How To Install Ubuntu, Ubuntu Installation, Ubuntu Dual Boot

This Ubuntu installation guide shows you how to install Ubuntu. You can also find out how to make an Ubuntu live CD or USB disk and how to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows!

You can install Ubuntu from Windows using a program called Wubi. This is the easiest way to install Ubuntu and it's the safest way to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows. Follow this link to learn about Wubi Ubuntu.

If you don't want to use Wubi - or if you want to install Linux as your sole operating system - you'll need to install Linux from a Linux live USB disk or a live Linux CD. Read on to find out how to do this.

To install Ubuntu, we must load a "live" version of Ubuntu which runs off a USB disk or CD. From within this live system, we can then install Ubuntu onto your hard disk. That's why we must create an Ubuntu CD or USB disk.

Find out how to create one of these live disks here:

1. Create a Linux Live USB Disk

2. Create an Ubuntu Live CD

To load the "live" version of Ubuntu, your PC must boot from the Ubuntu Linux CD/USB disk you just created. To boot from your Linux live USB disk or live Linux CD, insert the disk and then instruct your computer to boot from USB or CD/DVD.

An advantage of installing Ubuntu this way is that the system will be installed onto Linux's file system, which is more secure than Windows's. Your Ubuntu system will also be able to hibernate, which Wubi Ubuntu is unable to do.

1. Once your PC has been configured to boot from CD/DVD or USB drive, simply put the Ubuntu disk into your computer and restart it. Ubuntu should then load.

If you see the screen below, select "Default" or just wait 5 seconds and Ubuntu will start.

Have a play around with Ubuntu if you wish to:

2. To install Ubuntu, double-click the "Install Ubuntu" icon that's on the desktop.

3. Select a language and click "Forward".

4. The computer I was installing Ubuntu onto wasn't connected to the Internet. As a result, the Ubuntu installer brought up an "advice" message. If you see this message, either follow the advice or just click "Forward".

5. If you want Ubuntu to be your sole operating system, select "Replace Windows NT/2000/XP with Ubuntu" and then click "Forward". This option can also be used if you want to replace Windows Vista or Windows 7. Then skip ahead.

If you want to keep Windows and install Ubuntu as an additional system, select "Install Ubuntu alongside Windows NT/2000/XP", then click "Forward". This option can also be used if you have Windows Vista or Windows 7 installed.

6. Use the slider to choose how much storage space you want Ubuntu to have, then click "Install Now".

7. Click "Continue".

Ubuntu will now start to install. While it's installing, you need to configure a few things.

8. Type your location in (if it's incorrect) and click "Forward".

9. Choose your keyboard layout and click "Forward".

10. Enter your name and a password, then click "Forward".

11. If you're prompted with the following screen, you can import some of your Windows files and settings into Ubuntu. It's up to you whether you want to do this.

Personally, I prefer to have a completely fresh Ubuntu system to start with. So I choose not to import anything.

Ubuntu will now complete the install process. While it's installing, you can use Ubuntu if you want: play cards, surf the web, whatever!

12. When the Ubuntu installation process finishes, click "Restart Now" and remove the Ubuntu disk from your computer.

If you opted to install Ubuntu alongside Windows, a menu will appear each time you start your computer, asking which system you want to load.

In the example screen below, we can load Ubuntu or Windows 7.

Ubuntu Linux 11.04:

Instant On Linux, Chrome OS Alternative, Chromebook Alternative PC

Are you looking for instant on Linux? Do you want a Chromebook alternative? You can discover Chrome OS alternative systems in this review of instant on OS software. Make your computer an instant on laptop, netbook or PC!

As you're probably aware, the Google Chromebook has been released. This is a small laptop computer which can boot up and be online in 8 seconds. Impressive!

But I already have a netbook and I felt sure that installing an "instant on" version of Linux would produce a similar computing experience.

I also like the idea of saving money by buying a netbook and having both the flexibility that comes with Windows being on it, and also having an 'instant on' option for speedy access to the web.

Below is a list - and quick overview - of the instant on Linux systems I looked at (click on each for more information).

BrowserLinux - basic but it does the jobSplashtop - way too basicgOS - pretty interface but it has a lot of issuesEasyPeasy - bursting with apps and looks goodPresto - works reasonably but it's not freeMeeGo - Saving the best for last...

