Install: Desktop vs. USB

[StarKid]

I don't understand the difference between installing via the Ubuntu Desktop Edition Windows installer and Live CD. Can anyone give me pros/cons? I have an x64 system and I'm switching over from Fedora 14, so I'm specifically looking for whatever will make it easiest for me to neatly clear out the Fedora partition during installation.

Thanks.

[coopstah13]

windows installer is so you can install ubuntu in windows as if it is a windows application, but it still functions more or less as a dual boot system

live cd runs from cd/usb and is live only (in the case of usb it can be persistent), it will run much slower and be limited to the speed of your disk/usb drive, this is useful for trying out the OS and seeing if it is compatible with your hardware

[StarKid]

windows installer is so you can install ubuntu in windows as if it is a windows application, but it still functions more or less as a dual boot system

Hmm...more or less?

live cd runs from cd/usb and is live only (in the case of usb it can be persistent), it will run much slower and be limited to the speed of your disk/usb drive, this is useful for trying out the OS and seeing if it is compatible with your hardware

Thanks, I meant that I would install from the live cd instead of running it directly from my usb.

[coopstah13]

its not a true dual boot system, but when you boot up the machine you are given the option to choose the OS you want to use, but the files are installed on the windows partition, i'm sure if you look on the ubuntu website they will provide you a much more detailed explanation if that is what you are looking for

[firbolg]

I don't understand the difference between installing via the Ubuntu Desktop Edition Windows installer and Live CD.

The wubi installs to a virtual drive in windows. It's not really designed to be a long term install option

Agostino: Wubi actually wasn’t designed to do long-term installations. The main aim was really to let people try out Ubuntu with confidence. Normally, users that start with Wubi tend to upgrade to a full installation to a dedicated partition at the next release cycle.

If you are wanting to install ubuntu to the partition that you used for fedora I would just install to a normal dual-boot - use manual/advanced partitioning.

If you decide on the wubi route - make sure the drive is big enough to start with - it's not always an easy thing to increase it's size.

If I was going to think about installing other than a normal dual-boot I would go the virtual machine route.

If you do install wubi - do not allow updates to grub packages

There is a critical issue on Wubi installs caused by allowing the Update Manager to update the grub-pc and/or grub-common packages.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide
http://howsoftwareisbuilt.com/2009/0...o-wubi-ubuntu/

[StarKid]

Thanks everyone, this helped me choose.