In case you want to install a dual boot, meaning you chose which OS you want to boot after you reboot and the laptop is starting,
and you want a Windows/linux, then you should always install windows first, after that put in your favourite linux distro CD inside, boot again and install, linux distros are not so "greedy", and will happily share their space with windows or any other OS, i case of ubuntu or linux mint its special easy since the installation process will ask you if you want to maintan the first OS(windows in this case), how much space(HDD) do you want to give him, etc, all automatically and very easy.