Introduction

You have installed Ubuntu on a separate HD because you were afraid to loose things on your Windows disk? You absolutely want to keep XP and Ubuntu separate? Then this might help you. :)

Case 1: You haven't installed Ubuntu yet

Do a fresh install of Ubuntu with the windows hard drive still plugged in. Ubuntu will automatically detect the other hard drive, and Grub will automatically list it as a choice at startup. You can then also see the other hard drive and access it while in Ubuntu by mounting it.

Case 2: You already installed Ubuntu on an HD

Short tutorial

If you were afraid to partition and format another hard drive just for Ubuntu and disconnected the previous one with Windows during the installation, you will run into this problem to have to add Windows boot manually.

The solution is simply adding this to /boot/grub/menu.lst:

title                Windows XP Professional
root                (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader        +1
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)

The parts with (hd1,0), (hd0) (hd1) and (hd1) (hd0) depend on where your Windows partition is, which you can find out by typing:

sudo fdisk -l

In this example, Windows is assumed to be on hd1 and Ubuntu on hd0.

The problem is that Windows boot must be on the first hard disk/partition in order to boot. You trick it into thinking that by adding those last two lines with the map command in the Grub menu entry.

Complete tutorial

Backup your menu.lst first:

sudo cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.bkp

Find out where your Windows hard disk is with (if you are confused here just post the result here and someone might help)

sudo fdisk -l

Then you need to add the new entry to grub with

sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

And then add the entry:

title                Windows XP Professional
root                (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader        +1
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)

If your Windows is on a second SATA you have to use sd1 instead of hd1, I think. The second line of the map command is just so your Ubuntu hard drive will be recognizeable on Windows. If you need to read/write on Ubuntu partitions from Windows or vice-versa, you need to search for other tools (ntfs-3g and ntfs-config for Ubuntu and ext3 for Windows), but that's outside the scope of this thread.

If you need more information on Grub's map command you can find it here.

References

• Tutorial by eks on the Ubuntu forums
• See also Dualboot two hard drives

If Windows isn't already installed, install it first. If you leave space for Ubuntu at this step you don't have to resize your NTFS partition later.

Windows Vista notes

Partitions resizing

Windows Vista can shrink its own partition without the need to use third-party software. See this link. If you are running Windows Vista, shrink down your partition through that method, and then boot Ubuntu. The Ubuntu installer will use the free space you created.

Master boot record and boot manager

Windows Vista may stop your GRUB - Boot manager from reaching (booting ) your Ubuntu installation, when for any reason you try to repair Boot on MBR (Master Boot Record) on your Bootable HDD (Hard Disk Drive). To avoid such a mess many of you may opt to gracefully let Vista have the MBR, and its boot manager should then point to boot partition of your Ubuntu. Windows Vista no more boots through boot.ini and ntdetect.com and ntldr. Instead a Boot folder stores all data for its new Boot Manager to load, Windows Vista OS ships with an command line utility called bcdedit.exe, used with administrator credentials of course. You may want to read here about it.

Using a command line utility always has its learning curve, so a more productive and better job can be done with a free utility called EasyBCD, developed and mastered in during the times of Vista Beta already.

Back up your existing PC

While the Ubuntu installer is very safe and can reliably partition your hard disk to allow you to dual boot, it may be a good idea to be ensure that you are able to restore your Windows installation before you try to install Ubuntu.

Backing up your data

Although this may seem obvious, do backup your important data files to another media before attempting a dual-boot install. Many backup solutions exist for Windows users, but the easiest one may be to just create as many CDs or DVDs with copies of your data as required. Another way is by plugging in a USB key or external storage with enough space.

Backing up your operating system - using recovery tools

Have your recovery CD or DVD handy - Most systems which are delivered with Windows already installed also come with some sort of recovery or re-installation disk. There is a recent tendency for companies to try to save money and not ship such a disk. Instead, they provide you a hidden partition on which there is a recovery tool and an image of the pre-installed system.

If you are buying a new computer and intend on dual-booting, perhaps it would be a good idea to inquire if you can get a Windows install or recovery media (CD or DVD), if one is not provided by default. The only solution is to telephone your vendor and ask for a proper CD or DVD, which you are normally entitled to.

