Lesson 4: Operating System Installation

How important is the installation of an operating system? Have you ever

wondered why it is necessary for us, being an IT person to learn this thing? Installation
of an operating system allows us to upgrade, reinstall, or set up a new PC. Before we
are able to use all hardwares connected to our computer, it is important to install this
first. That’s why, among the different examples of a system software, operating
systems are an important thing to install first. But how can we install an operating
system?
Installation of an operating system depends on different factors. First is the
platform to be installed such as Windows or Linux, and the version of that platform.
Example, Windows has different versions such as Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and
Windows 10. For Linux, there are different distributions to choose from like Ubuntu,
Fedora, Red Hat, and others. Different platforms and versions or distribution means
different ways or steps on how to install it.
In this lesson, we are going to discuss two different platforms to be installed on
our PCs, namely Windows 10 and Linux (Ubuntu).

Windows 10 Installation

A clean installation is a process in which you erase the hard drive to start from
scratch with a new setup when your computer is having problems. For example, using
this method can help resolve performance, memory, start-up, shut down, and
application program issues. In addition, it can even help to improve battery life on
laptops and tablets, and it's a practical approach to eliminate viruses and other
malware or computer threats.
If you've been using the same setup for some time, a clean installation is a good
option to upgrade to the most up-to-date version of Windows 10 or upgrade from an
older version, such as Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, minimizing the risks of issues
during and after the process.
It's also the option you should use to start fresh with a copy of Windows 10 on
a new device that came preloaded with bloatware, a device you're readying to give
away, or during a hard drive replacement.

How to Prepare for Clean Install of Windows 10

If you're planning to perform a clean installation of Windows 10, it's usually

recommended to complete some tasks before proceeding to reduce the chances of
problems and avoid data loss.
(In the case that you already have a backup of your data, you have an activation key,
the device is configured to boot from USB, and you disconnected non-essential
peripherals, then you can skip these instructions and jump to bootable media creation
and a clean install process.)

1. Creating Backup
The clean installation process erases everything on the main drive. Therefore
before proceeding, it is advised to create a full backup of your device, or at least a
backup of your important files.
Backup entire device
Although you'll start from scratch with a fresh copy of Windows 10, you should
create a temporary full backup of your current installation, in case something goes
wrong, and you need to revert the settings, or recover files.
You can choose from a number of solutions, but the easiest way to create a full
backup is to use the legacy System Image Backup tool available on Windows 10 as
well as on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

Figure 3.34.System Image Backup Tool

Backup files to OneDrive

The easiest way to create a backup of your documents, pictures, and other files
is to upload the data to the OneDrive folder or cloud storage service of your choice
(such as DropBox).
If you're using Microsoft OneDrive, you can also use the backup settings to
synchronize your profile folders, including Documents, Pictures, and Desktop. To
configure the OneDrive backup settings on Windows 10, use these steps:
a. Open Settings.
b. Click on Update & Security.
c. Click on Backup.
d. Under the "Back up files to OneDrive" section, click the Backup files
option.
 Figure 3.35. Backup Files Using Cloud Storage

e. Click to clear the folder (uncheck) that you don't want to backup in the
cloud (optional). Afterwards, click the “Start backup” button.

Figure 3.36. Microsoft OneDrive Settings

Once you complete the steps, OneDrive will begin backing up the files on the
Desktop, Documents, and Pictures user folders in the cloud while keeping a copy on
your computer and syncing them across your devices.

Backup files to an External Drive

If you have a lot of files, perhaps the best option would be making a copy of the
files to an external hard drive.
 To create a file backup manually, connect an external drive with enough
storage, and then use these steps:
a. Open File Explorer.
b. Type the following path in the address bar and press Enter:
%HOMEPATH%

Figure 3.37. File Explorer Window

c. Click the Select All button from the "Home" tab.

Figure 3.38. Selecting All Contents

d. Click the Copy to button from the "Home" tab.
e. Select the Choose location option.
f. Select the destination location.
g. Click the Copy button.
 Figure 3.39. Selecting Destination Drive

After you complete the steps, you may need to repeat the instructions to backup
the files for the remaining accounts (if applicable).
In addition to making a copy of your files, it's a good idea to create a list of your
installed applications and their product keys (if applicable) to know the apps you need
to reinstall after the installation.
If you're not already saving your passwords and bookmarks with an online
service, it's now a good time to export your browser credentials and links.

