I'd like instructions to dual boot Ubuntu 12.10 and Windows XP (sp3) on my desktop Dell Dimension 8250 (this is old and has 1.5 GB RAM which is maximum). I will be using 2 hard drives. Windows XP is already on a 120 GB drive and and Ubuntu 12.10 will go on a separate 80 GB hard drive. Both drives are IDE using a 80 conductor cable where the 40 pin blue connector connects to the motherboard. The middle connector is gray and is "normally" used for slave (device 1) and the black connector at the very end of the cable is meant for the master drive (device 0) or a single drive if only one is used.

First, I do not wish the XP drive to have its boot modified by Ubuntu in any way. It should remain untouched...virgin.

Let me know where the XP drive and the Ubuntu drive should be connected based upon the cable I've mentioned above, as well as jumper settings for both during the whole process. I'm just guessing, but should I remove the XP drive and put the empty Ubuntu drive in its place and install Ubuntu? By the way, I already have made the DVD ISO disk.

For your information, the BIOS for this machine is version A03. When I tap F12 to get to the boot menu, I have the following choices:

1. Normal (this will take me to a black screen with white type giving me the choice to boot to XP or to my external USB backup recovery drive)
2. Diskette Drive
3. Hard-Disk Drive c:

4. IDE CD-ROM Drive (Note that if the CD Drive is empty, it will then go to the DVD drive)

5. System Setup

6. IDE Drive Diagnostics
7. Boot to Utility Partition (This is Dell's various testing utilities)

Thank you in advance for your help.

Guy