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I would like to install Ubuntu Linux next to my primary Windows 7 OS.

I found Wubi which helps you with a simple installation/uninstallation procedure for Ubuntu.

But the wiki says that Wubi uses a virtual disk. Is that similar to virtually running the OS? I really don't want my primary system to slow down because of that.

Should I rather go with the classical dual boot?

What is the recommended Wubi hard disk size?

slhck
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Biker John
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2 Answers2

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WUBI is similar to dual-booting and not virtualization.

It is not a virtual machine, but creates a stand-alone installation within a loopmounted device, also known as a disk image

This means that you will have to reboot your computer and select the respective entry in order to access a WUBI Ubuntu installation. It does not run inside windows, but its existence depends on it - it can be removed like any other program, via the control panel.

Your windows installation should not slow down, but disk access from Ubuntu itself is said to be a little slower than a usual (stand alone or dual boot) installation would be.

A typical installation size for experimentation would be around 20GB, but that is entirely up to your needs.

dset0x
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  • How Wubi works? 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:\ubuntu\disks\root.disk), this file is seen by Linux as a real hard disk.
  • Requirements? 256 MB RAM, 1 GHz or faster Intel/AMD processor, 5GB free space.
  • Performance? 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.
  • Please refer Wubi FAQs for more queries.
aniruddha-ix
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