Need help installing linux under vista.

[Sensayshun]

I need windows for my university work, so I've gone out and bought a new laptop which runs vista.

I've tried to install ubuntu using virtual PC 2007 and it's very very slow, and doesn't work. Anything in command line seems to work, but all graphics seem to be mucked up, I can probably get a screenshot if anyone wants.

I googled for a little while and came across wubi but I'm not sure I understand it, is it just installing itself as an option in a bootloader or is it running just as an application within windows?

Are there any other virtual PC type software that I could try and that people know work?

Thanks very much :)

[Lechio]

Wubi launches from windows, then it installs like any other windows application. The computer is rebooted and an entry to boot Ubuntu Linux is added to your Windows boot menu. Choose that option to boot into Linux and complete the installation process.

After that done done, booting Ubuntu Linux is as simple as selecting that boot entry when the computer starts.

To remove it simply go to Add/Remove programs in your Windows control panel. It's just as simple as removing any other type of software.

Visualization is not the best way to experience Linux. Wubi a is a better solution, and an easy one when it comes to the install proccess.

BTW: virtual PC 2007 is not the best choice to run Linux. Try something like Virtualbox if you want a virtual machine.

Virtualbox: http://www.virtualbox.org/

Linux sluggish running on Microsoft Virtual PC 2007: http://www.linux.com/feature/60742

Edited November 15, 2008 by Lechio

[Lee G. Veteran]

Just use VirtualBox. I'm running Ubuntu on it under Vista, and it works perfectly. Virtual PC, as Lechio has said, is not the best choice to run Linux. It's only meant for Windows virtualization, really.

[Sensayshun]

Ah ok. I didn't want to go down the essentially dual booting route as then I find that I always end up in the windows OS just so I don't have to reboot to do my work. And then I end up removing the linux partition as it's just using space. I'll give VirtualBox a try.

Thanks for the help guys :)

[capr]

what laptop did you buy? some vista machines still come with 1gb of ram and there is no way you are going to be able to run any virtual machine under VISTA with so little ram.

[Sensayshun]

Tis alright, my lappy has 2GB. And the dual core processor helped out a little too. Although whilst installing the OS my RAM usage did hit 91%.

VirtualBox worked wonders btw, thankyou for recommending it. Nice and smooth, very easy installation procedure. Only problem is it's running at 800x600 and I don't see a way to change it. I can change the size of the window, but the actual size that my ubuntu installation will run at is limited to 800x600.

[Lechio]

For that you have to configure the resolution of the screen. To do that use the Ubuntu tools, or just edit the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

BTW: What is the current resolution of the host?

[roadgeek9]

VirtualBox and VMWare Server can install Linux.

[Elv13]

Vmware player and workstation too, Server is only free for linux.

[Sensayshun]

Resolution of the host is 1440x900. I'll look at my xorg.conf and see what options are in there.

The layout of xorg.conf has changed since I last had to look at it, so now I'm not sure of the syntax of how to put in the screen resolutions that I want available. Could it be because everythings being detected as generic? So there are no drivers installed?

Edited November 16, 2008 by Sensayshun

[Elv13]

It did not change, add missing part if they are not there by default, but first, install virtualbox video drivers in Ubuntu and change the video driver to:

Driver "vboxvideo"

then you will be able to change resolution using system;settings;resolution

GOOGLE:http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2008/09/22/install-virtualbox-2-guest-additions-in-ubuntu/

[Sensayshun]

Thanks for that link. I only had to follow the first part as after installing the guest additions resizing worked on the fly too. :D