The Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista include a component called Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications, or SUA. This subsystem is also available in Windows Server 2003 R2, and will be available in Windows Server 2008 (Longhorn). SUA by itself is just a Windows component that provides platform services for UNIX-based applications. You get UNIX tools and an SDK from a separate download.
SUA is the new version of Windows Services for UNIX (SFU), which is available as a separate download for Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (except Home edition). Also see the SFU blog. According to Wikipedia, SFU has a long history.
To install SUA in Windows Vista, go to to Control Panel | Programs and Features, and click on the “Turn Windows features on or off” link. Be patient. It takes a minute or two for Windows to populate a list box of all the available features. Once you see the list, scroll down to “Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications,” and check that box. Press OK after you’ve selected any other features you want to turn on or off.
I don’t know why, but it takes a very long time for Windows to install or configure the Subsystem for Unix Applications. That progress bar stays at zero for at least 10 minutes, and then grows in small leaps. Even after it looks “done,” it keeps thrashing the disk. I didn’t start a timer when I began the installation, but I know took over 30 minutes.
It’s probably a good idea to restart your system after installing SUA. The install didn’t say that I should, but a Microsoft knowledge base article describes problems with programs not responding if you don’t restart after installation. You should also visit Windows Update to obtain any critical updates for SUA. People in the U.S. almost certainly need the update that deals with Daylight Saving Time.
As far as I can tell, just enabling SUA doesn’t actually give you anything useful. I guess it gives you the ability to run UNIX-based apps (that have been recompiled to work with SUA), but you have to download and install the Utilities and SDK for Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications in order to get the common UNIX utilities. Be sure to get the right file for your OS and processor. There are separate versions for Windows Vista and Server 2003 R2, also differentiated among x86, amd64, and IA64.
I have it all installed, and will be experimenting with it over the next few days. More once I’ve had time to figure things out.