Convert them to ubuntu with Wubi!!!

[j.scott.gwin]

If you know someone that is interested in Ubuntu Linux but not ready to make a commitment to changing over all at once, Wubi makes for a great introduction to Ubuntu and a simple way to run both Operating Systems until a decision can be made. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu like any other Windows application. You get the benefits of using a LiveCD without the slow speed inherent in them. It's simple and safe: there's no need to burn a CD/DVD. Wubi doesn't require any partition modification, or special drivers. It's very safe because it keeps most of the files in one folder. Best of all, Wubi and Ubuntu are free and functional and without the aggravation of activation or restrictions on it's use. If this sounds pleasing, read the following how-to and find out how simple and fool-proof it really is.

1.Download Wubi to a folder on your Windows system from http://wubi-installer.org/. This file is only 1 Mb.

2.Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder where you saved Wubi. Double-click on the Wubi icon.

3.Wubi starts. You can now configure your future Ubuntu installation, i.e., you can specify the location of the Ubuntu installation on your Windows partition(s), the size of the Ubuntu installation, the Ubuntu flavour (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, UbuntuStudio), the language you want to use on your Ubuntu desktop, and a username and password for the Ubuntu system. Click on Install afterwards.

4.Wubi downloads the CD iso image of the Ubuntu flavour you've chosen. This can take some minutes, depending on your bandwidth.

5.Afterwards, Wubi asks you to reboot the system. When the system reboots, you should now see a boot menu from which you can select your Windows system and the new Ubuntu system. Please select Ubuntu and press <ENTER>.

6.Because Ubuntu isn't installed yet, you should now see the Ubuntu installer (text mode). It installs your Ubuntu desktop according to the settings you've made in Wubi before - no interaction is needed from your part.

7.After the installation has finished, the system reboots. At the boot menu, please select Ubuntu again.

8.Type in your username and password (the ones you specified in Wubi before).

9.You can now use it like any other Linux desktop. There's even an icon for your Windows partition on the desktop. If you double-click on it, you can browse your Windows partition.

10.Now let's see if our Windows desktop is still working. Shut down the Ubuntu system and boot your Windows system.

11.As you see, your Windows desktop is still working as before.

12. If you want to uninstall Ubuntu, open the Control Center in Windows. Go to Software. In the Software window, you see a list of all installed software. Find Wubi and click on the Modify/Uninstall button.

13.You can now choose if you'd like to back up the downloaded Ubuntu files and the Ubuntu documents (in case you want to reinstall Ubuntu again later on). Make your selection and click on Uninstall.

14.Wubi is now being uninstalled. Afterwards, you can close the uninstaller and leave the Control Center.

15.Now when you reboot the system, the boot menu is also gone (because only Windows is left on the system), so your system is in the same state as it was before you installed Ubuntu.