Good Advice Needed

I just finished a new build for myself. It has a 500GB HDD, that I split into 3 partitions. They are 150GB, 50GB & 300GB
In the past I've always made 2 partitions, one for Window OS & the other for all my personal add-ons, games, storage, etc. This time I've done 3 partitions, because I want to try and learn this Ubuntu. The only Linux program I've seen before is Open Office which I use a lot. I want to install this Linux program on the 50GB or the 2nd partition.

Here is my question, I've installed Windows XP Pro 32 bit on the 150GB or 1st partition. I want to install the Ubuntu x64 OS, on the 50GB or 2nd partition. With these being for different bit systems will they work together. My PC is capatible for either.

I didn't use Windows x64 because of capatibility issues with games and other hardware & software. I thought that Ubuntu would give me the expansion to full 8GB of RAM I installed, since the Windows 32bit only recognises 3.1GB, unless you go into it, then you only can get it to read 3.8GB max.

Any suggestion or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Here is my PC set-up.
GigaByte GA-MA770-UD3 MOBO
AMD 6000+, 89w, 3.1GHz CPU
Aopen 850w PSU
Kingston, PC2-6400, 4x2GB RAM
XFX Black Edtion, 9800GTX+ GPU This was a Freebie

I felt like Johnny Cash, one piece at a time, started gathering components a year ago.

 

You can set up a dual boot system. I have a similar one with 64 bit Vista Ultimate and the latest 64 bit Ubuntu. I play online games with Vista with no issues whatever. I have an Nvidia SLI setup that only works with Vista. To me the best thing about Ubuntu are the Gnomw Games. I use Open Office with Vista and it's great.

 

Yup, I agree with tonyW! Just install Ubuntu, I believe it's up to 9.04 ATM, on the 50GB partition and you will get a dual boot menu auto created for you, the Win will be at the bottom. Oh, to see all your RAM, you need to run a 64-bit OS, no matter what flavour as 64-bit is the deciding factor.