If you are not impressed by the new version of the Windows operating system, then you can try to install an alternative option on your computer - Linux OS. This review will provide detailed instructions for installing the Linux operating system on a laptop or computer.
Also, the article will consider the different versions of the Linux OS. Well, let's get started ...
Which version of Linux is best to install
Ubuntu is one of the most popular versions of Linux today. It is this distribution that can be most often found on new laptops. Ubuntu is currently one of the more progressive distributions. But today, many Linux operating system aficionados are already expressing the opinion that Ubuntu no longer follows its original philosophy. It is no longer as simple as it used to be. This is indeed the case. There have been many innovations in the OS over the past couple of years. For this reason, Ubuntu has become quite resource intensive. It is no longer as simple as it used to be. But this was its main advantage.
The most popular Linux distributions are also Linux OpenSUSE and Linux-mint. Both distributions have already gained wide popularity among users. The main reason for this attitude is the simplicity of the operating system. In addition, it is not too resource intensive. The choice of the distribution kit will depend only on you. You can try all types of Linux operating systems simply by running them from the appropriate installation disc.
This Linux installation guide will be based on the Linux Ubuntu example, since this is the version that is most popular.
Installing Linux OS
First of all, let's see how you can install Linux using a disk. You need to go to the Russian-language Ubuntu site. From here you can download the latest system image. From the list of proposed images, you will need to choose the one that best suits the architecture of your laptop or computer. It is better, of course, to install a 64-bit OS, but if the technical specifications of your computer do not allow installing such a version, you will have to use a 32-bit one.
Minimum system requirements to install Linux Ubuntu operating system
If you want to install an Ubuntu operating system on your computer, it must meet the following system requirements:
- RAM not less than 512 MB;
- 1GHz processor;
- 5 GB free memory;
- discrete or integrated video adapter;
- processor: 2 GHz
- RAM, 4 GB;
- 20 GB of free hard disk space;
- discrete or integrated video adapter.
Ubuntu operating system image
The link to the operating system image should be in the following format: releases.ubuntu.com/13.04/Ubuntu-xx.xx-desktop-amd64.iso.torrent. The letters xx.xx are replaced by the year and month of the release of the operating system version. The word "desktop" means that the OS is not intended for a server, but for a home PC. The last parameter indicates the 64-bit version. After you find the link you need, click on it and download the OS image to your computer's hard drive. In order to download the image to your computer, you must have a special torrent client program installed. For Windows OS, uTorrent is usually used. After that, you need to insert a blank disc into the optical drive and write the image to the disc. While the disc is being written, you can start re-saving the data.
Copying data
If your PC is currently running Windows, it is best to save the files located on drive C. Pay particular attention to the "Documents" and "Downloads" folders. This section will be formatted when installing Linux OS. Gamers are also better off re-saving all their game saves. You can also go to the Internet browser you are using and save all bookmarks and passwords in it.
Preparatory process
After all the necessary information has been saved, insert the disk with the image into the drive and restart your computer or laptop. When restarting the PC upon reboot, go to the BIOS settings and set the following parameters in them: for initial boot - CD-ROM, for secondary - HARD DRIVE. This is necessary so that the computer does not ignore the installation disc and boot from it. Otherwise, the system will boot from the hard disk. After setting these parameters, save the changes you made. In order for the computer to boot from the disk, you will need to confirm the type of boot you selected. A few seconds later the Ubuntu bootloader window will appear.
Installation process
After booting from disk, a welcome window will appear on the screen. Here you will be asked to select a language.
After choosing the language, you must select one of the following:
- try Ubuntu;
- install Ubuntu.
Since this article is devoted to the installation of the Ubuntu operating system, it will focus directly on the installation process itself, and not on the test. After you choose the Ubuntu installation option, you will need to make certain settings.
First, the installer will make sure that your computer meets the required parameters, specifically:
- whether there is free space on the hard disk;
- whether the device is connected to a power source;
- is there a connection to the Internet.
You can also specify in advance that the operating system downloads the required codec and driver package itself. All you need to do for this is to put a tick in front of the item "Download updates during installation". After that, you must click on the "Continue" button.
