I have recently bought myself an Eee PC 1011PX that came with Windows 7 Starter. I have since upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate, however, I also wish to install Ubuntu on a separate partition. My question is whether or not this is possible, and whether or not the boot loader that comes with Ubuntu will interfere with the OS Switch that currently allows switching between Windows 7 and Express Gate Cloud?

A quick Google search has revealed that I can install EeeXUbuntu on an SDHC, and therefore avoid installing a boot loader altogether. However, it's release date leaves a lot to be desired.... I could always install Xandros that is more Eee PC friendly, however, I'd be asking the same questions as above. What's more, I don't think that Xandros is free.

My second question is whether or not Ubuntu can be installed on a SDHC, and executed in a similar fashion to EeeXUbuntu?

Any advice/help would be appreciated.

1 Answer

I also wish to install Ubuntu on a separate partition.

Yes, it's possible.

whether or not the boot loader that comes with Ubuntu will interfere with the OS Switch that currently allows switching between Windows 7 and Express Gate Cloud?

Am I correct in assuming that the switch works once you are booted into Windows 7? If so, the Ubuntu bootloader (grub) should not affect it. Of course, you will most probably not be able to switch from within Ubuntu to the Express Gate Cloud (but that's when Privacy Mode comes in handy!).

My second question is whether or not Ubuntu can be installed on a SDHC, and executed in a similar fashion to EeeXUbuntu?

Yes, it can certainly be installed on the SDHC and executed, provided your eee-pc supports booting from SDHC. Ages ago, my eee-PC 901 certainly did (with Ubuntu!), so I don't see why yours wouldn't. Please note that running Ubuntu from SDHC will be noticeably slower once you start doing things inside Ubuntu.

One option you haven't mentioned is WUBI. This is a Windows installer for Ubuntu which installs Ubuntu on the Windows partition as a virtual hard disk (one large file, minimum 4GB). It then allows you to select Ubuntu at boot-up from the Windows bootloader. This way, nothing critical is changed, and WUBI will certainly be much, much faster than running from SDHC. Besides, it's safer -- what if you accidentally eject the SDHC when you're working?

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