Hi,
Got it working on my computer. Here's what you do:
1. Download MS Dumb C++ from M$ (warning: it's heavily bloated) okay, it's Visual C++, I have the professional version,
but express (free) version should work fine too.
2. Download ZIP, (you may also need bzip2.dll) from GNUWin32 (
http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/zip.htm)
Here's for Bzip2 (
http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/bzip2.htm) Put them in your $PATH folder.
3. Open up Cygwin cd to bochs source directory.
4. Run from cygwin (assuming you've everything required):
sh .conf.win32-vcpp
make win32_snap
5. Now there should be a new directory call vs2008, open that, and select "bochs.sln", and open it with VC++.
6. MSVC++ 2010/2012 will complain (as usual) that the project is waaaay too old. NOTE: If you can grab a copy of VS2008 then it's
better but VC++2010/2012 should be able to properly convert it.
7. Follow the conversion steps.
8. Make sure you have a backup, VC++ will ask whether to create a backup, it's recommended to do this, since
MSVC++ can screw up easily.
9. After you have opened the project select "bochs" from Solution Explorer. Go to Project->Set as startup project.
10. Goto Build->Build Solution.
11. Goto Build->Build bochs.
12. Now goto the bochs source directory, open obj-debug and you should see bochs.exe, bximage.exe etc., you're done!
I have Visual Studio 2010 professional, with Windows 7 32-bit. It's a fresh install (just installed it 2 days ago after crash)
As for installing Linux alongside Windows, I think Ubuntu provides a Windows installer, (it's an application that'll do everything download Ubuntu, create partitions, install it.) once it finishes you'll be requested to reboot.
-Bender