Installing Linux: picking your environment, install demo

1. Installing Linux

So, by now you've already checked out the cool history of Linux, learned that any distro is like a set of building blocks made of kernels, libraries, and utilities, and each one has its own vibe (or "package manager," if you want to get nerdy). Today, we're diving into the hands-on part and actually installing Linux! This is the moment when all that theory turns into something you can actually touch. Well, or at least poke around with your cursor in the terminal.

You might have 3 options for your operating system:

1. Linux - you don't need to install anything extra
2. MacOS - built on Unix and compatible with Linux. For learning Linux basics, it's totally enough.
3. Windows:
   • Windows 11 - just turn on WSL2 and we'll work on the built-in Linux kernel.
   • Windows 10 - update and turn on WSL2
   • Windows 8 or lower - you need to install Linux on a virtual machine.

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2. How to pick the right distro?

What's the difference between distros?

Before you jump into installing, you gotta figure out which distro fits your needs. Here are a few ideas to help you make the right call:

Golden rule: if you're new, start with Ubuntu. It's like Linux with training wheels.

Minimum requirements

You don't need a supercomputer to run Linux. Here are some rough specs for a basic distro:

• CPU: Dual-core, 1 GHz or higher.
• RAM: 2 GB (more is better).
• Free disk space: at least 20 GB.
• BIOS/UEFI support.

If you've got at least 4 GB of RAM, Linux will fly. If you have less, it'll still work—just bring a little extra patience.

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3. How to prep for installation?

Install method: Virtual machine or real hardware?

There are two main ways to go:

1. Install on a virtual machine. This is the perfect way to try Linux with zero risk. You can use programs like:

   • VirtualBox: free and super popular.
   • VMware Workstation Player: free for non-commercial use.

2. Physical install. If you're ready to "slam the brakes on Windows" or have an old laptop, this is your move.

Making a bootable drive

If you want to install Linux on real hardware, you'll need a bootable USB stick. The Rufus app for Windows is great for this. Or use Etcher.

1. Download the distro ISO from the official site.
2. Install Rufus/Etcher.
3. Run the app and pick your ISO and USB stick.
4. Start the write process.

That's it, your USB stick is ready!

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4. Physical install

Now for the most exciting part of our lecture. We're gonna install Linux. Let's use Ubuntu as an example.

1. BIOS/UEFI setup

To get your computer to boot from the USB stick, you might need to tweak your BIOS or UEFI settings. Here's how:

1. Restart your computer.
2. While it's booting, hit the key (usually Del, F2, Esc, but it depends on your device).
3. Go to the "Boot" tab and move the USB device to the top.

Congrats, that was your first mini-adventure in the world of system magic!

2. Booting into the installer

After setting up BIOS, reboot your computer with the USB plugged in. You'll see something like "Try Ubuntu without installing" and "Install Ubuntu". Pick the second one.

3. Language and keyboard layout

First step in the installer—pick your language. For most, that's "English" or "Russian" if you want the interface in Russian. Then set up your keyboard (usually it picks the layout automatically, but double-check).

4. Pick install type

At this stage, you can choose:

• Erase disk and install Ubuntu — if you want to totally replace your current system (old computer, clean install).
• Install Ubuntu alongside Windows — if you want to keep Windows.
• Something else — for advanced partitioning.

For newbies, it's best to pick the first option. If you picked "something else," you're already an expert, so let's move on.

5. Disk partitioning

If you did pick "Something else," you'll need to create these partitions:

• /: root partition. At least 20 GB recommended.
• swap: swap partition. For systems with 2-4 GB RAM, make swap twice your RAM size.
• /home: for user data (recommended, but optional).

Here's what it looks like in the installer's GUI:

[ + ] Create partition
Type: Ext4
Mount point: /
Size: 20 GB

After all the settings, hit "Continue".

6. User setup

Come up with a username and password. These are your magic keys to the system. The computer name can be something like "Tux-PC" or "This_is_a_computer".

Some tips:

• Password: not "12345". Go for something strong but memorable.
• Auto-login: turn it off if you care about security.