There is no mention in the Windows End User Licence Agreement (EULA) of the partitioning of the hard drive(s) being against it. Just because the tool they provide for system restore is not adequate does not mean you are prohibited from using another tool.

According to the Windows EULA, you are entitled to a backup copy of your OS. While your vendor is not really obliged to provide you with one, having such image tools pre-installed on your computer in no way prohibits you from obtaining a proper backup of your installation cd. You can remove the restore-image tools from your computer at any time, although Ubuntu can happily be installed alongside them and keep them intact.

The problem with that is if your partition table becomes corrupt, or if you have hardware problem with your disk, recovery from an internal partition is not an option.

Example request for Windows OS CD / DVD recovery media

You:

"I am about to install Ubuntu linux and that will change my partition table. I was not given an OS install disk with my system, but a system restore program which is on a hidden partition. If, for some reason, the PC restore tool is no longer able to find the image partition, I would not be able to restore my system. The system restore tools that came with my system are not adequate for my needs. I need an operating system disk. Would you send me one?"

PC manufacturer rep:

"Sure, we'll send one out to you. It should take two or three days for you to receive it."

Getting recovery media - contact information

• Dell Operating System (OS) Recovery CD Creation and Manual Operating System Reinstall
• Other related links and information for Dell owners
• How can I get a Product Recovery CD or DVD ? - for Lenovo owners
• Someone's experience getting recovery CDs from IBM for a Thinkpad
• Obtaining a Windows Recovery CD or DVD set - for HP and Compaq Desktop PCs owners

Beginning Ubuntu Installation

1. Boot into Windows or using an Ubuntu Live CD and [#head-009b592d724f498a1433d410f28bdc042a486f05 backup] any valuable documents/photos etc. onto removable media such as CD-R/DVD-R.
2. Run the Windows defragmentation tool on C: (My Computer, Right click on drive, Properties, Tools, Defragment Now)
3. Download and burn, or order a CD
   • Download Ubuntu iso from List of Download Mirrors and create the Ubuntu CD : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
   • Or Order Ubuntu CDs (currently free!)
4. Once you have the CD, insert it into your CD-ROM drive and reboot your PC.
   • If the computer does not boot from the CD (eg. Windows starts again instead), check your BIOS settings and fix as appropriate.
5. If successfully booted from CD, the Ubuntu logo will be displayed on the screen. Press Enter to continue.
6. Follow the prompts until you are asked this question: "How do you want to partition the disk ?".

Resizing Partitions Using the Ubuntu Installer

Automatic partitioning

1. Choose the First Option (It should be something like: "Resize IDE1 master, partition #1 (hda1) and use freed space").
2. Specify the size of the new partition as a percentage of your entire hard disk.1. Click on "Forward".
3. continue to Finishing Ubuntu Installation

Manual partitioning

1. Choose "Manually edit partition table"
2. Listed will be your current partitions
3. Select the partition you want to resize and press Enter.
4. Select "Size:", press Enter.
5. Select Yes, press Enter.
6. Type in a new size in Gigabytes for your partition, it's recommended you free up AT LEAST 10 GB of free space for your Ubuntu install. Press Enter when happy with your changes. It may take some time to apply the changes.
7. Create a swap partition of at least your amount of RAM (if you don't know, 2000 MB is a good value).
8. Create a partition for your Ubuntu installation, at least 10 GB.1. Select "Finish partitioning and write changes to disk".

Finishing Ubuntu Installation

1. Finish installing your Ubuntu system.
2. On reboot, remove your Ubuntu cdrom from the cdrom drive, you should be presented with a list of operating systems to boot. Ubuntu should have automatically detected your Windows installation and added an option to boot it on this screen.