Next, you will be prompted to select the type of installation. In the event that your computer has a hard drive on which there is no data, you can choose the option "Erase the disk and install Ubuntu". Advanced users are better off using "Other Option".
If the installer detects other operating systems, the plot will develop slightly differently. The installer may suggest that you demolish the previous version of the operating system and install Ubuntu in its place. If you decide to use this option, please note that the installer will format your hard drive.
Better to choose "Other Option". After choosing this option, you need to go to the hard disk partition management menu. If you are using an unformatted or blank disk, you will need to create a "New Partition Table". If partitions already exist on the disk, there is no need to create a new table. In the event that the hard disk has not been formatted, you must select a free area and click the + button. To create a partition with the desired size, you need to set the parameters:
- section type: primary;
- partition location: the beginning of this space;
- use as: journaled file system Ext4;
- mount point: /.
After that we press the "Ok" button. Just keep in mind that if you are installing an operating system on a blank hard drive, then in this case, unlike Windows, it does not need to be divided into several partitions. A slightly different architecture is used here. It is enough to make only two partitions: the main one, which will contain the operating system and files, and the swap partition. The size of the swap partition must be equal to the amount of RAM.
If the amount of RAM is 2 GB, then the swap partition should be no more than 2 GB. If the amount of RAM exceeds 2 GB, then the paging file must be equal to the amount of RAM. To create a swap partition, use the same methods as to create a primary partition. You need to allocate free space, click on the + button and enter the following parameters:
- type of the main section: logical;
- location of the new section: the beginning of this space;
- use as: swap partition;
- confirm the creation of the swap partition by clicking on the "Ok" button.
If some information is already recorded on disk D, then you need to select this section and click on the "Change" button. In the window that appears, select the following options:
- use like NTFS;
- section: do not format;
- mount point: / media / name.
Click on the "Ok" button. The same steps must be done with other NTFS partitions, only specifying different names, for example, media / documents or media / download. Once again we double-check all the system settings and press the "Install now" button. After that, you can proceed to the preparatory stage. The installer will ask you to locate your location on a map. Select it and click on the "Continue" button. Now select your keyboard layout. It is recommended to select the English layout. After installing the system, you can add the Russian layout in the settings. After that we press "Continue". The installer will then ask you to enter your account settings. You will need to specify:
- your name: you must enter it in Latin letters;
- computer name: it is desirable to also enter the user account settings;
- Username;
- password and password confirmation from the account;
- type of login: only when entering a password or automatic.
Let's talk a little about passwords. It is clear that the stronger the password, the better. Keep in mind that you will need to enter it quite often, so it is better to come up with a combination that will be easy for you to remember.
If the computer is intended for home use only, and only you will work on it, then you can select the option to automatically log in. In this case, you will not need to enter a password every time. Check the correctness of the information entered and click on the "Continue" button.
Next, the installer will show you a few slides showing the features and benefits of Ubuntu. We will not dwell on this in detail within the framework of this review.
After completing a short presentation, you will see a window in which you will be asked to visit the official website of the system. You will know about the completion of the installation process by seeing the corresponding informational message. After that, you need to click on the "Restart" button. The corresponding console will appear.
When you restart the computer, you must return the OS startup parameters: primary boot - Hard Drive, secondary - CD-ROM. We recommend that you use these startup settings. In this case, the operating system will boot faster. Then remove the installation disc from your computer, save any settings changes, and restart your computer. That's it, Ubuntu is installed!
Should I install Ubuntu on my PC
This is more of a rhetorical question. It is definitely quite difficult to answer it. Linux has many advantages, but it is also not without its disadvantages. Let's try to put everything on the shelves. The first advantage of Linux over Windows is that it is free of charge. This is the main benefit that allows users to save around $ 100. The disadvantages of the Linux operating system include software.
Unfortunately, most of the programs you are used to will not work in the new operating system. Users have to spend some time selecting worthy analogs. Today there are quite a few programs analogous to the Linux operating system. In some ways they are inferior to the original versions, but this undoubtedly has its own advantages. Also for the Linux operating system, some programs are specially released that run on Windows.
Using special emulators that create a virtual Windows shell, you can install on a Linux PC many programs designed to run on Windows, for example Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. Programs for the Linux operating system are generally distributed completely free of charge, which is exactly their advantage.
