Stage 1: Gathering Your Resources

Chapter 4. Installing Ubuntu Linux

In This Chapter

• Evaluating what you need

• Selecting settings: Language and time zone

• Defining your user account

• Configuring a file system to install to

• Installing Ubuntu Linux to your hard drive

• Finishing the installation

You can install Ubuntu to your hard drive if you have space alongside Microsoft Windows, intend to erase a current Windows installation entirely, or are using a new hard drive.

If you don't want to completely erase Windows, Chapter 3 shows how to free up space from your current Windows installation.

This chapter is divided into sections describing each stage of the permanent Ubuntu installation process on a hard drive.

This chapter is only a fraction of the length of other installation chapters I've written — which shows how straightforward installing Ubuntu is.

Stage 1: Gathering Your Resources

In general, Ubuntu Linux is easy to install. Use the following checklist to make sure you have everything you need for the installation:

• A compatible computer

  Ubuntu can run on

  • Intel/AMD-compatible 32-bit PCs: This book's companion CD runs on 32-bit PCs.

    Almost all PCs made in the last 20 years use 32-bit processors.

  • Intel/AMD-compatible 64-bit PCs: This book's companion Ubuntu CD does not work on 64-bit computers. You can download a 64-bit Ubuntu CD from http://releases.ubuntu.com/6.10. Ubuntu provides instructions for burning the CD at http://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto.

    Many of the newest, fastest PCs use 64-bit processors. Computers using the Advanced Micro Devices AMD64 (Athlon64 and Opteron) or Intel EM64T (Xeon) processors are 64-bit.

  • PowerPC-based Apple Macs: This book's companion CD does not work with PowerPC-based computers. You can download a PowerPC-compatible CD from http://releases.ubuntu.com/6.10. Ubuntu provides instructions for burning the CD at http://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto.

  Before you attempt to install Ubuntu on a computer, make sure that you save every file from the computer that you might need later. Chapter 3 covers Windows backup options.

• CD-ROM or DVD drive

  Your computer must have a CD-ROM or DVD drive that you can boot Ubuntu from.

  If you plan to use the disc that comes with this book, you can use a CD or DVD drive.

• A hard drive with enough empty disk space

  You need one of the following devices:

  • A new, empty hard drive

  • A used hard drive you can completely erase

    You don't need to prepare the hard drive before installing Ubuntu if you don't wish to save the operating system that's on it (for example, Windows), installed applications (such as Word and Photoshop), and any data (word processor files, pictures, e-mail messages, bookmarks, and so on).

    You will erase the operating system and any data on the disk, if any exist, using this option. You should back up all of your personal files, settings, and data before using this option. Chapter 3 shows how to back up files.

  • A used hard drive you can repartition

    If you need Windows, you can repartition your computer to make a place for Ubuntu, too. Chapter 3 describes how to free up space from a Windows partition and format it for use by Ubuntu.

    You can repartition a hard drive that contains other operating systems. Repartitioning simply means that you shrink the space allocated to an existing operating system and create unused space that you can use to install Ubuntu.

• An Ubuntu DVD or CD-ROM

  We supply an Ubuntu CD for 32-bit PCs in the back cover of this book.

You don't need a network connection to install Ubuntu. You can proceed through the installation now if you don't have a network connection and install and configure a network connection later. Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9 describe how to configure Ubuntu to use various networks and make an Internet connection.