Straightforward migration from Windows to Ubuntu 8.04, using WUBI.
I wrote this tutorial upon request of many of our small business customers, consequently it accommodates the business world more than the private user. The following paragraphs will illustrate various reasons to move from Windows to Linux.
Why should you migrate from Windows to Linux?
Ubuntu 8.04 is free and so are the future upgrade(s)
Linux is less prone to viruses and spywares
OpenOffice.org Suite 2.4 is free and as good as Microsoft Office for most day by day applications
Ubuntu Linux and OpenOffice.org offer commercial support and training (link to free schooling etc.)
Linux runs on older computers without having to upgrade the hardware
Ultimately the most important reason; save a lot of money. (We at Comp-SOS have saved our customers that made the migration from Windows XP to Ubuntu 8.04 an average of $400.00 per workstation!(Savings are: $180.00 Vista Business upgrade, $120.00 Microsoft Office upgrade and at least $100.00 hardware upgrades, not included are support cost savings). Those that have already migrated from Windows XP to Windows Vista have gone down the abyss and not much can be done to help them. However they might want to revise their politics and have a serious talk with their IT department, or they contact us for counseling!)
Use the savings to improve the workplace.(For example: purchase LCD 22"widescreen for all your workstations, new keyboards and mice's etc.)
Use the savings to purchase professional support and/or training.
Why now?
Because, WUBI let Windows users test Ubuntu 8.04 Linux on their Windows PC without having to partition the hard disk or running Ubuntu 8.04 in a Virtual Machine.
If not happy or convinced, you can remove Ubuntu at anytime with a few mouse click (add/remove program).
You can install new applications in Ubuntu 8.04 and save your work. Because, NTFS-3g support is pre installed in Ubuntu 8.04, your Windows drives can be accessed and you can read and write to them. Work with your existing Windows Files.
Allows you to test your existing hardware for compatibility with Ubuntu 8.04.
Start working with OpenOffice.Org 2.4 and getting used to other Linux applications.
Learn the great advantage of using multiple desktops vs. only one in Windows.
If you are running a business, have the employees start migrating from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org.
No need to purchase outrageous hardware upgrade to be able to run Vista Business, no need to purchase renewal of Virus/Spyware scanner software, nor Firewall software.
PC hardware requirements are minimal to run Ubuntu 8.04! To run Ubuntu 8.04 - WUBI you must have at least:
700 MHz x86 processor
256 MB memory
5 GB free hard disk space
Graphics card capable of 1024x768 resolution
Sound card
Internet connection
Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista (does not work with Windows ME)
Let's install Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. The easiest way is to download WUBI and go from there if you are installing on a single machine. This method downloads Ubuntu and installs it. However we are in a business environment and we have more than one workstation to upgrade. Download the UBUNTU 8.04 Hardy Heron ISO from here, choose the desktop version, standard edition is probably what you want (if you have PC's running on 64bit AMD or Intel go ahead and get the 64 bit version. If you have a mix match of 32bit and 64bit PC's, download both version and install them respectively). You can also order free CD's and even better you can buy bulk CD's at Canonical 20 CD for ± US $ 40.00 (20 Vista Business would cost you ± US $ 120.00/DVD => US $ 2'400.00!)
Once the download(s) is/are completed burn the CD(s)/DVD(s) using your favorite ISO Burner (if you do not have one, get the Free ISO Recorder).
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Under Windows insert the Ubuntu 8.04 CD/DVD. The CD/DVD should start and present you with the options shown in the picture. Choose install inside Windows.
If you are running WUBI from the downloaded WUBI install file, go to step 2.
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Here you can choose the Ubuntu settings.
First choose the Disk where you want to install Ubuntu (a single file containing Ubuntu will be created).
Choose the file size, we recommend 15GB if you have the space (allows you to transfer all your working files from Windows to Linux, more explanations later).
If you use the CD, only one desktop environment is available, in our case Gnome.
If you are using the WUBI installer, you will be presented with 3 desktop flavors → Gnome (Ubuntu), KDE (Kubuntu) and XFCE (Xubuntu). More info about the WUBI Installer can be found here.
NB: XFCE is suitable for older computer! At the end of our tutorial we will show you how to have all 3 Flavors installed side by side. Your workers can then test and use the GUI (Graphical User Interface) they prefer. Can this get any better?
