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I got a problem with installing ubuntu with the help of wubi. My configuration is a laptop with single hdd, Windows XP SP3 and my user account with admin rights. Wubi version is rev245.

I can manually change the file boot.ini (and I already removed the read-only flag) but wubi always crashes with the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "\lib\wubi\application.py", line 58, in run
File "\lib\wubi\application.py", line 132, in select_task
File "\lib\wubi\application.py", line 158, in run_installer
File "\lib\wubi\backends\common\tasklist.py", line 197, in __call__
File "\lib\wubi\backends\win32\backend.py", line 606, in modify_bootini
File "\lib\wubi\backends\common\utils.py", line 239, in write_file
IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: 'C:\\boot.ini'

I added the following line manually


but I am stuck with a grub shell bootloader that doesn't recognize any kernels (as these files weren't copied).

Is there a switch to tell wubi to proceed even if it can't access boot.ini perhaps?

Thank you for your help!

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3 Answers 3

Try to login to the account with administrator permissions instead of just selecting Run as .. Administrator.

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Make sure wubi.exe is run as Administrator. I think you can right-click, select Run as.. Administrator.

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I already tried this, doesn't change anything. –  powerbar Jan 19 '12 at 8:46
This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post. –  atenz Aug 23 '12 at 16:05
I don't really understand how this is not an answer. It was not a request for feedback. It was an answer based on the assumption that if he's not allowed to open a system file, it's because he's not running the program as an administrator -- which is required. –  Jo-Erlend Schinstad Sep 3 '12 at 5:43

Right click>run as>USERNAME>Untick the box underneath worked for me

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I might want to detail this answer a bit more. For starters, "right click" on what? –  Luís de Sousa Nov 26 '13 at 13:40

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