Installing a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning

5/08/2010 07:46:00 PM // 0 comments // MiRuL // Category: Ubuntu Desktop //

Introduction to Wubi


Many Windows users who are interested in trying Ubuntu are afraid of repartitioning their drives to set up a dual-boot (a dual-boot allows you to choose at boot-up whether you would like to use one operating system or another). Yes, there are other options, like running the live CD or installing Ubuntu as a virtual machine inside Windows. But it's also nice to know there is still another option—Wubi is a program that comes on the Ubuntu Desktop CD (otherwise known as the live CD) that allows you to install Ubuntu as a dual-boot by installing it as a huge file inside of Windows and then modifying the Windows boot loader to add an entry for Ubuntu.
The nice thing about this approach from a Windows-user standpoint is that there is no risk of accidentally deleting your entire drive, you don't have to know anything about partitions, and you can easily remove Ubuntu from the dual-boot if you want to go back to a strictly Windows-only system.

Installing Wubi

Go to the Wubi website and download the Wubi installer.

Wait for all the processes to finish.
After you reboot, you'll have the option to select (with the Up and Down arrows on your keyboard) whether you would like to boot into Windows or Ubuntu. You have ten seconds to pick an option, but the default will be Windows. The first time you set it up, you should select Ubuntu, though.

The first time you boot into Ubuntu, you may notice a progress bar for Ubuntu installing itself. This will take a while (maybe another 10 minutes), but it will involve no user interaction.

Wubi sets up the dual-boot so that the default boot choice is Windows. If you want to change the default to be Ubuntu instead, go to the Control Panel in Windows.

Go into your Advanced System Settings.
In the Default operating system drop-down menu, select Ubuntu instead of Windows. Then click OK when you're done.

If you don't like Ubuntu, you can uninstall it just like any other Windows program by going to Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel and select Change/Remove for Ubuntu.

Believe me, this is a lot easier than trying to remove Ubuntu from a traditional dual-boot (one that involves repartitioning the drive and reinstalling the Windows boot loader).