You can read my conclusion here.

BrowserLinux comes as a 90mb ISO file download. It's quick to burn the ISO to USB disk and BrowserLinux boots fairly quickly from USB. For me, it took just under a minute to go from switch on to browsing the web.

One of the impressive things about BrowserLinux is that it worked on each of the different computers I tried it with. As I was to discover, this is a fairly unique achievement for these instant on Linux systems.

As an operating system BrowserLinux is very basic. But it never claims to be anything else. It's a cut down version of Linux that boots fast and allows you to get on the web quickly. I guess their philosophy is that if you want more, and have the time, then boot into a full operating system.

Ah, Splashtop. You download the install exe file, double-click it from within Windows, and then stare at a message which reads "Download will now begin" and wonder if the download will actually ever begin.

I tried the installer on three different computers: a laptop, a netbook and a nettop and had the same problem on each of them. How did I overcome it?

I tried again and again. Open the install file, wait for download to begin, it doesn't, quit the installer. 10 attempts later, the download actually started, and I got a health 250kb/sec download speed.

I wish I could have just downloaded everything necessary in one go, rather than a 2mb exe install file which isn't very good at getting the rest of the files it needs.

The other problem with the OS coming as a Windows install file is that it, of course, requires Windows. So it's of no use if you get a new PC which comes without an OS. Or if you only run Linux. It does make it easy to install though.

This also means you must dual-boot with Windows. There is no way of wiping everything and having Splashtop as the sole instant on Linux OS. Personally, I like to dual boot. But it's nice to have the option to do either.

As an OS, Splashtop is a bit like BrowserLinux in that it's basic. Actually, that's a bit unfair to BrowserLinux, which at least has a few useful apps such as a music player and a calculator. Splashtop is VERY BASIC. It's literally just a web browser.

Given that it's just a web browser, I would have hoped for faster boot times. Approx. 50 seconds seems quite a lot.

gOS looks really impressive but it also seems to be riddled with problems. First off, it would only boot from one of the several computers I tried to run it off. The second problem came with installation.

Once you're running the live environment from the USB disk, there is an option to install the system to your hard disk. If you try to install it, you'll get the usual options about where on the hard disk the system should live.

Like most people, I wanted to keep my Windows installation, so I opted to resize my Windows partition and install gOS onto the new space that became available. I selected the amount of space gOS should have and whacked the "Forward" button to make the changes. Queue a "busy" cursor icon and nothing happened.

I rebooted into Windows and checked out my partitions. No changes had been made. So I used a Windows partitioning tool to resize the NTFS disk, thereby creating 10 GB of unformatted space.

Back in the gOS installer, I now selected the "manual" option when it came to partitioning, expecting to be able to select the unused space. Instead, the mouse cursor switched to its "busy" icon and that was that.

So, for me, gOS looks great and it works OK from USB disk - on some PCs - but apart from that it had far too many problems. Not least for me was that on the one PC it booted from - a Samsung NC10 - it didn't recognise the Wi-Fi card, so I had to use an Ethernet cable to surf the web.

In terms of boot time from USB, it took about a minute and a half. This would be quicker if I had been able to install the system onto the hard disk of course. But as it stands, I'd have been better to boot Windows XP which, on this machine, also takes 90 seconds to load but at least the Wi-Fi works.

In spite of my reservations, gOS already looks like a good instant on Linux OS. So if hardware support can be ramped up, and installation issues ironed out, it could be one to watch.

EasyPeasy is essentially the original version of Ubuntu Linux's "netbook remix" which has since been discontinued in favour of a one-size-fits-all approach. That's a shame because I really liked the netbook remix effort from Ubuntu. So it's nice to see it live on with some modern tweaks.

Given that EasyPeasy currently comes as an 840mb ISO file, I felt some assurance that it would contain enough drivers to work on any of the PCs I threw at it. And that was the case. Amongst other PCs I tried it with, I booted EasyPeasy from USB using my Samsung NC10 and was quickly up and running.

Installation to hard disk was easy enough. Boot from the USB and then follow the install wizard. I was a bit miffed, however, by the partition tool. You get options to install EasyPeasy:

Alongside WindowsAs sole operating systemOr make manual changes

I used the manual option and left my Windows partitions in place. I then chose to install EasyPeasy onto some unpartitioned disk space I had that was sitting unused.