2. Downloading Essential Drivers

PC drivers represent essential software components that are used by devices
to interact with computer operating systems. Drivers are the files which the operating
system and hardware devices use to send or receive data.
Windows 10 is capable of detecting and installing most device drivers
automatically. However, it's a good idea to download at least the essential drivers
ahead of time, such as for the network adapter and graphics card, in case the setup
fails to add these drivers correctly, especially on custom PC builds.
You can download the latest drivers for your hardwares on the manufacturer’s
website. For laptops, just specify the complete model name of your device to get the
updated drivers available.
You may also use third party applications to download the latest version of
drivers for your hardware devices. One good example is DriverPack Solutions. It is a
free driver updater tool that, with just a few clicks, finds the proper device drivers your
computer needs and then downloads and installs them for you - no clicking through
any wizards or installation prompts.
 3. Checking Windows 10 Activation
After a copy of Windows 10 has been properly activated, you don't need to
resupply the product key. Once the new installation completes, the system will
automatically activate as soon as it connects to the internet.
To confirm if Windows 10 is properly activated, use these steps:
a. Open Settings.
b. Click on Update & Security.
c. Click on Activation.
d. Under the "Windows" section, confirm that your computer is activated.

Figure 3.40. Windows 10 Activation Window

After you complete the steps, if your current setup is activated, Windows 10
should automatically reactivate after the installation.

4. Obtaining Windows 10 Product Key

If you'll be installing Windows 10 on a new device, or you're trying to upgrade
Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, you'll need to purchase a valid license from the Microsoft
Store, Amazon, or another retailer.

5. Confirm Windows 10 Requirements

When the device is already running Windows 10, then the upgrade is likely to
meet the minimum hardware requirements. However, if you're about to upgrade an
older computer running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you want to make sure that the
device meets the minimum requirements.
 These are the minimum requirements to install the Windows 10 (May 2020
Update and later releases):
● Processor: 1GHz or System on a Chip (SoC)
● Memory: 1GB for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit
● Storage: 32GB for 64-bit or 32-bit
● Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
● Display Resolution: 800x600

6. Changing Boot Order on Firmware

When you choose to perform a clean installation, you must start the computer
with a USB bootable media containing the installation files. However, this is only
possible if the Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) or Unified Extensible Firmware
Interface (UEFI) on the motherboard is configured to boot from USB.

Configure Boot Order using UEFI

If the device in question has UEFI firmware, you can access the settings to
change the boot order from within the desktop environment, whether you're using
Windows 10 or Windows 8.1.
UEFI Settings on Windows 10
To change the UEFI boot settings on Windows 10, use these steps:
a. Open Settings.
b. Click on Update & Security.
c. Click on Recovery.
d. Under the "Advanced Startup" section, click the Restart now button.

Figure 3.41. Windows 10 Recovery Window

e. Click the “Troubleshoot” button and then “Advanced options”.

 Figure 3.42. Windows Recovery Options

f. Click the UEFI Firmware Settings option.

g. Click the Restart button.

Figure 3.43. UEFI Firmware Settings

h. While inside the firmware environment, open the Boot settings.

i. Set the boot order to start from the USB media with the Windows 10 installation
files.
 Figure 3.44. Boot Options Configuration
j. Save the changes. After you complete the steps, the device should be able to
start from a USB flash drive.

UEFI Settings on Windows 8.1

To change the UEFI boot settings on Windows 8.1, use these steps:
a. Open Settings.
b. Click on Update and recovery.
c. Click on Recovery.
d. Under the "Advanced Startup" section, click the Restart now button.

Figure 3.45. Windows 8.1 Recovery Settings

e. Click the Troubleshoot option.
f. Click on Advanced options.
g. Click the UEFI Firmware Settings option.
 h. Click the Restart button.
i. While inside the firmware, open the Boot settings.
j. Set the boot order to start from the USB media with the Windows 10 installation
files.
k. Save the changes.
Once you complete the steps, the device should start from a USB flash drive to
proceed with a clean installation of Windows 10.

