Welcome to Linux (and VirtualBox!). It sounds like you are well on your way!

So you went the expensive route. While I fully respect other people's choice to run Linux on a virtual machine, especially when there is an actual need for it, I still believe that learning about partitioning, dual-booting, and of course about Linux in general, before even grabbing an install disk, and then install on bare metal, might have some long-term value. Have a look at the links posted by onebuck: I recommend that you save them as bookmarks and visit them frequently. Print out what you need.

If you prefer not to dual-boot Linux on your Windows machine, then there's a lot of cheap used boxes for sale just about everywhere, and sometimes you can get them even for free. Linux can run just fine on older machines, while Windows doesn't. Then you can experiment freely, without having to mess with your main system. Both bare-metal solutions allow you to keep some of your money, instead of having to buy a new and more powerful computer in order to have two operating systems running at the same time, as in virtual machine, especially when the host system is resource-hungry Windows.

Anyway, make good use of your new puppy.

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+1 install (thrift stores* and backups &c) tho u-tube cbt-nuggets and what ever works works, we all learn different some of us just don't want to W\R\TFM!

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Fair enough. I admit that I'm biased regarding written vs. video documentation, as I personally find the former more immediate, and also lightweight when stored on the disk. However I understand that learning styles will be different.

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It's a lot easier to find what you're looking for in text, that is for sure but I try not to count anything out.

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