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Possible Duplicate:
Does Ubuntu rely on Windows if I install it using the Windows installer?

I am planning to install Ubuntu 12.04 using Wubi in Windows7. If in future I want to remove Windows(and then reinstall) will I be able to keep Ubuntu? Assume that I have installed Ubuntu in a separate partition.

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Laphanga
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    If you install Ubuntu using wubi then it will be installed inside Windows, therefore if you uninstall Windows, you'll lose Ubuntu. The last statement in your question confused me a bit as well as @Web-E, cos you clearly stated "assume that I have installed Ubuntu in a separate partition" which would mean dual boot, which would require the liveCD or liveUSB and not Wubi. – Peachy Jul 18 '12 at 12:33
  • separate partition means a separate drive other than the one in which windows is install. I think this was pretty obvious. – Laphanga Jul 18 '12 at 12:38
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    Yes, but it's not straightforward and that's not the intention of Wubi. You can boot a wubi install without Windows (using grub2). You can do all sorts of things. The question is why? – bcbc Jul 18 '12 at 16:58
  • I asked it so if (in future) my windows gets corrupted somehow, how can i still have Ubuntu working. But it seems like it'll be a lot of mess so I'm going to have Ubuntu in dual-boot with Windows. – Laphanga Jul 18 '12 at 17:25
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    I understand why you asked... but the likelihood is that the Wubi install will corrupt before the Windows install. Your choice to go with a normal dual-boot is correct - especially since you already have a partition available (Wubi is great to try out Ubuntu without having to partition) – bcbc Jul 18 '12 at 17:38

5 Answers5

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Assuming that you mean installing ubuntu using wubi and place ubuntu folder in another drive

If you simply remove windows partition installed ubuntu will die because it is installed as a windows program ,

still you have to possibilities

1 . Migrate wubi to real installation before removing windows

2 . Backup ubuntu folder , and then install wubi in freshly installed windows, replace the ubuntu folder with backuped ubuntu folder

But both of the above methods are not fool proof , So you should seriously consider installing ubuntu in separate partion instead of using wubi

Tachyons
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No point installing Ubuntu using wubi. You get no hibernation, a slower data read/write rate and a multitude of problems. Also, if you install using wubi, you won't be able to acheive what you want (remove Windows). Rather just dual boot.

Assuming Ubuntu NOT installed using wubi -

Then if you want to keep Ubuntu, just format the Windows partition, boot into Ubuntu and execute the following command in the terminal - sudo update-grub

Assuming you want to keep Windows, boot into Windows, install EasyBCD, click on Deployment and select 'Write Windows 7 loader to MBR'. Then format the Ubuntu partition.

Akshit Baunthiyal
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No because installing through Wubi creates Registry Entry in Windows .

Reinstalling Windows will would not show you Wubi installed Ubuntu any longer , since the registry value is deleted, also the boot menu will be re-constructed showing only windows . Even if you consider keeping wubi as it is after fresh Ws install , still it would lead to more complications, might not detect it.

Better option is Reinstalling Ubuntu through Wubi after Fresh windows installation. ( Dual-boot would be recommended anytime)

Also refer Wubi guide for more clarification.

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atenz
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You will want to migrate the installation and then do whatever (delete) to the Windows installation. Take a look at the this section linked to from the Wubi guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MigrateWubi

Gibbs
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Yes, if you install Ubuntu to a seperate partitions then you can safely uninstall Windows. However, you should anticipate the chance of having difficulties with the bootloader.

When you uninstall Windows you may need to boot into rescue mode to reinstall the grub bootloader. Also, when reinstalling Windows the Windows bootloader will overwrite grub--again requiring you to boot to rescue mode and reinstall grub.

STW
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