Installing Ubuntu on a dynamic disk

Question

I have a Dell Inspiron N5010 laptop that came with Windows 7 installed and a dynamic disk. I want to install Ubuntu but I have the following constraints:

1. I don't want to lose any data.
2. I don't want to lose my current Windows installation.
3. If I tried to make a system image it will be very large (about 40GB)

What are the available options?

Answer 1

You could install Ubuntu inside Virtualbox.
http://www.virtualbox.org/
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Or, Maybe as a program ?
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/windows-installer
To dualboot windows 7 and Ubuntu, as Ubuntu will not run on a dynamic disc you have to convert the disc back to a basic disc and carry on from there.These programs convert without the lost of data.
To convert Dynamic disc to Basic disc.
From SevenForum :-
Option 4 - free(depending on)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26829-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk.html
links to :-
http://partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html
Easeus
http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/convert-dynamic-disk-to-basic-disk.htm
http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm
Convert with Aomei Partition :-
http://www.dynamic-disk-converter.com/
http://www.dynamic-disk.com/convert-dynamic-disk-to-basic.html
Atfer this devide the Partition for Ubuntu and
http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/01/28/dual-booting-windows-7-and-ubuntu-10-10/
Hope this is what you where after, naturally it would be best to read the warnings and backup, just in case.