Installing Linux Ubuntu as a Windows Application with Wubi
With the latest release of the popular Linux-based operating system, Ubuntu Hardy Heron, the installation process just got easier for Windows users who wish to try out an alternative to Vista or XP. Even .NET developers who are looking out on trying the Mono project (the .NET platform for Linux-based operating systems) can benefit from it. All this is possible thanks to a little Windows utility called Wubi, which is an installer for Ubuntu.
As described by Wikipedia’s definition on the tool:
Wubi adds an entry to the Windows boot menu which allows you to run Linux. Ubuntu is installed within a file in the Windows file system (c:\wubi\disks\system.virtual.disk), as opposed to being installed within its own partition. This file is seen by Linux as a real hard disk.
According to Wubi’s official site, Wubi is an officially supported Ubuntu installer for Windows users that can bring you to the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other Windows application, in a simple and safe way.
The beauty of Wubi is that:
- You don’t need to burn a CD. Just run the installer, enter a password for the new account, and click "Install", go grab a coffee, and when your are back, Ubuntu will be ready for you.
- You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application. Wubi is spyware and malware free, and being open source, anyone can verify that.
- Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
- It’s free!
The following screenshot, which was taken from Wubi’s official site, shows you how easy it is to configure Ubuntu’s installation as a Windows application.
Remember that you don’t have to create a new partition to install Ubuntu with Wubi. In fact, it will install the Linux-based operating system in the same partition that Windows is installed (just like a standard application). You can choose whether to boot in Windows or Ubuntu whenever you reboot your computer.
There are some things to consider with this installation model:
- The performance is identical to a standard installation, except for hard-disk access which is slightly slower than an installation to a dedicated partition. If your hard disk is very fragmented the performance will degenerate.
- Hibernation is not supported under Wubi, moreover Wubi filesystem is more vulnerable to hard-reboots (turning off the power) and power outages than a normal filesystem, so try to avoid unplugging the power. An Ubuntu installation to a dedicated partition provides a filesystem that is more robust and can better tolerate such events.
For more information, I suggest you to skim through Wubi’s FAQ page.
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April 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am
[...] There’s a cool guide here. [...]
April 25th, 2008 at 9:29 am
There’s also a Wubi version coming up for Mac OS X (according to their site). I think that using Wubi on hard drives with faster revolutions (>7500RPM) is more than ideal. I haven’t tried it, but we can also create a FAT32/NTFS partition (let’s say with Partition Magic), and tell Wubi to install Ubuntu in that partition. That should take care of the fragmentation issue. As for the performance, well that issue is also taken care with the CPUs that are available in the market today.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Hi, I have just installed wubi and wubi installed Ubuntu..so far so good :)) All went well and completed without problems..but
I wasn’t concentrating when i wrote the password and username…and I can’t remember either!!!! is there a way to recover both or do I have to reinstall??
April 25th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hi Rob,
Ouch, good question. My guess is that it will be easier to just reinstall as I have no idea how to retrieve the password. Maybe someone can help on this issue?
April 25th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Now, I can sort of understand the purpose of this app, I personally feel it defeats the purpose of having two operating systems. I dual-booted WinXP/Ubuntu Gutsy on my laptop until Hardy came out and I realized I wasn’t using WinXP.
My desktop is a dedicated WinXP machine BTW.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
BTW, if you want to use Ubuntu as your primary OS, but still be able to run Windows applications at the same time (say, Visual Studio), I strongly recommend reading the Lifehacker’s guide on Run Windows Apps Seamlessly Inside Linux.
Hope it help!
April 25th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I love the idea of this but having tried Wubi (?) before and finding that Ubuntu didn’t work and then Windows was so screwed up that I ended up wiping the hard drive, I could never recommend using it on any computer that is important to you. If you want to try Ubuntu then use a “Live” disc and if you love it, I did, then put it on a dedicated computer. This way is far far safer and takes away all the risk involved.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
John, sorry to hear about that. Maybe you can give it another chance; I actually received a multitude of emails from people telling me that they had no problem installing Ubuntu on their side with Wubi. My approach is still to create a logical Windows partition (with Partition Magic for example), assign it a drive letter (L: for Linux or U: for Ubuntu) and just ask Wubi to install Ubuntu in that drive.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
There’s also a Wubi version coming up for Mac OS X (according to their site). I think that using Wubi on hard drives with faster revolutions (>7500RPM) is more than ideal. I haven’t tried it, but we can also create a FAT32/NTFS partition (let’s say with Partition Magic), and tell Wubi to install Ubuntu in that partition. That should take care of the fragmentation issue. As for the performance, well that issue is also taken care with the CPUs that are available in the market today.