UEFI Settings on Windows 7

To change the UEFI boot settings on Windows 7, use these steps:
a. Start device.
b. Press the F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12, the ESC, or Delete key to access the
firmware.

Quick tip: The steps to access the BIOS varies per manufacturer and even per
computer model. As a result, you may need to check your manufacturer support
website for more specific steps.

c. While inside the firmware, open the Boot settings.

d. Set the boot order to start from the USB media with the Windows 10 installation
files.
After you complete the steps, you should be able to start the computer using a
bootable media to install Windows 10.

Configure Boot Order using BIOS

If the computer uses the legacy BIOS firmware, you can change the boot order
using these steps:
a. Start device.
b. As soon as the computer starts booting up, press one of the function keys (F1,
F2, F3, F10, or F12), the ESC, or Delete key.
c. While inside the BIOS, find the Boot settings.
d. Set the boot order to start from the USB media with the Windows 10 installation
files.
e. Save the changes.
 Figure 3.46. Boot Order Configuration Screen

Once you complete the steps, your computer should be able to start from the
USB bootable media.
Disconnect Non-Essential Peripherals
Peripherals connected to your device are usually the reason for issues during
the installation process. If you have non-essential peripherals connected, such as
removable storage and other USB and Bluetooth devices as well as printers, scanners,
cameras, and others, it's recommended to remove them.
When performing a clean install of Windows 10, you only need a monitor,
keyboard, mouse, and an internet connection. After the process, you can reconnect
the peripherals again (one at a time), making sure they don't cause other issues.

7. Creating Bootable USB for Clean Installation

On Windows 10, to perform a clean installation, you'll need a USB bootable
media, which you can easily create using a number of tools, including the Microsoft
Media Creation tool or third-party utilities, such as Rufus.

Microsoft Media Creation Tool

To create an installation media using the Media Creation Tool, connect a USB flash
drive of at least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:
a. Open Windows 10 download page.
b. Under the "Create Windows 10 installation media" section, click the Download
tool now button to save the file.
c. Double-click the MediaCreationToolxxxx.exe file to launch the tool.
d. Click the Accept button to agree to the Microsoft terms.
e. Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for
another PC option.

Figure 3.47. Create Installation Media using MS Media Creation Tool

f. Click the Next button.

g. Clear the Use the recommended options for this PC option (optional).
h. Select the correct language, architecture, and edition of Windows 10 (if
applicable).

Figure 3.48. MS Media Creation Tool Settings

Quick tip: If you plan to install Windows 10 on several devices running the 32-bit or
64-bit architecture, use the "Architecture" drop-down menu and select the Both
option.
i. Click the Next button.
j. Select the USB flash drive option.
 Figure 3.49. Choosing Media to Use
k. Click the Next button and then Finish.
Once you complete the steps, the Media Creation Tool will download the files
and create an installer, which you can then use to start your device and set up a fresh
copy of Windows 10.

Create Windows 10 USB with Rufus

In the case that the Media Creation Tool isn't working, you can alternatively use
the Rufus tool to create the installer for devices with UEFI or BIOS firmware, even if
you don't have a Windows 10 ISO file.

Important: Rufus is a popular tool with many options to help you create a bootable
media of Windows 10 faster. However, it's still a third-party tool, which is not supported
by Microsoft. Use it at your own risk.

To create a Windows 10 installer with Rufus, connect a USB flash drive of at

least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:
1. Open Rufus download page (https://rufus.ie).
2. Under the "Download" section, click the latest release of the tool to save the
file on your device.
 Figure 3.50. Rufus Download Page
3. Double-click the Rufus-x.xx.exe file to launch the tool.
4. Click the Yes button if you want the app to check updates.
5. Under the "Device" section, select the USB flash drive with at least 8GB of
space.
6. Under the "Boot selection" section, click the down arrow button next to the
"Select" option on the right and click the Download button.

