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Linux Installation Guide

A comprehensive step-by-step walkthrough for installing Linux on your computer, whether you want a clean install or a dual-boot setup alongside Windows.

Prerequisites

Before you begin installing Linux, make sure you have the following ready:

  • A USB flash drive with at least 4 GB of storage (8 GB or more recommended). All data on this drive will be erased during the process.
  • A stable internet connection for downloading the ISO image and post-install updates.
  • A backup of important data on the target computer. While installation is generally safe, partitioning errors can lead to data loss.
  • A computer that meets minimum requirements: 2 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB RAM (2 GB minimum), 25 GB of free disk space.

Important: Back Up Your Data

Always back up any important files before modifying disk partitions. If you are setting up a dual-boot system, this is especially critical. Use an external drive or cloud storage to save your data before proceeding.

Step 1: Download the ISO Image

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Visit the official website of your chosen distribution and download the ISO image file. For this guide, we will use Ubuntu as the example, but the steps are similar for most distributions.

Always download from the official source to ensure you receive a genuine, unmodified image. Most distribution websites offer a direct download link and torrent options. Torrents are useful for slower connections as they can be resumed if interrupted.

Verify the Download

After downloading, verify the file integrity by checking its SHA256 checksum against the value provided on the download page:

sha256sum ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso

Compare the output hash with the one listed on the official download page. If they match, your download is complete and uncorrupted.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

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You need to write the ISO image to your USB drive to make it bootable. There are several tools available depending on your current operating system:

On Windows

Use Rufus or balenaEtcher:

  1. Download and open Rufus (portable version requires no installation).
  2. Insert your USB drive and select it in the "Device" dropdown.
  3. Click "SELECT" and choose your downloaded ISO file.
  4. Leave other settings at default (GPT partition scheme, UEFI target).
  5. Click "START" and wait for the process to complete.

On Linux

Use the dd command (replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB device):

sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress conv=fdatasync

Caution with dd

Double-check the device name with lsblk before running dd. Writing to the wrong device will destroy its data. The target should be the entire device (e.g., /dev/sdb), not a partition (e.g., /dev/sdb1).

On macOS

Use balenaEtcher for a graphical approach, or the terminal with dd:

sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/rdiskN bs=4m

Step 3: Configure BIOS/UEFI Settings

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Before booting from USB, you may need to adjust your computer's firmware settings:

  1. Enter BIOS/UEFI: Restart your computer and press the appropriate key during startup (commonly F2, F12, Del, or Esc — check your manufacturer's documentation).
  2. Disable Secure Boot (if necessary): Some distributions work with Secure Boot enabled (Ubuntu does), but others may require it to be disabled. Navigate to the Security or Boot tab and set Secure Boot to Disabled.
  3. Set USB as first boot device: In the Boot Order section, move your USB drive to the top of the boot priority list.
  4. Save and exit: Press F10 (or the indicated key) to save changes and restart.

Step 4: Boot and Launch the Installer

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With the USB drive inserted, restart your computer. You should see the Linux distribution's boot menu. Select "Try or Install Ubuntu" (or the equivalent option for your distro).

Most modern distributions offer a "Try" option that lets you test the system from the USB without making any changes to your hard drive. This is a great way to check hardware compatibility before committing to installation.

When you are ready, launch the installer from the desktop or select "Install" from the boot menu.

Step 5: Install Linux

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The graphical installer will guide you through several screens:

Language and Keyboard

Select your preferred language and keyboard layout. The installer can detect your keyboard automatically if you are unsure.

Installation Type

You will be presented with several options:

  • Erase disk and install — Wipes the entire drive and installs Linux as the only operating system. Simplest option for a dedicated Linux machine.
  • Install alongside Windows (dual-boot) — Shrinks your Windows partition and installs Linux next to it. A boot menu will let you choose which OS to start.
  • Something else (manual partitioning) — Full control over partitions. Recommended for advanced users or custom setups.

Recommended Partition Layout (Manual)

If you choose manual partitioning, a good starting layout for a 100 GB drive is:

/boot/efi  - 512 MB  (EFI System Partition, FAT32)
/          - 40 GB   (Root filesystem, ext4)
/home      - 55 GB   (User data, ext4)
swap       - 4 GB    (Swap partition, or use a swap file)

User Account

Create your user account with a strong password. This will be your primary account with sudo (administrator) privileges. Choose a hostname for your computer.

Install and Wait

Click "Install" and wait for the process to complete. This typically takes 10 to 25 minutes depending on your hardware speed. When finished, you will be prompted to restart.

Step 6: Post-Installation Setup

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After rebooting into your new Linux installation, complete these essential tasks:

Update Your System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Graphics Drivers

For NVIDIA GPUs, install the proprietary driver through the "Additional Drivers" tool or via terminal:

sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

Install Essential Software

# Web browser, media player, office suite
sudo apt install firefox vlc libreoffice

# Development tools
sudo apt install build-essential git curl wget

Configure Firewall

sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status

Enable Automatic Security Updates

sudo apt install unattended-upgrades
sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades

What is Next?

Congratulations on installing Linux! Now is the time to learn the fundamentals. Start with our Command Line Basics tutorial to get comfortable with the terminal, then explore the File System to understand how Linux organizes data.

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