InstallerForWindows
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| '''Launchpad Entry''': UbuntuSpec:installer-for-windows * '''Created''': 2007-04-26 * '''Contributors''': HenrikOmma * '''Packages affected''': |
##(see the SpecSpec for an explanation) |
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| '''Note:''' spec revamped for Feisty. Related specs exist in the wiki and LP for specific technical solutions. Please keep this spec neutral until a technical approach has been selected. | ''Please check the status of this specification in Launchpad before editing it. If it is Approved, contact the Assignee or another knowledgeable person before making changes.'' * '''Launchpad Entry''': UbuntuSpec:installer-for-windows * '''Packages affected''': ubiquity, casper, winfoss, wubi |
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| A simple install procedure for Ubuntu initiated in Windows. | A loop-mounted Ubuntu install initiated in Windows. The installer asks fewer questions and does not partition or format drives. == Release Note == Installing Ubuntu is now even easier for Windows users! The small installer program will copy a fully-functional Ubuntu system into a directory on your Windows drive, which you can then boot in a "dual-boot" configuration. This is a great way to try out Ubuntu over a period of time, with no re-partitioning or formatting required. For long-term use, we recommend migrating to a native disk install. |
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| Windows users are often more comfortable with downloading a small ubuntu.setup.exe file than downloading and burning an ISO. Some laptops do not have a CD drive and many systems are configured to boot from the HD first. == Use Cases == == Scope == Select the most suitable technical solution. == Design == '''TODO: ''' Select from one of several possible technical solutions. === Windows installers for Ubuntu === Several Windows-based installers for Linux (including Ubuntu) have appeared recently, each using different methods. The common goal of these is to provide a simple path to Ubuntu that starts with downloading a small executable installer, and removes the need to use a CD. The three main approaches are: 1. '''Repartition and install''' * downloads packages or ISO * an entry in the Windows bootloader is created * reboot to start an installer (text-based, graphical or Live CD based) asking the usual questions * The disk is resized or free space is used (ie. normal install) * GRUB is installed * Boot again to start Ubuntu * Next time you start Windows the entry from the Windows bootloader * Implementation: [http://goodbye-microsoft.com/ win32-loader], [http://instlux.sourceforge.net/ instlux] 2. '''Install on a loop mounted disk image''' * downloads packages or ISO * Gathers information from Windows and simply asks for a user name and password * Adds Ubuntu entry to the Windows bootloader * Reboots to start an install process (non-interactive) * Reboot again to start Ubuntu (or Windows) * Painless removal of Ubuntu of desired * Implementations: [http://www.cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/wubi/en-US/index.html Wubi] 3. '''Install a virtual machine''' * Installer contains a copy of Virtualbox and downloads a pre-made virtual machine of Ubuntu * Simple NSIS install and launch VM directly without reboot * Simple unistall * Has to share resources so performance will be reduced and hardware support may be limited * Implementations: [http://www.virtualbox.org/ Virtualbox], [http://www.h7.dion.ne.jp/~qemu-win/ QEMU] An overview of existing implementations follows. === win32-loader === '''Summary:''' Download a small executable which downloads the netboot files, modifies the NT bootloader and reboots. '''Links:''' http://goodbye-microsoft.com/ ==== Advantages ==== * Fast download in first installer stage (netboot stuff only) * A real ubuntu install on a real partition ==== Disadvantages ==== * Mistakenly grabbed the 64-bit version on a 32-bit virtual system and failed to boot (admittedly an odd test case) * Leaves the bootloader behind * No accessibility support in alternate installer * Does not work with Vista === instlux === '''Summary:''' same principle as win32-loader, but a slightly cleaner implementation usability-wise. ==== Advantages ==== * Fast download in first installer stage (netboot versions) * A real ubuntu install on a real partition * Cleans up the NT bootloader after install ==== Disadvantages ==== * Text-based install (could use graphical d-i) * No accessibility support in alternate installer * Does not work with Vista * Does not work on Win9x * Only currently supports Ubuntu 6.06 and older === Wubi === '''Summary:''' An Ubuntu community project the ''Windows Ubuntu Installer'' uses method 2, a loop mounted disk. Download a simple .exe file which launches an NSIS installer. It asks for your user name and password and reboots to install. Ubuntu is actually installed on a loop-mounted drive stored as an image file within the Windows file