Portable Ubuntu Runs on Windows Desktop

[Nutshell]

I'm a Windows user that needed a Linux distro running on my Desktop.  A friend provided
a link.

 

https://www.howtoforge.com/running-ubuntu-on-windows-xp-with-portable-ubuntu

 

I downloaded the package.  It loaded quickly and ran smoothly, but there is a problem.
It's old (2008).  If it's possible, I want to update Firefox (included with this distro) to the
latest version.

 

My skills at Windows command line are good, but I know nothing about Linux Terminal.
I downloaded Firefox for Linux 102.0.1.  There is a simple Add/Remove option for any
app included with Portable Ubuntu.  I need help installing the latest Firefox.

 

If it is not possible to update this old Ubuntu distro, could you point my browser to a
newer distro that runs on the Windows Desktop?  I need to keep my Windows system
running, so booting a portable distro from a USB flash drive would not work for me.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

Can't you use Virtualbox? Or other virtual types?

 

Not sure what you mean, exactually.  

[ghostwind]

On 28/07/2022 at 15:12, Mindovermaster said:

Can't you use Virtualbox? Or other virtual types?

 

Not sure what you mean, exactually.  

You used to be able to use a windows installer to dual boot Ubuntu and Windows. But I believe that this project ran into compatibility issues and stopped development.  @Nutshell, besides dual booting with a regular ubuntu, up to date image, your only choice is to use a virtual machine.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

I talked to a friend, and that ONLY worked with XP. Why he's working with an XP OS, that got chopped looong ago, baffles me..

[shockz]

You need to scrap that out of date article, honestly, didn't the domain placeholder give you a red flag? The fact the installer is from 2008 probably means that Ubuntu OS is too. 

 

Download VirtualBox

Download an Ubuntu ISO 

 

Install it from VirtualBox. 

 

Here's a somewhat recent guide: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-install-ubuntu-on-virtualbox/

[Nutshell]

Thanks guys.

 

I have zero experience with Linux distros.  Downloading that old Ubuntu was a test.
I just wanted to see if anything related to Linux would run on my Windows Desktop.

 

I googled VitualBox and read a brief description of the app.  It's loaded with features,
options, etc.  I hope it's not one of those apps that requires weeks or months to master.
I don't have that kind of time.

 

A very basic distro supporting the Linux versions of Firefox or Chrome is what I need.

[ghostwind]

On 29/07/2022 at 08:51, Nutshell said:

Thanks guys.

 

I have zero experience with Linux distros.  Downloading that old Ubuntu was a test.
I just wanted to see if anything related to Linux would run on my Windows Desktop.

 

I googled VitualBox and read a brief description of the app.  It's loaded with features,
options, etc.  I hope it's not one of those apps that requires weeks or months to master.
I don't have that kind of time.

 

A very basic distro supporting the Linux versions of Firefox or Chrome is what I need.

VirtualBox is a pretty straight forward VM to use. When you set up your machine, there are pre-sets for the system (ram, minimum disk space, devices, etc..) that are available for various linux distros. Ubuntu is certainly there. If you are just playing around and learning, these defaults are usually fine. If you have plans to run more resource intensive applications on it, you might have to changes these values. But I guess in your case this wont be needed.

[+Matthew S. Subscriber²]

If your running the Pro SKU's of Win 10 / 11 you could use Hyper-V and theres always WSL and WSLg

[cekicen]

This was probably wubi project, Ubuntu dropped support: https://www.groovypost.com/howto/howto/install-ubuntu-using-wubi-walkthrough-guide/

 

But there is an uefi fork:

https://github.com/hakuna-m/wubiuefi

 

Wubi is the Windows Ubuntu Installer. Wubi installs Ubuntu inside a file within a windows partition, and thus it does not require CD burning or dedicated partitions, yet the installation is a dual boot setup identical to a normal installation.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 30/07/2022 at 13:43, cekicen said:

This was probably wubi project, Ubuntu dropped support: https://www.groovypost.com/howto/howto/install-ubuntu-using-wubi-walkthrough-guide/

 

But there is an uefi fork:

https://github.com/hakuna-m/wubiuefi

 

Wubi is the Windows Ubuntu Installer. Wubi installs Ubuntu inside a file within a windows partition, and thus it does not require CD burning or dedicated partitions, yet the installation is a dual boot setup identical to a normal installation.

It's 1000 times easier to use a VirtualBox..