Ubuntu Live CD

esbo

fiish wrote: »

The latest version of Ubuntu comes with a Wubi installer which allows you to install Ubuntu as a program in Windows. You end up with a dual-boot system where Ubuntu's partition is stored as a file in your Windows partition. It is oh-so-slightly slower than installing Ubuntu in a proper formatted partition but the difference isn't really unnoticable.

The cool thing is if you decide not to keep Ubuntu there's no formatting or repartitioning to do - just unstall it in Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features in Vista) and you're done.

Yes mine is a Wubi too, I was thinkng about doing a 'proper' one but I have not made my mind up yet. But I have been thinking, as I was able to copy file
on the windows 'partition' then I guess I can use Linux commands on them too?
(unix scripts) that would be very useful. MSDOS is useless compared to unix type
scripts.

esbo

msun wrote: »

Installing Ubuntu under Windows using "Wubi" works fine but I did notice one issue when it comes to Windows backup. One of the files (the large image file root.disk under c:\ubuntu) seems difficult to copy or backup as it is reported as being far larger than the actual file size as seen by Windows Explorer.

I have also seen reported issues when running defrgmentation and/or checkdisk with a Wubi installation of Ubuntu present.

So I chose to run Ubuntu in its own small partition "along-side" Windows as a dual boot setup. The partition manager which is part of the Ubuntu installation CD seems to works very well.

Can't you do yout backups from Ubuntu?
I backed up most of windows with it, however I got an error half way through.
That was on a much older version though, so I expect it is fixed now.

fiish

There's a caveat I forgot to mention about a Wubi installation: when you're in Ubuntu the Windows partition that the Ubuntu partition file is on won't be visible. So if you Wubi-installed into C:\ubuntu then the C: drive would not be accessible from Ubuntu.

msun

Oh I thought Windows WAS visible under a Wubi installation - as a folder under the Ubuntu filesystem. I don't have the installation at present to double check but I remember seeing it. I think it's called /host.

I now also run Ubuntu as a virtual machine (purely as a test) under Microsoft virtual PC 2007. In that environment, Windows definitely is not visible unless to connect via a Windows network share point. Performance is much limited as a virtual machine but I find it useful as a "quick reference" when working under Windows.

To answer esbo's comment - yes you can backup Windows from Ubuntu. I tried using a combination of "tar" and "rsync" to backup Ubuntu with some success but I'm not sure whether Windows file structure would backup preserving all Microsoft style file permissions, etc. The issue that remains is that backups under Windows could be difficult with a wubi installation present.

I still favour the dual boot option with Ubuntu in its own partition(s). This gives best performance and the Ubuntu file system can even be browsed from Windows using a utility such as "explore2fs".

esbo

fiish wrote: »

There's a caveat I forgot to mention about a Wubi installation: when you're in Ubuntu the Windows partition that the Ubuntu partition file is on won't be visible. So if you Wubi-installed into C:\ubuntu then the C: drive would not be accessible from Ubuntu.

I wubied onto my F: drive and I could see and access C: and the rest of F: from
Ubuntu, it required your password initially though. I know because I copied a load of stuff from C: to F:
via ubuntu although I did get an error halfway through. It even copied stuff across some stuff I could not
access from windows!! I only figured out how to access those files via windows recently.
Incidently I could access the 'inaccessable' files I copied from windows after but not the originals (untill today,
some permissions thing), I think (hope) the copy error was jus a bug, it was a pretty old un-updated
version.(7.04)

Gavin57

Installled latest copy of Ubuntu 8.04.1 using wubi onto disk just to try it. Seems to work ok but now trying to uninstall but it will not let me tried through control panel and tried uninstall file in folder but just refuses to uninstall. Anyone got any ideas how to remove Ubuntu.

Falc

you should just be able to do it through add/remove programs, or download revo uninstaller, i believe it is better than XP's default uninstaller

Gavin57

I have tried removing Ubuntu through Add/Remove but with no joy the uninstall appears to start but then goes staight back to Add/Remove panel. There is an uninstall file in Ubuntu folder clicking on that does not appear to do anything briefly starts then nothing. Tried Revo uninstaller went through uninstall process followed instructions but Ubuntu still there.

I even tried to reinstall Ubuntu in case the uninstall programme had not been installed properly but it wont let me install again.

Help any other ideas.

msun

Perhaps this reference here may help you.

Gavin57

Thanks msun I had a look at that link. There is a small uninstaller on that page to try when the original uninstaller fails.I downloaded it and run it and it worked. Ubunitu was removed with no problems. Thanks again to all.