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Select your Language.
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Type your Username and Password
NB: To create a strong password read this, or use this password generator. Do not forget to tell the IT administrator/ responsible your Username and Password!
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<left click-once> [Install-Button]
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The installation starts (took 11 minutes on an AMD Phenom machine using the CD!) |
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Here the installation is finished, a reboot is necessary
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<left click-once> [Finish-Button] |
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After the reboot you are presented with a new boot menu.
Using the |arrow down| key select “Ubuntu”
→ |Enter| key
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Ubuntu setup and configuration starts → go here for step by step help How to customize Ubuntu to your needs → go here for complete documentation
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Should you encounter problems
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like “error 15 - file not found"after the 1st reboot → go here for step by step solutions
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Let's talk now about some must have utilities Windows side (all are open source = FREE). If they are useful to you, do not forget to make a donation, thank you!
Explore2fs allows you to read Linux ext2 & ext3 format from within Windows. This tool enables you to read the Linux files inside your Ubuntu folder!
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Download Explore2fs from here (choose Version 1.07 - Stable Version for Windows NT, 2000 & XP → explore2fs-1.07.zip).
Create a folder named "Apps" on your C:/ drive
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create a folder named "explorer2fs" inside the "Apps" folder as shown in the picture
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Unzip explorer2fs.zip to the "explorer2fs" folder
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<right click once> explorer2fs.exe → Send To → <left click once> [Desktop (create shortcut)-Item]
We have now a shortcut to explorer2fs on our desktop!
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<double left click>[Shortcut to explore2fs-1.08beta9-Icon] on your desktop
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Explorer2fs windows pops up
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File
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<left click once>[Open Image File…-Item] |
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Navigate to the location of your "Ubuntu"
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"disk" folder
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select root.disk
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<left click once>[Open-Button]
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Expand the disk
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<left click once>[+] next to disk name
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<left click once>[+] next to "home" folder
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<left click once>[+] next to "your username folder" (in our case compsos).
All folders and files are listed, do not open or modify any folder starting with a . (Example .cache), those are hidden system or application files! For more info about explore2fs go here. Please do not forget to donate, support the open source community!
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Here some troubleshooting tips! (Linux side)
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How to configure your Internet/Network connection if you are using a Static IP
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<right click once> [Network-Icon]
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<left click once> [Manual configuration - Item]
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<right click once> [Unlock-Button]
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enter your password
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Select your Network (in this case a wired Ethernet connection)
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<left click once> [Properties-Button]
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Uncheck [Enable Roaming mode - Checkbox]
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Select [Static IP address - Dropdown Menu]
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enter your static IP values in the appropriate fields (displayed values in the picture are fakes). |
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Select the [DNS - Tab]
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<left click once> [Add - Button]
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enter your DNS server values in the {DNS Servers - pane}. Repeat as many time as needed
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Once done <left click once> [Close- Button]
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test internet connection by opening Firefox |
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If you are using a wireless connection and it's not working, then it's probably a driver problem. You can use NDISwrapper to solve this issue, go here for info.
"With ndiswrapper, most miniPCI (built in), PCI, PCMCIA (Card bus only) or USB wireless network cards work in Linux with x86 or x86-64. Although ndiswrapper is intended for wireless network cards, other devices are known to work: e.g., ethernet cards, USB to serial port device, home phone network device etc."
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Find and make a shortcut to the windows folders (Linux Side)
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Create a shortcut to {My Documents-Windows}. In this demo we have 3 Hard Drive (C:/=XP Pro, D:/="Where we installed Ubuntu/WUBI, E:/=VISTA). As you can see the HD where Ubuntu/Wubi is installed is always named "File System" because this is where all Ubuntu Linux files reside.
If you've installed Ubuntu on drive C:/ alongside Windows and have no other HD, only "File System"will be visible, so where are your windows files? →They are in the ' host ' folder
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<left click once> [File System - Item] in the {Places - Pane}
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<double left click> [Host - Icon] in the {Right View - Pane}
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the {Right View - Pane} displays now all your windows folders and files. To select the one you want to show as a shortcut in the {Places - Pane}
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<left click once> [Desired Folder - Icon] to select it
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<left click once> [Bookmarks - Menu Item]
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<left click once> [+ Add Bookmark - Item]
Alternate method is drag and drop → <left click & drag> [My Documents-Folder] to the lower {Places - Pane}
*To place a Folder shortcut on your desktop → <left click & drag> [My Documents-Icon] {Places - Pane} to your desktop
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Let's talk now about some must have utilities Linux side (all are open source = FREE). If they are useful to you, do not forget to make a donation, thank you!
