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If I install Ubuntu as an OS on a Windows XP system (not as dual-boot), what happens to the functionality of the other programs already installed inside Windows XP? Do they continue to function on Ubuntu or will I need to reinstall them on Ubuntu?

I've seen questions regarding partitions, but not about the programs themselves.

Braiam
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user264044
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  • everything will be fone if you install Ubuntu over Windows. Most programs wont be able to install again though some can be installed via wine. Search the site for more info... – Alvar Mar 31 '14 at 23:30

2 Answers2

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If you are installing Ubuntu to fully replace the operating system you already have in place, then depending on your choice on how to handle the partition question (which your question says you've already read up on) your programs will either be deleted, if the partition they were on was deleted during the install process, or they will stay on the disk.

However, Ubuntu is not compatible with Windows XP software and unless you intend to use compatibility software such as Wine, you will not be able to use your old software at all, regardless of whether they remain on the disk or you try to reinstall them. The installation software is also windows-specific and will also not function. You will need to find (generally open source and therefore free) alternatives.

If you do wish to use Wine (software which lets you run some Windows software on Linux), you are strongly encouraged to reinstall your applications through Wine itself and not try to operate the old software in-place.

Ubuntu system requirements are flexible because almost all parts of the system are componentized and can be replaced with smaller or older software packages with reduced system requirements. A rough guideline is that if you have a 1ghz or faster processor, 1 GB or more memory, and 5 GB or more disk space, then you should be able to use Ubuntu on the default settings, possibly excepting graphics effects depending on your graphics card. According to this wiki page you can skimp by on a 700mhz or so processor and 512 mb of ram, but at that point it is likely to be quite slow and you might benefit from a slimmer configuration than the default.

Andrew G.
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    FYI, you probably shouldn't say things like "open cource and therefore free". The reason I say this is because open source and free are not really synonyms. If by "free" you mean free-of-charge, you couldn't be more wrong, as there are plenty of open sourced programs being sold. If by "free" you mean freedom, having an open source code alone isn't quite enough to gurantee freedom. – TSJNachos117 Apr 01 '14 at 00:18
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    In the context of answering a beginner question, I don't agree. Almost 100% of the open source software a beginner will encounter is free as in beer, and almost 100% of conceivable uses of that open source software for a beginner are permissible. Yes, there is detail around the edges about how far that freedom extends exactly, and yes it's possible to sell open source software (which doesn't mean it's not freely available elsewhere) but trying to insert that much detail into an answer to a beginner question is not helpful. – Andrew G. Apr 01 '14 at 02:47
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I'd recommend installing Lubuntu which is a slimline version of Ubuntu but has all of the same functionality and software available in the Software Centre and will run on older laptops and computers a lot smoother...

During install it would be better to let Ubuntu REPLACE the current Windows XP installation so that you have a clean single-boot system, here is an install guide showing you the process: Installing Ubuntu

Lastly, the Software Centre has access to a lot of free software and some you can pay for so you wont be left short if you need a specific program, if you wish to run something specific to Windows like a game their is a program called WINE that can assist in running those on your Ubuntu system, but remember.. not all Windows programs will work...

TenPlus1
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