Going 100% Linux (Ubuntu) from Windows 7
 

Hello everyone. I enjoy the linux community and the linux OS. However, I have been a Windows user for as long as I have been computing. My question today is: "If I decided to go full Linux (Ubuntu) from an along side installation with (Windows 7), would I gain the disk space of my computer or would the partition from the USB still be the only memory I have?

Story:

I decided that I wanted to run Linux on my computer but I understand the unfair recognition when it comes to vendors like Microsoft, Apple, and others. Nevertheless, I decided that I could run Linux along side Windows and have the best of both worlds. Now, I am curious about this disk space and partitioning. I want more disk space and I want to go full Linux. (I am comfortable with the CLI termal: Information Systems Major) What I don't know about this situation is if I go full Linux, will my disk space still be limited or will it be as if i was running Windows (no disrespect) and have way more diskspace to work with?

It's a pretty straight forward question that I did not see previously.

If you want to totally replace MSwin with Linux on this system, then of course Linux can use all the disk space that's installed.
You can either backup any data and do a fresh install (my preference), or just recover the space from the MSwin partitions & edit grub.conf file I think.
(I've never used this method, but I'm sure other can expand on it)
See the mkfs.ext4 and mount cmds
http://linux.die.net/man/

HTH

first of all, welcome to LQ

as for your question about 'limited', the answer is yes and no, it would not be limited to your memory stick, your disk size would however be limited because windows requires space as well, Ubuntu can re-partition your drive leaving some for windows and taking the rest for itself, how it does that is i believe up to you (that is to say how much is allocated to windows vs Linux)

a second option would be to obtain a second hard drive and install Linux on that

either way, Ubuntu would reside on your hard drive if you chose to install it, and would be full read/write, the limitation would be simply the size of your hard drive minus the minimum required for windows + your software + data, or the size of the second hard drive if that's the way you go

Thanks for the info
 

Chrism01, thank you for the link, the commands are always helpful. Thank you also, frieza.