I want my Wubi!!!!

I’ve really been feeling the Linux itch lately and with some extra time on my hands post surgery, I finally did something about it.

My friend Dustin turned me on to the Wubi installer a while ago and this was the perfect time to give it a spin.

Wubi – Ubuntu Installer for Windows

From the site: “Wubi is an officially supported Ubuntu installer for Windows users that can bring you to the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other Windows application, in a simple and safe way.”

From the get-go I am very impressed with wubi. Hands down the easiest linux install I’ve ever performed. The installer file creates a folder on your harddrive. You select the installation size, set a username and password and set the desktop environment.

Once you’re done with these preliminary settings, the installer downloads the Ubuntu install files, adds an entry for in the boot.ini and then asks to reboot the system.

With the new boot.ini entry, you have the option during the boot process to boot into Window or Ubuntu. Select Ubuntu to finish the installation. This is where the process was really impressive for me. The installer creates an ext3 file system inside the Ubuntu folder created in your Windows install. Instead of having to partition out your hard drive, Ubuntu is installed into this folder and runs self-contained.

The installer must have a massive driver database as well. I run an HP Compaq 8710p laptop, and the install had all the drivers for this machine. Everything worked post install, wireless, video, sound. I didn’t have to add any drivers.

It also has a good selection of pre-installed applications including Firefox 3, Open Office, audio and video applications and all the administrative tools you need for the o/s.

If there’s a downside to Wubi, it’s that you don’t get any advanced configuration options during install. If you’re a more advanced user and like to be in control of what gets installed and what doesn’t, this isn’t the install you’re looking for. But, Wubi’s purpose is to be a one-click solution to installing Linux on a Windows machine, and it works beautifully.

If at the end of your test drive, you decide that Linux isn’t for you, simply boot back in to Windows, open up Add/Remove Programs and there’s Ubuntu waiting in the list. Follow the usual uninstall procedure and it’s gone.

If you’ve ever been curious about Linux, this is the best introduction out there. Give it a test drive.