If we talk about computer games, then the situation is much worse: most popular games installed on Windows will not be available for the operating system. Only online versions of games will be available to users.
Linux is not the best option for a work computer. Specialized software today is written mainly for the Windows operating system.
Conclusion
Some conclusions can be drawn. For a home computer, the Linux operating system is a pretty good option if you are going to use the computer for listening to music and watching movies. If you have an idea to install a Linux operating system on your computer, then you can first try to test it from a disk without removing Windows.
The biggest, most important and, as many people think - difficult step in getting started with Ubuntu is installing it. However, I argue that this is not at all the case, and installing Ubuntu is no more difficult than Windows! But since the Ubuntu file system, like any other Linux system, is fundamentally different from Windows, users often have a problem with determining the partition to install and specifying mount points. To deal with these issues once and for all, I decided to write a new article on installing Ubuntu on one Windows computer (the old one can be read) and this time literally "explain everything on the fingers", adding screenshots of the process with a detailed description. Questions, as usual, can be asked in the comments \u003d).
Once again, I repeat that in this article we are considering a specific case of installing Ubuntu on a computer on which Windows is already installed and running!
You can find counter settings in Yandex Metric here https://digitalnews.ru/.
Creating a bootable disk or flash drive
So, you downloaded the ISO image of the Ubuntu system (if not, then download it here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop). We now have 2 options:
- Create bootable DVD. Instructions:.
- Create a bootable USB stick. Instructions:.
Then we restart the computer from a disk or flash drive. If you do not know how to do this, this is the topic of a whole separate article. In short, I can only tell you that on most computers you need to press F12 or ESC at the moment when the computer screen just lit up to get a choice from where to boot the computer. It is also possible that on the loading screen at the bottom you are prompted for which button and for what to press. Look for "Boot menu" in the tips.
Installing Ubuntu
After the computer has booted from the installation flash drive or disk, you will see a window like this:
Here you need to select Russian in the left menu and click on the "Install Ubuntu" button, and you will proceed to prepare for installing Ubuntu:
Here, the installer will tell you if there is enough free space on your hard disk to install the system, if the computer is connected to the mains (to avoid surprises, it is better to plug your laptop into a power outlet), and if you also have Internet access.
An internet connection is required to be able to update the system immediately after installation, even before the first start. If you have unlimited Internet access, it is recommended to connect to the Internet and tick the box " Download updates during installationYou can connect to Wi-fi using the network icon in the upper right corner of the screen, next to the clock.
Item " Install this third party software"will install into the system some codecs for playing multimedia formats. By default, they are not installed in the system due to patent restrictions in some countries.
Click "Continue" and go to the choice of "installation type":
Here we are offered 3 options:
- Install Ubuntu alongside Windows... In this case, the installer will automatically shrink your Windows partition, create a new disk partition on the resulting empty space, and install Ubuntu there. Despite the apparent simplicity and convenience, I DO NOT RECOMMEND to use this method, because in this case, you have no control over which disk partition to shrink (if there are several) and how much space to allocate for Ubuntu.
- Replace Windows with Ubuntu... In this case, you will lose not only Windows, but in general ALL DATA on your computer. This item should be selected only if you really do not need to save anything on your hard disk, and you are going to work on your computer only with Ubuntu. When choosing this type of installation, you will be able to select 2 additional options:
- Encrypt the new Ubuntu installation - this means that the entire Ubuntu partition will be fully encrypted. This will decrease the performance of the hard drive a little, but no one can read your data from outside Ubuntu without knowing your password, or by connecting your hard drive to another computer. For novice users, I DO NOT recommend doing this in order to avoid difficulties if you want to redo everything later.
- Use LVM with the new Ubuntu installation - includes the LVM logical volume manager - for novice users it is better not to touch it, and since our article is intended specifically for beginners, we will stop here and will not explain anything \u003d).
- Another variant... Allows you to independently determine the structure of your disks and partitions for installation. This is the method we will use.
We select "Another option", press "continue" and proceed to the most important step.
So, here is the structure of your hard drives and partitions on them. In the screenshot above, you can see the structure of my hard drive - yours may look a little different. Let's try to understand mine, and then yours will also become clear to you.
