how to use both windows and ubuntu

[trangelina]

Hello Linux community
I am a brain new user of Ubuntu so I have lots of questions on my mind and none expertise to use it
yes I know some of you would say that is easy, but for me as a beginner it is not and, i am also not an expert on computers too. I am just an enthusiast .
The thing is that I want to use Linux and Windows together, but it is a bit of burden to reboot the computer all the time.
I googled this questions and I've got a bunch of answers, like installing virtual machines and stuff and I've got even more confused, so I thought it will be better to pop this question here on the linux forum so maybe someone would have the nerves to explain this to me .
So please help me what is the best way of using both programs easily in a not much complicated way, if that is possible.
Thanks,

[rokytnji]

I hope this is what you are looking for. If not, I can't be of much help to you.

Yet Another Technology Site: Run Ubuntu inside Windows without VMware!

[L4Linux]

Another way is andLinux.
Or you can install VMware or VirtualBox and run Linux from it.

[elija]

Hi trangelina,

Virtualisation was created for exactly this situation. So I think that is the way to go.

The first thing you need to do is decide which of the operating systems you are going to run the most, this should be the one you install to your computer. Regardless of which one you choose, there will be a version of VirtualBox for it so you are good to go.

VirtualBox (and the other vitualisation software) give you a computer within your computer, which is precisely as cool as it sounds because most reasonably modern machines are grossly overpowered for basic desktop tasks and can easily handle a second operating system. I prefer VirtualBox as it is dead easy to configure.

At an extremely high level, once the virtual box software is installed, you define a machine, allocating a slice of your computers Ram and give it a maximum hard disk size. Then you boot the virtual machine from the install CD of the operating system and install it.

To use it you open Virtual Box and boot the machine from inside it.

If you need any more assistance, please let us know.

[Jonathan183]

VirtualBox is probably the way to go ...

At the moment I have one PC with Windows & Linux as a dual boot but also have Windows running as a vm in VirtualBox. There are some programs that still don't work as they should in a vm ... iTunes being one So I have the Windows install with these programs (if I need to use them I reboot). I find most programs run in the vm so I just run Windows in VirtualBox on Linux.

This also means I can try software in the vm and worst case it will trash the vm - rather than the whole system (trying Windows 7 beta in a vm).

I only started using vm's a couple of months ago so I'm certainly no expert ... but the way I am using them at the moment works for me

[trangelina]

Thanks a lot I'll give ite a try, I didn't install Ubuntu my self my friend did it, but I must try my self to this, I hope I want mess up
thanks again

[Jonathan183]

Thanks a lot I'll give ite a try, I didn't install Ubuntu my self my friend did it, but I must try my self to this, I hope I want mess up
thanks again

Be careful with the partitioning ... I think the default will use the whole disk and wipe Windows you can easily change this by changing partition selection

[elija]

Thanks a lot I'll give ite a try, I didn't install Ubuntu my self my friend did it, but I must try my self to this, I hope I want mess up
thanks again

Before embarking on a project like this make sure you have a back up of all the data you don't want to lose from both Windows and Ubuntu. And then make sure the back up worked. It can take a long time and probably won't be needed.

It is better to back up and not need it than not back up and need it

[sameb]

Not to be sticking on spelling... but is this ho available? She sounds like someone I could get to know.

In this context I think dual boot could be a very good thing.

[kopete]

Don't use both and you'll be fine.

Windows = Ubuntu.... and vice versa...