Question about ubuntu..

[brokEN2]

I already have windows 7 installed and want to start getting into linux and want to dual boot. I have 100 GB unallocated free and was wondering if I should set it up thru windows or ubuntu and If I click install alongside windows will my windows be left untouched?

 

[lxskllr]

For just playing, wubi is a good way to do it. It makes a kind of fake dual boot, and it's easy to remove if you decide you don't like it. wubi is the method you'd be using if you did it while inside Windows.

The other way is by doing a proper dual boot. You'd do that by booting to the Ubuntu CD. I haven't installed in a long time, so I can't remember the exact verbiage, but it should be obvious how to set it up. You'd tell Ubuntu to use the free space available to it.

 

[beginner99]

get virtual box and install ubuntu in virtual box. Offers a lot of advantages like not needing to reboot for switching between Windows / Ubuntu.

 

[repoman0]

get virtual box and install ubuntu in virtual box. Offers a lot of advantages like not needing to reboot for switching between Windows / Ubuntu.

I installed Linux Mint by taking some space from Win7 on my laptop and am wishing this is how I did it now - except with Mint as the host and virtualbox for Windows 7 since all I use it for is Visual Studio now.

 

[Nothinman]

The installer should just let you pick to partition the free space that's available and use that as long as you mean non-partitioned space. Otherwise you'll need to shrink a partition for that.

The Wubi installer will install Ubuntu to a file on your Windows partition so there's no need to muck with partitions. The advantage is that it's safer but it'll be slower as well because you're adding layers (another filesystem, loopback device, etc) to every filesystem access.

Installing into VMware, VirtualBox, etc is more convenient because it lets you play around without touching your hardware. But you lose out on some things since it doesn't have direct access to the hardware and the performance won't be 100%.

 

[Gibson486]

just shrink the partition on windows and use the new partition to install unbuntu. That way, you can extend it back later and it will not effect windows at all.

Here are some instructions:

http://thpc.info/dual/dual_win7.html

You can either have windows control the boot or have linux do it.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I HATE the unity UI in Ubuntu.

 

[Nothinman]

I HATE the unity UI in Ubuntu.

Thank you for that pointed and on-topic contribution to this thread...