We look at the table shown above and see that I have one hard disk (/ dev / sda) in my computer, and on it there is only one partition (/ dev / sda1) of NTFS type (standard type for Windows), its size is 32210 megabytes and it has Windows installed. This is the same partition that Windows calls "Drive C:". Perhaps you have one or more sections. Your task is to choose from the partitions you have, the one that suits you in order to reduce its size by 10 GB and create partitions for Ubuntu from the resulting empty space. In my case, there is nothing to choose from, so I will shrink my Windows partition.
So, select the partition you want to shrink (I select the / dev / sda1 partition where Windows is installed) and click on the "Change" button. After clicking on the button, the following window opens:
Consider this window:
- The size - here we indicate the new size of the disk. My disk was 32210 Megabytes in size and I want to allocate about 10 Gigabytes for Ubuntu, so I specify the new disk size as 22000 Megabytes.
- Use as - here you need to select the type of disc. Because we have NTFS disk type and we are not going to change it, we select "ntfs" from the list.
- Format partition - DO NOT INCLUDE this item, otherwise it will erase all data on this disk, including Windows. We want to save Windows and our data, so we DO NOT tick the box here.
- Mount point - this is the thing that confuses all Linux newbies. The filesystem structure of Ubuntu and Linux generally implies that there is a root folder ("/") where the operating system is installed. All other folders, disks, flash drives and other devices are connected inside it. If you still don't understand anything, don't be alarmed, just select the mount point "/ windows" from the drop-down list so you can access your files and folders on this partition through the "/ windows" folder in Ubuntu.
After you have filled in all the fields, once again look at my screenshot, then at the filled fields you have, once again think carefully whether you did everything right and click the "OK" button. The installer will warn you that this action cannot be undone (meaning that you cannot just click "cancel" and return everything as it was, but the disk structure, of course, can be made the same again if you suddenly change your mind).
Click to continue and wait. You may have to wait no more than a minute, and possibly several hours - it all depends on how much free space you have on the selected disk partition, and how it is "distributed". Do not under any circumstances turn off or restart your computer during this operation - most likely, you will be left without all your data. Be careful, and it is better to make sure in advance that the laptop is connected to the charger. After the operation is completed, we see changes in the disk table: now we have free space.
Select the "free space" and click on the button with the plus sign ("Add"). A new window opens:
Here we will first create what is called a "swap" (or SWAP) partition. The swap partition is used in the event that the system, for some reason, does not have enough computer RAM. On Windows this is called a "swap file" and is stored as a simple file, while on Linux it uses a separate partition.
Note: In the old Linux beginner articles, you might find a recommendation to create a swap partition equal to twice the amount of RAM. Such recommendations were given at a time when RAM was measured in megabytes, and the volumes of hard disks - at best, tens of gigabytes, and at the moment such recommendations are NOT SUITABLE for home and office computers, tk. in this case, the volume of the swap partition will be too large and useless. You can often find a recommendation to abandon the swap partition altogether. there is a lot of RAM on modern computers. I also disagree with this. in a system even with a very large amount of RAM, a critical situation and a lack of memory can occur. Therefore, for any amount of RAM on modern home and office computers, I recommend creating a 1 GB swap partition.
So, we indicate:
- The size: 1024 Mb. That is 1 Gigabyte.
- New section type: If you can choose, then choose "logical". We will not dwell on the types of sections in detail, since we focus the article on a novice user who does not go into technical details. Those interested will find in the search engine mountains of information and explanations on the topic "types of disk partitions".
- : select "Beginning of this space". In short, the closer the partition is to the beginning of the disk, the higher the read / write speed of data on it, and this is especially important for the swap partition.
- Use as: swap partition.
Done, click "OK" and see what happened:
Now we see that we have a new swap type partition (swap partition). However, there is still free space. Select it again and click on the button with the plus sign ("Add"):
This time we will create the main partition where Ubuntu will be installed:
- The size: maximum possible (should be entered by default);
- New section type: If you can choose, then choose "logical".
- Location of the new section: select "Beginning of this space".
- Use as: Ext4 journaled file system. This is the standard on most modern Linux systems. Ubuntu can be installed on other file systems, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, but we will not dwell on this in detail.