7. Finish install

After setup, the installer will start copying files. This takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on your hardware.

When it's done, you'll be asked to reboot. Woohoo, you just installed Linux!

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5. First steps after install

1. Check your system

After booting up, you'll see the desktop or terminal interface. First things to do:

• Open the menu and find "Terminal". Welcome to the CLI!
• Run a couple of commands to check things out:

   whoami    # Find out your current username.
   uname -a  # Make sure you're on Linux.

2. Install updates

For Ubuntu, it's easy:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

And here's the first reason to love Linux: everything updates without a reboot.

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6. Common mistakes and fixes

• Computer doesn't see the USB stick at boot. Usually it's a BIOS misconfiguration. Check if the USB is set as the boot device.
• Not enough disk space. Make sure you freed up enough space or are using partitions correctly.
• Broke Windows (or you think you did). Don't panic! If Windows won't boot, often you can fix it with a bootloader repair command in Linux. Google "GRUB repair".

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Congrats, you planted your tree... I mean, set up your first Linux system! Now you've got a tool for work and play, and ahead—new horizons of the command line!

7. How to install Linux using Virtualbox

If you've never set up a virtual machine, here's a step-by-step guide with pics.

You'll need:

• Oracle VM VirtualBox installer for Windows Hosts Download link: Download Oracle VM VirtualBox
• Ubuntu Linux OS image in ISO format Download link: Download Ubuntu Desktop

First, install and launch VirtualBox.

Creating a virtual machine

First, install, launch VirtualBox, and hit the "New" button.

Fill in these fields: "Name", "Folder", "ISO".

Now you can pick the install type: automatic or manual. We don't want auto-install, so check "Skip unattended installation".

For auto-install, on the next step you need to set the username and password ahead of time. It's important to change these, since the defaults will create a user without sudo access.

It's also a good idea to check "Guest Additions", which gives you handy features like screen resizing and dynamic resolution—highly recommended!

Auto-install will start after you set up the VM. On first launch, hit "Start".

Set your VM resources.

In the next section, you can set how much RAM and how many CPUs your VM can use from your main computer. Try to stay in the green zone on each slider to avoid issues with your machine.

Next, set the hard disk size for the VM.

By default, the disk will dynamically grow as needed up to a set limit. If you want to pre-allocate the whole size, check "Pre-allocate Full Size"

After that, hit "Done" to initialize the machine!

When you're done, you'll have a VM, but no OS yet.

Installing Linux

Clicking "Start" should bring up a dialog window.

If you get error messages, try rebooting your computer. For more details, check the log file—the path is shown in the error window.

Pick "Try or Install Ubuntu".

Wait. After the installer starts, you'll be asked to pick a language.

You can pick any accessibility settings you need.

Your keyboard layout.

Connect to your network. This lets Ubuntu download updates and third-party drivers.

Pick "Install Ubuntu".

You'll be asked to pick between interactive and automatic install. Interactive is the standard way, but advanced users can use auto-install to import a config file from a web server.

Pick between "Default selection" and "Extended selection". The regular install has basic apps, expandable via the App Center. Extended install includes extra offline tools.

On the next screen, you can install third-party software for better hardware and multimedia support. Check both options.

On this screen, pick the install type. To install Ubuntu as the only system, pick "Erase disk and install Ubuntu".

Enter your name and computer name for the network. Then create a username and strong password.

Pick your location and time zone.

Ready to install.

If you picked to import an auto-install file at the start, you'll go straight to this screen to confirm your settings.

Click "Install" and enjoy the ride.

Next comes partitioning, copying files, installing updates, and other stuff that doesn't need you to do anything.

After install is done, you'll be asked to reboot.

Linking the host OS and the VM OS on Linux

But that's not all. It's a really good idea to install the so-called "Guest Additions". They include drivers and other system files needed for the best performance and extra features between the VM and the host OS.

Pick the "Devices" menu in VirtualBox, then "Insert Guest Additions CD image" and wait for the prompt to run the autorun app from the virtual drive.

Your Ubuntu Linux VM is installed and ready to go.

Official docs link: Oracle VM VirtualBox User Manual