April 25th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Instale el wubi en mi compu y funciono de maravilla al principio. La pesadilla empezo despues de instalar programas adicionales. No voy a mencionar la terrible noche (entera) que pase tratando de butear mi maquina. Pense que lo habia perdito todo. Jamas se te ocurra instalar esta mierda y si ya lo hiciste, te va a costar un guevo desintalarla. Pasale el DOS con chdks \r
April 26th, 2008 at 10:24 am
[...] the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu easily. This blog post covers basic installation: With the latest release of the popular Linux-based operating system, [...]
April 27th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Cool! But altough not appropriate to the current post, I would like soon to see an app/technology which can *use* my windows xp already installed (yea dual boot situation). I wish to dual boot either OS if I want and for some performance penalty I want to access the data along with apps from either of OS seamlessly … wish that day would come …!
April 27th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
[...] Visto en: Brian Di Croce [...]
April 28th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
…UPPER MEMORY ERROR…
(check in wubi site)
waste of my time for downloading 700 MB and then trying to fix this error. dont waste time people. free stuff doesn’t always work and isn’t always free.
April 28th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Kiran, may I point you here for what I think grants your wish.
http://www.fs-driver.org/
Thanks, Brian for the wonderful help with this dual-install. May God bless you.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:04 am
[...] it is Ubuntu installer for Windows helping you ro install and uninstall Ubuntu with few clicks. Here is nice brief article on how to set it up under Vista: Wubi adds an entry to the Windows boot menu [...]
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
It’s home . I like it.
May 7th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Wubi is an excellent tool for the Linux Noob to get acquainted with a modern operating system while retaining the capability of falling back on legacy Microsoft operating systems like XP and Vista. It isn’t a perfect replacement for a standard installation, but it is infinitely better than the LiveCD option of getting acquainted with Linux.
@tunne: I’m sorry you are having problems with wubi. Might I point you at Ubuntuforums.org for community assistance? I fond that if I post the error message and a brief outline of the circumstances that caused it, I usually get a solution within an hour.
You are correct, of course - free stuff doesn’t always work, and isn’t always free. Then again, purchased products don’t always work either, and they are far from free. Case in point, Windows Vista. It is incredibly bloated, even before they tack on third-party boatware. It’s incredibly slow (compared to Linux or XP) and in my experience, is much less stable and much less capable than either Ubuntu or XP. If that wasn’t enough, the hardware incompatibilities should put it over the top. About the only thing it has going for it is “It is pretty”, and even in this subjective venue, it loses out to Compiz.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
@18…I tried installing Wubi on several brand new dells that have identical hardware configurations. Wubi only successfully installed on 1 of the three computers. The others all end up dropping me into a command line and, frankly, it’s not worth it to go track down what happened.
Works great on the machine I was actually able to get it to install on, but Wubi doesn’t seem ready for prime time. For people who want to give Ubuntu a trial run, I’ve been recommending the live CD over Wubi.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
nice article, i really appricate it
May 16th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
My pleasure!
I’m glad you like it…even more glad if it was useful!
May 19th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Rob,
Here’s a link to change your password when forgotten, should work with Wubi as well I guess
http://www.watchingthenet.com/ubuntu-guide-for-windows-users-reset-your-password-when-you-have-forgotten-it.html
June 18th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Can you direct wubi to install from an updated live CD ?
June 28th, 2008 at 5:12 am
As being new to linux and a windows user i installed ubuntu from web based wubi 8.04 installer after hearing of its windows based installation process every thing else run fine but when ubuntu booted for the first time it checked and copy the files and there was something like repartitioning and grub loader and then ubuntu rebooted and there was the same boot menu as on above but when i tried to boot into ubuntu it tells me “there is no such partition” Press any key to continue …. and when i press a key i am back to same boot menu and then windows XP also dosen’t boot but if i direct boot into XP it boots
i am using 2 HDD sata II interface with XP on my Ist partition on Primary HDD(320gb) and ubuntu 8.04 via web on my 6th partition of same HDD inside a folder “ubuntu”created by installer and vista on my second HDD (160gb) on primary partition of that HDD and ubuntu 7.10 on ext3 partition on same HDD both HDD have different MBR i.e i have to use f9 to boot into Vista and Ubuntu 7.10 and normally for XP and Wubi.
Please help ………