I would suggest you dual boot your laptop [instead of running Windows on top of Linux using VirtualBox (or VMWare or ..)] if you are worried about getting back to original Windows install. Another idea, if you only use Windows occasionally, is to buy a SSD and swap out your laptop’s existing disk [assuming your existing disk is swappable]. Then you can install Linux on a separate disk altogether. If you have USB-C on the laptop, buy an external enclosure with USB-C connector and install your Window’s disk in that and boot off the external drive/Windows when you need to use it. VMs usually consume a lot of memory so unless your laptop has a lot of RAM (>= 8GB), it might not be practical to run Windows as a VM. Regards, Spencer > On Jan 18, 2020, at 10:27, Allan Topp <ad707 [ at ] ncf [ dot ] ca> wrote: > > > I wasn't aware of the VirtualBox" option. Thank you for introducing me to it. > > Having done a bit of looking I think I'm right in saying that if the VirtualBox was on Windoze then ubuntu would just be a Windoze application and that, therefore, it would be a Windows connection to the internet. I trust Linux completely on the 'net. I do not trust Windows at all. My Acer Windows was never connected to the internet. Consequently it gave me no problems. And that's how I want it. So, if my supposition is correct then a VM on Windows doesn't do it for me. > > And I think I have a major problem the other way around. Were I to just install ubuntu, thereby losing Windows, I don't think there is any way to get it back again. It may be a price I have to pay but meantime I'd rather try and get someone to install a dual boot for me. > > Thanks for your response. > > On 2020-01-18 9:20 a.m., Alan McKay wrote: >> First - I'd prefer to keep this on the list so when you reply back >> please make sure it goes to the list. >> >> Which OS do you use more? Linux or Windows? It sounds like you use >> Linux more in which case that should be the one you install on the >> "bare metal". i.e install it first. >> >> Once you have Linux installed you should install the "virt-manager" >> package, which should pull in everything else required. Then use >> virt-manage to install a VM (virtual machine) for Windows - this >> allows Windows to run inside of (or on top of whichever way you look >> at it) your Linux install. I would suggest you google from here to >> find out more. >> >> If you do run Windows more than Linux then start with Windows and look >> at Virtual Box (google) to run a Linux VM on top of Windows. > > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org