Issues with Windows XP and NTFS

Although the Ubuntu installer does now include support for resizing NTFS partitions, it is not 100% effective. If you try the above procedure and have no luck, try the following alternative method:

1. Boot into Windows and backup any valuable documents/photos etc onto removable media such as CD-R/DVD-R.
2. Run the Windows defragmentation tool on C:
3. Download the System Rescue CD ISO image (100 MB; has several very useful software tools).
4. Burn the ISO image to a CD.
5. Boot from the CD and hit Enter when you see the message "Boot:".
6. When you get a command prompt, enter:
   

   run_qtparted 
   

7. Select your disk on the graphical screen (most likely /dev/hda).

8. Select your NTFS partition to be resized (most likely /dev/hda1).
9. Right click with the mouse and choose Resize.
10. Set the new partition size.
11. Commit your changes in the File -> Commit menu. If your keyboard and mouse stop responding during resizing then please just be patient.
12. Once your changes are saved, remove the System Rescue CD and insert your Ubuntu installation CD.
13. Reboot and install Ubuntu into the free space.

External howtos

These are external links so that they're not 'officially' part of the "official" Ubuntu documentation; follow at your own risk.

• Install Dual boot For Ubuntu 'Feisty Fawn 7.04 with Alternate CD.
• Dual-Booting Ubuntu and Vista with EasyBCD
• How-To: Dual-Boot Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper) Linux Desktop Along Side Windows XP.

Windows to Ubuntu

We here at Ubuntu Georgia know that making the decision to switch from Microsoft Windows to Ubuntu Linux may cause you to wonder what applications will be available. Rest assured that for many of those you rely on in Windows, there are equivalent programs that come with Ubuntu. To help you find these applications quickly, we have created this page.

Some of these applications are included in the default installation of Ubuntu Linux. Even more are available through the easy to use Add/Remove Applications menu item, Synaptic, or other online sources. Make sure to go to "Software Sources" under the System > Administration menu and check all of the available repositories, so that you can access the applications of most interest to you.

In the table below you will find the following columns:

• Type: type of application (e.g. Word Processor, DVD Player)
• Windows: name of the Windows application
• Ubuntu: name of the equivalent Ubuntu application
• Location: location of files to install - Synaptic, Add/Remove Applications, default on install, or external source
• Alternate: name of an alternate program; there are many applications available, and only the best are listed

note: If you see "(prop.)" next to the application name, it means that that particular application is proprietary, not open source.

Type	Windows	Ubuntu	Location	Alternate
Networking
Web Browser	Internet Explorer	Firefox	Default on Install	Opera (Prop.)
E-Mail/PIM	Outlook	Evolution	Default on Install	Thunderbird
Chat	Trillian ICQ	Gaim	Default on Install	Kopete
VoIP	Skype	Ekiga	Default on Install	WengoPhone
Peer-to-Peer	Bittorent	Bittorent	Add/Remove Applications	Bittornado
FTP Client	WS_FTP	FileZilla	Synaptic	gFTP
Fax	WinFax	GFax	Add/Remove Applications	XSane
Remote Desktop	RealVNC	Gnome-RDP	Add/Remove Applications	Krdc
Shared Folders	Network Places	Network Servers (under "Places" menu)	Default on Install	Smb4K
Windows Network Admin.	Network Places	GSAMBAD	Add/Remove Applications	SMBC
Office/Business Software
Text Editor	Wordpad	Gedit	Default on Install	Text Editor
PDF	Adobe Acrobat Reader	Adobe Acrobat Reader (prop.)	Add/Remove Applications	Xpdf
Office Suite	Microsoft Office	OpenOffice.org	Default on Install	Gnome Office
Word Processor	Microsoft Word	OpenOffice.org Writer	Default on Install	Abiword
Spreadsheet	Microsoft Excel	OpenOffice.org Calc	Default on Install	Gnumeric Spreadsheet
Presentation	Microsoft Powerpoint	OpenOffice.org Impress	Default on Install	Criawips
Database	Microsoft Access	OpenOffice.org Base	Default on Install	Glom
Diagrams/Flow Charts	Visio	OpenOffice.org Draw	Add/Remove Applications	Kiveo
Desktop Publishing	Microsoft Publisher	Scribus	Add/Remove Applications
Finance Manager	Quicken	KMyMoney	Add/Remove Applications	GnuCash
Database Mangement	MySQL	MySQL	Add/Remove Applications	HSQL
Multimedia (Sound)
Music Player	Windows Media Player	Amarok	Add/Remove Applications	Rhythmbox
CD Burning	Nero	K3b	Add/Remove Applications	GnomeBaker
CD Ripping	Windows Media Player	Sound Juicer	Default on Install	Grip
Karaoke	VanBasco	KMid	Add/Remove Applications	Pykaraoke
Audio Editors	Audacity	Audacity	Add/Remove Applications	Jokosher
Sound Mixer	sndvol32	Volume Control	Add/Remove Applications	GNOME ALSA Mixer
Multimedia (Graphics)
Image Viewer	Windows Image Viewer	GThumb Image Viewer	Default on Install	GQview
Simple Paint Program	Paint	GPaint	Add/Remove Applications	GNU Paint
Advanced Graphics Program	Adobe Photoshop	Gimp	Default on Install	Xara Xtreme (prop.)
Vector Graphics	Adobe Illustrator	Sodipodi	Add/Remove Applications	Inkscape
3-D Graphics	3-D Studio	Blender	Add/Remove Applications	Wings3D
Multimedia (Video)
Video Player	Windows Media Player	Movie Player	Add/Remove Applications	gxine
DVD Player	WinDVD	Movie Player	Add/Remove Applications	gxine
DVD Ripper	Gordian Knot	Thoggen DVD Ripper	Add/Remove Applications	AcidRip (prop.)
Simple Video Editor	Windows Movie Maker	Avidemux	Add/Remove Applications	Kino
Professional Video Editor	Adobe Premier	CinePaint	Add/Remove Applications	Pitivi Video Editor
Animation	Animation Shop	CinePaint	Add/Remove Applications	Blender
TV Tuner	AVerTV	TVtime	Add/Remove Applications	Zapping TV Viewer