system. Previously known as 'install.exe' in the wiki. The back-end relies upon debian-installer with preseed. The preseed file is generated by the Windows front-end. The only modifications to a stock d-i mechanism are those required to support loop-installation mode, see [http://launchpad.net/lupin lupin] for technical details. Current development is taking place within the [http://launchpad.net/lupin lupin] (back-end) and [http://launchpad.net/wubi wubi] (front-end) projects hosted on Launchpad. '''Links:''' [http://www.cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup website], [http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=234 forum], [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/install.exe wiki], [http://launchpad.net/lupin lupin], [http://launchpad.net/wubi wubi] http://www.cutlersoftware.com/ubuntusetup/wubi/en-US/screenshots/wubi3.jpg |
Windows users are often more comfortable downloading and running a small ubuntu-setup.exe file than downloading and burning an ISO. This also avoids the requirement of booting from the CD, which can be troublesome as some laptops do not have a CD drive and many systems are configured to boot from the hard disk first. |
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| * No CD burning required | * No CD burning required, works on laptops without CD drives |
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| * Runs at native speeds using all system resources (provided the loop mounting is efficient) * Installed system behaves as an official Ubuntu dual-boot installation (the only modifications are required to boot from a loopfile, reboot cleanly and upgrade the kernel, but a regular user would not spot the difference). * Virtual disk image can potentially be migrated to a real partition in a second moment, so that the user will have time to appreciate Ubuntu and "accumulate goodwill" before facing partitioning. Note: a migration tool has not yet been developed. * Simplyfied installer: asks very few questions during installation as it gathers required information from a working OS. The installer supports migration-assistant and download resume. The same installer works with any Ubuntu (and Debian) flavours that provide an alternate ISO. * It works in offline mode, by placing the installer and the ISO file within the same folder. * Separation of front-end and back-end, allows to port the installer to different platforms by only changing the front-end. * Being based on d-i, all features supported by d-i are available, therefore installation to a real partition can also be implemented as an option. * The back-end consists mostly of a set of patches to be applied to the stock initramfs and the alternate ISO (the latter are applied at runtime) in order to add loop-installation support, therefore its functionalities could be added to the official initrd/installer. A blueprint (https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/lupin) has been proposed to merge such functionalities within Ubuntu. ==== Comparison to other methods ==== |
* Runs at near-native speeds using all system resources (provided the loop mounting is efficient) * Uses all available hardware as a normal install would (in like a virtualbox install) |
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| * Like Netboot/Virtualmachines installations there is no need to burn an ISO * Unlike a LiveCD, Wubi offers an install-then-try approach as opposed to a try-then-install approach. * Unlike a LiveCD/Virtualmachines there is no distinction between "demo" mode and "real" mode. * Unlike Virtualmachines there is no need for the host OS to be running and the user can concentrate on the new OS. * Unlike Virtualmachines there is full hardware access and no performance degradation (other than disk I/O) * Unlike Netboot methods, installation files (sourced from the alternate ISO) are pre-downloaded by the front-end within Windows, avoiding potential networking issues which might affect netboot methods that rely on Linux networking * Unlike Netboot/Traditional installation methods, there is no repartitioning and bootloader replacement. * Unlike Netboot/Traditional installation methods, the installation can be removed cleanly, restoring the system to its previous state. |
== Use Cases == |
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| ==== Disadvantages ==== | * Sindre wants to give Linux a try but uses his only computer for work and does not want to repartition his drive, worried that something will break. The Live CD he received guides him through installing Ubuntu in a file on his widows system, which he then boots into. * Hellena writes tech reviews for on-line journals. She has tested various Linux distros in the past using VMware, but this does not quite yield a native experience. On the Ubuntu website she finds a small download that runs in Windows and produces a loop mounted install. After testing and reviewing she can delete it easily. |
