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:

Create Ubuntu Live CD, Make Free Linux CD, Live CD Linux

Want to create an Ubuntu live CD or any bootable Linux CD? Find out how to make a free Linux CD here!

This guide shows you how to create a live Linux CD in order to test or install the system. In the example, below, I create an Ubuntu Linux live CD but the same steps can be followed to make any type of Linux boot CD.

The first step to create a free Linux CD is to download the version of Linux you want. Linux is usually packaged as an "ISO file" and you can get hold of them from various websites (links below).

For this example, I'm going to navigate to Ubuntu's website and download the Ubuntu Linux ISO file. You can do the same by following this link: Ubuntu Linux (click and a new window will open).

Other versions of Linux you might want to try are:

The Ubuntu website provides a couple of download options so you can select the exact version of the system you want. The default choices will suit most people, so just hit the "Start download" button when you're ready and save the ISO file when prompted.

Once you've downloaded an ISO file (Ubuntu or otherwise) you'll need to burn it onto a blank CD or DVD. The purpose of this step is to extract all the files stored inside the ISO file and put them onto a CD or DVD, which will then be "bootable".

This means that when your PC is switched on - and the Linux disc is in the computer - it will load a live version of Linux that's on the CD/DVD instead of booting your computer's hard disk and loading the operating system that's installed on it (e.g. Windows XP).

You can then try Linux without touching your Windows set up. And, if you want to, you'll be able to install the system onto your hard disk.

1. To burn the ISO file to disc, open your CD/DVD burner software and look for a "Burn ISO file" option. For this guide, I'm using CDBurnerXP. So I select the "Burn ISO image" button from the main menu.

2. I then browse my PC for the ISO file I downloaded earlier and click "Burn disc".

You should now have a working Linux boot CD. Follow this link to learn how to boot from CD/DVD. Once you've booted from a live Linux CD you can try out Linux without installing it, or install it if you choose to.

Follow this link for specific instructions on how to install Ubuntu.