Installation instructions for dual boot Ubuntu and Windows

I've completed a new build and I would like to make it a Windows 7 and Ubuntu dual boot system. I am brand new to Linux and, while I have done a lot of research into ways to partition my drives and so on, I am not super clear on how to do the installs properly. I want to get these installs right the first time, so I am hoping someone can give me a clear step-by-babystep to guide me through this process. Please remember I'm a newbie with Linux and with installing OS's in general :)

I have brand new drives and am going to be doing CLEAN installs. My basic understanding is:

1. Install windows first. Use the windows installer to set up the windows system partition on the SSD and the NTFS data partition on the HDD, leave the remaining spaces unallocated for now.


2. Install Ubuntu next. Use the installer (GRUB if I'm not mistaken) to set up the Ubuntu partitions on SSD and HDD, choosing where to mount each partition (/, /home, etc).


3. ???


4. The OS's are now installed... Set up symlinks, mounts, and so on

If it's any more complicated than I described in 1) and 2) (which I'm 100% sure it is), then I could really use some guidance on the finer details: what to do and when to do it, things to make sure of, boxes to check, etc, etc.

My motherboard is an ASUS Z87 Pro, which I believe is UEFI. I've read that UEFI may require special care in installing Windows and Linux for dual boot (have to use gpt partitions, etc). What are the steps and things to check in each installation process for this situation?

I intend to have both OS's on an SSD (120GB Samsung 840 EVO), with data and a couple other partitions on an HDD (1TB Caviar Blue) My intended partition scheme (assuming gpt partitions, which may be a bad assumption?):

SSD - 120GB (Samsung 840 EVO):

• [C:] 80GB (NTFS) -> Windows system partition



• [sda1] 20GB (ext4) -> /


• [sda2] 15GB (ext4) -> /home ... (moving folders for docs, media files, to HDD)

HDD - 1TB (Western Digital Caviar Blue)

• [D:] ~800GB (NTFS) -> NTFS Data partition (Windows and OS-shared data)


• [sdb2] ~100GB (ext4) -> Ubuntu-only data partition


• [sdb3] 2GB (ext4) -> /var



• [sdb4] 4GB (ext4) -> /tmp


• [sdb5] 8GB (ext4) -> /swap (= my 8GB RAM for hibernation)

(if you have comments on my scheme, I'd appreciate hearing them, but that's not the point of this question)

A clear walkthrough of the installation processes for my case would be EXTREMELY appreciated. Thank you!