Install Ubuntu (Linux) Inside Windows Without Formatting Hard-Disk

Trouble:

Many of us have never tried Linux or Ubuntu or Fedora because we are too comfortable and acquainted with Windows XP and Windows Vista that we don’t want get out of the comfort zone to try out other operating systems.

Another big reason for those who want to try Linux or Ubuntu is that you needed to have advance knowledge of disk partitions and had to create proper partitions to install Linux on your computer. So many of us, even I did not bother to take the pain to make my machine dual boot to run Linux as well as windows. But all this has changed after Wubi !

In this post we tell you how you can Install Ubuntu without formatting your hard-disk, without risk of loosing your windows partitions by mistake, and in a simple and easy way.

Fix:

Good News is that if you have Ubuntu CD 8.10 Desktop Edition or later, the Wubi installer comes bundled with it, so no extra download needed. If you have older version of ubuntu CD, you can either download Wubi here or better options is to Download Complete ubuntu setup CD image (700 MB download) and burn it to a disk, or if u have a slow or limited internet, you can order a free ubuntu CD here.

Installing Ubuntu

After you got an ubuntu CD, just put it in tray while Windows are running, it will show auto play options to run menu, run it or double click on drive, it will show menu like below:

Just click Install Inside Windows options and it will further show you a window to Input the following:

1. Installation Drive – Select drive on which you want to allocate space for it. It will just reserve that space and not format your drive.

2. Installation Size – Size you want to give it. We recommend you to use about 10GB if you have enough space.

3. Environment – Ubuntu would do fine for you.

4. Language – Whatever language you prefer.

5. Username and Password – You will need it to login into ubuntu.

After you provide all this input, it will copy installation files from CD to the space on the drive you selected above, this will take about 10 minutes, and then it will ask you to reboot the computer as shown below:

After this reboot, the ubuntu will install inside your windows drive, this installation will further take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your computer’s speed. after this is done, your computer will show you a menu to select the OS while booting, from where you can boot in ubuntu.

After selecting ubuntu, you will get to login screen, use the username and password you entered in the steps above. And here is what it looks like after boot:

So have a happy time exploring ubuntu.

Removing Ubuntu

In case you don’t like to keep it at later time, you can simply un-install by booting in Windows, going to Control Panel > Add Remove programs (Programs and Features for Vista user) and then simply un-install the entry with name ubuntu.

This is probably the easiest and most convenient way of installing Linux without harming windows.

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Author + Admin: Abhishek Bhatnagar
Hi, I am a Software Engineer by profession and blogger by passion, I write about computer tips and tricks and solutions for computer problems. You can connect with me at twitter or know more about me on www.abhishekbhatnagar.com.