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| * Does not yet work with Vista * Uses alternate disc to install from, that said, the ISO is used only in the background as a source of packages, the only difference from netboot methods is that by pre-downloading the ISO, all packages are available in one go without having to rely on Linux networking * Fixed size disc image: virtual disk size is selectable from the installer, and an extra virtual disk can be added, but it would be nice to have a dynamic image or manual resize option * Requires write access to the host file system, which in the case of windows requires installation of ntfs-3g * Windows fragmentation can impact disk I/O performance of Ubuntu. * It uses grldr (grub for windows), which is less reliable than a standard grub bootloader. For instance, grldr fails when the initrd/kernel is fragmented. * On FAT filesystems the file size limit of 4GB applies to the virtual disks. |
== Assumptions == |
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| ==== Work oustanding ==== | * ntfs-3g doesn't break the world * ubiquity pre-seeding is implemented (else we fall back to alternate for gutsy) |
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| * Needs a dash of usplash in a few places * Needs a graphical installer front-end to d-i, even though once d-i gtk frontend is included in the alternate ISO that can be used for progress bars |
== Design == A small executable that can be included on the CD which does the following: * If an Ubuntu CD is not present in a CD drive, locates the ISO on your system or downloads it via [http://hampus.vox.nu/metadl/ metadl] (which can be taught to perform mirror selection) * Asks for a user name and password * Gathers information from Windows for the remaining install settings * Creates a 5GB image file in a user-defined location, {{{C:\ubuntu}}} by default * Creates a pre-seed file for the install * Adds Ubuntu entry to the Windows bootloader * Reboots to start an install process (non-interactive) * if a CD is present in a drive, uses that; otherwise loop-mounts an ISO image from the Windows drive * loop-mounts disk image from the Windows drive * Will use a pre-seed enabled version of ubiquity * Reboot again to start Ubuntu (or Windows) * Allows simple removal of Ubuntu if desired, via a Windows-based uninstaller in add/remove programs * Installer can be launched from the WinFOSS browser === Optional features === * Teach the ubiquity migration assistant to migrate from a loop-mounted file in Windows * Option to install to a real partition * Set the size of the image file (5GB is default) |
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==== Outsanding questions ==== * How efficient is the loop mounted drive? * How easy would it be to move such an install out from under windows to a separate partition (perhaps an improved version of the migration tool could be used?) === Virtual Box === '''Summary:''' The GPL version of Virtualbox can be packaged and distributed on the net and on 3rd party CDs. '''Link:''' http://www.virtualbox.org/ ==== Advantages ==== * Simple install with no need to reboot * Simple unistall * Dynamic disk images that lets users install and explore more software * Runs in parallel with the Windows session, allowing you to switch back and forth * Several distro flavours can be installed simultaneously * Runs under Vista ==== Disadvantages ==== * Poor peformance * Driver problems, no support for Beryl/Compiz * GPL version lacks some features like USB support * Host OS is needed, which makes the user less focused on the new OS |
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| Depends on the design choice. | * Windows installer is written in NSIS with various plug-ins (bittorrent, what else?) * Tighten the graphical design with a nice NSIS skin and suitable ubuntu graphics * Merge [http://launchpad.net/lupin lupin] patches in with d-i and intramfs to support loop-installation mode. * Add usplash to the initial install boot (perhaps we get this for free with the Live CD ISO?) * Refinement and testing of Vista support * Different versions for Ubuntu, Edubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu, where only the artwork and ISO differ. * While there will be only a single installer, it will detect which distro is in use from metadata on the detected CD or ISO image, and select artwork and kernel boot parameters (preseed files, etc.) appropriately. === Website === * Prominent download location on the website == Test/Demo Plan == * Widespread community testing * Test the install procedure on a range of hardware and Windows versions |
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| Pick a design. == BoF agenda and discussion == Discuss at UDS Seville. |
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== Comments == * [http://www.colinux.org/ Cooperative Linux] could be used instead of virtualbox for better performance. - JohnMeuser |
Please check the status of this specification in Launchpad before editing it. If it is Approved, contact the Assignee or another knowledgeable person before making changes.
