How come when ever I try to install Ubuntu, the computer asks me what I want to open it with, and none of the programs in the list can open it? [duplicate]

Question

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• How do I install Ubuntu? 4 answers

When I go to the site to download Ubuntu and I click “Install Ubuntu Desktop”, when it’s done downloading it asks me to choose from the list of programs to open it with and none of them work. Even after clicking “browse” and looking for a program that would probably work with it, and none of those work either. Can you help me? Note (My current operating system is “Microsoft Windows XP“.)

Answer 1

You must burn the iso image file to a CD, and reboot your system using that CD. Or you can open that iso image file with a virtual CD program (like clone virtual drive) and install Ubuntu using Wubi ;)

Answer 2

Basically you have 2 ways to install Ubuntu alongside (or instead of) Windows: using a physical media (such as a USB stick or a DVD/CD), or inside Windows (as an application with virtual devices) aka Wubi.

You've downloaded an ISO file, which is needed and used for the physical media method. This is the old-school, most conventional way of installing Ubuntu (or any OS, as a matter of fact). Most Windows setups don't come with any application that can deal with ISO files out of the box.

Here's a simple software that I use to mount ISO files as virtual DVDs/CDs: VirtualCloneDrive

I think you should avoid using the Wubi installation method. From my experience, the result is always a slow and unreliable system.

I still consider myself a newbie to Linux. Here's the guide that I used to install from a USB stick: QuickUSBInstallGuide. It's very easy to follow and very user friendly.

If you'd prefer using a DVD/CD, these guides will work too: HowToBurnISO (instructions on burning an ISO file into a physical DVD/CD), and DVDCDInstallation (guide for the actual installation process).

As always, read and understand the documents first before doing anything. Everything will go smoothly! Good luck!