A Ubuntu and windows question?

Question

I am using Windows XP on my Desktop computer. I have two hard drives, and on the bigger one is where I installed windows. I also like Ubuntu, and I wanted to install that on my smaller hard drive. My question is, if I do this, while using windows, would i still be able to access information on the Ubuntu drive? And if so, how? I want to do this because my bigger hard drive doesn't have enough room for all of my music and pictures, so I would like to use the smaller for the Ubuntu OS and storage. I use Windows for all the normal things I do, and gaming. I find it more comatable (obviously) but I hate windows. Also I want to get to know ubuntu a bit more before I say to hell with Windows completely, if that is what I chose to do.

Answer 1

Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi



You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.



Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.



Boot in to windows insert the Ubuntu 10.04 LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the Wubi installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Ubuntu (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.



Once Ubuntu is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Ubuntu



Ubuntu 10.04 Download

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download



Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) User Guide

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Lucid



Linux Mint 9 which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 has a similar feature called mint4win and the directions given above for Wubi can be followed

http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/



Linux Mint 9 Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52



Linux Mint 9 User Guide Download pdf.

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php



Ubuntu 10.04 and Linux Mint 9 can also be run straight from the LiveCD without touching your Hard drive





LUg.

Answer 2

You will have difficulty reading files on your Ubuntu hard drive from your Windows drive. Ubuntu uses the ext3 filesystem by default whereas Windows uses NTFS. In Ubuntu you can go through a couple hoops to mount and read an NTFS-formatted drive, but Windows will not read ext3 natively. You would have to find a utility to read ext3-formatted drive from Windows. I don't know any utilities, though.

Answer 3

it will show both hard drives for storage. in Ubuntu or Windows you can access the files of the other OS. The only problem could be compatibility issues between file types.

Answer 4

On ubuntu this is no problem you can see and modify all of your windows files, windows on the other hand does not play well with non-windows file systems, you CAN examine linux files in windows but you will need to download software, here are some suggestions



http://www.ubuntugeek.com/tools-to-access-linux-partitions-from-windows.html

Answer 5

http://superuser.com/questions/60622/sharing-files-between-vista-and-a-wubi-ubuntu-installation



It's easy. Install Ubuntu using WUBI in the same space as Windows. Ubuntu has native NTFS support now so you can share files.



http://wubi-installer.org/