Ubuntu and Windows
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
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I've been like that for near 3 years now, with Windows running from a VM. I personally rarely use windows these days. Microsoft lost me with Vista (what a dysmal failure that was). Windows 7 was quite good to be honest but by then I had moved on to better things (IMO :) ). I find this to be the perfect environment, but you do need something with a little oomph to it. I had to get an SSD drive and that really made a difference for my laptop. I'm going to be upgrading my laptop as soon as I'm properly settled in and see about getting an i5 with about 8GB of RAM.
If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Quote worthy: I hereby claim this thread in the name of Drivel. Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]? Food
Hmm. I have heard all different opinions here, and I have several machines available that I could use. That seems like it may be the best option. Also, by safer all I meant was that viruses are less of a concern due to Windows being the target of most. I will probably stick with Windows 7 on my desktop for normal operations and Ubuntu on my laptop or a VM. The server environment I'm developing is entirely self contained, and I have several remote cloud servers I can test it on, so the scariness of a VM for me isn't as big of a factor. At the same time, I just plane like Ubuntu. There isn't a perfect solution I don't think. The bottom line is this for me: Ubuntu, although it should be (IMO), isn't as popular or mainstream as Windows, and is doesn't run everything Windows can. I find myself rebooting several times in a day due to different things (I have two projects currently, one using .Net/C++ and one for Linux).
Collin Biedenkapp
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
I gave up Windows about 4 years ago at home, but at work I have one Windows box and one Ubuntu box. I share the keyboard and mouse with a kvm switch and each box has a dedicated monitor. I use synergy to allow the mouse and keyboard to be used across both monitors (and copy and paste between the 2 systems). This has been an ideal setup, although you need to make the Windows computer the synergy "server" and the Ubuntu box the client (due to uac). In order to communicate securely over the network between your 2 systems, install cygwin on Windows and use the ssh server, and run autossh on Ubuntu to create an encrypted tunnel between the two. On Windows, set up synergy server. On Ubuntu box run: autossh -fNL localhost:24800::24800 then: synergyc -f localhost It should connect to the windows synergs server right away, so switch the kvm to the Windows computer and your mouse and keyboard should work across both screens. Scott P.S. I used to run Windows in VirtualBox under ubuntu, but you need to give it at least 4GB RAM to be able to reliably run Visual Studio 10.
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At the very least I doubt MS would intentionally hinder VMs, because they have nothing to gain from doing so (and in fact would probably hurt them). Then again, parts of Windows 8 seems like terrible ideas, so maybe I'm assuming they're more rational than they actually are :doh:
Rational Microsoft? ...CRASH
A problem has been detected and your computer was shut down to prevent damage. 0x837AD3 0x723648 0x73ADDC 0xBADCODE 0xDEADCODE All data in all open applications has been lost. Have a nice day!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
public class SysAdmin : Employee
{public override void DoWork(IWorkItem workItem) { if (workItem.User.Type == UserType.NoLearn){ throw new NoIWillNotFixYourComputerException(new Luser(workItem.User)); }else{ base.DoWork(workItem); } }}
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You may well know this but I will mention it anyway as it caught me out. If you have a dual boot machine and remove or reformat the Ubuntu partition you may lose the ability to boot into Windows. What you need to do is rebuild the Master boot Record so that you reboot into Windows after you have removed the dual partition. There are tools out there which will do this for you - I mention this as I was caught out and even though I thought I was prepared it took me the best part of an evening to find something that would rebuild the MBR for Windows. I used Hiren's BootCD[^] to recreate the MBR. This is why I would recommend using something like Oracle's VirtualBox[^] as it is clean and you won't run into the issue with removing a dual boot from your computer.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
I went to the Hiren BootCD website, but there is no download link for the CD. Do you know where to get it from?
The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I went to the Hiren BootCD website, but there is no download link for the CD. Do you know where to get it from?
The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.
Download Hirens Boot CD[^] Here is the download site.
public class SysAdmin : Employee
{public override void DoWork(IWorkItem workItem) { if (workItem.User.Type == UserType.NoLearn){ throw new NoIWillNotFixYourComputerException(new Luser(workItem.User)); }else{ base.DoWork(workItem); } }}
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You may well know this but I will mention it anyway as it caught me out. If you have a dual boot machine and remove or reformat the Ubuntu partition you may lose the ability to boot into Windows. What you need to do is rebuild the Master boot Record so that you reboot into Windows after you have removed the dual partition. There are tools out there which will do this for you - I mention this as I was caught out and even though I thought I was prepared it took me the best part of an evening to find something that would rebuild the MBR for Windows. I used Hiren's BootCD[^] to recreate the MBR. This is why I would recommend using something like Oracle's VirtualBox[^] as it is clean and you won't run into the issue with removing a dual boot from your computer.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
Or you could do it using the Windows 98 floppy disk. That used to work :cool:
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
Did you try Wubi from ubuntu? It's a windows installer for Ubuntu. Installing it actually installs ubuntu on your system on a seperate partition (yes you can definitely use that partition from windows as well) and it installs as an application only ( you won't find the difference whether you're installing an application or an OS). At boot time you'll find two operating systems, Windows and Ubuntu, to choose from. If in future you feel like removing Ubuntu just open your Windows and uninstall Wubi, it will remove each and every trace of Ubuntu from your system. I have been using it since a long time and have never faced any issue. Find the installer here[^]
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Gary Wheeler wrote:
There always seems to be behavior differences between native boots and virtual machines that cause grief when testing.
