i have installing windows 1st , then ubuntu, at long time ago, now im wondering do we can make windows that had being installed at last , that connected to the ubuntu ,/ dual boot , that may allowing me to acess windows inside of ubuntu, i try to goggling, the result is ask me to reinstalling, the problem is i had lost the dvd installer for windows. any idea how to make the old windows connected with new ubuntu without reinstalling , ?
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1So, if I understand you correctly, you have Windows already installed with Ubuntu? And there is no dualboot yet?– LekensteynDec 18, 2010 at 11:07
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-1 It's too unclear what your question actually is. Could you maybe try to explain it in a more understandable way?– FrxstremDec 18, 2010 at 17:53
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Frxstrem Lekensteyn i mean that i have windows on my pc, then i installing ubuntu, i want to make windows can be booting in ubuntu . i know using virtual box will help but as i search in google. there is asking to installing windows inside of ubuntu/ dual booting , its need the Dvd disk to installing its. i lost its, anyways that i'm asking is how to make just its like short cut, without cd but we can running as "booting" on ubuntu .– santosamaruDec 22, 2010 at 19:58
3 Answers
From what I can tell the question is actually about virtualizing an existing Windows installation. If you have an extant Windows partition, you can create a wrapper VMDK (Virtual disk) for it and run it as a virtual machine. This is easiest if the Windows partition exists on its own drive, as you will need a Master Boot Record entry to be able to boot the VM; but if it doesn't, you can still get around it by creating a virtual MBR.
This tutorial will walk you through how to do this.
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that is what i try to say bro, can i ask you something , do its will ask to installing with cd /dvd that related with windows disk ? / do you know how to make its installed without cd, i means shortcut so idon't need to back up my old data on windows, i just move the windows inside ubuntu then its can be booted , any idea ? thanks . Dec 22, 2010 at 20:09
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Well, depending on which version of Windows you have you may run into trouble. Vista and Windows 7 are both very anal about what hardware they can be run on; major hardware changes can cause them to gripe at you. If you virtualize with the tutorial above, you will create a virtual MBR that will allow the VM to boot without any problems, but you might have to re-enter your Vista license key or repair the installation with an install disk. Just creating the VMDK won't require any backup, since it doesn't modify the Windows partition but rather acts as a wrapper for existing data. Dec 22, 2010 at 21:10
You can not simply move windows as if it were a sensible operating system. Your only hope is to reinstall windows inside the virtual machine as you want it to be.
Sorry.
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1Well, actually... you can mount an existing Windows partition in a virtual machine without reinstalling it... but that's got its own problems. Dec 18, 2010 at 19:44
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sure , i know how to mounting to my other partitions but i don't know how to make its booting with its, i means , make its easy to setup its as shortcut that can be booting , Dec 22, 2010 at 20:05
I think the real issue here seems to be the missing Windows DVD. I'm going to assume you still have the CD Key sticker affixed to your machine somewhere. If so, you only need to obtain (in any which fashion you like) a copy of the same type of Windows. Your CD key will work on any other disk, provided that it is the same type. So you would need a Windows Vista Home Premium disk to use the Home Premium licence etc. You can't just get a Windows 7 Ultimate disk and use a Home Basic key.
This in itself is my motivation for moving to Ubuntu. On the whole I find most programs (sans iTunes) works great in the latest version of wine (www.winehq.org)
Basically wine allows you to install and run Windows only software and even some games within linux. With the exception for a few weird UI elements or one or two advance features not working. You'll struggle to tell it wasn't designed to work in Ubuntu.