Although EasyPeasy installed itself to the part of the hard disk I had specified, when I booted up I was only ever given the choice to load Ubuntu. There was no option to boot Windows. Not good.

Upon booting EasyPeasy from the hard disk for the first time, I was subjected to a disk check which lasted about an hour. That's not ideal, given that I was booting it up so that I could review its potential as an instant on Linux OS.

However, when it finally got going, I found EasyPeasy would boot in about 30 seconds and to get onto the web it took another few seconds. So from startup to surfing you're looking at about 35 seconds.

What's great about EasyPeasy is that, in spite of only taking 30 seconds to load, it's rammed full of apps.

Presto is the only system I looked at which isn't free (it costs $19.95). You can run it fully without parting with cash, though, if you don't mind cancelling an occasional "Buy Presto" prompt.

Like Splashtop, you install Presto from within Windows by running an exe file. When that's completed you can reboot and jump straight into Presto, which takes about 30 seconds.

Presto comes with a web browser, some apps such as a media player, plus Skype which is a nice touch. And that's about it.

One of the things I expect you're paying for is decent hardware support. I'm yet to see a computer that Presto hasn't worked on. But since gOS, EasyPeasy and MeeGo offer more in the way of apps and functionality - and they're free - you might want to try those first.

First, the annoying bit. Yet again there were problems trying to dual boot with Windows. During installation, I chose to shrink my Windows partition and a popup asked what size I'd like to reduce the NTFS partition to. It suggested "1mb" which is crazy. But it wouldn't accept any other size. Neither would it let me close the resize disk window.

The only option that allowed me to install the system was the one where my hard disk was wiped clean (goodbye Windows) and MeeGo installed itself as the sole operating system.

Sometime later I was able to get dual-boot working. To do this, I re-sized my (restored) Windows NTFS partition, thereby gaining about 50 Gb of free space. Back in the MeeGo installer I manually set up the following partitions:

350 MB /boot (ext 3)40 GB /home (ext 3)5500 MB / (btrfs)2000 MB (swap)

Some good MeeGo dual boot instructions can be found here.

BUT...

What a system! This is the only offering I've seen so far to compete with Google's Chrome OS. It really is a Chrome OS alternative worth looking at.

MeeGo boots fully in about 40 seconds, it looks great, and it runs fast. But more importantly, it's like no operating system I've used before.

Instead of it feeling like a simple platform to launch programs, it's more like a personal organiser. Appointments, tasks and my Facebook news feed greet me when I log in. At my fingertips are my MSN contacts. And, of course, I can surf the web.

MeeGo is exactly what I was looking for when I set out to find a Chrome OS alternative, or something that could make a regular netbook become like a Chromebook.

Yes it's speedy, but it's also built with the Internet, email and social networking at it's heart. It understands the fact that the web is now an integral part of our lives. In my opinion, MeeGo is the OS to look out for if you want a Google Chrome OS alternative.

The one thing that MeeGo MUST improve on is how it handles partitioning when you install it. Systems such as Ubuntu have had an "Install alongside Windows" option for years.

Many people will feel uncomfortable dropping Windows altogether without getting used to a new system first. So it must become easier to dual boot Windows with MeeGo if they are to attract the numbers of users this system deserves to serve.

When I first heard about Chromebooks, I was skeptical about the point of them. But the more I thought about them the more sense they made. If you buy a netbook, all you want to do on it is surf the web. So why not optimise the entire operating system around this idea?

Why put up with the now ancient Windows XP - or why run Windows 7 Starter Edition (where you can't even change the desktop background) - when you don't have to?

I was sure that a whole bunch of instant on Linux operating systems must already be available that could give Chrome OS a run for its money. But, with the exception of MeeGo, that certainly isn't the case at the moment.

The benefit of buying a Chromebook is that you get an operating system that has been built around - and optimised for - the specific hardware it runs on. So it's quick. And subsequent updates of Google Chrome OS will no doubt shave even more time off boot up.