With recent (version) VMs? If so could you provide an example of such a problem?
We haven't tested this recently. Our application does process control in an industrial environment. We've seen differences in multithreading behavior and timing under the VM.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
So, what's with the dual boot/VM stuff? I also do corporate contract dev with Win7 and Ubuntu and actually need to test for backward compatability with WIN XP!!! The only thing that works for me is THREE workstations. Laptops are cheap, older (slower) ones really tell you where you loops are quickly. Just share the code on the same backup file server. Of course, primary dev desktop is dual monitor, quad processor, gobs of RAM and HD - replace wireless keyboard about every 6 months, cuz I pound the keys hard!!! Why do you think pianists surround themselves with 3-4 or even 5 keyboards?
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You may well know this but I will mention it anyway as it caught me out. If you have a dual boot machine and remove or reformat the Ubuntu partition you may lose the ability to boot into Windows. What you need to do is rebuild the Master boot Record so that you reboot into Windows after you have removed the dual partition. There are tools out there which will do this for you - I mention this as I was caught out and even though I thought I was prepared it took me the best part of an evening to find something that would rebuild the MBR for Windows. I used Hiren's BootCD[^] to recreate the MBR. This is why I would recommend using something like Oracle's VirtualBox[^] as it is clean and you won't run into the issue with removing a dual boot from your computer.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
Why don't you dual boot using wubi instead of giving ubuntu partion(s) of its own? You wanna get rid of it? Go to your application list in the Windows Control Panel and uninstall it just like you wuold do with any other Windows application. It takes 15mins to install ubuntu and 5secs to uninstall it. AFAIK only drawbacks for ubuntu are: no hibernation available, slower disk access (ubuntu FS is actually a windows file). Apart from these, you wouldn't tell it apart from a native clean installation.
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I second that. This is what I used to do with Ubuntu, and now it's what I do with gentoo.
If it moves, compile it
how is gentoo by the way?
Regards, Jwalant Natvarlal Soneji http://jwalantsoneji.com[^]
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
I am not sure what could have annoyed you having Ubuntu and Win 8 side by side... I have Win 8, Win 7 and Ubuntu. The bootloader is a pain as Win 8 has combined both wins in it.
Regards, Jwalant Natvarlal Soneji http://jwalantsoneji.com[^]
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You may well know this but I will mention it anyway as it caught me out. If you have a dual boot machine and remove or reformat the Ubuntu partition you may lose the ability to boot into Windows. What you need to do is rebuild the Master boot Record so that you reboot into Windows after you have removed the dual partition. There are tools out there which will do this for you - I mention this as I was caught out and even though I thought I was prepared it took me the best part of an evening to find something that would rebuild the MBR for Windows. I used Hiren's BootCD[^] to recreate the MBR. This is why I would recommend using something like Oracle's VirtualBox[^] as it is clean and you won't run into the issue with removing a dual boot from your computer.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
You can use a simple windows CD to boot and reinstall the MBR. No need for additional software.
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For what it's worth: I loaded Ubuntu as the second partition on a Windows Box: No Problems. I loaded Windows as second partition on an Ubuntu box: it destroyed grub and I had to restore it and other sundry entries to even see Ubuntu again. Windows does not play nice with others - and entrusting your Ubuntu to the care of Windows (VM or otherwise) in my opinion, is risky business - and since it is your business at stake, is it a gamble you wish to take?
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
What? Because Windows is badly behaved you are suggesting one gives it control? Do you have children? Because Windows is badly behaved, it SHOULD be relegated to a VM where it can be safely contained, and not allowed to stomp on its neighbours. I have run Windows (several version) in virtual machines for years. I currently use KVM and Qemu. One advantage is the ability now to tunnel into my Windows VMs using unix protocols such as ssh, or use VNC to access my Windows VM. I can even access my Windows applications in their own windows on my Linux Desktop - and create shortcuts to them on my desktop, or on the desktops of any Linux machine on the network. I can run these VMs WITHOUT anti-virus, and (intentionally) disable their Web browsers (and other clients) from going outside the local network. This is another significant benefit. I can still test my Web server apps using IE and other on Windows - but without Internet access in the VM, I don't need anti virus. That said, you should always install windows first in a multi-boot environment. You should usually install Linux root into a secondary partition (so you do not use up one of the (ONLY) 4 possible primary partitions, of which Windows needs one, and your PC probably ships with a recoevery partition (or two) that uses another. I recently bought an HP machine that had all 4 primary partitions used, with only one OS (Windows 7) installed, (and only one partition visible to the user). I deleted a "system restore" partition, resized the main Windows partition, and divided the released 4th parition into multiple secondary partitions in order to install Linux Mint (with its own swap partition). So - to give an overview of what has worked well for 15 years in various versions of Linux and Windows - Dual boot, Linux and Windows (Windows in a small partition), live in Linux. Windows in VMs using your favourtite Virtual Machine manager (I used to use VMWare, recently moved to KVM and Qemu).
