How to Install Linux in 7 steps

Are you exploring to know how to install Linux? Ever thought of using any computer which is not yours, with all your stuff and configuration? It is possible with any Linux distribution. Yes! You can use your own customized Linux OS on any device with just a USB drive.

This tutorial is all about installing the newest Linux OS (Operating System) on your pen drive (completely reconfigurable personalized OS, NOT just a Live USB), customizing it, and using it on any PC you have access to. I am working on Lubuntu 18.04 Bionic beaver for this tutorial (but you can use any Linux distribution). So let’s get started.

Linux. For some, it invokes a face full of smiles and a chest filled with relief. For others, it brings up a certain level of fear. Isn’t it all commands? Don’t you have to be an uber-level IT admin or developer to use it? Although I will admit that having a bit of admin or developer skills certainly did help, in the early days, that’s not the case anymore.

The installation process for Linux perfectly illustrates this. What was once a challenge is now a five- to 10-minute point-and-click affair that ends with operating system nirvana?

how to install linux on chromebook — how to install Linux on Chromebook

Table of Contents

What is a Linux Distribution?

Well, now, as you know that Linux is an open-source, available-to-use kernel. Programmers use it, and organizations, profit, and non-profit companies worldwide create Operating systems to suit their requirements.

To prevent hacking attempts, many groups keep their Linux operating systems private. Many others make their varieties of Linux available publicly so the whole world can benefit at large. These versions/ types /kinds of Linux operating systems are called Distributions.

Required Things

One Pendrive 4GB or More (Let’s call it Main USB drive/Pendrive).
One more Pen drive or DVD to use as bootable Linux installation media.
Linux OS ISO file, for example, Lubuntu 18.04.
One PC (Caution: Disconnect internal hard drives to prevent boot record alteration).

32-bit or 64-bit Version

The arguments over whether to go for 32- or 64-bit versions of Ubuntu mirror those over the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows. 64-bit Ubuntu is marginally faster in tests and adds support for more than 4GB of RAM.

There are issues with hardware and software compatibility, although these are easing, and some applications either run more slowly in 64-bit mode or won’t run at all without some tweaking.

Confusingly, Canonical cites the 32-bit version as the recommended choice on the Desktop Edition download page but then favors the 64-bit version on a help page. In our experience, the 64-bit version’s advantages make sense, and problems are relatively few and far between.

Quick Method to install Linux in a few minutes

Press Install Ubuntu and then select your keyboard layout.
Click Continue and then click the checkbox for Install Third-Party Software.
Press Continue and (unless you need a non-default installation type) click Install Now.
When prompted, click Continue to OK the installation.
Next, select a locale and click Continue. You will then be prompted to create a new user, so type your name, a name for the computer (aka the hostname), a username, and a password. After filling out that information, click Continue.
At this point, the downloading and installing of the required packages will begin, so either sit back and watch it happen or take care of another task. This should take around 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the speed of your network connection and the machine’s power.
When it completes, you’ll be prompted to restart to finish up the process. Reboot, log in and start using Linux.

FAQs

Q: Can I install Linux on my laptop?

A: You can have both approaches, but there are a few tricks for doing it right. Windows 10 isn’t the only (type of) free operating system you can install on your computer. Linux can run from just a USB drive without remodeling your existing device, but you’ll desire to install it on your PC if you plan on using it constantly.

Q: Why is Linux Mint bad?

A: Well, Linux Mint is generally very poor when it comes to security and quality. First of all, they don’t emit any Security Advisories, so their users cannot – unlike users of most other mainstream distributions – instantly look up whether they are influenced by a certain CVE.

Q: Is the Linux operating system free?

A: Linux is a free, open-source operating system published under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Anyone can run, study, adjust, and redistribute the source code, or even sell copies of their modified code, as long as they do so under the same license.

Q: Is Linux OS good?

A: So, being an efficient OS, Linux distributions could be applied to a range of systems (low-end or high-end). In distinction, the Windows operating system has a higher hardware requirement. Overall, even if you confront a high-end Linux device and a high-end Windows-powered computer, the Linux distribution would take the edge.

Q: Can I use Linux and Windows on a single computer?

A: Yes, you are free to use windows along with Linux on the same machine. It’s called dual booting. All you need to do is partition the data disk into at least two, one to install Windows and another to install Linux.

Conclusion

The Linux operating systems now offer millions of programs/applications to choose from, most of them free to install! Linux is also the OS of preference for Server environments due to its stability and reliability (Mega-organizations like Amazon, Facebook, and Google use Linux for their Servers). It proves to be the right choice for everyone.

And that’s all there is to installing Linux. Seriously, it’s that easy. You won’t find a more comfortable operating system to install. So, if you have some spare hardware sitting around, and you’re looking for something to do this summer, install Linux and learn the ins and outs of the open-source OS. Expand your knowledge and open new paths to success. Share your valuable thoughts and suggestions in the comment box section below.