a stored copy of my C:\ image, on another partition of the WinXP PC. I've used it to reimage my HDD with powerquest Drive Image software. I could just as well burn it to a disk, while XP is running, Johnsfine. I know you were thinking I would try to use the active image. Any way, I guess I'll just purchase a new full copy of XP and load it first. Then I'll add a new install of Ubuntu.
Truth is, the only reason that I even want a running Windows XP, is because I need a webcam to network with my brother, sister and my aging Mother. Maybe I'm going at this the wrong way around.
Hey maybe you can help with my cam headaches, and I can tell Microsoft to go to heaven. Let's see.
I have an HP a6400f PC, running ubuntu 9.10. Like everyone else who's trying to transition from the frustrating Windows OS, I'm learning Ubuntu and love it. But, I'm going crazy, by the problems I'm having with webcams. I have an older 3com homeconnect webcam, it won't work and is not on the HCL list, oh well. I also have a Microsoft VC-3000, which worked well on my WinXP machine. It's not listed either and it won't work, oh well. Now, I just bought a new Logitech c300 webcam, which IS on the list, hummm, it won't work either. It does show up and perform well on Cheese. I'm pretty darn sure that UVC and v4l is installed. How can I get it to show up and function in my Instant Messenger software? I've tried Empathy and it works for text IM's but no audio or video options are available. I've read a bunch of posts, checked out the Ubuntu manuals and after days of looking, i'm losing focus. Can someone point me to the right posting or list for me the steps in getting this to work, because I'm running out of time, lol, but not patience, thanks crazyx4
If you need more info, just ask.