Figure 3.51. Rufus Application Main Window

Quick tip: If you already have an ISO file, click the Select button, select the
Windows 10 ISO file, and continue with step number 20. If the option to download
the ISO isn't available, click the Select button, and then the Cancel button to reveal
the option.
7. Click the Download button.
8. Use the "Version" drop-down menu and select the Windows 10 option.
9. Click the Continue button.
10. Select the 20H1 (Build 19041.xxx - xxxx.xx) option to download the Windows
10 May 2020 Update (the latest update for Windows 10).
11. Click the Continue button.
12. Use the "Edition" drop-down menu and select the Windows 10 Home/Pro
option.
13. Click the Continue button.
14. Use the "Language" drop-down menu and select your installation language.

Quick tip: If you're in the United States, select the "English" option, not "English
International."

15. Click the Continue button.

16. Use the "Architecture" drop-down menu and select the 32-bit or 64-bit
(recommended).
17. Click the Download button.

Figure 3.52. Rufus Download ISO Image Window

18. Select a folder location to download the ISO file.

19. Click the Save button.
20. Use the "Image option" drop-down menu to select the Standard Windows
installation option.
21. Use the "Partition scheme" drop-down menu to select the GPT option.
22. Use the "Target system" drop-down menu to select the UEFI (non CSM)
option.
 Figure 3.53. Partition Scheme and Target System Settings

Quick note: If the computer includes a legacy BIOS, select the MBR option for
partition scheme and BIOS (or UEFI-CSM) option target system.

23. Under the "Show Advanced drive properties" section, leave the default
settings.
24. Under the "Volume label" field, enter a descriptive name for the drive — for
example, "win10_usb."
25. Under the "File system" and "Cluster size" section, leave the default settings.
26. Click the Show advanced format options button.
27. Select the "Quick format" and "Create extended label and icon files" options.
28. Click the Start button.
29. Click the OK button to confirm.
30. Click the Close button.
After you complete the steps, Rufus will download the ISO file from the
Microsoft servers, and it'll create the bootable media to perform a clean install of
Windows 10.

Clean Installation of Windows 10

 The Windows 10 installation process has two parts, including setup and out-of-
box experience (OOBE). In the setup process, you'll select some basic settings, and
you'll have the option to erase the hard drive, configure partitions, and perform a clean
installation of Windows 10. During the out-of-box experience, you'll configure personal
settings, such as language, network, account, privacy, and more.

Windows 10 Clean Install Process

After the preparation, the clean install process of Windows 10 is a

straightforward process.
Warning: This is a friendly reminder that this process will erase everything on your
computer. It's always recommended to make a temporary full backup of your PC
before proceeding.
To do a clean installation of Windows 10, use the following steps:
1. Start the device with Windows 10 USB media.
2. On prompt, press any key to boot from the device.
3. On the "Windows Setup," click the Next button.

Figure 3.54. Windows 10 Initial Setup

Quick tip: Usually, it's unnecessary, but if your language, time and currency, and
keyboard are different from the default selections, make sure to select the correct
settings before continuing.
4. Click the Install now button.
 Figure 3.55. Start of Installation of Windows

5. Type the product key if this is your first time installing Windows 10. If you're
reinstalling the OS, click the “I don't have a product key” option to continue
(assuming that your device was already activated).

Figure 3.56. Product Key Window

6. Click the Next button.

7. Select the edition of Windows 10 (If applicable). This selection must match the
edition your product key activates. Afterwards, click the Next button.
 Figure 3.57. Windows 10 Edition Selection
8. Select the “I accept the license terms” option to continue and then click Next.

Figure 3.58. Accepting the License Terms Window

9. Click on the Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced) option to continue with
a clean installation.

Figure 3.59. Installation Type Window

 10. Select the partition with the current installation (usually "Drive 0"), and click the
Delete button.

Quick tip: If "Drive 0" has multiple partitions, you have to select and delete each
of the partitions to allow the setup to use the entire drive for the new clean
installation. Windows 10 will create the required partitions automatically during
the process. It's not necessary to delete the partitions on secondary drives.

