Queries with Wubi installation

[karthik_jce]

Hi Experts,

I am considering installing ubuntu with Wubi in windows XP, I have the following queries regarding this,

1. Is Wubi fully functional i.e with all applications, 3D desktops, support for Nvidia graphics card etc.
2. Does it install a boot loader i.e like Grub ?
3. Is is easy to uninstall ?
4. Can we have KDE with this wubi i.e Kubuntu ?

Thanks
Karthigeyan

[Partyboi2]

1. Is Wubi fully functional i.e with all applications, 3D desktops, support for Nvidia graphics card etc. Yes

2. Does it install a boot loader i.e like Grub ?
Wubi uses the windows boot loader.

3. Is is easy to uninstall ?
You can uninstall it just like you do other programs in windows by add-remove programs option.

4. Can we have KDE with this wubi i.e Kubuntu ?
Yes

[ssjs]

Hi experts,

I'm new to Wubi, and Linux and Ubuntu in general.
I've just installed Wubi and ended up in the GRUB bootloader, with which I'm unfortunately absolutely clueless.
Can anyone guide me?

Thanks!

[meierfra.]

In order to get a clearer picture of your setup, I suggest to boot from the Ubuntu LiveCD and download the Boot Info Script to your desktop:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bootinfoscript/

Then open a terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal) and type:


sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

That will create a "RESULTS.txt" file in the same directory from where the script is run, namely your desktop; please copy/paste the contents of the RESULTS.txt file to your next post, highlight the copied text, and click the pound/hash sign "#" graphic button in the Ubuntu forum message box so that the text will get "code" tags put around it. The results of that script will help clarify your setup and hopefully what the solution to your booting problem might be.

[ssjs]

Thanks a lot for the prompt reply!



============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> ThinkPad is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /ubuntu/winboot/menu.lst /BOOT.INI /ntldr
/NTDETECT.COM /wubildr.mbr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr
/ubuntu/disks/root.disk

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Windows XP: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /BOOT.INI /ntldr /NTLDR /NTDETECT.COM
/ntdetect.com

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 10337 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcccdcccd

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 146,044,079 146,044,017 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 146,044,080 156,295,439 10,251,360 12 Compaq diagnostics


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

/dev/sda1: UUID="DAC8013AC8011703" LABEL="IBM_PRELOAD" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="SERVICEV001" UUID="1B33-0A00" TYPE="vfat"

=============================== "mount" output: ===============================

proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)


======================== sda1/ubuntu/winboot/menu.lst: ========================

debug off
hiddenmenu
default 0
timeout 0
fallback 1

title find /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst
fallback 2
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /menu.lst
fallback 3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /menu.lst
configfile /menu.lst

title find /boot/grub/menu.lst
fallback 4
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /grub/menu.lst
fallback 5
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /grub/menu.lst
configfile /grub/menu.lst

title commandline
commandline

title reboot
reboot

title halt
halt

================================ sda1/BOOT.INI: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=15

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

c:\wubildr.mbr="Ubuntu"


================================== sda1 Wubi: ==================================

ubuntu/boot/root.disk was found, but could not be mounted

================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=0

default=C:\

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

C:\ = "PC-DOS"


================================ sda2/BOOT.INI: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=0

default=C:\

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

C:\ = "PC-DOS"

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

mount: you must specify the filesystem type
umount: /tmp/BootInfo/Wubi: not mounted
umount: /tmp/BootInfo/Wubi: not mounted

[meierfra.]

root.disk was found, but could not be mounted


Looks like there is a problem with root.disk. (root.disk is the file containing the Wubi install.)
So I suggest to run a file system check on root.disk
Boot from the Ubuntu LiveCD, open a terminal



sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

sudo e2fsck -fyv /mnt/ubuntu/disks/root.disk


Reboot and see whether you can now boot into Ubuntu.

[ssjs]

Thanks! but still not working :(


ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo e2fsck -fyv /mnt/ubuntu/disks/root.disk
e2fsck 1.40.2 (12-Jul-2007)
Couldn't find ext2 superblock, trying backup blocks...
e2fsck: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /mnt/ubuntu/disks/root.disk

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2
filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2
filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock
is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193 <device>

[meierfra.]

It seems root.disk is damaged. Since this is a fresh install it does not make much sense trying to repair root.disk.

So I suggest to uninstall wubi (either via "add/remove programs" or by deleting the folder Ubuntu) Defrag your Windows partition a few times. Check the Ubuntu CD for errors. Then reinstalled Wubi.

You might also consider a regular Ubuntu install instead of a Wubi install.