Installation on Windows XP (through Portable Ubuntu TRES)

This is a step-by-step guide on installing node.js inside Windows XP through Portable Ubuntu TRES:

1. Download and unpack Portable Ubuntu TRES (self-extracting)

2. Open config/portable_ubuntu.conf in your favourite text editor and add the following around line 61:

ports_to_redirect=tcp:8000:8000

3. Double-click to run pubuntu.exe.

4. Open up Terminal from the Applications/Accessories menu and type:

sudo gedit /etc/init.d/postmount_pubuntu.sh

The sudo password is by default: 123456

5. Replace line 52 with the following (this is to fix a nasty bug that freezes Portable Ubuntu TRES when launching for a second time):

echo >> /etc/fstab
echo "#Entry for cdrom" >> /etc/fstab
echo "/dev/cdrom /media/cdrom udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8" >> /etc/fstab

6. Save and close gedit.

7. Still inside the terminal type the following (one line at a time):

sudo apt-get install g++
sudo apt-get install git-core
git clone git://github.com/ry/node.git
cd node
./configure
make
sudo make install

That’s all! You now can run node.js by typing in the terminal:

node <your_app.js>

and you can go back to Windows and point your browser to http://127.0.0.1:8000 and it should work, provided you have the server listening to port 8000 (if you want to use another port you need to edit portable_ubuntu.conf as described in step 2). Here are a few Hello World examples with code to get you started quickly.

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Extra Tips:

• To share a folder between Windows and Portable Ubuntu edit portable_ubuntu.conf and around line 38:
  

  shared_folder0=C:\your\folder

  and you should find it under the /media/ path in Ubuntu (always after restarting after editing the config file)

• You should also deactivate the screensaver in Ubuntu by going to the System/Preferences/ScreenSaver menu because it might lock the menu and the windows you have opened with no way of gaining access again (another annoying bug).