CNR

Coming soon!

CNR (Click 'N Run) is one of the easiest ways to install programs for Linux! When the plugin is made available, you will find instructions here on how to use it.

----

If you are considering trying Ubuntu, or if you have already made up your mind to switch, welcome! This page is here to make the process as comfortable as possible. It describes differences in behavior between the two systems. When you decide to switch, Transferring Files and Settings shows how to transfer your data.

Ubuntu 7.04

Ubuntu 7.04 can import your Windows bookmarks, favorites, wallpaper, documents, and pictures. It also includes software to read and write files on your Windows drive.

Trying Ubuntu

You can try Ubuntu without installing it or modifying your computer in any way. Just download the Ubuntu ISO and burn it to a blank CD-R (or CD-RW), or purchase the CDs from the website, then pop the CD into your computer and reboot (you may need to press a button to ensure your computer starts from the CD, see BootFromCD if your computer will not boot from the CD).

Ubuntu will run from the CD. Feel free to explore; Nothing on your real system is being changed.

This gives you a chance to get used to Ubuntu, which helps you to discover if Ubuntu is right for you, and see how Ubuntu supports your computer's hardware.

You can also try Ubuntu by:

• Using a friend's Ubuntu installation for a little while.
• Installing Ubuntu into a virtual machine on your existing operating system.

Note: Installing Ubuntu onto your hard disk is much faster than the LiveCD, and allows you to install many additional Linux applications.

Installing Ubuntu

Note: While Ubuntu works well, installing an Operating System is a major change to your computer, and we recommend backing up your important data just in case.

Planning

You may find it useful to creating a switching plan, such as the example below for a typical home user:

1. Download and run the Ubuntu Live CD.
2. Check the hardware support for your printer(s), scanner(s), broadband modem, wireless adapters, and any hardware that you have attached to your computer.
3. Check out the programs on the LiveCD to do your work.
4. For any remaining needs, check out http://help.ubuntu.com to find Linux programs

If I decide to install Ubuntu:

1. Backup my important files, just in case.
2. Make a list of all your mail and Internet connection settings, user accounts, and saved passwords
   • If you use a program like AI Roboform to keep a record of your passwords and accounts online, you will need to record all the records in the Roboform database, as Roboform does not support Ubuntu.
3. Install Ubuntu. Use the Ubuntu 7.04 Migration Assistant to import my documents, pictures, and favorites into Ubuntu.
4. Use System → Preferences to set everything up how you like
5. Install any extra programs through Synaptic.

Differences between Ubuntu and Windows

Ubuntu and Windows are very different in many ways. It is important to be aware of them.