- Mount point: "/". This means - "root folder", that is, the most important and basic directory in the system. This is where Ubuntu is installed.
Click "OK". As a result, I got the following table:
You should have it about the same. Here we must once again make sure that the "Format?" it should only be on the ext4 partition with the mount point "/" and in no case should it be on the partitions on which you want to save your data.
Click on "Install Now" and the installer starts making changes to the partition structure of your hard drive and copying the Ubuntu files to the disk. In the meantime, we answer secondary questions:
"Where are you?" - a question to determine the time zone and regional standards. If you are not in the default location, you can click on the map, or you can enter the name of the area in English.
To the question "Who are you?" you must write your real name (well, or whatever name you like), the name of the computer on the network (you can leave it alone and leave it as it is), the username - that is, your login, with which you will be authorized on the computer and the password ...
You should also specify how you will log in:
- Log in automatically... That is, when you turn on the computer, you will not be asked for a login or password, and you will immediately be taken to your desktop. In this case, the password must still be remembered, since his system will ask you whenever you change any global settings or install programs.
- Require password to login... This is a more secure login method, which is especially recommended if you store confidential data on your computer, work with money, or simply do not want anyone to have access to your account at your home or office.
By selecting the second item, you can also enable the " Encrypt my home folder"- in this case, your personal files cannot be read from another system, or by connecting your hard drive to another computer.
That's all! It remains only to wait until the copying of the Ubuntu files and updating the system is completed (if you selected the appropriate item at the first stage of the installation). When finished, the installer will prompt you to restart your computer in order to enter your new Ubuntu system!
Many people think that installing Linux is the hardest task to get started with. But in fact, installing Ubuntu turns out to be not particularly difficult for Windows, you just need to have a little knowledge about the procedure. Let's say right away that the article will consider the installation of Ubuntu on a second system next to Windows, although the information is useful for a regular installation.
Linux systems today come in a variety of platforms to choose from, depending on individual tasks and user requirements. The most widespread and popular variant is Ubuntu, one of the most progressive distributions. Over the past years, the platform has been supplemented with numerous innovations, significantly expanding the user experience.
Other common distributions include Linux OpenSUSE and Linux-mint, which are distinguished by their ease of use, although their capabilities are much less.
How to install Ubuntu - go to the main installation process
How to install Ubuntu - preparatory steps
First of all, we have to create a boot disk or a USB flash drive from which the platform will be installed. Their preparation is the topic of a separate article, which you can find on our website or on the Web.
We will consider the work when we already have it. In this case, reboot the computer from a disk or flash drive.
Go to the installation process
In the window that appears when booting from a disk or flash drive, select the Russian language and click "Install Ubuntu".
From this point on, the entire installation process begins. Here the user will be informed if there is enough space for installation, the presence of an Internet connection is determined.
You need such an internet connection to update the system. With unlimited Internet, we recommend that you select this connection and click "Download updates during installation".
Click "Continue", after which we will be asked to determine the appropriate type of installation:
Before us appears the structure of hard drives, partitions on them. As a rule, in the table that appears, we see one hard disk (/ dev / sda), and there is one NTFS-type partition (/ dev / sda1) in it. This section is actually the same as "Drive C" in Windows. It is possible that you will have one or more sections. The main thing is to choose from among the available a partition that is suitable for reducing the size by 10 GB in order to create partitions for Ubuntu in the vacated space.
Therefore, we select such a section, and then click Change. Here we indicate the new disk size that we allocate for Ubuntu, also the disk type. We do not include the "format partition" item, since we will lose all previously available data, including Windows files.
Many newbies are surprised by the "mount point" - what does it mean by itself. In fact, in Linux systems, the file structure assumes the presence of a root folder where the OS is located. All other disks, folders and other devices will be connected already inside it. If you don't understand anything after these words, do not be alarmed - just select "/ windows" as the mount point in the drop-down list in order to have access to all the folders and files in this section for further work.
After selecting all the parameters, run "OK". In this case, an automatic notification will be displayed that it will be impossible to undo this action in the future.
We agree and click continue. It cannot be universally said here - the wait may take several minutes or a couple of hours. This is affected by the amount of free space on the selected disk. In any case, you should wait without turning off your computer - otherwise, you may lose important data.
