I have a 30GB hard drive, and want to install windows xp and ubuntu 12.04
I only need windows for itunes and MultiPlay (https://www.audiovisualdevices.com.a...are/multiplay/) how big of a partition should I give windows
I will use ubuntu for everything else.
I am also wondering If I can access files in ubuntu from windows

You can view your windows partition in linux as long as the appropriate kernel modules are loaded. Ms-dos and one other I cant remember, I think it has ntfs in the name. You may have to google that. As far as windows goes it depends on the version.

Here are the requirements for windows 7 : http://windows.microsoft.com/systemrequirements

If its another version search on Microsofts site for the specs, they are all there. Then also give yourself enough room for app installs, data, etc.. I would say probably 15-20 GB for Windows(its a hog).

If you don't store your music on the Windows partition and only use those two applications you will be fine with 10GB for Windows XP.

You can access the files from the Windows partition in Ubuntu, but Windows out of the box can't handle Linux file-systems, in any version. You have to install special filesystem drivers in Windows for having at least read access on your Ubuntu partition, but I never used that option, so I can't say anything about the reliability of those drivers.

Yes it is possible using some external applications. One application that I have used in the past is EXT2fsd. This has been quite good in accessing ext2/3/4.

Can I go less than 10 Gb if i get rid of all other programs

or is there a smaller version of windows xp I can get

Any reason you need a full install of both? With such a small drive I would lean toward putting it all to either Windows or Ubuntu, and then running the other within a VM, assuming you have enough RAM for that.

If you must have both in completely separate installs, I would probably give 17GB to Windows and 13 to Ubuntu, or thereabouts. It's trivially easily to mount the Windows partition from Ubuntu in full RW mode, so it would probably be better to err on the Windows side. Then if you find you don't have enough space in your Ubuntu partition, just mount the Windows partition and store your bigger files there.

is 1001 mega bytes of Ram enough
my CPU is 1.70GHz
32 bit system with 7.5 gigs of space left

can i run windwos in virtual box and accesss linux files in it

VirtualBox is not going to run well in your computer. Besided you will have to create a virdual Hard Drive to install Windows which in your case will be like making another partition.

I will suggest to just invest in another Hard Drive, another 30 GB Hard Drive will be inexpensive if you bought it used. Perhaps keeps your eyes in sites like craigslist.org and you can even find one for little as $10 if you buy an IDE one.
Your motherboard for sure will have the connection for it and it will be better.

If you use iTunes I am assuming you have a decent collection of MP3s so with another Hard Drive you wont have to worry about deleting some of these Mp3s.

Good luck to you.

I agree, 1GB is not enough.

Except that you don't have to make the size static, you can make it dynamic, allowing the VM "partition" to automatically increase or decrease in size as required. That way there's no guessing required in regards to how big to make each partition, you just run it, the VM uses what it uses, and the host OS has the rest. This is all irrelevant though due to the part I quoted above.

Agreed