11. Click the Yes button.

Figure 3.60. Deleting Existing Partitions

12. Afterwards, select the empty drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space). Click Next
Button.

Figure 3.61. Unpartitioned Drive

Once you complete the steps, the setup will install Windows 10 on the
computer.
Quick Note: If you're planning to decommission the device, you can stop now and let
the new owner complete the out-of-box experience. If you're upgrading a system
you're planning to use, continue with the instructions listed below.

Windows 10 Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)

After the setup, you need to continue with the out-of-box experience to create
a new account and configure your preferences.
This guide follows the out-of-box experience available with Windows 10 version
2004 (May 2020 Update), but depending on the release you are trying to install; the
steps may be slightly different.
To complete the OOBE on a new install of Windows 10, use these steps:
1. Select your Region option and click the Yes button.

Figure 3.62. Region Settings

2. Select your keyboard layout option and click ‘Yes’ button again.
 Figure 3.63. Keyboard Layout Settings

3. Click the Skip button (unless you need to add a second keyboard layout).
Quick note: If you're not using a wired network connection, you'll need to sign in to
the wireless network, and then proceed with the account settings.

4. Click the “Set up for personal use” option and click “Next” button.

Figure 3.64. Initial Account Setup

5. Type your Microsoft account information to create an account.

 Figure 3.65. Microsoft Account Setup
Quick note: The recommended process is to use a Microsoft account. However, if
you want to use a traditional local account, you'll need to click the Offline account
option from the bottom-left corner, and then continue with the on-screen directions.

6. Type your Microsoft account password. Or if you use your phone to sign in to
Microsoft services, you can click the “Use the Microsoft Authenticator” app
instead option (if available).

Figure 3.66. Account Password Setup

 7. Click the Create PIN button.

Figure 3.67. Create PIN Setup

8. Create your new four-digit Windows Hello PIN.

Figure 3.68. Windows Hello PIN

Quick tip: If you want to continue using a traditional password, click the Cancel button
to skip the process.

9. Select your privacy settings (and don't forget to scroll down the page to review
all the settings). Click the Accept button.
 Figure 3.69. Privacy Settings Window

10. (Optional) If you wish to enable Timeline to access your activity history across
devices, click the Yes button. Otherwise, click the No button.

11. (Optional) You can supply your phone number and then click the Send button
to link your phone with your computer. If you want to skip this option, click the
Do it later button in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

12. (Optional) Click the Next button to allow OneDrive to backup the Desktop,
Documents, and Pictures folders to the cloud. If you use another cloud
service or are not interested in uploading your files to the cloud, click the
“Only save files to this PC” option in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

13. Click the No, thanks button to skip the Microsoft 365 setup (if applicable).

Quick tip: If you have an Office product key, you can click the “I have a product key”
option, and then the apps will install automatically on your device.

14. (Optional) Check the Let Cortana respond to "Hey Cortana" option to use the
assistance hands-free.

15. Click the Accept button to allow Microsoft to collect personal information to
make Cortana more personal. If you're not interested in the digital assistant,
click the “Not now” button to continue.
 Figure 3.70. Cortana Settings Window
After you complete the steps, the settings you selected will apply to the clean
installation, and you should be able to see the default desktop experience.

Completing Setup after Installation of Windows 10

Although it's not a requirement, after the installation, you want to make sure
that Windows 10 isn't missing any important updates, is properly activated, and there
are no issues with device drivers.
Installing updates
To install the latest cumulative updates on Windows 10, use these steps:
1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Update.
4. Click the Check for updates button.

Figure 3.71. Windows Update Window

Once you complete the steps, if Windows Update finds any updates, it'll
automatically download and install them. A restart may be required to complete the
update process.
Confirming Activation
To confirm Windows 10 is activated, use these steps:
1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Activation.
4. If Windows 10 activated successfully, one of the following messages would
appear:
▪ Windows is activated with a digital license: The installation has been
activated, but it isn't linked to your Microsoft account.
▪ Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account:
The installation has been activated, and the license is linked to your
Microsoft account.

Figure 3.72. Windows Activation Window

In the case that Windows 10 didn't activate, usually, the device will reactivate
within a day or two. If you're still having issues, you can use the “Activation
Troubleshooter” to activate.