Ubuntu Runs Linux Applications

In the same way that Windows only runs software designed for Windows, applications must be made for Linux to be able to run on Ubuntu. Rather than going into a store and buying a boxed version of software as you are likely to have done with Windows, most Linux software is delivered via the Internet.

By default, Ubuntu comes with a lot of useful software:

• Firefox web browser - The award-winning web browser with enhanced security, tabs, spell checking, phishing protection, and pop-up blocking that you may already be using.

• Evolution mail - A full-featured email and personal information manager that is as comfortable sending mail and calendar appointments to your friends at home as it is syncing to your corporate mail server (including Microsoft Exchange).

• OpenOffice - Open, edit, and save documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases in all the most popular formats - including Microsoft Office, OpenDocument, PDF, and Flash.

• Pidgin Instant Messenger (Previously known as Gaim) - Chat with all your friends, regardless of whether they use MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Google Chat, IRC, or other networks.

• Totem Media Player - A simple, easy to use audio and video player. Totem can play all the common multimedia formats if you install some Restricted Formats.

There are thousands upon thousands of Linux applications available for you to use on Ubuntu. See InstallingSoftware for details on how to install new software. See the pages listed below for a small selection of popular applications:

• Games
• Audio and Video applications
• Graphics
• Office productivity software
• Software Development
• Scientific Applications

Systems administrators may find Corporate Ubuntu, Servers, and Ubuntu Server Guide helpful.

Applications designed for Windows and run on WINE for Linux can be found on the official list of programs which run in WINE.

Windows application	Linux equivalent	Description
DVDShrink	K9Copy	DVD backup tool with shrinking support!
Nero, Nero Express	K3B, GnomeBaker	CD/DVD burning tool
iTunes, Winamp, Windows Media Player	Amarok, Beep, Exaile, Listen, Rhythmbox, VLC, XMMS	Music-player
Logic Audio/Cubase	Ardour, RoseGarden	Multitrack Recording and Sequencing software

See WindowsApplicationsEquivalents for a more complete list of linux alternatives to Windows.

If you are unable to find an alternative to a particular Windows application, you can usually run the Windows application on Ubuntu by installing some extra tools. See Software from Other Operating Systems.

Installing Applications

Windows comes with only a small selection of software which you might want to use on your computer. Ubuntu comes with a useful selection of applications by default, such as an office suite, web browser, and sound and video players.

Installing additional software is easy. In Ubuntu, software comes in packages, which you can download from one of Ubuntu's software channels or from a third-party website.

All packages are installed and updated in the same way (a refreshing change from Windows, which usually has separate programs that monitor and fetch new versions of Acrobat, Java, and other software).

• When you install a package, you won't need to answer any questions. This means you can install one hundred applications as easily as you could install one.

• Application packages will appear in the Applications menu, configuration tools will appear in the Preferences or Administration menu.

For more information on installing new programs in Ubuntu, see Installing Software.

Where To Put Your Files

Personal Files

Put your documents, photos, music, settings, and other personal files in your home directory. This is the default location to save files.

Click Places → Home Folder to view your Home directory. It may also be referred to as /home/Your User Name/.

Applications also store your personal settings in your Home directory.

The rest of the System

In Windows, each hard drive, CD drive, floppy drive and remove device is given a letter, like C:, D:, or A:.

In Linux, one hard disk partition is marked as 'root', or '/'. Things like CDs, DVDs, Floppies, and Network Shares are attached (or 'mounted') to particular folders:

• CD or DVDs, when inserted, appear in /media/cdrom. You can see this in the file manager by clicking either Places -> CDROM or the shortcut that appears on the desktop.
• USB sticks, cameras and most portable media players have their own directory under /media, for example /media/iPod. You can see this in the file manager by clicking either Places -> iPod or by clicking the shortcut that appears on the desktop.

When you are finished with a removable drive, select Unmount volume or Eject, depending on what type of drive it is. This may take a few seconds.

As well as these folder names meaning something more than 'C:' or 'D:', this makes it easier to add storage. Run out of hard drive space? Move your files onto a portable USB drive, then mount that drive into your home folder. Your apps will not know the difference, because the files appear in the same folder - even though that folder is on a new hard disk.

