coLinux: Linux for Windows Without Rebooting (O'ReillyNet) [LWN.net]

O'ReillyNet explores coLinux. "What if you want to run GNU/Linux atop a Windows platform or try Linux without installing it on a partition itself, thereby preserving -- and not even rebooting -- your Windows system? Don't worry; VMware and Virtual PC are not your only choices. A new free software project called coLinux, or Cooperative Linux, lets you do nearly everything User-mode Linux does on Windows 2000 or XP."

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coLinux: Linux for Windows Without Rebooting (O'ReillyNet)

Posted May 3, 2004 15:17 UTC (Mon) by Cato (subscriber, #7643) [Link]

This sounds very useful as long as it doesn't render Windows unstable - should be far more Linux-like than Cygwin, and probably a lot faster and with fewer 'apps must be GPLed' issues.

coLinux: Linux for Windows Without Rebooting (O'ReillyNet)

Posted Apr 15, 2005 19:10 UTC (Fri) by Joshua999 (guest, #29336) [Link]

Dear Mr. O'Reilly,

I am from Switzerland, intending to use CoLinux.

My Question: Do I have to reboot? I don't think so,
BUT:

I got Emule Plus running (of which I am not in the least ashamed,
for i am standing for our Right On Culture in private purpose)
and i read that to install the correct network integration of Windows
to the Linux Emulation, one has got to:

CHANGE THE RUNING INTERNET CONNECTION BY ENABLING THE INTERNET CONNECTION
RELEASE FLAG, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE ABRUPT LOSS OF THE RUNNING CONNECTION ?

Then i would loose all my Queue waiting positions of the precious downloads in eMule Plus, and this Sharing Tool is unlike Limewire or Shareazaa:
It needs at least 10 hours to get to an acceptable speed!!!

So: If the current net connection is endangered, I won't install CoLinux, but it would mean a great advantage to be able to experience Linux without
loosing your active internet connection!!!

Sincerely and thankfully yours for your time and answer

J.G.

coLinux: Linux for Windows Without Rebooting (O'ReillyNet)

Posted Jul 3, 2004 19:25 UTC (Sat) by gtoal (guest, #22782) [Link]

I've been using it for some weeks now and it is rock-solid stable. I set mine up to start as a service, and since I normally use WinXP for work purposes, I have frequently completely forgotten that coLinux is already started and running. I can connect to it any time I need linux access by using ssh. (This is on my laptop by the way)

It was very awkward to set up but these are early days for this code; it is remarkably solid already. I did have to switch to the gentoo distribution rather than SuSE which I use on my 'real' linux host, but actually that was quite fun too as the emerge/portage system of gentoo is a good innovation. Be warned however that it takes several days to fetch and compile your entire linux system so expect to require a fast link and a fast CPU.

Scores 8/10 for me - and will get 10/10 once it has an idiot-proof installer and can easily allow more versions of Linux to be installed by non-experts.