Installing Linux from inside Windows XP

< Running Linux inside Windows XP Moving to Linux Part 2: Bringing your Win XP installation up in Linux >
This tutorial will cover repartitioning your hard disc to prepare space for Ubuntu.
Then, using VirtualBox, you install Ubuntu to your hard drive whilst running Windows XP

Here is more information about what you can do with Ubuntu from http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/desktopedition