Linux For Beginners – Part I – Installing Ubuntu

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First of all, what is Linux? You might say that it’s an operating system like Windows, Mac OS etc. So my next question is what are those named as Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Arch etc. ?

Linux is not an operating system. It’s a kernel that has been released on 5th October, 1991 by Linus Torvalds (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Linux). So Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS etc. are operating systems which were created using Linux kernel.

In these articles, you will be instructed about using Linux. There’s so many advantages in using Linux. It’s always free and open source. Most of software that has designed for Linux are free. So there’s no need of wasting millions of money in other operating systems. Most users of other operating systems say there are no important software, no needed drivers for Linux. That’s their excuse for not using Linux. But I’d say use Linux and point a single purpose that you couldn’t completed with Linux. With other OSs, there are plenty of them. So try Linux. Use these articles to improve your knowledge and as a guide to begin your Linux life.  Because if you’re going to use Linux, you need to be learned. So don’t give your computer to any other person to install, it’s OK to get help, but with the help you need to be do everything so you will be learned.

In the first article, you will be instructed with Linux OS installation. Here I have use Ubuntu Linux for explain. You could use any other OS such as Mint, Fedora etc.

First of all insert your Ubuntu disk or bootable device and boot from it. You will be re directed to the live mode and an installation dialog will be popped-up. If there are no any redirection, you should search for Live Mode or Installation Mode.

01
Figure 1

Choose your language and click on Install Ubuntu (Figure 1). So you will get next dialog (Figure 2).

02
Figure 2

As they mentioned in this window, you should be having at least 6.4GB disk space. But I recommend you to have at least 20GB space so you could use any software without a problem. Plugin to a power source if you have a laptop. Also if you need to download updates during the installation, you should connect your PC to the internet.

Tick Download update while installing if you need to make your OS up to date. Also if you need to install third party software such as MP3 plugins, tick Intall this third party software. And continue to go to the next step (Figure 3).

Figure 3
Figure 3

In here, don’t use Erase disk and install Ubuntu option because it will erase your entire HDD and install Ubuntu. There may be another options such as install with windows or something. Do not go for it also. If you have other OSs, this method will be allowed you to have dual boot system. So select Something else and continue to the next step (Figure4).

Figure 4
Figure 4

Now you will see your partition table. You’ll see buttons with plus mark, with minus mark, change, New Partition Table and Revert. In your windows, if you couldn’t see your partition table and if you only could see /dev/sda, then you’ll have to use New Partition Table button to create a partition table. But with this you’ll destroy your past works. So I’m not recommending you to use that option unless you don’t need anything in your HDD.

With plus and minus buttons, you could create a partition using a free space or delete any partition to create free space. If you have a free space to install Ubuntu, use plus button and change type of the partition to Primary  and location to  Beggining of this space. Change file system to btrfs journaling file system (If btrfs system is not there, use Ext-4 system) and the mount point to root by selecting /.

You could see so many mount points in the selection. In Linux based OSs, you could mount places such as usr, srv, home in different partitions, there are so many advantages in mounting like that. But in the beginning, we mount all those places in the same partition.

Figure 5
Figure 5

If you need to change existing partition, use change button to do it. In here also you have to select same options as before.

Figure 6
Figure 6

If you having less than 4GB memory, it will be good to have a swap partition. Swap is a temporary memory that is inside your HDD. So if you’re going to have a swap partition, use another partition. Select the partition that you’re going to use as swap and change it’s partition table to swap area. Creating swap is optional so if you don’t need it you could just continue.

After all these steps, click on Install Now button (Figure 6). If you haven’t create a swap partition, there will be a warning message. Ignore the message and just continue with the installation.

Figure 7
Figure 7

Then select your location and continue installation (Figure 7).

Figure 8
Figure 8

Then select your keyboard layout and continue installation (Figure 8).

Figure 9
Figure 9

Then there will be a window to create your user account. Type relevant details and continue installation process. Then setup will install the system into your PC.

Figure 10
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 11

Finally restart your PC.

Figure 12
Figure 12

Then there may be displaying a message to remove installation media and press enter. Remove your CD or bootable device from your PC and press enter.

Figure 13
Figure 13

When Ubuntu is boot up, enter your password and press enter.

Figure 14
Figure 14

 

Figure 15
Figure 15

And you will be inside your new Ubuntu desktop. This article will be continued with more Linux based things, until then surf internet and learn more so you could easily use Linux.

Thank you.

Useful different Linux OSs for begginers,

  1. Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com)
  2. Linux Mint (http://www.linuxmint.com)
  3. Fedora (https://getfedora.org)
  4. CentOS (https://www.centos.org)