Running Linux inside windows, only linux www connected??

[Mantras]

Is it possible?

The one thing that always f**k up my Windows station is internet.. you need antivirus software, firewall and all that. Right now i have two Windows installed, one for creation and one for communication.. wich sucks to have to switch inbetween all the time.

If the audio and graphic softwares i use would exist for use with linux i would switch in no time. So what about this, could i have Windows running a Linux, and so that Linux is the only system with WWW connection? So windows work just as fresh as an offline DAW would do, and opening Linux lets me surf & email from the same windows system.

[Lost_Highway]

Your talking about running Linux within a virtual machine so you don't have to reboot, right? (With a dual boot you'd be no better off than your current situation for having to reboot.)

In which case you couldn't just disconnect Windows from the net - the VM Linux connection to/from the net would be passed through Windows, it wouldn't run separately to Windows, it sits on top. Virtual machines (the one I use at least) talk in terms of host and guest i.e. the host provides services to the guest - if the host doesn't have the service (net connection) it can't provide it to the guest.

I don't really know much about VM tech and how it works, I just use it from time to time, but I assume that if you accidentally downloaded any nasties - well, you either wouldn't be able to because there'd be no ActiveX or whatever to d/l them on the Linux VM, or if they did get d/l'd they wouldn't be able to run under Linux: the Windows machine would be connected to the net but everything should be getting passed through to the browser in the VM.

You could probably set up a firewall like ZoneAlarm to only allow the Windows processes needed for net access (I forget what they are it's so long since I've fiddled with such stuff) and block everything else like Internet Explorer or Firefox.

It's not quite what you're asking, but it's kinda similar. Dunno if it's much help to you...

[lilith2k3]

So, you mention 2 Problems in one.

1) What are the apps running on Windows that impede your switch?
If really want to switch. It should be possible if not easy.

2) Your primary problem is not, switching to linux, but securing Windows.

What Windows is running on your Box? XP? Vista? If it's Vista, there is no need for a Desktop Firewall or Antivirii Software. Vista is (relativly) secure (as Linux is). If you do not install every crap you find in the internet and do not disable UAC there is nothing to fear.

If you are running XP, which isn't really secure, you have to take several security steps:

a) Make a clean install of Windows (Windows, drivers, codecs, Flash ...)
b) Get all (and i mean all) updates, including SP3
c) Use Firefox or Opera as your default Browser
d) Don't install any Antivirii Software - it will eat your Systemperformance and that was it
e) Don't use a Desktopfirewall, neither free nor commercial ones
it will eat your Performance and your Money too. This stuff is quite useless
f) Instead buy a Router and set up its firewall default deny and route only Ports needed to your PC (in and out) - or at least ask your nephew to do this Or if you have, use an old PC, buy a second network Interface and use a Linux or BSD Distibution devoted to Firewalling (e.g. "Moonwall" will do the trick)
g) Don't trust any website, recommending you to install any additional software

That should do it.

If you are further intrested in switching to Linux, perhaps i could help you.

[Shamanix]

http://www.colinux.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_Linux

Port of the Linux kernel that allows it to run cooperatively alongside another operating system on a single machine.

Never tried it, since I'm running Linux only atm, but sounds cool.

[LBN]

Portable Ubuntu for Windows

A one-click solution based on Cooperative Linux. It runs Ubuntu like an app in Windows.

[aMUSEd]

Portable Ubuntu for Windows

A one-click solution based on Cooperative Linux. It runs Ubuntu like an app in Windows.

Thought I'd try that but it doesn't seem to open Ubuntu - just a console with "pubuntu@pubuntu:~$" - don't know what to do with that

[griels]

Type 'firefox &'

Though this will still use the Windows networking stack by default, so you will still need to run Firewall software on your Windows install.

To be really secure you would need to use a VM that allows USB or PCI passthrough, and run the driver for a network device directly in the Guest OS. VirtualBox or VMware allow the former, but the only one that allows the latter at present that I know of is Xen, which is typically launched from a Linux install (although the Xen hypervisor is, I gather, a microkernel which variouses OSes can sit atop). I heard rumours of PCI passthrough support on CoLinux however...

P.S. here is a 'third way':

http://colinux.wikia.com/wiki/UsingCoLinuxAsAFirewall

Which would at least seal you off from attacks over TCP/IP in Windows. There might be vulnerabilities lower in the Windows networking stack however (not sure how important these are though).

[SE_Newbie]

forget running linux in windows using a VM like qemu try running windows from within linux the same way, or better yet, try using linux all by itself and using WINE to install and run your windoze apps. It would probably be better to dual-boot your system that way or at least back up your windows system and system32 folders so that you can use those .dll files in your WINE installation, making it capable of running more windows programs.

[SE_Newbie]

Portable Ubuntu for Windows
Thought I'd try that but it doesn't seem to open Ubuntu - just a console with "pubuntu@pubuntu:~$" - don't know what to do with that

Actually that is the ubuntu shell prompt. try typing "startx" (minus the quotes) at that prompt and see if it gives you a desktop. If not you may have a problem with display drivers(unlikely, since you are running it from Windoze).