Installing Ubuntu

Just this week I install the Linux distribution Ubuntu so I decided to write about my experiences with it.

I pushed the power button and push F10 multiple times during startup to access the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). (The key differs with many computers.)

I told the computer to start off the CD drive. I then popped the Ubuntu install CD in and restarted the Ubuntu on the hard drive, run off the live CD and several other options, which we will not cover in this article.

I clicked install Ubuntu on the hard drive and it opened a window asking me the language I wanted to install it in. After selecting my region, I clicked forward. It then asked me what keyboard layout I wanted. I selected the default and clicked forward.

This time it asked me how I wanted to partition the hard drive. Since I was install this over the previous Operating System, I clicked “Guided-Use entire disk” and went to the next window.

I then waited while it set up the hard drive. (This can take some time so don’t worry if it takes a long time. It took about 25 minutes on my 80GB hard drive.)

It then asked me for my name, a password and what I wanted to name the computer. The next window presented me with some handy options. It asked me if I wanted to import accounts from my last installation of Ubuntu (I was reinstalling Ubuntu).

The next window gave me a summary of my selections. I then clicked install. I recommend getting a snack at this point as this will take quite a while. There is a handy progress bar that tells you what is going on and the percentage left if you are bored and have nothing to do. This installation is much simpler than any Windows installation you will do.

Also, it only requires you to reboot once, and that is after the installation is finished. When you restart your computer don’t forgot to go into the BIOS and set the computer to boot from the hard drive.

I forgot to do that and had a shock when upon starting the computer it said there was an error and couldn’t start!

from Guest Writer, Theo