Portable installation vs Full installation vs VMWare Image

[inteman2]

Hi,
I'm a beginner with linux and i require it for setting up my beagleboard (www.beagleboard.org). My question is that should I install
- ubuntu as full OS on my harddisk
- as a portable OS on my flash drive
- or as a VMWare image

I want to keep the impact of installing Ubuntu on my system to a minimum. Here are the specs of my system:

- AMD Turion ZM-82 (2.2 GHz)
- 2 GB RAM
- Windows 7

Thanks

[msammels]

It all depends. I generally don't like Ubuntu on a flash drive as you don't always get strong numbers in regards to persistent storage - I find it tends to fill up fast because of the required updates.

As a VMWare image, or a full install is your personal choice. Personally, I went full install as running anything virtual limits everything it can use from processor speed, to RAM.

[inteman2]

Thank you for your reply.

Will a full installation partition my already existing hard drive? (It said something like that when I tried to install 12.04)

[msammels]

Sadly, Ubuntu lost the option to install alongside, so unless you delve into manual partitioning, then yes, it will erase your hard drive.

[inteman2]

So there is no way i can have Windows 7 and Ubuntu on a same partition?

[msammels]

On the same partition? Yes - install Wubi (http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/windows-installer).

[Frogs Hair]

Wubi has a 30 GB maximum space limit at installation and It won't hibernate. As long as you are ok with that use it , but it is meant to be for trial use and would not suggest long term installation.