How to Install Linux

Download the Linux distribution of your choice. If you’re new to Linux, consider choosing a lightweight and easy-to-use distribution like Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Linux distributions (also known as “distros”) are usually available in ISO format and are free to download. You can find the ISO file of the distribution of your choice on the developer’s website. This format needs to be burned to a CD or USB before it can be used to install Linux. This process will create a Live CD or Live USB.

• A Live CD or Live USB is a disc that you can use as a boot point, which usually contains a preview of the operating system version and runs directly on the CD/USB.
• You can install a disc imaging program or use the built-in burning tool on Windows 7, 8 or Mac OS X. Pen Drive Linux and UNetBootin are two popular tools for burning ISO files to USB.

Boot from a Live CD or Live USB. Most computers are set up to boot from the hard drive first, which means you’ll need to change some settings to boot from a freshly burned CD or USB drive. Start by restarting the computer.

• After the computer restarts, press the function key to access the boot menu. The key for this system will appear on the top of the screen with the manufacturer’s logo. Common keys include F12, F2, or Del.
  • Windows 8 users will press the Shift key while clicking restart. The Advanced Startup Options panel will be loaded and you can boot from the CD here.
  • Windows 10 users need to go to advanced startup in settings and click “Restart Now”.
  • If your computer does not allow you to directly access the boot menu from the manufacturer’s quick screen, it is likely that this control panel is hidden in the BIOS. You can access the BIOS menu in the same way that you use to open the boot menu. On the manufacturer’s quick screen, the function key will appear in the lower left/right corner.
• After going to the boot menu, select the live CD or USB. When the setting changes are complete, save and exit the boot menu/BIOS. The computer will continue with the boot process.

Test your Linux distribution before installing. Most Live CDs and USBs can launch a “working environment” that allows you to test the version before proceeding with the conversion. While file creation is not allowed, you can navigate around the interface and decide if this distro is right for you.

Start the installation process. While testing the distribution, you can launch the installation from the desktop application. If you don’t feel the need to check, you can start the installation process from the boot menu.

• You will be asked to configure some basic settings such as language, keyboard layout, and time zone.

Create a username and password. You will need to create credentials for the Linux installation. The password will be used to log in to the account and perform administrator tasks.

Set up partitions. If you plan to boot Linux side-by-side with another operating system, you need to install Linux on a separate separate partition. A partition is a portion of a hard drive that is specifically formatted for a particular operating system. You can skip this step if you don’t plan to dual boot.

• A distribution like Ubuntu will automatically install the recommended partition. You can completely re-adjust it manually. Most Linux installations require at least 20 GB of space, so you need to make sure you prepare enough space for the operating system along with other programs/files that you may need. install or create.
• If the installation process does not automatically select the partition, make sure that the partition you create is formatted as Ext4. If the copy of Linux you are installing is the only operating system on your computer, you may need to manually set the partition size.

Boot into Linux. After the installation is complete, the computer will restart. The new screen that appears when the computer boots is called “GNU GRUB”. This is the boot loader that handles the Linux installation. Select the new Linux distribution from the list on the screen. If the computer has only one operating system, this screen may not be displayed. If the computer has two operating systems and this screen does not appear on its own, you can actively open it by pressing the Shift key on the manufacturer’s quick screen.

• If you have multiple distributions installed on your computer, they will all be listed here.

Hardware test. Most hardware works fine with Linux distributions, but you’ll also need to download some drivers to get things working properly.

• Some hardware requires proprietary drivers to work properly on Linux. This problem is easy to see with graphics cards. Usually an open source driver will work, but if you want to get the most out of your graphics card, you should download the proprietary driver from the manufacturer.
• On Ubuntu, you can download proprietary drivers through the System Settings menu. Click the Additional Drivers option and select the graphics driver from the list. Other distributions will have specific methods for adding drivers.
• You can also find other drivers, such as Wi-Fi drivers, from this list.

Start using Linux. After the installation is complete and you are sure that the hardware is working properly, you can start using Linux. Most distributions come pre-installed with various popular programs, which you can also download from their respective file repositories.