Wubi paranoid friendly?

[Billie Walsh]

On 12/07/2010 12:15 PM, Richard Owlett wrote:
> I date from the era of vacuum tubes and 026's.
> Though I've programed, I'm a user not a programmer.
> I am a Windows(tm) user who wishes to be a *nix user.
>    

I'm also just an average home computer user. I made the switch several 
years ago and have never been sorry. I'm still not a *nix wizard but I 
use it as my primary OS.

> I wish to try Ubuntu.
>    

If I might make a suggestion, KDE is much closer to Windows in it's 
layout than Gnome. You will feel more at home with Kubuntu.

> Full install OBVIOUSLY *NOT* acceptable ;/
>    

I'm not sure What you mean by a "full install". I don't think I have 
ever heard of a partial install. Either it is or it isn't.

> Dual boot *NOT* acceptable as it requires repartitioning my hard
> drive. I've had bad experiences with repartitioning.
>    

I won't say that nothing can go wrong because it is possible to trash 
the system. At different times I've repartitioned my hard drives for 
dual install with Windows, on the theory that Windows might not trash 
the it's own files, and just let the installer take care of it. Either 
way I've never had an issue. Recent *ubuntu installers seem to have the 
repartition down pretty well.

> I've already gone the "live" CD/USB route which proves that my
> hardware is minimally compliant
>
> !!! *BUT* !!!
>
> I'm looking for something indistinguishable from a full install,
> think equivalent of "Turing Test" ;/
>
> Basic question is:
> "How does Wubi mess with my hard drive?"
>
> I've searched multiple Wubi related pages without an adequate answer.
>    

The one time I tried the Wubi install I couldn't tell the difference 
between that and a normal install, other than Wubi used the Windows boot 
loader rather than Grub. I still had to restart the computer to switch 
between Windows and Kubuntu. IMHO, don't bother with Wubi. Just do a 
regular install.

One suggestion to not have to mess with your Windows install is to use a 
second drive [ if your computer is a desktop ] as others have said. If 
you install on a "slave" drive the master boot sector will be over 
written but your Windows files won't be bothered in the least. If you 
make the Windows drive the "slave" and install *ubuntu on the new one as 
the "master" you won't even do that.

If you *REALLY* want to give "*nix" a spin I would suggest that you just 
install it and don't look back. Back up anything that is critical of 
course just in case.

-- 
"A good moral character is the first essential in a man." George Washington

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