Ubuntu is one of the most popular forms of the Linux operating system.
It is available for free, and will run on almost any computer. This
guide will show you how to install Ubuntu by booting from a CD or within
Windows itself.
1 Download the installer from the Ubuntu website. If your browser prompts you, select Run, Save, or Open. The Windows installer is not compatible with Windows 8. You must use the method in the previous section. The Windows installer will install Ubuntu alongside Windows. Your files and programs will not be affected. When you reboot your computer, you will be able to choose which operating system you would like to load.
Method 1 of 2: Installing From CD/DVD
1 Download the Ubuntu ISO file. You can get the ISO file from the Ubuntu website. An ISO file is a CD image file that will need to be burned
before you can use it. There are two options available from the Ubuntu
website (you can also buy official Ubuntu CDs, which come in packs of
10):
12.04 LTS has continuous updates and provides technical support. It
is scheduled to be supported until April 2017. This option will give you
the most compatibility with your existing hardware.
13.04 is the latest Ubuntu build, and comes with limited support. It has
the newest features, though they may not work with all hardware. This
release is geared more towards experienced Linux users.
- If you have a Windows 8 PC or a PC with UEFI firmware, download the 64-bit version of Ubuntu. Most older machines should download the 32-bit version.
2 Burn the ISO file. Open up your burning program of choice. There are free and paid programs available that can burn an ISO to a CD or DVD.
Windows 7, 8, and Mac OS X can all burn ISO files to a disc without having to download a separate program.
3 Boot from the disc. Once
you have finished burning the disc, restart your computer and choose to
boot from the disc. You may have to change your boot preferences by
hitting the Setup key while your computer is restarting. This is
typically F12, F2, or Del.
4 Try Ubuntu before installing.
Once you boot from the disc, you will be given the option to try Ubuntu
without installing it. The operating system will run from the disc, and
you will have a chance to explore the layout of the operating system.
Open the Examples folder to see how Ubuntu handles files and exploring the operating system.
- Once you are done exploring, open the Install file on the desktop.
5 Install Ubuntu. Your
computer will need at least 4.5 GB of free space. You will want more
than this if you want to install programs and create files. If you are
installing on a laptop, make sure that it is connected to a power
source, as installing can drain the battery faster than normal.
Check the “Download updates automatically” box, as well as the
“Install this third-party software” box. The third-party software will
allow you to play MP3 files as well as watch Flash video (such as
YouTube).
6 Set up the wireless connection. If your computer is not connected to the internet via Ethernet, you can configure your wireless connection in the next step.
- If you didn’t have an internet connection in the previous step, hit the Back button after setting up the wireless connection so that you can enable automatic updates.
7 Choose what to do with your existing operating system.
If you have Windows installed on your system, you will be given a
couple options on how you’d like to install Ubuntu. You can either
install it alongside your previous Windows installation, or you can
replace your Windows installation with Ubuntu.
If you install it alongside your old version of Windows, you will be
given the option to choose your operating system each time you reboot
your computer. Your Windows files and programs will remain untouched.
- If you replace your installation of Windows with Ubuntu all of your Windows files, documents, and programs will be deleted.
8 Set your partition size.
If you are installing Ubuntu alongside Windows, you can use the slider
to adjust how much space you would like to designate for Ubuntu.
Remember that Ubuntu will take up about 4.5 GB when it is installed, so
be sure to leave some extra space for programs and files.
Once you are satisfied with your settings, click Install Now.
9 Choose your location. If
you are connected to the internet, this should be done automatically.
Verify that the timezone displayed is correct, and then click the
Continue button.
10 Set your keyboard layout.
You can choose from a list of options, or click the Detect Keyboard
Layout button to have Ubuntu automatically pick the correct option.
11 Enter your login information.
Enter your name, the name of the computer (which will be displayed on
the network), choose a username, and come up with a password. You can
choose to have Ubuntu automatically log you in, or require your username
and password when it starts.
12 Wait for the installation process to complete. Once you choose your login info, the installation will begin. During setup, various tips for using Ubuntu will be displayed on the screen. Once it is finished, you will be prompted to restart the computer and Ubutnu will load.
Method 2 of 2: Using the Windows Installer
1 Download the installer from the Ubuntu website. If your browser prompts you, select Run, Save, or Open. The Windows installer is not compatible with Windows 8. You must use the method in the previous section. The Windows installer will install Ubuntu alongside Windows. Your files and programs will not be affected. When you reboot your computer, you will be able to choose which operating system you would like to load.
2 Choose your username and password. Once you run the installer, you will be presented with the configuration menu. Choose your new Ubuntu username and password.
You can also change the size of the Ubuntu installation. A larger
installation will give your Linux operating system more space to
installprograms and add files, but this will take away from the free
space that Windows has access to.
- You can choose your Desktop environment. The three most common are:
- Ubuntu (the most popular) has Gnome which resembles Mac OS X
- Kubuntu has KDE which resembles Windows
- Xubuntu has Xfce which is faster and good for older PCs.
3 Click Install to start.
The installer will begin downloading the files necessary to install
Ubuntu on your computer. Installation will happen automatically.
Downloading the files can take a significant amount of time
depending on your internet connection. You can use your computer while
the files download in the background.
4 Restart your computer.
Once the installation is complete, you will be given the option to
reboot now or later. When you reboot, you will see a new menu before
Windows starts that allows you to choose between Windows and Ubuntu.
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