[jacobt]

Hi all,
I would like to install a copy of Ubuntu Linux without at all compromising my system. I really don't like running the LiveCD because it runs slower than I would like it to. Running Ubuntu under Windows in a virtual machine such as VMWare seems to me like would totally defeat the purpose of running Linux - I don't really understand why this is even at all popular for anybody.
I know that it is possible to do a network install to setup Ubuntu onto a NTFS partition without having to do any partitioning to a hard drive, but I have been unable to come up with thorough instructions on this searching around on the internet. My main question is, is it possible to skip the installation of the boot loader. I would prefer not to modify the boot loader currently in my system. The ideal way to run Ubuntu for a part time user would be to boot into from a CD and run from the hard drive. If this is possible and anybody has any pointers please let me know.

Thank you

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hi, welcome to geekstogo
the point about the live CD is that it tells you before you do anything if you hardward fits the distro, so for example if you try an Unbuntu live CD, you will know if the network, the drivers, and others, are what you are looking for, so a live CD is a live test then. Now, once you know that the live CD test result is perfect, then one installs form there where its normally offers one to use half of the free space on the harddrive(default setting) for the distro(though it normally offers the option to adjust the free space used too) meaning that it creates a few partitions for itself in the free space and installs to them leaving your windows partition or partitions(together with the windows system and data) untouched

Now running linux within windows has the one main advantage of control, for example one can install knoppix as a folder in the windows system, and be running linux from within that folder, no hjt logs needed it become a kind of firewall

I cannot answer your last point about bootloaders, there are various types of CDs and floppys that will do the job of master boot but whether one can use them to install linux without touching the systems own MBR I don't know, sorry


footnote; a lot of distros like "puppy" let you boot to ram but backup on harddrive

Edited by fleamailman, 28 January 2008 - 06:59 AM.

[fleamailman]

hi, welcome to geekstogo
the point about the live CD is that it tells you before you do anything if you hardward fits the distro, so for example if you try an Unbuntu live CD, you will know if the network, the drivers, and others, are what you are looking for, so a live CD is a live test then. Now, once you know that the live CD test result is perfect, then one installs form there where its normally offers one to use half of the free space on the harddrive(default setting) for the distro(though it normally offers the option to adjust the free space used too) meaning that it creates a few partitions for itself in the free space and installs to them leaving your windows partition or partitions(together with the windows system and data) untouched

Now running linux within windows has the one main advantage of control, for example one can install knoppix as a folder in the windows system, and be running linux from within that folder, no hjt logs needed it become a kind of firewall

I cannot answer your last point about bootloaders, there are various types of CDs and floppys that will do the job of master boot but whether one can use them to install linux without touching the systems own MBR I don't know, sorry


footnote; a lot of distros like "puppy" let you boot to ram but backup on harddrive

Edited by fleamailman, 28 January 2008 - 06:59 AM.

[StarHawk]

I don't think one can set up ubuntu on a NTFS partition, it uses linux file structures, ext2 or ext3. Ubuntu uses the grub boot loader by default tho i suppose one can change that. i wouldn't recommend skipping the installation of the boot loader, tho I suppose one could just install Ubuntu to a HD partition but then you couldn't boot into it without using something like the Super Grub Disk, a very handy tool btw. I installed Ubuntu about a year ago and have had no problems out of Ubuntu or Grub, tho I'm hardly a linux expert. Still learning.

A better place to ask your question might be on the Ubuntuforums. One can also find detailed instructions on installation there.