From another comment I made

A linux installer for windows that works just like a normal installer on windows. You download the .exe, double click it, it opens a wizard you can walk though, and by the end of the process, after it reboots, you’re in a linux distro.

How could something like this be implemented?

My idea:

Best case scenario where multiple data partitions exist and can accommodate the user data stored on C:/ + there’s a swap partition -->

  • download a linux iso
  • deactivate swap
  • replace swap partition with ISO contents
  • modify contents to auto install linux with settings from wizard
  • add boot entry to boot from old swap / modified ISO
  • reboot
  • install linux with a nice progress animation
    • move user data from C:/ to other partition
    • replace C:/ with linux
    • install alternatives to programs found on windows (firefox for edge, gimp for paint, inkscape for …, libreoffice for MS office, etc.)
    • move user data to /home/$username
    • configure DE with theme (gnome for macos look, kde with theme for windows look)
    • other customisations
  • reboot into linux

Dunno if this is feasible in the best case scenario.

Anti Commercial-AI license

  • @CameronDev@programming.dev
    14•6 months ago

    In the bad old days there used to be an ubuntu tool that you could install linux from windows. From memory it created a disk image inside your Windows drive, and then setup a boot environment that could mount and boot into the disk image. Kinda like a livecd, but persistent?

    Ill try find more info and update. (Ah, its Wubi, which the other poster mentioned already).

    https://github.com/hakuna-m/wubiuefi

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_(software)

    • @onlinepersona@programming.devOPEnglish
      4•6 months ago

      Looks interesting, thank you. The biggest difference I can see here is the installation to virtual drive on an NTFS partition. But it’s good to know that a lot of the work has been done. Probably one could go a little further and not use a virtual drive.

      In the bad old days there used to be an ubuntu tool that you could install linux from windows.

      Why bad old days?

      Anti Commercial-AI license

      • @CameronDev@programming.dev
        3•6 months ago

        Looong time ago, and the linux world wasnt anywhere near stable and polished as it is now (neither was Windows either if we are being honest with ourselves).

        While Wubi does not install Ubuntu directly to its own partition this can also be accomplished by using LVPM, the Loopmounted Virtual Partition Manager, to transfer the Wubi-generated Ubuntu installation to a dedicated real partition

        I vaguely recall using something like that and trashing both OS installs.

        Resizing partitions live is very dangerous, which is why normally its done from a bootable CD or USB. Doing it live from Windows wont be easy. And if you have to boot into a usb or dvd environment, may as well just use the regular installation media?

        • elmicha
          2•6 months ago

          Recently I got a new PC with Windows, and it could resize its partition without problems. You can do it even with Powershell. I don’t know how dangerous it is, but with the whole “copying user data” I would hope that the installer would advise users to create a full backup anyway.

          • @CameronDev@programming.dev
            2•6 months ago

            No reboot? Impressive, maybe MS solved that problem.

            Shrinking/moving is usually the more dangerous operation, but maybe they have solved it.

            No matter how many times you tell users to backup their data, they won’t do it, and will blame you for their data loss anyway :D