Wubi (installer)
 |
|
Wubi, installing Ubuntu 11.10 on Windows 8
|
|
| Developer(s) | Agostino Russo, Geza Kovacs, Oliver Mattos, Ecology2007 |
|---|---|
| Initial release | April 24, 2008 |
| Stable release |
12.04 / April 26, 2012
|
| Development status | Discontinued |
| Written in | NSIS script, C++, Python |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Size | 2.37 MiB |
| Available in | Over 50 Languages |
| Type | Ubuntu System Installer |
| License | GNU GPL v.2 or later |
| Website | www |
Wubi (Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) was an official Windows-based free software installer for Ubuntu, from 2008 until 2015, which allowed the installation of Ubuntu to a single file within an existing Windows partition.
After installation, it added a new "Ubuntu" option to the existing Windows boot menu which allowed the user to choose between running Linux or Windows, and avoided the need to re-partition the disk.
Wubi was born as an independent project and as such versions 7.04 and 7.10 were unofficial releases.
For Ubuntu 8.04 the code was merged into Ubuntu and for 8.04 alpha 5, Wubi was also on the Ubuntu Live CD.
The project's aim was to enable existing Windows users, unacquainted with Linux, to try Ubuntu without risking any data loss (due to disk formatting or partitioning mistakes). It could also safely uninstall Ubuntu from within Windows.
It is not a virtual machine, but creates a stand-alone installation within a loopmounted device, also known as a disk image, like Topologilinux does. It is not a Linux distribution of its own, but rather an installer for Ubuntu.
While Wubi does not install Ubuntu directly to its own partition this can also be accomplished by using LVPM, the Loopmounted Virtual Partition Manager, to transfer the Wubi-generated Ubuntu installation to a dedicated real partition, including a bootable USB keydrive. The advantage of this setup is that users can test the operating system and install the drivers before they install it to a dedicated partition (and avoid booting and functioning risks).
Wubi adds an entry to the Windows boot menu which allows the user to run Linux. Ubuntu is installed within a file in the Windows file system (c:\ubuntu\disks\root.disk), as opposed to being installed within its own partition. This file is seen by Linux as a real hard disk. Wubi also creates a swap file in the Windows file system (c:\ubuntu\disks\swap.disk), in addition to the memory of the host machine. This file is seen by Ubuntu as additional RAM.
...
Wikipedia