Hardware support

Since Windows has a larger user base than Linux, some manufacturers may not release drivers for Linux as readily as they do for Windows. This is changing as the Linux community grows, but it is possible that you may have a device that does not have official vendor Linux support.

In general:

• Most hardware, particularly popular devices from well-known manufacturers, works out of the box.
• Some hardware requires a little work to set up.
• There are only a few types of devices which do not work at all. You can get alternative hardware that will be supported if you're really stuck.

The following devices could be a problem:

• Internal dial-up Modems (external ones are well supported) - DialupModemHowto http://linmodems.org/
• USB Adsl Modems (Ethernet ones are well supported) UsbAdslModem
• Wireless cards - WifiDocs
• Some printers - Printers http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/Database/DatabaseIntro
• Scanners - http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html http://www.buzzard.me.uk/jonathan/scanners-usb.html
• Webcams - http://mxhaard.free.fr/spca5xx.html http://www.linux.com/howtos/Webcam-HOWTO/index.shtml
• Laptop-specific hardware (such as smart-card readers and S-Video output) - http://www.linux-laptop.net/

If you do get problems, what should you do? Well, you can try these:

1. Check for your device in the Ubuntu Hardware Support list.
2. Check to see if the device's manufacturer does provide a Linux driver.
3. Search for "<devicename> linux driver" on Google to see if someone knows how to get your device working.
4. Ask someone on the forums if they have any ideas - see GettingHelpInForums for more information.
5. File a bug requesting support for this device.
6. E-mail the manufacturer to ask for a Linux driver, or the source code of their Windows driver.
7. Create a driver for the device yourself.
8. Buy alternative, supported hardware from a manufacturer that supports Linux.
9. Use a dual-boot set-up and switch between Windows and Ubuntu.

If you get to number 6, it's very unlikely that you will get your device working, so it is normally best to skip to 8. We don't expect you to create your own driver! In a perfect world, all hardware would be supported, but unfortunately that is not the case. If you do end up having to buy alternative hardware, consider telling your manufacturer they have lost a customer due to poor Linux support! That way, they just might change their attitude towards supporting Linux.

Security

Linux, including Ubuntu, is generally considered more secure than Windows. The risk of getting a virus, adware, spyware, or malware is greatly reduced.

• Linux asks users to enter their password before doing anything that could be harmful (recently, Windows Vista also does this).
• Software updates in general can be installed without restarting the entire computer, making them more convenient to install.
• Web-browsers such as Firefox come with privacy options by default.
• Fewer people use Linux than Windows (though that does not explain why there are hundreds of thousands of viruses for Windows, and a handful for Linux).

Ubuntu comes with a firewall (not active by default). To configure it, you could install the Firestarter package (see InstallingSoftware), or use the iptables command.

The Terminal

The terminal is just another way of using the computer. Instead of clicking icons using a mouse, you can type commands and have Ubuntu carry them out directly. Terminals are seen as an advanced way of operating a computer and tend to be used very rarely on Windows (where it is called the Command Prompt). However, Ubuntu's terminal is very powerful and can be used to accomplish many useful tasks. Click Applications → Accessories → Terminal to start it.

While beginners may want to steer clear of the terminal altogether, it can be handy for users to have some basic knowledge of terminal commands. Often, help guides will ask you to type a command into the terminal, so it can be a useful tool even if you don't use it for day-to-day tasks. See Using the Terminal for more information.

Transferring your files and settings from Windows

Ubuntu 7.04 contains a number of new features for people switching from Windows.

• The Migration Assistant can transfer files and settings from Windows. It is able to handle the following types of data:
  • My Documents folder
  • Music
  • Images
  • Favorites
  • Desktop Background

See the Official Documentation for more information.

• A new version of the NTFS driver, so Ubuntu can now read and write files on your Windows drive.

A guide to migrating data from common Windows applications can be found at [SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows/TransferringFilesAndSettings Transferring Files and Settings].

Playing Your Audio and Video Files

Ubuntu can play most common audio and video formats used in Windows, including:

• DVDs
• WMA music files
• AAC music files
• WMV and Quicktime videos
• RAW images from some digital camera manufacturers

For more information, see Restricted Formats.

Accessing your Ubuntu files from Windows

You can access files in Ubuntu from within Windows, using FS-Driver.

