Step By Step Tutorial: Installing Ubuntu Linux and Windows on same computer

This is the Step by step tutorial on installing Linux, just as Mova promised. Refer to the earlier posts on Linux Demystified here and here to know the background of this tutorial.

Prerequisites:

• About 5GB free hard disk space.
• Working windows installation.
• Ubuntu or Kubuntu or Edubuntu cd or a fast Internet connection.
• Wubi (not required if you have Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Edubuntu 8.04 cd).

Procedure:

Step 1: Put the Ubuntu, Kubuntu or Edubuntu (referred to as Ubuntu from here on) into the cd drive. A screen like the following will appear automatically. If it doesn’t, it means you have autorun disabled, in that case go to My Computer > Double Click on Ubuntu Icon > Double Click on umenu.exe

I am using Kubuntu, if you use Ubuntu it would be all the same just the image and colors will be different.

Step 2: Click on "Install inside Windows". You will be greeted by the following screen.

This is where all the action is!!

Step 3: Refer to the image and the appropriate number to view its details:

1. Choose the Windows partition where you want to install Ubuntu.
2. Choose the space you want to allocate to the Ubuntu Installation.
3. Choose Desktop Environment. More on this later. For starters I would recommend Gnome, but then if you know what you are doing, you can choose anyone here. Its no big deal.
4. Choose the language
5. Choose the username. This will be used to log into Ubuntu.
6. Choose the password for the above username. Both these details are required when you boot into Ubuntu.

Now simply click on install, installation will begin as shown below (make sure you are connected to the Internet if you are not doing this from cd), go fetch a Coffee or two!!

The Installation Begins

Step 4: Have Coffee! You don’t have to do anything!! Wubi is working for you. After the progress on the above screen completes you will see this:

Wubi creating virtual disks

Step 5: Have another coffee! Wubi will soon complete its work and ask you for a restart.

Reboot

Step 6: You are almost there. Choose reboot now and click on finish. You computer will reboot, but this time its different. You will see an entry named Ubuntu in the Choose Operating System Menu. Use arrow keys to choose Ubuntu ( I often see people trying to use mouse on this screen. It wont work!!) and press enter.

Choose Ubuntu here

Disclaimer: The above shot is of Vista Boot Manager that I found on Google Image Search ( I dont have a camera good enough to post my own shot). With XP the screen looks almost the same. Just wanted to give you an idea.

Step 7: Ubuntu will go through the process of setting up the operating system for the first time. This would take some time depending upon the specifications of your machine. Once its done. You can login into your Linux installation using the username and password you provided in Step 3 above.

This is it. You have Ubuntu running on you system and you didnt have to touch any partition of configure GRUB. Enjoy! Most of the things work out of the box. You might have a minor glitch or two depending on your hardware, this can usually be sorted by searching the Ubuntu Forums or check out the Ubuntu IRC at freenode.

 

Step By Step Tutorial Details:

• Time for completion: 30 – 35 minutes depending on your hardware.
• Difficulty level: Easy – Moderate
• Karma, Satisfaction or Joy you gain: 10/10

 

Feel free to ask any question on any of the tutorials and let me know your experience. Also contribute on what other tutorials you would like to read. I will surely try to include them. Long Live the Ubuntu Spirit!