installing unix on windows? clueless here


 
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# 1  
Old 05-04-2007
installing unix on windows? clueless here

I'm trying to learn how to use unix by installing it on my windows xp without having to format anything. I got some advice to get vmware player and run unix on it. I got the player, but now I'm stuck on figuring out how to use it or even find the unix download that I can use with it. Anyone knows a guide or can help with this?
# 2  
Old 05-05-2007
vmware allows "switching" between different operating systems, like the old guest operating systems on IBM 360.

IMO - the simplest install is to get cygwin. It is a unix that runs under Windows, uses windows dll's, lets you see all the disks, etc.
http://www.cygwin.com/mirrors.html

If you are not running a trial of vmware, (ie., you piad for vmware) you should consider a linux distribution like ubuntu, debian, or fedora core 6. Ubuntu is the most windows-like among those. Otherwise try cygwin, it does not require formatting disks. Unless you add an external USB disk or something, I do not know how you can possibly install any unix at all.

I may be wrong, but I do not know of any unix that that can natively use NTFS or FAT32 instead of ext2 or ufs, etc. (unix flavors of native filesystems).

I could be wrong because most of my time has been on big multiuser boxes.
# 3  
Old 05-05-2007
i have tried vmware-server and virtual pc (microsoft) - both are free and have (as far as i can tell) no limitations. i prefer vmware (less buggy). cygwin is very good, but not a real unix operating system, its an application set running ON windows. cygwin will get your feet wet. i recommend using ubuntu desktop or ubuntu server if you wish to configure everything yourself.

i have had no problems with vmware/ubuntu. check out distrowatch.com if you would like to see what other linux flavors are out there.
# 4  
Old 05-05-2007
Microsoft Services for Unix Version 3.5

You could try downloading Unix Services from Microsoft, it is a free download, and has most of the unix commands, with both the C shell and KSH.
It runs on all the NT operating systems.
# 5  
Old 05-19-2007
Options: Dual boot or VMware

Quote:
Originally Posted by tnad
I'm trying to learn how to use unix by installing it on my windows xp without having to format anything.
You can't install Unix on Windows without a special virtualization software because they are different operating systems. You can install them on the same machine, though. That will need you to have at least two different partitions in your hard disk. Or if you are more adventurours, try VMware that allows a guest operating system to be installed on a host OS.
 
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