Can I add a new virtual machine for Wubi-ubuntu?

Discussion in 'Linux Virtual Machine' started by anbes, Nov 2, 2010.

  1. anbes

    anbes Bit poster

    Messages:
    6
    I have a Mac OSX with windows 7 in bootcamp partition, that I am able to virtualize from parallels. I am also enable to virtualize the ubuntu that is installed inside windows through wubi. I was wondering If I could add a new virtual machine only for this wubi-ubuntu withou need to reinstall the ubuntu.
    Tks
     
  2. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,229
    Can't you boot into wubi when you boot the Windows 7 virtual machine?

    Another option might be to create a system disk with just the Windows 7 bootmgr files, then edit the bcd boot menu on that disk so it points to the wubi image on the original Windows 7 virtual hard disk. You can have a new Ubuntu virtual machine that includes this disk and the Windows 7 virtual hard disk. You won't be able to use both virtual machines at the same time since they share the Windows 7 virtual hard disk. If you want to be able to use both virtual machines at the same time, then the Ubuntu virtual machine will need it's own copy of wubi or it will need access to the wubi info without including the Windows 7 virtual hard disk (see below).

    wubi uses a virtual disk file, right? Do you know if it's a direct block by block uncompressed representation of a disk? To test that, you could change the file type of the wubi virtual disk to .img in Mac OS X and open it and see if Disk Utility will mount it in the Finder. You may need a extfs file system to see the Linux files in Mac OS X.

    If that works, then the next thing to try is to create a new virtual machine with a new uncompressed virtual hard disk, then edit the DiskDescriptor.xml file inside the .hdd so it points to the wubi disk image on the Windows partition. For this to work, you would need read/write access to the Windows partition which means you have to use something like ntfs-3g in Mac OS X or you need to run the Windows 7 virtual machine so Parallels will mount the Windows 7 virtual hard disk as a Parallels read/write file system. Using the disk image directly is like moving wubi to a dedicated partition but without doing whatever LVPM or wubi-move-to-partition does which might mean it can't work.
     
  3. anbes

    anbes Bit poster

    Messages:
    6
    Ohh man, tks a lot..
    Because I just ocasionally use linux, I`ll let it the way it is, but I apreciate your help...
    tks
     

Share This Page