After selecting the "free space", press the button with the "plus" - for "Add". After that, a new window appears, in which we indicate the "swap partition". For a start, 1 GB is fine.
Now we see that we have created our own swap partition, but there is still free space. Press the button with the "plus" ("Add") again. Now we are creating a main partition for installing Ubuntu.
If you are prompted to select the type of the new partition, select "logical". The location is set to "Beginning of this space". We indicate the maximum possible size, it is usually set by default. Next, we just need to set the mount point - to install Ubuntu in the root folder.
It remains to click "OK", and in the "Install now" window that appears, the process of changing the partition structure will begin, the Ubuntu files will be copied to the computer.
How to install Ubuntu on a computer - completing the installation and configuration
During installation, the system will ask you to answer a number of related questions. Including "Where are you" - to select the appropriate time zone.
During installation, Ubuntu will also ask about the appropriate way to log the user into the system:
- Automatic login. During the launch of the OS, the username and password will not be asked, you will immediately see the desktop.
- Prompt for a password. A more secure option, which is especially valuable for computers with confidential data, when working with payment systems, etc.
In fact, the whole process is practically completed at this - after the installation, a restart will be offered for the computer to start the new system.
Do I need to install Ubuntu on my computer?
Actually a rhetorical question, if you have already decided to install. It should be admitted that modern Linux systems offer important advantages for work, although one should not forget about the disadvantages either. The main advantage is that the platform is completely free, allowing you to save about $ 100 on purchase, and with less exposure to viruses.
The significant disadvantage is the smaller amount of software available. Of course, there are many Ubuntu counterparts available. They are slightly inferior in many functions. Also, some programs running on Windows are available for Ubuntu - due to their Linux versions.
And, if Windows is installed next to Ubuntu, or if you take care of emulators on a virtual Windows shell, the problem of lack of software is almost completely solved.
Summing up, we note that the Ubuntu installation, with its apparent complexity, can be accessible to everyone. Of course, it can take time and a little diligence. In our article, we examined the universal principle of installing the platform, however, depending on its modifications and versions, some individual differences in the procedure are possible. If additional points or questions appear during the installation process, do not be afraid to look for information on the network in order to complete the installation correctly and safely for the data on your computer.
Ubuntu 16.04 is another up-and-coming operating system release from Canonical. While there will be no sweeping changes in this release, such as the move to the Mir display server and Unity 8, there are a lot of interesting things to do here too. Besides bug fixes and software updates, we will see new features that will make the system better and closer to users. The ability to move the panel down will be added, its users have been waiting for many years, and the standard application manager will be replaced by Gnome Software.
You can read more about what awaits us in the future release of Ubuntu 16.04 in the article. This tutorial will walk you through installing Ubuntu 16.04 on a laptop or computer.
With each release, the system requirements for Ubuntu 16.04 are slowly increasing. For normal operation of this operating system, the following hardware characteristics are required:
- RAM: 2 GB (Unity, Gnome, KDE) 1 GB (XFCE, Mate, LXDE), 512 MB (Openbox, Fluxbox)
- CPU: Dual-core 1.6GHz (Gnome, KDE, XFCE) and 1.3GHz for lighter environments
- Video card: any supported
- Disk space: 5 GB (Unity, Gnome, KDE, XFCE, Mate, LXDE), 4 GB - lighter environments
You can download the final version of the operating system of the required edition on the official website. Just pick an image for your architecture and download. Below on the page you can find links to torrents and other download protocols.
Step 2. Burn to disk
I will not go into detail about writing an image to media in this article. We are primarily interested in installing Ubuntu 16.04 from a USB stick. To write an image to a USB flash drive in Windows, you can use the utility Rufus:
And Linux has Unetbootin, first you need to install it:
sudo apt-get install unetbootin
Then do as shown in the screenshot:
Described in detail in another article.
Step 3. BIOS setup
After the image is written, restart your computer and configure the BIOS to boot from media. As a reminder, to open the BIOS, use the F2, Shift + F2 or Del key combinations. In the BIOS setup menu, go to the Boot tab, and select in the item Boot Device Prioriy or 1st Boot Device your carrier. Usually, a hint is written on the side or at the bottom of which keys are used for certain actions.