Accessing Windows files from Ubuntu over a Network

Ubuntu can connect to Windows network shares, so if you have installed Ubuntu onto a machine connected to a Windows network, it is possible to copy your files from another computer on the network to your Ubuntu computer.

For most Windows networks, all you have to do is ensure that you are connected to the network, click Places → Network Servers, and navigate to the computer on which the files are stored, entering your Windows username and password if prompted.

If you have a more advanced Windows network, see SettingUpSamba for more information on how to connect to it.

Making Ubuntu feel more like Windows

Ubuntu has its own style and its own way of working. But we appreciate that you might initially feel more comfortable in Windows, so there are a few ways of getting a Windows "look and feel" from within Ubuntu.

Ubuntu-specific

These instructions apply specifically to the plain Ubuntu desktop version of Ubuntu, which uses the GNOME desktop environment.

Taskbar panel settings

You can set-up the desktop panels of Ubuntu in a similar way to the Windows taskbar.

There are panels at the top and bottom of the screen, which we can adjust so that they are similar to the default Windows layout.

1. Click and hold on the bottom panel and move it to the right or left side of the screen.
2. Click and hold on the top panel and move it to the bottom of the screen. (This is considered the main panel.)
3. You can now move the original bottom panel anywhere, or even delete it if you desire. Just right click on it and choose an option.
4. The various utilities that live on the panel are called applets, and can be added by right clicking in an empty area of panel and choosing Add To Panel. You will be presented with several options, and ones which may interest Windows users are the Window List (a bar containing buttons for each open window, minimized or not), the Main Menu (which is like the default menu system, but combines Applications, Places and System into one button), the Notification Area (which is a system tray) and of course the Clock. To emulate a "quick launch" area you can simply drag applications from the Applications menu onto the panel. Changing applets (like moving them) is either done by right clicking on the applet, or an empty looking area to the left of the applet called it's handle, depending on which applet you want to mess with. Of course you can customize the panels any way you like, and even nest panels inside each other using the Drawer applet.

On the bottom desktop panel there are 4 small squares, called the Workspace Switcher. This is something new to Windows users but a very handy feature; each square button will open a different desktop with empty panel space (if you like the idea of Mac OS X's Spaces then you will be glad to know that Ubuntu and other Linux systems have been using them for years). This arrangement lets you manage several desktops (or workspaces) at once. For example, if you open graphics-related windows on one workspace and office-related windows on another, they are separated. You can work on each workspace without worrying about the applications from the other cluttering up the panel on that particular desktop. This way you can group applications and keep things out of the way while you're working on something else.

Desktop view

Ubuntu's desktop by default is empty, but if you want to add items to it then you can drag and drop folders and application shortcuts onto it to quickly access them. To have desktop icons similar to your Windows environment, follow this procedure:

1. Click Places on the top panel and drag the Computer icon into an empty space on the desktop. This is equivalent to the My Computer folder found on Windows, and can be used to access your storage devices.
2. You can also drag the Home folder onto the desktop - this is equivalent to My Documents on Windows.
3. The Recycle Bin on Windows is equivalent to the Trash folder on Ubuntu. There is a location on the original bottom panel where it is placed by default. If you prefer it on your desktop, click Applications → System Tools → Configuration Editor (on older version of Ubuntu, hit Ctrl F2 and type gconf-editor). In there look under apps then nautilus then desktop, and click trash_icon_visible. The changes are applied immediately so you can just quit the application.

Start menu

The Ubuntu logo on the main taskbar panel is similar to the Start button of your Windows environment. One noticeable difference is that Windows gives you just one button from which you must choose all options, whereas in Ubuntu there are three categories, called Applications, Places and System. Applications contains a categorized list of currently installed applications, Places contains links to common locations and recently used files and System contains preferences, help and power options.

If you would prefer to use something more like the Windows Start menu, install the gnome-main-menu' package (see Installing Software). You can add the GNOME main menu by right-clicking the top desktop panel, selecting Add to Panel... and dragging Main Menu (the one with the computer icon) to a location on the panel.

