How do i set up Linux as a second operating system?

Hi I am so accustomed to using Microsoft's operating systems but i would like to get used to using Linux. I know that you can have to operating systems on a PC.
Do I need extra memory to run Linux along side windows or do I need to add more memory. And How do I install Linux and boot it on start up of my P|C?

IT Staffing

Depending on the version of linux it can be really easy. For example I use Ubuntu and Kubuntu, they have the option to install side by side with windows. This will bring up an option when the computer starts up to select linux or windows to boot from. It would be best to read up on the website for the version of linux for instructions as they do change with each upgrade. In addition you shouldn't have to upgrade your computer at all, the only thing you would have to worry about is having a big enough hard drive to hold both operating systems.

I would advise never putting the 2 operating systems on 1 hard drive .
I would use a second seperate harddrive for the linux and then use the motherboards boot device selection as your boot manager. That way basically you avoid issues with boot managers and any other issues between systems.
I see it all the time in chat. 1 system goes TU and takes the other with it.
Just my 2 cents

Another option for exploring Linux is to use Linux Live CD/DVDs, which will enable you to try different distributions without having to permanently install, and after becoming familiar with the way Linux operates, then consider installing a distribution you liked.

Install your Linux in a virtual machine. [Ex-Sun's, now Oracle's] VirtualBox is free and works very well. This way you can mess with your guest OS as you wish, and if you screw up things you can revert it to one of the multiple snapshots you can take.