First make sure you read the documentation about Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 LTS, you find the documentation here
The Server version of Ubuntu 8.04 comes with several new security tools and features. Included are FreeRadiusMunin (a monitoring tool), OpenVPN, Bacula backup software and enhanced security via an integrated firewall, AppArmor.Also included is support for Active Directory, which is based on LikeWise Openand support virtualized environments and environments that rely on KVM switches.
The desktop version comes with AppArmor and includes support for security enhanced Linux (SELinux) as well as UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall). Vinagre remote desktop (VNC) and The Brasero CD/DVD burning application, which complements the CD/DVD burning functions of Nautilus File Browser.
UFW is very simple to use but has no GUI and is configured through the terminal command line (To view some simple examples, click here). If you need a GUI based Firewall, you can install Firestarter (To view step by step how to, click here).
Gnome Simple Backup (To view step by step install, click here)
For those of you would also like to have a 'system restore' alike application can install 'Time Vault' (to view step by step install, click here).
Another useful utility is 'Google's Picasa' if you work a lot with images & photos (to view step by step install, click here)
And finally, once you are satisfied with your desktop configuration you can create your personalized version of Ubuntu Live CD (This enables you to mainstream the migration/upgrade to Ubuntu Linux).
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UFW is not activated by default, to use it you will need to activate it first using the command line
open the terminal
→ type “sudo ufw”
→ enter password when requested
→ view list of available commands
Type “sudo ufw"to view the firewall status (As you can see in the picture it is not loaded).
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Type “sudo ufw"enable (To enable the ufw firewall)
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Type “sudo ufw"default allow (This commands open all ports)
Now we can add the rules we need → Let' make an example and block TCP port 6881 (This is the standard Bit Torrent P2P port)
Here the UFW Cheat Sheet
sudo ufw status displays the firewall's current status, and the currently applied rules.
sudo ufw enable turns on the firewall
sudo ufw disable turns off the firewall
sudo ufw default allow opens up everything - allow all connections by default
sudo ufw default deny closes down everything. Your computer is a black hole on the network. Nothing comes in unless you asked for it, or specifically allow it.
sudo ufw allow port opens up a specific port, like 80; for a web server
sudo ufw deny port if you don't want to host a webpage anymore.
sudo ufw deny from ip address block all access from a particular IP address.
ufw deny port - block port
ufw deny from ip - block ip adress
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Click here for more detailed instruction on how to use UFW
For example, let's say you wanted to block all connections from the IP address 100.100.100.155:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -s 100.100.100.155 -j REJECT
sudo ufw deny from 100.100.100.155
Another example. Let's say you want to block specific ports and protocols:
sudo iptables -A INPUT --dport 22 -s 100.100.100.155 -j REJECT
sudo ufw deny from 100.100.100.155 to any port 22
To learn more about basic 'iptables' commands click here |
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Open the Synaptic Package Manager and search for Gnome Simple Backup → Type "sbackup" → Search
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Mark for installation
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Apply
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Follow instructions
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Close Synaptic Package Manger
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Start Gnome Simple Backup
→ System
→ Administration
→ Simple Backup Config
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I recommend to use " Use recommended backup settings"
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Save
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Backup Now!
That’s it
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To restore a backup
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System
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Administration
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Simple Backup Restore
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Choose Backup File to restore
That’s it
To learn more about Gnome Simple Backup, click here |
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Open Firefox, type http://www.picasa.google.com/linux/download.html in the address bar or just click here
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Select Debian/Ubuntu x86 (your processor version) |
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Select GDebi Package Installer
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OK |
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Once download is finished
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Install Package
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Enter Password when requested
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Close when finished |
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Start Picasa
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Applications
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Graphics
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Picasa |
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Picasa starts
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Accept License etc..
It takes a while to start
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<right click once> [Picasa-Applet] (top right) and select [Start Picasa]
This procedure can take a while, since Picasa uses Wine.
Go here to learn how to use Picasa
Have Fun! |
more to come ...
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