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What? Because Windows is badly behaved you are suggesting one gives it control? Do you have children? Because Windows is badly behaved, it SHOULD be relegated to a VM where it can be safely contained, and not allowed to stomp on its neighbours. I have run Windows (several version) in virtual machines for years. I currently use KVM and Qemu. One advantage is the ability now to tunnel into my Windows VMs using unix protocols such as ssh, or use VNC to access my Windows VM. I can even access my Windows applications in their own windows on my Linux Desktop - and create shortcuts to them on my desktop, or on the desktops of any Linux machine on the network. I can run these VMs WITHOUT anti-virus, and (intentionally) disable their Web browsers (and other clients) from going outside the local network. This is another significant benefit. I can still test my Web server apps using IE and other on Windows - but without Internet access in the VM, I don't need anti virus. That said, you should always install windows first in a multi-boot environment. You should usually install Linux root into a secondary partition (so you do not use up one of the (ONLY) 4 possible primary partitions, of which Windows needs one, and your PC probably ships with a recoevery partition (or two) that uses another. I recently bought an HP machine that had all 4 primary partitions used, with only one OS (Windows 7) installed, (and only one partition visible to the user). I deleted a "system restore" partition, resized the main Windows partition, and divided the released 4th parition into multiple secondary partitions in order to install Linux Mint (with its own swap partition). So - to give an overview of what has worked well for 15 years in various versions of Linux and Windows - Dual boot, Linux and Windows (Windows in a small partition), live in Linux. Windows in VMs using your favourtite Virtual Machine manager (I used to use VMWare, recently moved to KVM and Qemu).
Maybe you should reread what I wrote: Windows does not play well with others and my example of windows harming the other application (Ubuntu) clearly imply that I would not trust windows as the base FROM which to launch a VMs that is supposed to suport a non-Windows O/S - if one goes the VM route.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
at home i only use linux (debian) at work i have a windows 7 machine with debian VM, i just spend all my time in the VM and i rarely ever have to even know windows 7 is there. between linux base with windows vm vs windows base with linux vm i would say...it depends on what you want windows for. if you want to play games, windows base. if its just dev linux base. i have a windows XP VM on my work machine as well which i use for windows development, its served just fine, dev isnt all that resource intensive nor graphic intensive so a VM can do it just fine
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I'm currently dual-booting Win7 and Ubuntu, as I have a contract job that requires Ubuntu. I generally agree with your assessment. Ubuntu is faster and more responsive than Win7, but it has more rough edges than Windows. I wouldn't know about 'safer', other than to surmise that Ubuntu is safer chiefly because it is a far less prominent target. It sounds like Ubuntu is your normal working environment. My preference would be to definitely keep that as a 'native' boot. My suggestion is to buy a second computer, dedicate one to Ubuntu, the other to Windows. I've used enough virtual machines now that I prefer to test natively whenever possible. There always seems to be behavior differences between native boots and virtual machines that cause grief when testing.
Software Zen:
delete this;One note on this...if you go the 2 computer route, check out Synergy (virtual KM switch)
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Gary Wheeler wrote:
My suggestion is to buy a second computer, dedicate one to Ubuntu, the other to Windows.
I second this suggestion... :thumbsup:
Gary Wheeler wrote:
There always seems to be behavior differences between native boots and virtual machines that cause grief when testing.
Yep, sometimes you're not sure whether you're testing the VM software or your bug. Better off eliminating a middle man IMHO.
This depends on how close to the 'metal' you are. I've found VM boots to be quite sufficient for most higher level application type testing. If you are building device drivers, communications drivers, and such, then there is absolutely no substitute for a native booting machine.
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Hi there guys, This is a question I have been dying to ask. I currently dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, but rebooting is a pain. So, my question is this: Of those of you that have used Windows (or use it still), if you've used Ubuntu, which did you like better and why? I am trying to decide if it is time to install Windows in a VBox from Ubuntu or vice-versa. I need a Linux environment regardless as I am developing a Linux server-side application. I like Ubuntu, and it is faster and safer than Windows, but it is less polished in some ways (IMO) than Windows. I have used Windows 8 and it seems that there are some drastic, less than idea (again, IMO) changes coming along. I am preparing to have to line myself up with another OS. Opinions everyone?
Collin Biedenkapp
Definitely Ubuntu. It works much faster then Windows, which has about 1000 programs that start at startup. It looks much better and it is a lot more customizable. Plus, most of the stuff is free. And most of the programs I use work with Wine perfectly, so I only boot Windows when I want to play a brand new game (most of the games before 2008 work perfectly with wine), or I need Visual Studio. Now, even if I work on cross-platform program I rarely boot Windows, because MinGW works nice on Wine too :)
