this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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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.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Not sure why, but a lot of other distros did something just like this in the past (see the comments about WUBI) and no longer do. Q4OS still has a .exe installer though.

[โ€“] onlinepersona 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I couldn't find the source for Q4OS's exe installer ๐Ÿค” They're on github and sourceforge, but neither have the source for it. Am I looking in the wrong places?

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

IIUC, Q4OS only shares its source code on request. Furthermore, the Windows installer is a fork (or somewhat based on) WubiUEFI.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Q4OS still has a .exe installer though.

TIL. This is pretty cool. I wonder how much effort it would cost to make this a viable option for most of the popular distros.