Install Ubuntu without CD or USB

Question

Hello,

I would like to install Ubuntu 10.04 LTS on a partition of my hard drive but without a CD or USB stick.

Is there an application that allows this, that is to say, to install Ubuntu directly onto the partition from Windows?

P.S.: How should I install GRUB afterwards, to choose which OS to boot when I turn on my computer?

Thanks in advance :)

Configuration: Windows 7 / Google Chrome 4.1

--
Enzo

$> Goodbye Microsoft! Hello Linux!

.L.J.Tanguy · Accepted Answer

Wubi is a program that allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu (or its variants) under Microsoft® Windows®, just like any other program on this operating system. Ubuntu then appears in the Add or Remove Programs utility in Windows XP or Uninstall a Program in Windows Vista. Ubuntu is installed in a virtual file created under Windows, and a menu entry is added to the Windows bootloader to allow you to load either operating system.

This installation method of Ubuntu can be very practical for testing Ubuntu in the short to medium term, as it preserves modified files after a reboot of the computer. Additionally, it avoids the need to partition your computer's hard drive. However, it requires the retention of Windows on your computer, and Ubuntu installed this way is subject to Windows viruses.

http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/wubi

Gueubi · Answer

Download Wubi at this address http://wubi-installer.org/, it takes care of everything for GRUB. Good luck.

azertyh · Answer

Hello,
use unetbootin (http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/unetbootin you can install all kinds of OS without a CD or USB. You need unetbootin (there is a Windows version), the ISO image of the OS to install, and the hard drive partitioned into at least 2.
--
if what you have to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful, I'd rather not know it. Socrates

$ Enzo $ · Answer

Hello again,

I tried the azertyh technique, I successfully installed Ubuntu on one of my partitions, but the BIOS doesn't boot it by default.

So I will try to boot this partition via the BIOS boot menu later and see what happens!

--
Enzo

$ Enzo $ · Answer

I tried, it wasn't F12, nor F8 but DEL :)

The BIOS only detected C:\ (where Windows 7 is currently installed) as bootable, even indicating "Windows 7"

I know where the problem comes from; I should have put Ubuntu on a primary partition using UNetbootin, but I put it in a logical partition...

The issue is, I don't see how to convert my logical partition into a primary partition; do you know any free utility for that?

--
Enzo

Lexos · Answer

First, to answer quickly, you should burn it to a CD, download it, launch it, and then restart. If it doesn’t work, change the BOOT with F2 or ESC, I’m not too sure. After that, you can run Ubuntu or Xubuntu, whichever one you chose, without installing anything, and you’ll also have a CD of Ubuntu.

Under Windows, it’s bad; there might be data changes already, so defragment your W or OS data to avoid losing files along the way.

I know I didn’t express myself very well, but I’m in a hurry right now, so if you want to do what I said, reply and I’ll respond as best I can.

Best regards.

Lexos · Answer

Go to BIOS/BOOT, there you will see files. Look for the CD you inserted, go to it with F5; normally, you set it as number 1, then F10 to save, exit and it should be good. If you restart with Windows, check if it's working.

$ Enzo $ · Answer

Hello,

The optical drive on my PC is actually broken..

I was able to create a main partition for Ubuntu, but the BIOS boot menu still doesn't detect it...

I think it might work with GRUB, I'm going to install it to see.

--
Enzo

Lexos · Answer

But do you at least have a CD with Ubuntu specifically for your computer, whether it's 64 or 32 bit, powerful enough compared to Windows or Mac OS by default?

$ Enzo $ · Answer

No, I no longer have an optical drive, so I don't have a CD. I only have the *.iso image well-suited for my i386 (x86) 32-bit architecture.  And I think my computer is powerful enough. -- Enzo

Lexos · Answer

No, but wait, you have to burn an ISO image onto a CD. RIGHT?

$ Enzo $ · Answer

Not necessarily, we can "detach" it with 7-zip or WinRar to extract its content or use it to install an OS in a virtual machine to have two OSs at the same time. (What I'm currently doing with Ubuntu, but with a 1.6 GHz CPU that is shared between Windows 7 and Ubuntu, it's not great...)

--
Enzo

Lexos · Answer

Euh, I don't agree with sharing Windows with Linux (Ubuntu) like that. You need to partition your hard drive, then defragment it, and you absolutely must have an Ubuntu CD and change the BOOT. If you don't, you can't do it any other way. Otherwise, I'm a big fan of Linux, I didn't know that, and I want you to explain how to do it? XD

.L.J.Tanguy · Answer

Little thing... :
It seems to me that I read in the forum that Ubuntu won't boot if it is in a logical partition...
Uh... Windows is the one in that case, not Linux...
(at least, Ubuntu + Swap in an extended partition ==> no boot issues)

GRUB is supposed to install itself automatically with Ubuntu,
I don't know about installing it separately,
to restore it (just in case...),
SuperGRUBDisk V1.30 for GRUB 2-PC since 10.04 actually... ^^

Otherwise, no CD, no USB stick... no... SD card, or external HDD...? radish tail...?
(In my opinion, Wubi, although with this installation, your OS is exposed to the same viruses as Windows, remains the best way to get you out of trouble...)

Otherwise, you grab your HDD, stick it in a machine that has a CD drive, do your installation, put the HDD back in its original machine, and that's it XD

Good luck !!

$ Enzo $ · Answer

Yes, well I think I can do that, install it on the hard drive with another computer that has an optical drive :) -- Enzo

AK · Answer

OK

DG · Answer

OK!!!

sassi · Answer

Je n'ai pas de CD pour ma webcam et je ne connais pas son nom. Comment puis-je l'installer ?

Install Ubuntu without CD or USB

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