Then go to the tab Exit, select Exit & Save Changes and press Enter.
Step 4. Launching Ubuntu 16.04
After rebooting, you will see the following screen, press any key to launch the language selection menu:
Step 5. Language selection
Select the language in which you want to work with the system:
Step 6. Launch LiveCD Ubuntu 16.04
In the menu that appears, select start Ubuntu without installing:
In this mode, while Ubuntu 16.04 is being installed on a laptop or computer, you can familiarize yourself with the system and even use the Internet.
Wait for the download to complete:
Step 8. Getting to know the system
At this stage, you can see what programs are installed, how the system works, etc. When finished, click on the shortcut installing Ubuntu 16.04:
Step 9. Selecting the system language
At the first step of the wizard, you need to select the language in which the Ubntu 16.04 installation will be performed:
Step 10. Additional components
Check the box Install Updatesto install updates, and Install thrid party software to install additional proprietary software such as multimedia codecs and firmware for hardware drivers:
Step 11. Partitioning the disk
You can just format the entire hard drive and install Ubuntu 16.04 on it, but we will consider the manual option:
Set the switch to position Another variant and press Further.
Step 12. Manual disk partitioning
In the window that opens, if you have an unmarked hard drive, you need to create a partition table, for this, click the appropriate button:
Now a little about disk partitions. We recommend using four partitions on Linux:
- / - ext4, size 10-50 GB, for system installation
- / boot - ext2, size 100 MB, for bootloader files
- swap - swap, the size is equal to RAM, for swap
- / home - ext4, all remaining space
To create a new section, click the button + :
Here you need to specify the mount point, for example, / or / home, size, file system and label can be set. At the end, you should end up with something like this:
Step 13. Data verification
Check if everything is correct and click Proceed.
Step 14. Keyboard layout
Select the default keyboard layout:
Step 15. Time zone
Choose your time zone:
Step 16. User
Enter your username, computer name and password:
Here you can also specify whether to ask for a password when logging in, and encrypt the home folder.
Step 17. Install Ubuntu 16.04
Wait for the installation to complete:
Restart your computer and remove the installation media:
Before deciding to install Ubuntu as a second system, test the recovery of Windows OS so that if something goes wrong, you do not find that the backups are unusable.
The reason for this effort is that installing Ubuntu on Windows side-by-side can cause problems other than Linux. For example, the difficulties associated with the interoperability of modern UEFI implementations.
Each motherboard manufacturer behaves in its own way and only tests for compatibility with Windows. Additional barriers to consider include signed bootloaders, fast startup, and power saving mechanisms.
BIOS or UEFI?
Your modern computer hardware probably has UEFI firmware and Windows is installed in UEFI mode. If you have a PC or laptop for a long time, there may be a classic BIOS. To install Ubuntu, it is important to know exactly the layout, since you must select the UEFI or BIOS mode.
To check this, enter the query "System Information" in the Windows search bar and find the line "BIOS Mode". If it says “Legacy” (legacy), install Ubuntu in BIOS mode. In this case, both Secure Boot and Fast Boot must be disabled in the BIOS, and the mode cannot be switched to "UEFI".
If the system information says "UEFI", Ubuntu should be installed in "UEFI" mode and use the 64-bit version. To run Ubuntu side by side with Windows in UEFI mode, Windows 8 and 10 users must disable Fast Startup. This is done in the power settings through the "Power button action" item.
In the Shutdown Options section, make sure there is no check mark in front of the Enable Fast Startup option. Windows 7 users should disable hibernation from the Start menu with the command "powercfg / h off". Finally, disable the Fast Boot option from the UEFI firmware.
Preparing space for Ubuntu
Enough space is required to install Ubuntu side by side with Windows. The Ubuntu installer is capable of shrinking existing Windows space. You can do this beforehand, manually and directly from Windows. To do this, go to "Disk Management", which is called through the Start menu by the command "diskmgmt.msc".
Windows typically takes up the entire disk, but can free up space for Ubuntu Even if you only use Windows, your hard drive often contains various partitions, including Recovery, UEFI Boot and, of course, Windows System. The more complex the initial conditions, the more likely it is that the Ubuntu Boot Manager will subsequently break its teeth on your system.
