So you have heard of Linux and one of its most popular flavors (Ubuntu) and want to try it out on your Windows system.? (Most people probably don’t know what Linux is and where it came from.) So, if you are new to Linux I just wanted to quickly mention that the name is derived from Linus Torvalds (the creator of Linux) a kick-ass Software Engineer and Computer Scientist from Finland. Learn more about him!
To make a long story short Ubuntu is a community developed operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. Whether you use it at home, at school or at work Ubuntu contains all the applications you’ll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools.
Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing.
INSTALLING PORTABLE UBUNTU ON WINDOWS XP
The installation procedure is simple enough. Goto
http://portableubuntu.demonccc.com.ar/ and download from the Souce Forge Site.
Next drop that application file into your local hard-drive or on a USB or flash drive (choice is yours). Run the application (Double click on the Portable_Ubuntu.exe icon and it will self extract).
Lets stick to the easiest way to get started.
double click on portable_ubuntu.bat to start the Operating System. The portable_ubuntu.bat can be found where you extracted the application.
Once you have done that you should see screens similar to the one below of the installation process. Dont worry about any errors at this stage, it should work straight out of the box.
All you have to do after the install is complete is to watch out for the rectangular Ubuntu Dockable Palette on your desktop - it looks just like the screen below. You can drag it around and Portable Ubuntu lets you work with Dual monitors too!
Thats it you are done. Now you can have an Ubuntu Shell right in your Windows operating system. Note that Portable Ubuntu does work on Windows Vista and Seven, however you have to log on as the administrator to prevent security issues.
Check out some of these links as a reference in case you run into problems:
http://lifehacker.com/5195999/portable-ubuntu-runs-ubuntu-inside-windowshttp://portableubuntu.demonccc.cloudius.com.ar/documentationhttp://www.pendrivelinux.com/portable-qemu-persistent-ubuntu-linux/www.howtoforge.com/running-ubuntu-on-windows-xp-with-portable-ubuntu 
