As one of the most popular and influential open-source Linux systems globally, Ubuntu has witnessed a significant improvement in user experience since its release. Even when compared with operating systems like Windows and macOS, the latest version of Ubuntu is by no means inferior.
Preparatory Work
Before installation, several preparatory tasks need to be carried out, such as hardware inspection, partition preparation, and the selection of partition methods.
Acquiring the Ubuntu Installation Package
Download the ISO image file of the relevant version. You can burn it onto a CD or DVD as required, and of course, you can also order the corresponding optical disc products. These installation packages can be freely copied and installed on any number of computers.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- A 32-bit or 64-bit processor with a speed of 1 GHz or faster;
- 1 GB of RAM (for 32-bit systems) or 2 GB of RAM (for 64-bit systems);
- 16 GB of available hard disk space (for 32-bit systems) or 20 GB of available hard disk space (for 64-bit systems);
- Ensure that the computer can access the Internet (preferably via a router).
Understanding Linux Disk Partitioning
Readers who are new to Linux should have a basic understanding of Linux disk partitioning. Any disk must be partitioned before it can be used in the system. In the Windows system, drive letters (such as C, D, E, etc., where A and B are used for floppy drives) are used to identify partitions, and users can access partitions through the corresponding drive letters. In contrast, the Linux system adopts a single directory tree structure, with only one root directory for the entire system. Each partition becomes part of the root directory by being mounted to a certain directory. Linux uses the device name plus the partition number to identify partitions. SCSI disks and SATA disks (serial ATA hard drives) can be represented as "sd", followed by a lowercase letter to denote the disk number, and then the partition number, which is represented by Arabic numerals (the partition numbers for primary or extended partitions range from 1 to 4, while those for logical partitions start from 5).
Each operating system requires a primary partition for booting, which stores the program files necessary to boot the entire system. The operating system bootloader must be installed in the primary partition used for booting, while the main part of the operating system can be installed in other primary or extended partitions.
It is essential to ensure that there is sufficient unpartitioned disk space for installing the Linux operating system. During the Linux system installation, visual tools can be used for partitioning. Installing Ubuntu requires the creation of two partitions: the root partition (/) and the Swap partition. The root partition is used to store most system files and user files, so its storage space should be large enough to accommodate various Linux components. The Swap partition provides virtual memory space, and its size is usually about twice that of the physical memory. Some also separately create a boot partition (/boot) for system booting, which contains the operating system kernel and the files required during the startup process.
Selecting the Installation Method
Ubuntu supports the installation of multiple operating systems on a single computer. The GRUB multi-boot manager can be used to boot other operating systems like Windows.
Ubuntu once offered a unique installation method - Wubi. Wubi (Windows Ubuntu-Based Installer) is an Ubuntu installation tool specifically designed for Windows users. With Wubi, Ubuntu can be installed or uninstalled as an application software in the Windows system, and the installation process is extremely simple. Wubi stores most of the files in a folder under Windows (usually the Ubuntu folder), and users can uninstall them at any time in the Control Panel. Wubi was supported starting from Ubuntu 8.10, but it ceased to be supported from Ubuntu 13.04.
Typically, after downloading the ISO installation disc image file, it is made into a bootable disk, and direct installation via the installation disc is the simplest and most commonly used method, which is highly recommended for beginners. Ubuntu supports Live, allowing users to directly experience the system.
For the convenience of learning and experimentation, installing Ubuntu in a virtual machine on the Windows platform is an excellent choice. It is recommended to use Vmware Work station virtual machine software. First, create an Ubuntu Linux virtual machine, configure the memory (2 GB is recommended) and the hard disk (20 GB is recommended), and also provide Internet access. The most convenient way is to select NAT for the network mode. Finally, load the installation image file into the virtual optical drive and start the virtual machine to begin the installation.
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