How to install Linux: detailed instructions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Now everyone can handle installing Mint, Ubuntu, and other distros on Windows and macOS computers or without.

Linux can come in handy for many reasons. For example, your old computer cannot be upgraded to newer versions of Windows or macOS, or you need specific Linux applications, or you are just curious to try a new one. Or maybe you just bought a new computer without an operating system and want to save money by choosing free Linux.

Installing Linux is easy. Of course, there are distributions like Arch, which is quite difficult to install for a beginner. But most modern distributions are very easy to install. Perhaps even simpler and faster than Windows.

Back up important data before installing Linux on your main computer. While working with partitions on your hard drive, you can inadvertently erase something important. Of course, if you follow the instructions and carefully read what you are doing, then nothing unexpected will happen. But backup is a great thing anyway.

You can install Linux on computers running Windows and macOS, or on an empty hard drive. You can choose Linux as your main system, or use it alongside your old system.

1. Download the Linux distribution

First of all, you need to choose a distribution kit. Our top of the best Linux distributions will help you decide.

Then you need to download the selected distribution. To do this is as easy as shelling pears: open the site of the required distribution kit, find the download section and select the one that suits your processor's bitness.

As a rule, Linux distributions on the official sites are offered to download in two ways. The first way is normal download. The second is through P2P via a torrent client. The second way is, of course, faster. So choose it if you want to save time.

2. Burn the distribution to media

When the ISO distribution is downloaded, you need to burn it to a CD or a regular USB flash drive.

Burning to CD can be done using standard system tools: "Burn disk image" Windows or "Disk Utility" macOS. It is enough to click on the loaded image with the right mouse button and select the corresponding item in the menu.

You will need special utilities to burn ISO to a USB flash drive. For Windows it is better to choose Rufus, and for macOS - Etcher. These programs have a very simple interface, it is rather difficult to get confused in them.

Another option is to simply unpack the contents of the ISO archive onto a USB flash drive. This, however, will only work with more or less modern computers that have a new UEFI instead of the traditional BIOS.

3. Prepare the disk partition

This step should be performed if you want to keep the system installed on you and use Linux at the same time. If you decide to transfer your computer to Linux completely or install the OS on an empty hard disk, skip this paragraph.

Windows

Open Windows Disk Management Tool. Select the disk or partition from which you plan to cut some space for your Linux installation. For most distributions, 15 GB is more than enough. But if you plan on installing a lot of apps, take more. Right-click the partition and select Shrink Volume. Enter the size and click OK.

The process can take quite a long time, so please be patient.

When Disk Management finishes resizing partitions, an empty unallocated space appears on the disk, marked in black. We will install Linux there.

Later, if you do not need Linux, you can delete partitions with it and give the freed space back to Windows using the same "Disk Management Tools".

macOS

You can allocate space for your Linux installation through the macOS Disk Utility. Select your drive and click on the "+" sign to create a Linux partition. It may take a while to create a new partition.

4. Prepare the bootloader

Windows

This item only applies to new computers with preinstalled Windows 10, 8.1, or 8. These computers use a UEFI boot loader that will prevent you from booting any system other than Windows.

To fix this, go to your computer's BIOS settings and disable the Secure Boot option. Then reboot. Done, you can now download and install other systems alongside your Windows.

macOS

Unlike most computers, Mac requires a couple of additional steps to install Linux on a dual boot with macOS.

Disable SIP first. Reboot your Mac and press Cmd + R. The Recovery menu appears. Select "Terminal" in it and enter

csrutil disable

Restart your Mac again. SIP is disabled.

Download and install rEFInd. The built-in Boot Camp utility can only help you install Windows. rEFInd can boot macOS, Windows, and Linux. So you can choose which system will boot at startup.

Unpack rEFInd. Then open "Terminal" and type

diskutil list

… Find the name of your EFI bootloader in the list that appears. Most often this is / dev / disk0s1.

Enter

mount / dev / disk0s1

and run the rEFInd installation by dragging install.sh from the unzipped folder to the Terminal window.

