Wubi

[BCI]

Hi,

have you tried Wubi yet? It installs Linux from within Windows with just one (or maybe seven) clicks of your mouse, perfectly free of any hassles. And yes, it has the wobbly windows...

 

[smithaa02]

Hi,

have you tried Wubi yet? It installs Linux from within Windows with just one (or maybe seven) clicks of your mouse, perfectly free of any hassles. And yes, it has the wobbly windows...

Oh yeah... I installed Ubuntu 8.10 (Ibex) on my brother's machine but it didn't work. I installed Ubuntu using wubi on my second box and this worked out pretty well...for a while then when the power went out Ubuntu got corrupted (Wubi is known to be vulnerable to crashes). Oh well.... I think Wubi has a lot of potential...with Ubuntu 8.10 it is so easy to install and integrate with Windows but my personal preference in the interum is going to be for installing Ubuntu just on its own partition or hard drive (beside having to defrag linux would just be evil IMO).

 

[TheGodBen]

I like to keep Windows and Ubuntu on separate partitions so that if one fails and I need to perform a reinstall I can recover the files quickly. Besides, if you can't manage to partition your HD and dual-boot Ubuntu, you are probably going to have a hard time working with Linux.

 

[smithaa02]

I like to keep Windows and Ubuntu on separate partitions so that if one fails and I need to perform a reinstall I can recover the files quickly. Besides, if you can't manage to partition your HD and dual-boot Ubuntu, you are probably going to have a hard time working with Linux.

Partitioning is the easy part. Repartitioning existing partitions is quite another matter... The utility that came with Ubuntu didn't work for me. I had to run defrag in command line mode (as the GUI version doesn't work completely) for XP, then get a special partion program, burn it onto a CD, boot off of that and resize everything. Then and only then could I install Ubuntu on its own partition. Ubuntu Linux itself is actually pretty dummy proof for most common tasks and once it is installed shouldn't present too many difficulties for your common user. The easiest way to do this is of course just install it on a separate hard drive...

 

[BCI]

Wubi does not require partitioning. That's why it's so easy. It has a few downs, for example hibernation or stand by do not work. But it allows to try Ubuntu along an existing installation of Windows. So you can get a taste and prepare yourself to leave Bill Gates alone.