When installing linux over windows does the entire hard disk gets formatted?????

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That depends.
It is true that you can use the entire drive or opt for using only a part of it and allow dual booting. However, there's always a however, if the option to dual boot (install side by side) does not present itself during the install it is because windows is installed on 4 primary partitions and an OS must be on a primary partition. You are only allowed four so Ubuntu or other Linux is left without a choice. Of course when Ubuntu installs it creates an extended partition into which you can place as many primary partitions as you want. Why Windows does that is, if you are a conspiracy buff, to prevent you from installing something else.

In that case your options are to install vmware into windows and run Linux from there, or you can delete one of the primary partitions that windows is hogging and install there (be careful you don't delete something essential) or you can be like me, "You want to be a pig and hog all the primary partitions? OK, in that case I don't want you on my computer. Bye bye." and let linux return ownership of your computer to you and eliminate windows.

You could also get a partition program that allows you to create an extended partition and move the windows ones into it, however I've not found a free one yet.
 
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An operating system MUST be installed on a primary drive. There is no alternative to that. You need to get one of the partitions being used by windows changed to a logical drive. I do not know what you have since different manufacturors have different setups. I also don't know what Linux you have. If it is on a usb disk install partclone and make backups of your existing windows partitions, just in case. Then do a search on changing a primary partition to other and creating an extended logical volume, preferably using details from your computer. Or you can ask at the manufacturor's discussion group if a partition can be eliminated without screwing up windows too badly. For example, you may have a recovery partion that can be safely converted/removed, particurally if you have cloned it already. There are partition managers for windows that can convert, like this one, http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html , however, there's that however again, I have never tried this nor do I recommend that you do, but I highly recomment that you back-up/clone anything that you want to mess with.

Your other options are to erase windows completely, my prefered method, but that's me, not a windows fan.
or
You can install vmware onto windows and run linux through it. Basically what it does is creates a virtual drive to install linux on inside windows that you can run the linux. Not perfect but close and if you work for the government close enough. Yes, you can surf the net, print, and read and write to a flash. If you go the vmware route when you launch it the first time you add a system from an iso image of your linux. When you do that linux will launch and you'll then need to install it as you normally would, inside vmware. Now when linux asks should it format the whole drive you say yes because you are formatting the virtual drive not the one windows is using. Read to instructions for vmware, it sound difficult but it's safe and a not as hard as I make it sound. Just make sure you are running vmware inside windows and not launching from a USB. Then, after you no longer want windows because you have become one with Linux, you can reinstall linux and wipe out windows.

Good luck

 
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I just finished solving a problem exactly like this. My wife's HP Probook 4535x had 4 partions for windows 7. One recovery partition which puts the computer back like the day you bought it. NEVER EVER do that unless you have all of your information off the computer and are selling it or something. Another "HP Tools" partition, and two more partions, only one of which is the windows 7 system partition. I don't know what the fourth one was, but, I deleted both of the small ones that had the recovery and tools stuff and then installed 12.04 in dual boot mode. Windows still worked fine, but Ubuntu choked every time. I knew it was video driver issue, and searched for hours for a solution, no go!

So, I retrieved an iso for Ubuntu 10.04 which I knew was better for finicky hardware, and installed it. It worked fine, except that it did not want me using wireless, apparently, since it defaulted to off. I worked a couple hours trying everything and nothing worked. But, the system was working fine with cat 5 connection. So I was resigned to hooking up cable to living room for wife.

Then I decided to try the ugrade link in 10.04 which wanted to upgrade all the way to 12.04.3 I made sure I had all backups in place and clicked the upgrade in place button.

After about an hour and a half, I had a beautiful 12.04.3 installed which worked flawlessly, including connecting wirelessly after the reboot.!

Anyway, you might find that installing the previous version and then upgrading will help.

Best Regards,
Jim
 
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"An operating system MUST be installed on a primary drive. There is no alternative to that."

Not true. Linux and many other UNIX like OSs are quite happy on a logical partition. (If that's not true then for goodness sake don't tell my Fedora install - it thinks it is able to boot off /dev/sda6!)
 
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Provided your logical partition is inside an extended partition which is a primary. You can have as many of these sudo primary drives as you want inside an extended which is why it's a mystery to me why manufacturers install windows on the max 4 primaries unless of course you believe in Microsoft conspiracies...

To Jim7fl, yes, that works well with win7 and I've used it many times but the problem is win8 has a different method of starting and stopping and it uses one of the extra partitions for it. I haven't researched it enough to recommend anything and I hope the OP sends his details so I can. I haven't before because everyone that has come to me with win8 has told me to take it off and replace it with Ubuntu. Happy to oblige. Thus I have no win8 to look at in front of me.



 
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Why else are you going to create a logical partition? Let's not confuse the OP.

You must have a primary or a logical that is inside a primary extended partition to install an OS.
There are only four primary partitions allowed.
An extended partition is a primary partition and can not be created until you remove or convert one of the others used by windows.
An Extended partition acts as a repository for logical partitions that then can act as a primary partition themselves allowing you to install multiple OSs inside of one primary (extended) partition.
 
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