Re: [PLUG] Story and warning about wubi and ubuntu

[James Barrett <jadoba@jadoba.net>]

On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 11:45 AM, Art Alexion <art.alexion@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sunday 10 January 2010 10:45:04 James Barrett wrote:
>>
>> One other problem I remember is if the NTFS filesystem becomes dirty.
>> Linux won't mount it, and the user needs to boot back into windows to
>> run FSCK.  Of course, the user never knows how to fix it without
>> asking someone, because Ubuntu "just won't open", with no explaination
>> on what to do next... or, at least that's how it used to be.  Has that
>> issue been rectified in any way?
>>
>
> So, in a sense, it is a dual boot that runs within the existing file system.
> Clever, but it seems like a bad design because it the stability of the image
> file depends on the health of the existing file system as you point out.  This
> seems to me to be an unnecessary layer of instability that wouldn't exist if
> it was set up in a distinct partition like a traditional dual boot.
>
>

Yes, but compared to the potential of seriously damaging or destroying
an existing partition by shrinking it, this is an extremely safe
solution.  Also, having a disk image file adds the benefit of being
able to say, "If you find that Ubuntu does not meet your needs, then
just go to "add/remove programs" and remove it to regain your disk
space!" ... you wouldn't be able to do that very easily if there was a
new partition, and again adds the potential of data loss.

Using a disk image is simply a better solution for Wubi's purpose, as
well as for its targeted audience.

--
James Barrett
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