To shrink an existing Windows partition C, right-click it in the utility's main screen and select Shrink Volume. Now you need to specify the size of the compressible space required space in MB. If you enter 20000, Windows will free up 20 GB for Ubuntu. This is enough to get you started with Linux. To reserve a seat, click on the "Compress" button.
Installing Ubuntu
Start your computer again from the DVD or USB stick as described on page 85. In Live CD mode, click on the "Install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS" desktop icon. Follow the instructions of the wizard, choosing the language first. Connect via LAN or Wi-Fi to the Internet for immediate updates.
The key point in the installation will be "Installation Type". In this case, select "Install Ubuntu next to Windows Boot Manager". Next, set the default settings, such as location and account.
At the end of the installation, you are presented with two options: stay in Live CD mode or restart your computer. Select "Continue acquaintance" and open the command line with the key combination "Ctrl + Alt + T".
The "sudo apt-get install efibootmgr" command launches a small tool to customize the boot order. The "efibootmgr" command will display information about boot records. In addition to the line "Windows Boot Manager", the entry "Ubuntu" should appear. Use the command “sudo efibootmgr –o x, y” to change the boot order, where “x” is for the numbers before the Ubuntu entry and “y” is for the numbers before the Windows Boot Manager.
First steps in Linux
This operating system offers only a base for working with programs and web services. For everything to go smoothly, you should become familiar with the system.
1. Getting to know the Desktop
Ubuntu uses what is called the Unity desktop. It looks simple, on the left side there is a program bar - launcher. In addition, there is a menu bar at the top, similar to Apple's implementation in Mac OS X. When you open a program, Ubuntu collapses the menu to this pane at the top of the screen, not to the window. For a Windows-like feel, drag the launcher to the bottom of the screen. At the moment, this requires entering a command in the terminal. "Gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Launcher launcher-position Bottom" brings the panel down. System settings are analogous to the famous Windows Control Panel in Ubuntu.
2. Check for Updates
As with Windows, there are regular security updates for Linux. They need to be installed Once Ubuntu is installed, the system is considered up to date if the wizard is allowed to update. For those who like to speed up the process, there is a command "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade". The first part of the command asks for the latest package from the Linux servers, the second starts the updates. To upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu, for example Beta 2 from the premium DVD to the final version, enter “sudo apt-get dist-upgrade” as well. If the command line scares you, look for the appropriate graphical interface in the update manager.
3. Installing programs
There are many programs for Linux that are familiar to you from Windows. With the command "sudo apt-get install vlc" you can, for example, install the VLC media player. Gnome offers a graphical utility for Ubuntu similar to the App Store. Find "vlc" in it and click on the "Install" button.
Troubleshooting Ubuntu
Installing Ubuntu 16.04 next to Windows in parallel does not create problems in itself, as our tests have confirmed when installing in BIOS mode. However, the devil is in the details, as our experiments with various PCs and laptops with UEFI have found out. At the same time, it seems that everything is going like clockwork, but then Windows boots up again, and there is no word about Ubuntu.
If you are also experiencing a similar issue, search Google for a solution for the exact PC or laptop model paired with Ubuntu. The quickest to find tips for specific BIOS / UEFI setup or custom bootloader adaptation. So, we failed with a Sony Vaio Pro laptop and NCQ-enabled SSD drive. Only after disabling this feature did Ubuntu start. In general, it is recommended to use the latest UEFI version.
Instead of relying on Ubuntu's automation to configure your hard drive or SSD, you can resort to manual partitioning when an error occurs. The corresponding menu item in "Installation Type" is simply called "Other Option". Here you need to create three partitions: "/ boot" for 250 MB (ext2 file system), a swap partition for 4092 MB, and you can give the rest of the space for the root partition "/". Let the bootloader write to the "/ boot" partition.
Linux security under control
Even Linux is not immune. In February 2016, hackers hacked into the Linux Mint project server and changed the ISO files hosted on it. They hid a password stealing backdoor in the installation files. But you can protect yourself.
Checksum verification. Linux distro manipulation pops up immediately if the checksums don't match. Windows utilities such as md5sums display values \u200b\u200bfor ISO files. They must match the data from the developers.
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