Install Ubuntu Linux in a Windows File - Wubi

[Gina]

The Windows Ubuntu Installer - Wubi - is now fully supported and provided by default with Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron).

Wubi lets you install Ubuntu into a file in Windows systems avoiding the use of extra partitions. With an internet connection simply download the Wubi exe - run it and answer a few questions to download and install Ubuntu. It's also possible to install on a non-internet computer using either the Live CD or Wubi and the Live CD ISO downloaded on another PC and copied into a folder in Windows on the install machine. The Wubi exe file is then run and it uses the Live CD ISO to install Ubuntu.

Wubi info here (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide)

[Oldun]

Cheers Gina this looks like my best option as I am still having trouble trying to do a normal instal in a separate partition .
Core I could kiss you!;)

[Gina]

I thought of you when I found this :) It looks much better than I had originally thought. Although Wubi has been going for a while this is the first release for which it has full Ubuntu support.

Thank the developers rather than me - I just pass on the good news :lol

I hope this is the answer for you :) Let us know how you get on. Good luck :):)

[Gina]

Have now used Wubi to install Ubuntu in a Windows XP system - as you'll see from the conclusion, it was very easy and straightforward - no techy knowledge required. If you can install software in Windows, you can install Ubuntu. It gets the full five stars from me :) :)

I cleared some rubbish out of my Windows XP system, defragged drive C: and run the Wubi install process. This is to test how it works so that I can give detailed info for anyone interested.

See WubiGuide (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide) for information
Go to Wubi installer download (http://wubi-installer.org/) to download Wubi exe

Followed the Guide - installed Ubuntu by downloading and running Wubi.exe (Open from Download window in Firefox). The setup dialog appears (as per the Guide) - I set the space to use to the recommended 8GB and entered my password (twice) - user name was already set from my Windows user name, and clicked Install. The installation files were then downloaded with a progress bar shown. Being just under 700MB this takes a while (50-60 mins with a 2MBps broadband connection. When done a dialog pops up inviting you to restart Windows - or you can choose to leave it till later if you're doing something else you want to finish.

After restarting you get the choice of Windows or Ubuntu at startup. Choose Ubuntu and the Ubuntu installer runs creating a file containing a virtual disk with partitions within it. These are not the same as the real partitions on your hard drive and nothing outside of this special file is touched.

A box titled Checking the installation appears to inform you of the progress in considerable detail. First part is setting up the virtual partitions and creating the file system then it goes on to Installing System. Within that phase it copies files (takes a while) then Configures target system... followed by Scanning the mirror... where it checks for installation updates. Then follows Installing GRUB boot loader after which it returns to Installing System to remove temporary files stating "Checking packages to remove ...". When the cleaning up is finished it reboots the system. All this without any user intervention.

Then when you choose Ubuntu in the startup menu it runs your newly installed Ubuntu system.

There will be updates to download and install as the development team is always working on improvements. The installed system used the 8.04.1 main release of July 4th and there have been many minor improvements since then. The download is around 100MB. A popup box appears near the upper left of the screen to remind you.

Access to the files on the Windows system ( drive C: ) is through the host folder in the filesystem. Other drives are accessible in the usual way (for Linux systems)

Conclusion
This is a very simple and easy way for Windows users to try out Ubuntu - it's no more difficult than installing any software and no technical knowledge is required. The Ubuntu system is fully usable and retains all configuration, settings and installed software etc. after restart - unlike running a Live CD (and the whole process is easier than downloading the Live CD ISO file, burning it to CD and then running the CD in the CD/DVD drive).

[silver]

sounds interesting,. how does the Ubuntu desktop interact with the native windows desktop - i.e. can you flick between them / does the Ubuntu desktop become a windows window that can be minimized etc?

[Gina]

It forms a dual-boot system - to switch from one to the other you reboot and choose the OS (Windows or Ubuntu). Files in the Windows system can be accessed from within Ubuntu by going to the /host folder. Not sure about the other way round - I haven't checked.

It is not Ubuntu running as a virtual machine within Windows but a proper dual-boot system. It's just that the file system containing Ubuntu is virtual so the only drawback is that Ubuntu is running in an NTFS file system but I haven't noticed the difference from Ubuntu in a real partition of it's own.

[silver]

ah I see, thanks :)

[Gina]

I think you can do what you said in a Virtual Machine but I haven't tried it. Using a VM means Ubuntu is running on top of Windows and hence will run very much slower. I think it uses the Windows drivers etc.

Wubi OTOH gives practically all the advantages of running Ubuntu Linux as a separate entity with the speed advantages of a Linux system but is easier, particularly for non-technical users.

[silver]

yep, I see, I thought it might be more like http://www.cygwin.com/ where you could run *nix-like inside windows

being able to boot to ubuntu w/o needing to setup a partition will be handy for those who want to dip their toes in :)

[crash79]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/05/ubuntu_ibm_linux_distros/
The register perhaps has interesting news to those of you who understand the language.
John

[Gina]

Interesting :):)

[silver]

well you never know, linux has been held back because of complex installs and it wasn't exactly easy to use,.. Ubuntu is fixing this so...