InstallUbuntu

How to install Linux

This document explains how to install the Linux operating system on a new disk. And explores a few other options.

Upgrading to a new disk, Linux already installed on existing drive

If there is a functional operating system on an existing disk, the new disk can be installed as a second drive and there is no need to reinstall Linux. The process involves partitioning the disk (Wiki page coming, skeletal instructions follow in the document), and (optionally) linking the new disk to a folder on the existing disk.

If a good copy of Linux exists on the old drive and it all you want to do is to move everything to the new drive, many times a new drive will come with a bootable migration CD. Not all support Linux, but many do. There are also downloadable tools that can do the job if the migration CD won't, or the migration CD is missing.

Many times the best bet is to install a fresh copy of Linux onto the new drive and then copy any needed data files from the old disk to the new. This will also mean that you'll need to reinstall programs.

To install Linux from scratch

It is recommended that you disconnect any hard drives that you want to preserve, since the imaging (installation) procedure wipes the disk. You don't want to accidentally install on the wrong disk.

At Free Geek

Boot from the internet and choose to install the desired version of Linux from the menu that is presented. You may be asked a question or two during the installation process. YES is usually the right answer.

At home or some other location

It will be necessary to burn an installation disk from an .iso file. An .iso file is in a format that is a bit by bit representation of the CD to be burned. Using an .iso file will create a bootable CD. Most CD burning programs recognize an .iso file and will automatically burn it correctly. Some programs require that you select an option to burn a disk image.

The .iso file can be obtained from the Linux distribution website. For Ubuntu, it is [1]www.ubuntu.com. Download the file and burn it to a CD. The CD can be burned on any operating system.

Then boot from the CD and follow the instructions.

Installing a Linux/other dual boot system

Refer to Wiki (in progress)

Trouble shooting

CD won't boot

The burning program didn't burn in image mode. If you put the CD in a functional machine you will see a single file with an .iso extension. Burn it again making sure the burning program knows it is burning an image.

Burn failure that wasn't reported.

Burned to a R/W disk and computer doesn't support booting from R/W disk (older machine).

Confusion answering questions and Linux didn't install correctly

Boot from the CD again and start over. If it asks you to allow it to erase partitions (or format the disk, or something else along these lines) say Yes.

Partitioning a disk to use as a second drive

Several programs exist for this task. Some even on different operating systems. If you already have a program installed on a different computer and OS that you are familiar with, by all means use it. A very popular one is Partition Magic. Just temporarily install the new drive.

For Linux use, most programs are a variation of either parted or fdisk. A nice graphical version is QtParted, available for installation via synaptic or apt.

Start the application and choose the new drive. Be careful that you don't accidentally choose the old drive. The applications are usually very good at telling you if you make this mistake, and will warn you that you will destroy the operating system if you proceed. Believe them, they are telling the truth.

The best bet is to make the entire drive a single partition. Use ext4 as the type if supported, otherwise ext3. Don't make the drive bootable, don't create a swap partition, don't enable RAID. If you don't understand something, don't select it.

DO WE NEED TO DO MKFS ????

Linking the new drive to the existing drive

It's possible to just use the new drive as a totally separate drive and there's nothing to say you shouldn't. But many times it is more convenient to use the second drive as an extension of the primary drive. To accomplish this:

Note that folder and directory mean the same thing. Command line users tend to use the term directory and it's reflected in the (abbreviated) names of the commands.

Create a folder on the new drive. Name is not important, but it helps if it's the same name you will use on the primary drive. The folder can be created with the file browser or the command line. The command sequence is:

cd <Name of root file system on NEW drive>

mkdir <name you choose>

cd

ln -s <name you chose> <name on primary/old disk, if different>

Example, links a new folder in your home directory to the new disk, italics text is comments and is not to be entered:

cd /dev/sdb0 change to the new disk partitionTHIS IS PROBABLY WRONG

mkdir myGoodStuff create the folder(directory) named myGoodStuff

cd change back to the home folder on the primary drive

ln -s /dev/sdb0/myGoodStuff link folder on the new drive to a folder of the same name on the primary drive

The example will create a folder named myGoodStuff on the primary drive that is in reality using a folder on the new drive. By using the same name on both drives, you don't have to use the optional second name on the ln command. Don't forget the second cd command, this sets you back to your home folder so the link is created in the correct place.

Now you can use the folder myGoodStuff just like it lived on the primary drive, but you've got the entire new drive to use for its data.