formating hdd and installing ubunut

[jamse]

alright, here are the preliminary details... i have an x60s and have no external dvd drive. i have just created a bootable installation of ubuntu on a 2gb usb stick. i know i can make a partition in vista to install ubuntu, BUT after i install ubuntu, is there anyway for me to delete the old windows partition? i have some files i need to copy over from the vista partition to the new ubuntu partition, and do not have a external hdd or anyway to backup the data i need

[muffd]

I'm thinking you can copy all the old files over somewhere. After that, either merge the partition with Gparted.

I think someone with more knowledge will chime in soon to offer more help.

[zzzname]

That was a good piece of advice. If I were you, I would install Ubuntu to the new partition, then copy all the necessary data from the Vista parition to Ubuntu and afterwards in parted/gparted I would delete the vista partition and resize it/merge with the Ubuntu one.