Wubi

Install WUBI as Multi Boot with Win 7/WinXP/Wubi- but use BOOTMGR (not GRUB) to control ?

Asked by wubitest

I have a system which is already setup as a Dual Boot between Windows 7 and Windows XP.

There are 3 existing partitions (plus 1 hidden) - they look like this:

SERVICE (Hidden) - NTFS
C: - NTFS
D: - FAT32
E: - FAT32

E: is empty so that is where I intend to put Wubi.

My problem though is that I want to install Wubi, but I do not want to use GRUB to boot.

I would like to have BOOTMGR (Windows 7 bootloader) to control the Multi-boot between Win 7/Win XP/Wubi but everything I read seems to indicate that when Wubi is installed, GRUB is automatically installed as the bootloader.

Having read around this, it would seem that I can achieve this by using EasyBCD to add an entry to BOOTMGR for Wubi after it is installed.

But the problem remains, that GRUB is auto-installed with WUBI.

Is there anything I can use and/or command line switches to prevent this happening?

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Answered
For:
Wubi Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
bcbc (bcbc) said : 		#1

Wubi does't replace the windows bootloader. It uses windows' boot manager to call a grub4dos bootloader that locates the wubildr which contains grub2. So you don't have to be concerned - Windows will always be the default OS to boot (unless you change it) using its own bootloader.

i.e. when you boot:
1. BIOS
2. Windows bootloader
3. Windows bootsector
4. Windows bootmanager
5. If you select Ubuntu:
5a) wubildr.mbr (grub4dos)
5b) wubildr (grub2)
5c) Ubuntu
6) if instead you select Windows, it boots Windows

Note: the very first time you boot after installing Wubi it will automatically boot Ubuntu to complete the Installation - this is a one time override and is done by a setting in the Windows boot manager.

What you are thinking of is a normal dual boot (not with Wubi). This will replace the windows bootloader with Grub unless you select the option 'Something else' and manually tell it where to install grub.

PS I recommend reformatting E: as NTFS before installing with Wubi. For two reasons,
1) 11.10 can't install to FAT32 when you run wubi.exe standalone (without downloading the desktop CD ISO) - this bug will be fixed in 12.04. And
2) The size of a Wubi install is limited on FAT32 to separate virtual disks of 4GB each (size limit on FAT32) which limits your install to 12GB max. On NTFS you can use up to 30GB on a single virtual disk.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask wubitest for more information if necessary.

To post a message you must log in.