The problem with instant on Linux systems is that they have to be able to run on any hardware you throw at it. That's no easy task since there's an unlimited combination of hardware you can try it with. So the system has to be slim enough to be ridiculously quick - yet contain enough device drivers to work on most computers.

The compromise is to contain enough generic drivers to get most people up and running. This means some people will have no problems, while others will have one problem after another.

Therefore, if you want almost instant web access that works flawlessly, and you don't mind living exclusively in Google's world, Chromebooks now look pretty good to me.

But if you're concerned about needing an Internet connection just to access your documents, and you still want to run Windows, definitely check out instant on Linux software such as MeeGo. In fact, check out MeeGo no matter what. If nothing else, put it on an old computer and breathe new life into it.

Lenovo ThinkCentre M58 7244 A32 Desktop PC Review

I've been looking at the Lenovo ThinkCentre M58 7244 A32 this week and I've found it to be a really nice and very sold desktop PC...

It's powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron E3400 running at 2.6GHz and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. If you're a business user - or a typical home user - that's plenty of power to speedily surf the web and send e-mail, stream music and video and use Microsoft Office (those typical computer tasks we all do).

The hard disk is 250GB in size which is a little bit smaller than a lot of computers now come with. But unless you have tens of thousands of MP3s and movie files, it's really unlikely you'll fill this computer up!

There's a CD/DVD writer built in, as you would expect and like most new computers it comes with Windows 7 pre-installed.

Size-wise it measures as follows:
Height 15.8"Width 6.9"Depth 17.3"
If you have a slow and ageing computer that's seen better days, and you're thinking of replacing it, the ThinkCentre M58 7244 would make a good replacement.

It has the processing power and RAM to run Windows 7 very smoothly. And it handles modern day apps, and the web, with complete ease.

Windows boots up speedily, and once you're up and running it loads programs quickly. For instance, if you hit the Internet Explorer web browser icon, the Internet is at your fingertips within a few seconds. There's no lag. Which is more than can be said for a lot of old systems clinging on to life out there.

It's a good bit of kit and certainly good value for money.

Operating System Choice, Best Operating Systems, What is an Operating System?

The operating system choice you make is important. This article explains what an operating system is and lists types of operating system. We also look at the best operating systems.

Some operating systems are well known, some are free, and others are fast. Jump in to find out more:

What Is An Operating System?Types of Operating SystemBest Operating SystemsOperating System Choice for New PCs

An example of an operating system is Windows XP (see below image).

It's the software that loads when you switch your computer on and it allows you to run programs, such as a web browser to surf the Internet, or an office suite to write letters.

The main operating systems you'll come across are:

Windows is the most widely used operating system. These days, you'll most likely come across the following versions: XP, Vista and Windows 7. Older versions include Windows 95, 98, ME and 2000 and NT.

There are hundreds of different types and versions of Linux available. The most popular version used today is probably Ubuntu Linux, which looks like this:

MacOS is the operating system you'll find in use on Apple's Mac computers.

iOS is the variety of Apple's operating system that you will see running on iPhones, and on their tablet computer, the iPad.

Operating System Choice: MacOS is often regarded as the easiest operating system to use.

Android is an operating system made by Google. It began life on smart phones but it can also now be seen powering a number of tablet PCs.

Chrome is another operating system made by Google. You'll find it on a new type of computer known as a Chromebook. The operating system consists only of the web browser Chrome.

The point of a Chromebook, and of Chrome OS, is to enable a user to switch on their computer and get onto the web and connect to their cloud, as quickly as possible.

There's no such thing as "best operating system", only which you prefer most. Apple Mac computers have long been considered the easiest computers to use, due to the simplicity of the Mac operating system (which cannot run on a PC, at least not officially).

So for PC users, the operating system choice is essentially between Linux and Windows. Linux is often viewed as a techy system used only by geeks. That's simply not true, or at least it certainly isn't true any longer.

With each new release, both Windows and Linux get more powerful, they can do more, and they become easier to use. And if you're a complete newcomer to using a computer, then arguably Linux is just as easy to learn as Windows.

So the "best operating system" is a personal choice. It's whichever you like the most.

Having said that, if you have a fairly old computer (pre-2008), or you're going to buy an old PC, the best operating system for such hardware is Windows XP or a Linux operating system, such as Ubuntu. These systems will give the best performance on older hardware. Operating systems advice for newer computers follows.

