Can I install Warty in existing partitions and avoid 1566?

[kd4d at comcast.net]

Hi all:

I really don't want to mess up my partition table.  Can I use
a reliable system using a 2.4.x kernel to create and format
the / and swap partitions and then install Ubuntu Warty
without having it reformat the partitions (and re-write the
partition table)?  The install document is a bit brief.  I have
had installers occasionally suprise me... :-(

Do the / and swap partitions have to be primary partitions?
(I hope not...)

Thanks very much for the help.

Mark