Launchpad Entry: installer-for-windows
Packages affected: ubiquity, casper, winfoss, wubi
Summary
A loop-mounted Ubuntu install initiated in Windows. The installer asks fewer questions and does not partition or format drives.
Release Note
Installing Ubuntu is now even easier for Windows users! The small installer program will copy a fully-functional Ubuntu system into a directory on your Windows drive, which you can then boot in a "dual-boot" configuration. This is a great way to try out Ubuntu over a period of time, with no re-partitioning or formatting required. For long-term use, we recommend migrating to a native disk install.
Rationale
Windows users are often more comfortable downloading and running a small ubuntu-setup.exe file than downloading and burning an ISO. This also avoids the requirement of booting from the CD, which can be troublesome as some laptops do not have a CD drive and many systems are configured to boot from the hard disk first.
Advantages
- No disk resizing or partitioning required
- No CD burning required, works on laptops without CD drives
- Easy to remove Ubuntu from the system, restoring the system to its previous state
- The bootloader is not replaced, an additional boot option is addded to it
- Ubuntu is installed/uninstalled as any other application, which is comfortable for the user
- Runs at near-native speeds using all system resources (provided the loop mounting is efficient)
- Uses all available hardware as a normal install would (in like a virtualbox install)
Use Cases
- Sindre wants to give Linux a try but uses his only computer for work and does not want to repartition his drive, worried that something will break. The Live CD he received guides him through installing Ubuntu in a file on his widows system, which he then boots into.
- Hellena writes tech reviews for on-line journals. She has tested various Linux distros in the past using VMware, but this does not quite yield a native experience. On the Ubuntu website she finds a small download that runs in Windows and produces a loop mounted install. After testing and reviewing she can delete it easily.
Assumptions
- ntfs-3g doesn't break the world
- ubiquity pre-seeding is implemented (else we fall back to alternate for gutsy)
Design
A small executable that can be included on the CD which does the following:
If an Ubuntu CD is not present in a CD drive, locates the ISO on your system or downloads it via [http://hampus.vox.nu/metadl/ metadl] (which can be taught to perform mirror selection)
- Asks for a user name and password
- Gathers information from Windows for the remaining install settings
Creates a 5GB image file in a user-defined location, C:\ubuntu by default
- Creates a pre-seed file for the install
- Adds Ubuntu entry to the Windows bootloader
- Reboots to start an install process (non-interactive)
- if a CD is present in a drive, uses that; otherwise loop-mounts an ISO image from the Windows drive
- loop-mounts disk image from the Windows drive
- Will use a pre-seed enabled version of ubiquity
- Reboot again to start Ubuntu (or Windows)
- Allows simple removal of Ubuntu if desired, via a Windows-based uninstaller in add/remove programs
- Installer can be launched from the WinFOSS browser
Optional features
- Teach the ubiquity migration assistant to migrate from a loop-mounted file in Windows
- Option to install to a real partition
- Set the size of the image file (5GB is default)
- Better post-install management features. A control panel running in windows that lets you resize discs, make backups, select between different installed systems.
Implementation
- Windows installer is written in NSIS with various plug-ins (bittorrent, what else?)
- Tighten the graphical design with a nice NSIS skin and suitable ubuntu graphics
Merge [http://launchpad.net/lupin lupin] patches in with d-i and intramfs to support loop-installation mode.
- Add usplash to the initial install boot (perhaps we get this for free with the Live CD ISO?)
- Refinement and testing of Vista support
- Different versions for Ubuntu, Edubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu, where only the artwork and ISO differ.
- While there will be only a single installer, it will detect which distro is in use from metadata on the detected CD or ISO image, and select artwork and kernel boot parameters (preseed files, etc.) appropriately.
Website
- Prominent download location on the website
Test/Demo Plan
- Widespread community testing
- Test the install procedure on a range of hardware and Windows versions
Outstanding Issues
InstallerForWindows (last edited 2008-08-06 16:32:01 by localhost)