Step by step process of preparing a hard drive for linux install
 

Hi, I'm not entirely new to Linux, I am looking for some simple to use step by step instructions to get MS products off of my computers and prepare the disk for a clean install, I have found some very good information already on the forums and other related sites. I am planning on using this laptop for sound recording. I am planning on using Debian, so I have already looked at the Debian site. But I am having a little difficulty just getting to the first stages of partitioning the disk. I'm now using Vista on this one, and have another laptop with Windows 7. If anyone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it much. Thanks

Boot the installer.
When it gets to the partitioning stage, tell it to use the entire disk.

I recommend getting the GParted Live CD. This can be used to delete, re-size, create, move partitions prior to running a Linux installer----and for the same functions later.

As suggested above, you can usually do the basics with the utilities built into the Linux installer. GParted is a bit more powerful and maybe also easier to use.

Linux installers include an option to manually partition or take the default.
You do not have to 'prepare' as in delete old SW or re-format etc. The installer does all that for you anyway.

Of you you have a newish system you could simply install a free virtual machine and not mess with it.

But, as Chris01 states, linux has improved it's installers to a point where you just let it do what it wants for most clean installs. I think that is what was also stated above where you have a choice at some point. It might say exactly a choice of "use entire disk".