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Wubi — Install Ubuntu from Windows XP (Discovery)

If you have ever wanted to try Linux but did not want to have repartition your hard drive or run Linux in a (slower and graphically limited) virtual machine, you will want to look at Wubi. Wubi will install the current version of Ubuntu (one of the most popular Linux distributions) in large files on your current XP hard drive and add Ubuntu to the standard XP boot manager. This will allow you to select either Windows XP or Ubuntu when you boot the machine.

If you boot into Ubuntu, the Ubuntu kernel uses a special “loopback” driver that sees the Ubuntu files on your XP drive as its hard drive. This allows you to run Ubuntu as a native OS (that is, not in a virtual machine) without having to reformat and/or repartition your system. Best of all, if you decide you don’t like Linux, you can remove it by uninstalling Wubi from Windows. From the screenshots at the Wubi web site, it appears that Wubi can be used to install Kubuntu or Xubuntu (Unbuntu variants) as well as standard Unbuntu.

Operating System: Windows XP
Price: Free
Special Requirement: Lots of free drive space (7+ gigs)
Web Site: http://cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/

[tags]Windows XP, Ubuntu, Wubi, Linux on Windows[/tags]

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 8th, 2007 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Discoveries, Linux, Utilities, Windows. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “Wubi — Install Ubuntu from Windows XP (Discovery)”

  1. KeaponLaffin on July 2nd, 2007 at 2:10 am

    I’m guessing that ‘Lots of free drive space’ was tongue in cheek ;) Compared to Windoze, 7 to 10 GB is small. Since that also includes your swap drive.
    I haven’t installed Ubuntu fully, but I suspect the Wubi install is a ‘minimal’ one. I had to DL alot of extra modules, naturally enough, to get things the way I like it(And to get anything to compile)And still have plenty of ‘drive space’ left. And can access the Windoze filesystem no problem. But heck, that’s what Linux is all about. And it doesn’t seem to install perfect, but again..that’s what Linux is all about…a work in progress.
    But I recommend it. I love it. It boots and reboots WAY faster than even a fresh Windoze install.
    It’s quirky, but I don’t want to repartition my drive and haven’t installed a replacement CD/DVD drive(mine’s busted, but I have 3-4 spares) yet…Yea, I’m lazy..And when I do that, I’ll put in the biggest spare HD I have and give Ubuntu a proper try.
    It’s worth trying folks. It’s fast, safe…and very very fun to play with ;)

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