Operating System Choice: Ubuntu Linux 11.04

If you're buying a new computer and you want it to be fully usable and ready to go from the moment you first switch it on, you should look for computers that come pre-loaded with an operating system. But if you don't mind getting stuck in and installing a system onto the PC yourself, there are big savings to be had.

It's important to know that new PCs that come with Microsoft Windows pre-installed on them cost more than computers that come without it.

So if you want to save money, pick a computer that comes with either Linux or No operating system. Once you've made the saving, you can always install Windows onto it yourself if you want to.

Follow this link to learn why Linux and "No operating system" computers are cheaper - and find out how you can use this to your advantage: Computers Without Windows.

This means that, when you're buying a new computer, you have TWO main operating system choice decisions:

Buy a ready to go computer. In other words, one that comes with Windows or Linux pre-installed, so it will be usable from day one.

Roll up your sleeves and install a system yourself.

Computers that come with Windows pre-installed cost more. But if money isn't a major factor and you've used the system before and like it, look for computers that come with Windows pre-installed.

Computers with Linux pre-installed cost less. And if you don't care what system your computer runs, so long as you can do everything you want fuss free (e.g. surf the web) you'll be happy with a Linux computer. This is a good option if money is a factor but you don't want to install an operating system yourself.

The final option is to make good savings by opting for a computer that comes without Windows pre-installed (so either one that comes with Linux or "No operating system") and then install whichever system you want. You can learn how to install Windows and how to install Linux by following the links.

How To Use Macrium Reflect, Free Data Backup Software, Free Hard Drive Backup Software

Looking for free data backup software? Learn how to use Macrium Reflect - a free backup program - here! Backup computer files easily using this free hard drive backup software.

Macrium Reflect Free is a disk imaging program. Its job is to create a copy of EVERY file on your computer. This gives you the ability to restore files and folders from the backup at a later time, should you ever need to.

Also, if your computer starts to malfunction - or if it ever entirely fails to load - you'll be able to restore everything back to how it was at the time of the backup.

You can learn more about Macrium Reflect by following the link. This guide is about how to download, install and use Macrium Reflect Free.

I've broken this guide into sections:

Download & InstallCreate a BackupCreate a Rescue CD/DVD/USB DiskTest a Rescue CD/DVD or USB Stick

1. Click this link to download a copy of Macrium Reflect FREE edition (a new window will open). Follow the download links and save the file onto your computer.

2. To install Macrium Reflect Free, find the file you just downloaded and double-click it. The file will be called reflect_setup_free (or similar).

3. Click "Next".

4. Click "Next".

5. Select the "I agree..." button and click "Next".

6. Click "Next".

7. Click "Skip" (unless you want to register your details with Macrium).

8. Click "Next".

9. Click "Install".

10. Click "Finish"

11. Open Macrium Reflect by double-clicking the "Reflect" icon from your desktop.

Or click: Start button/orb > (All) Programs > Macrium > Reflect > Reflect

Macrium Reflect Free should then open.

Congratulations, you now have free data backup software installed!

Now that you have free hard drive backup software, let's create a backup of your computer using Macrium Reflect Free Edition.

It's a good idea to back up regularly, so that you have a copy of all your latest files (photos, music, etc) in case you need them.

How to Use Macrium Reflect

If you have just re-installed Microsoft Windows and everything is running beautifully, now is a GREAT time to create a backup of your computer.

Why?

Because the next time your computer starts slowing down and producing lots of errors, you can return it to this perfect set up in minutes rather than hours or even days!

Although Macrium Reflect Free can backup to CD/DVD writers and to other computers on a network, this guide assumes you're backing up to an external USB hard disk.

To create a backup image:

1. Connect your USB disk to the computer. (Make sure it has enough space on it to store the backup!)

2. Click "Image all local drives on this computer" (top left).

3. Choose a destination folder. This is where your backup will be stored. So you'll want to select somewhere on your USB disk.

If you want to give the backup file a specific name, untick the "Use the image ID as the file name" box and enter a name. Leave it ticked if you're not sure what to do.

Click "Next".

4. Click "Finish".

5. Click "OK".

The backup process should now run and eventually your backup file will be created on your USB disk.