5. Boot Linux from media

Reboot and select your Linux stick or CD as bootable media. This is done differently on different computers. On Windows devices, the boot order can be determined using Esc, F9, or the BIOS menu. On a Mac, this is done by long pressing the Option key.

6. Start the Linux installation

We are greeted by the Linux installer. For example, let's take the Linux Mint distribution for its popularity. But the installation processes for Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, Debian, Manjaro, and most other distributions are almost identical.

An exception is distributions that use a pseudo-graphic installer. The only major difference between such an installer is that you have to use the keys to select options in it. Otherwise, everything is the same.

Select the language you want to use in the system and click "Continue".

Specify which keyboard layout you want to use in addition to English.

Check "Install third party software" or "Install multimedia codecs" so that Linux can use proprietary drivers and codecs.

The option "Download updates during installation", if present, can be enabled so that the system downloads all the latest patches while it is being installed. Or leave it off if you have a slow internet connection and update later.

7. Partition the disk

This is a crucial stage at which you must be very careful.

The next steps differ depending on whether you want to install Linux next to your system or replace the system. Don't accidentally erase the disc if you want to leave the system.

How to install Linux instead of the current system

So, you've decided to install Linux instead of your current system (or on an empty hard disk). There are two options.

Automatically

The installer will erase all data from your disk, create new partitions and install the system without bothering you with unnecessary questions. To do this, select "Erase Disk and Install Linux". Before performing a clean install, save your files to another hard drive or cloud storage.

Manually

This method is suitable if you want to set the dimensions for your partitions yourself or, for example, create a separate partition for your files. To do this, select "Another option" and click "Continue".

Linux will display what partitions you have on your computer. You can delete them, format, or, conversely, leave the sections with the information you want to keep.

To install Linux instead of your system, select the partition with the installed OS and remove it with the "-" button. Then create new partitions in the vacant space.

• Root partition for Linux system files. Select the Ext4 file system and mount point /.
• Swap partition, or swap partition. It will come in handy if you don't have enough RAM, but a fast SSD drive. Select Swap Partition from the list of file systems.
• Home section where your files will be stored. Select the Ext4 file system and the / home mount point.

Click "Continue" and confirm the changes. The installer will erase the partitions you selected and create new ones in the vacated space.

How to install Linux next to the current system

There are two ways to install Linux alongside your system.

Automatically

Most Linux installers will immediately detect the systems you have installed. If you did not create a separate disk space for Linux, then you can try to select "Install next to Windows". The installer will create the necessary partitions on its own, and you will not have to do anything manually. In the future, you will be able to select the desired system when you boot your computer.

Manually

If you want to decide for yourself how much space to allocate to the system, and followed the instructions in step 3, click "Other option" and click "Continue". You will see your disk partitions and the empty space that we have prepared for Linux. Create a root partition there (mount point /) as described above. The home section is not necessary in this case: you can copy and modify files on your main system.

Click Continue. The installer will leave your files where they are. It will simply create new partitions in the free space. You will be able to choose which system you want to boot at startup.

8. Complete the Linux installation

Then everything is simple. The installer may ask you where you are to determine your time zone and will prompt you to select your preferred input language.

You will then be asked to introduce yourself. Enter your name and create a password. Do not forget it, as you will constantly need it to complete tasks on behalf of everyone. You can encrypt your home folder if you want.

The installation of the system will begin. Wait while Linux copies its files.

When the process finishes, you will be prompted to remove the installation disc and reboot. Do not forget to disable boot from external drives in the BIOS if you enabled it.

When you reboot and your Linux desktop appears in front of you, you can do everything you do in Windows and macOS: surf the Internet, edit documents and listen to music. But before that, first of all, you should update - the corresponding item can usually be found in the main menu of the system.

Then you can look into the "Application Store" (or its equivalent depending on the distribution) to install the applications you need. And finally, choose a prettier wallpaper.

Try Linux and you will see that it is no more difficult in everyday life than Windows or macOS.

The text of the article was last updated on March 11, 2021.