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Launchpad entry: https://features.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/windows-installer
Created: 1/7/07 by GezaKovacs
This page is about the prototype for install.exe
Notes
The Windows-based Ubuntu Installer has been renamed to Wubi, and the core backend has been named Lupin. The Linux version is named Lubi, and the tool to upgrade loopmounted installations to full installs is named LVPM.
(Outdated) Original Development Thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=338279
(Outdated) Original Windows-based Ubuntu Installer Site http://cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/archive/website/original/
(New) Wubi Site: http://wubi.sourceforge.net
Lubi/LVPM/UNetbootin/Bubakup Site: http://lubi.sourceforge.net
Forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=234
Downloading
The new versions are available for download at http://wubi.sourceforge.net (For Wubi) and http://lubi.sourceforge.net/ (For Lubi/LVPM/UNetbootin/Bubakup)
The original prototypes are available at http://omattos.co.uk/setup-ubuntu-v3.exe (older) and http://cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/archive/minefield/ (newer)
Source Code
The original (Windows-based Ubuntu Installer Prototype) source code is at https://launchpad.net/setup-ubuntu
The Lupin source code is at https://launchpad.net/lupin
The Wubi source code is at https://launchpad.net/wubi
The Lubi source code is at https://launchpad.net/lubi
The LVPM source code is at https://launchpad.net/lvpm
The UNetbootin source code is at https://launchpad.net/unetbootin
The Bubakup source code is at https://launchpad.net/bubakup
Installing
1. Download and run the installer
2. Reboot, and select "Ubuntu"
3. Login as "ubuntu" with the password "ubuntu"
More instructions are available here
Screenshots
Simply click the installer
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/0.JPG
Splash screen:
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/1.JPG
You're lead through installation:
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/2.JPG
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/3.JPG
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/4.JPG
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/5.JPG
The downloader then downloads the required files:
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/6.JPG
If you choose to cancel the download, it can be resumed later:
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/7.JPG
http://omattos.co.uk/ubuntuscreens/8.JPG
Troubleshooting
Q. My download is very slow
A. The torrent hasn't got very many peers at the moment, so download rates are limited. If you can download with a standalone torrent client with properly forwarded ports that would probably increase the download speed - if you do please seed for as long as possible.
Q. I installed ubuntu, but how do I use it
A. Reboot the computer, and as it's starting up you'll be presented with a menu - select Ubuntu from that menu and press enter.
Q. The installer freezes at the splash screen.
A. Try another option in the 2nd boot menu (GRUB menu). To see the menu you may have to keep tapping the escape key after selecting "Ubuntu" from the first menu.
Q. When booting, I get this error: Error 17: File not found
A. Try defragmenting your hard drive
Q. The bootloader doesn't show up at all, and it boots straight into windows
A. Make sure C:\boot.ini has a "timeout" value higher than 0, and that this is the last line: C:\grldr="Ubuntu"
Q. I can't find the Boot.ini file
A. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties, then go to the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, then Under System Startup, click Edit.
Q. I can't login to Ubuntu with the username I specified in the installer.
A. At the moment, the username is "ubuntu", and the password is "ubuntu", regardless of what you selected during installation
Q. I'm getting gdm and xserver errors
A. Ctrl-Alt-F1, log in, and run: sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg, then reboot
Q. My network doesn't work
A. Open a terminal, and run: sudo dpkg-reconfigure dhcp3-client, then reboot
Q. How can I remove ubuntu when I no longer want it
A. Start the computer into Windows, and then go into "Add/Remove Programs" in "Control Panel". Select "Ubuntu Linux" and press remove. REMEMBER that this removes Ubuntu and any programs or documents you installed inside Ubuntu.
Q. Can I install if my computer is running Windows Vista?
A. Only if you're dual-booting with Windows XP; boot XP, install in XP, then select Windows XP in the Vista bootloader, then select Ubuntu. Users running just Vista, and not dual-booting with Windows XP will have to wait until GRLDR supports the Vista bootloader.
Q. My Windows partition is not the first partition on my first hard drive. Will this work?
A. Not for now. Support will hopefully soon be available.
Changelog
Version 3:
- Loads of changes - better hardware detection
- changes saved on reboot
- reiserfs
Version 2:
- Minor changes to downloader
Version 1:
- Initial version based off livecd image.
Bugs
Report bugs here
- Does not use a bug tracker
- Does not support Vista (which does not use boot.ini)
- However, users dual-booting with Windows XP can work around this by chainloading NTLDR, and booting Ubuntu from there
- I know the feature hasn't been completed yet - but shouldn't it pick up the time zone from Windows?
- Does not work with Windows 98.
- We don't plan on supporting any pre-NT systems, because GRLDR needs NTLDR, which is present only in NT-based systems, and FAT32 has a 4GB file size limitation, which will severely restrict the size of the root disk image
- In Expert mode, the installer rejected my password when I pasted the exact same value into both the Password and Confirmation fields. I was only able to install in Novice mode. The password was alphanumeric; no special characters.