If you want to, you can hide the backup process while it's running and use your computer for something else. Click the "Hide" button to do this.

This step explains how to create a Macrium Reflect Free rescue CD or DVD. If you ever need to completely restore your computer (i.e. send your computer back in time to how it was at the time you created a backup image) then you'll need to use this disc.

How to Use Macrium Reflect: Create a USB Rescue Disk

If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD writer, create a USB Rescue Disk instead.

Follow these steps to create a Macrium Reflect Free rescue CD or DVD:

1. Open Macrium Reflect Free and click "Other Tasks", then "Create Rescue Media".

2. Select the type of rescue CD you want to create.

To simplify this How to Use Macrium Reflect guide, we'll only look at the Linux option. This is the quickest way of creating a rescue disc and it offers the easiest method of restoring a disk image if you need to.

If you encounter any problems using the "Linux" option, try the "Windows PE" option instead. But "Linux" should be your preferred option.

So, select "Linux" and click "Next".

3. Make sure your CD/DVD writer has been selected in the "Select your CD/DVD burner and click" drop-down. It should be selected by default.

Also, put a blank CD or DVD into your CD/DVD writer drive.

Finally, click the "Finish" button.

Your Macrium Reflect Free rescue CD should then be created.

Click here to continue.

Follow these steps to create a USB rescue disk:

1. Open Macrium Reflect Free and click "Other Tasks", then "Create Rescue Media".

2. Select the type of rescue disk you want to create.

To simplify this How to Use Macrium Reflect guide, we'll only look at the Linux option. This is the quickest way of creating a rescue disk and it offers the easiest method of restoring a disk image if you need to.

If you encounter any problems using the "Linux" option, try the "Windows PE" option instead. But "Linux" should be your preferred option.

So, select "Linux" and click "Next".

3. Select "Create ISO image file" from the "Select your CD/DVD burner and click" drop-down. Then click "Finish".

4. Choose a location on your computer to store this file, then click the "Save" button.

5. Click "OK".

That's the preparation step done. We must now burn the file we just saved onto a USB disk. Don't worry if this doesn't make sense to you, just follow the instructions. This is simply the step where we actually create the USB rescue disk. To make life easier, we'll be using a program called "UNetbootin".

6. First things first, insert a USB disk into your computer.

7. Download UNetbootin (click and a new window will open).

8. Find the UNetbootin file you just downloaded and double-click it:

9. The UNetbootin interface should now be open. Click the button that has "..." on it and find - and select - the file you saved in Step #4.

Next, in the "Drive" drop-down, select the drive letter of your USB disk.

Finally, click "OK".

Your bootable USB rescue disk will now be created. Click "Exit" when the process has completed.

It's important we test your rescue disc, because it would be a real shame if you try and use it in an emergency only to discover it doesn't work!

To test the disc:

1. Insert the Macrium Reflect rescue CD/DVD or USB disk into your computer.

2. If you intend to store a Macrium Reflect backup file on a USB disk, connect that USB disk to your PC now. We need to make sure the rescue software can access this disk, otherwise there's no point storing backups on it later.

3. To use the rescue disk, your computer needs to be able to "boot" from it. This means that when your computer is switched on, it will open the software that's on your rescue CD/DVD or USB stick, instead of booting your computer's hard disk and loading the operating system that's installed on it (e.g. Windows XP).

Follow this link to learn how to boot from CD/DVD or USB disk.

4. Once your computer has been configured to boot from CD/DVD or USB disk, you just need to restart your PC and it should open the rescue software from the rescue disk.

The following screen should appear. Wait a few seconds, and the Rescue Wizard should then load.

5. The Macrium Reflect Free rescue software should then open and a wizard will greet you. Click "Next".

6. Now check that you can access the disk where you intend to store a backup image file.

For example, if you plan to store your backup file on a USB hard disk, make sure you can access that USB disk now. If you intend to back up your hard disk onto DVDs, make sure you can access the DVD drive.

If you connect a drive, such as a USB disk, to your PC, be sure to press the "Rescan" button.

That's it! If the rescue software loads and you can access wherever you intend to store backup files, you should be able to perform an image restoration without issue.

To exit the rescue software and get back into Windows, simply remove the rescue CD/DVD or USB disk and restart your PC.