Run dialog

In Windows there is an option called Run... on the Start menu, which allows you to run applications by typing their name. Ubuntu has a more powerful alternative, called the Run Application dialog. You can access this by pressing <Alt> and <F2> on your keyboard at the same time.

Quick-Launch

On the top panel, near the main menus, there is space for a quick-launch section where there should already be several quick-launch links (called launchers) such as Firefox, Evolution mail and Help. You can add your favorite applications to this area by dragging their icons next to the current icons in that area, or by right-clicking a blank part of the top panel, selecting Add to panel... and clicking the Application Launcher... button.

Fonts from Windows

Ubuntu includes high-quality alternatives to common Windows fonts. However, these alternatives are not identical so your existing documents may not look exactly the same under Ubuntu.

You can use the most common Windows fonts by installing the msttcorefonts package - see Installing Software. The new fonts will be immediately available

Making Firefox Autoselect Text in the Address Bar

Under Windows, clicking on the address bar in Firefox automatically selects the entire text. By default Firefox running under Ubuntu does not. To achieve the same functionality in Ubuntu follow these steps:

1. In the address bar, type about:config <return>
2. In the filter text field, type browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll
3. Set this value to, true by double clicking (or right clicking and selecting toggle.)
4. Restart Firefox.

Running Windows applications in Ubuntu

It is possible to run Windows applications in Ubuntu with the help of some additional software. There are two main approaches to this - installing a Windows compatibility-layer to run the programs from Ubuntu itself, or to install Windows on a virtual machine.

The compatibility-layer option is the simplest to set up, is completely open-source, and allows easy access to your files in Ubuntu. However, not all Windows programs are supported and you may find that some applications are unstable with this method. This compatibility layer is called Wine and is available in Ubuntu as the wine package in the universe software channel. See Wine for more information.

Commercial extensions to WINE are available, such as CrossOver Office and Cedega, which make it possible to run some applications which do not run with WINE. CrossOver Office focuses on business applications and Cedega focuses on games.

The virtualization option requires a full installation of Windows to be made on a virtual machine, which requires a licensed Windows install CD. As such, this option is more costly, but will guarantee Windows compatibility for applications. VMWare offers a freely downloadable virtual machine product which you can use for this. See VMware for more information.

You are Involved!

Ubuntu is different from Windows in a very important way - we listen to and use our users' input to a massive extent. Remember that Ubuntu is a community project; you are part of the community and we want you to have your say.

When you first start using Ubuntu you can go online and find help from others. Later, you may feel like contributing back by helping others in Ubuntu chat rooms, editing wiki pages like this one (made by people just like you), contributing artwork, reporting bugs, or writing software for the next version of Ubuntu.

If something goes wrong, such as something not working, an unexpected error, weird behavior, some nonsensical text or just a missing feature, please file a bug report. You can find out how to do this on the ReportingBugs page.

Discovering things

We cannot possibly cover all of the differences you will encounter, so how can you go about finding out how things work for yourself? Here are a few tips:

• Right-click everything - Right-click anything you do not understand. Click some options, have a play with it. You will soon get used to the way things work.
• Help yourself - Practically every application has a Help menu. Click that and have a quick read through the documentation, you might just find exactly what you are looking for.
• Do not be afraid to ask - If you do not understand something or you cannot seem to find a feature which you had in Windows, ask on the forums or IRC! Someone will help, and while it might take a little bit of time for them to reply, someone will generally be able to help.
• Your password is needed to change the system - You cannot damage your system unless you are asked for your password. While you are playing with all of the options you may be left with messed up settings for your user, but the core system will still be fine and if the worst comes to the worst then you could even make a new user account for yourself (However, Ubuntu will remember when you type your password for about 15 minutes and won't bother asking again, so don't mess around immediately after doing something to the system).

Additional Guides and Resources

• Transferring Files and Settings.
• Practical guide written by an Ubuntu user who recently switched.
• Windows back-up - Application for backing-up your data.
• Guide on backing-up Linux-based systems such as Ubuntu.
• Running software from other Operating Systems inside Ubuntu.
• MountingWindowsPartitions - Access files in Windows from within Ubuntu.
• FS-Driver - Access files in Ubuntu from within Windows
• Software Equivalents - A list of the best open-source applications available and supported for Ubuntu for new Linux users to explore.