Check Missing Drivers

To determine whether Windows 10 isn't missing any drivers, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the console.
3. Confirm that none of the devices have a yellow or red mark, and make sure
nothing is listed as unknown.
 Figure 3.73. Device Manager Window
If one or multiple devices have problems, you'll need to manually download and
install the latest drivers from your computer manufacturer's support website.

Reinstall Applications
It's now time to reinstall your applications, including web browsers, such as
Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera to browse the web.
If you use Spotify or iTunes to listen to tunes while working, you can download
these apps and others from Microsoft Store.
Also, it's now a good time to download and install the productivity suite of Office
apps to start working with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and managing your emails with
Outlook.

Restoring Files from Backup

Finally, if you backed up your files using OneDrive, then the data should already
be available inside the OneDrive folder, however, if the client didn't configure
automatically, you can use this guide.
In the case that you have a backup of your files, reconnect the external drive to
restore the data to your account folders.
To restore files from a previous backup, use these steps:
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Under the “This PC” section in the left pane, select the external drive with the
backup.
3. Select the folders with the file that you want to restore.
4. Click the Copy to menu from the "Home" tab.
 Figure 3.74. Restoring Files from Backup
5. Select the Choose location option.
6. Select the destination to restore the files — for example, in the Documents
folder.
7. (Optional) Click the Make New Folder button.
8. Specify a name for the folder (such as Backup) and press Enter.
9. Select the newly created folder and click the “Copy” button. After you
completed the steps, the files will be restored to your device.

Figure 3.75. Copying Files from Backup

Although you can start a clean installation using the Media Creation Tool
without a USB media and even the “Reset this PC”” option from the recovery settings,
using these methods have their limitations, and they do not always work as expected.
If you want to make sure that you're performing a true clean installation, using
the bootable media is a better alternative.
Preparing PC for Linux installation

After a successful installation of Microsoft Windows operating system, may be

you want to try something new. Some of you may already experience using a Linux
distribution of some type. It is either a Linux installed on a PC or a Live View on a
USB drive.
Once you did that and finalized your chosen distribution (or distros), the next
step is to prepare your PC for installing Linux.
To begin with, Linux uses two partitions to work effectively including an ext and
swap partitions. It is different to Microsoft’s NTFS file system where the Windows are
being installed on this type of partition.

Know the Partitions

● ext3, ext4 Partitions

This is the file system where Linux resides. You will be installing the Linux OS
into this partition. Like NTFS file system is for Windows, ext3 and ext4 is for
Linux.

● Swap Partition
SWAP partition is an essential feature in Linux. It gives the best performance
and stability especially in a PC with smaller RAM. In a nutshell, SWAP space is
like adding memory in the form of virtual RAM. By adding SWAP, you are
allocating some amount of hard disk space to use as RAM when physical RAM
is overflown.

Quick Tip: I would say if your PC’s RAM is less than or equal to 4 GB, you must have
a SWAP. If you have more than 8 GB physical RAM, you may still need SWAP if you
run resource-intensive applications like video convention, virtual machines,
multimedia applications, etc. If you are using your PC for just internet browsing, email,
and running office applications, you can skip SWAP provided you have at least 4GB
RAM. We don’t want the memory to overflow RAM which makes the PC unstable and
non-responsive.
A simple rule of thumb is to have SWAP space at least double the size of
physical RAM. But this is up to you to decide. Linux can work with tiny SWAP or even
without SWAP, but if you want a robust and stable PC for resource intensive apps, get
as much SWAP as possible.
Installing Ubuntu 20.04 Linux Operating System

Ubuntu is a complete Linux operating system, freely available with both

community and professional support. The Ubuntu community is built on the ideas
enshrined in the Ubuntu Manifesto: that software should be available free of charge,
that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any
disabilities, and that people should have the freedom to customize and alter their
software in whatever way they see fit.
● Ubuntu will always be free of charge, and there is no extra fee for the “enterprise
edition”.
● Ubuntu includes the very best in translations and accessibility infrastructure that
the Free Software community has to offer, to make Ubuntu usable by as many
people as possible.
● Ubuntu is shipped in stable and regular release cycles.
● Ubuntu is entirely committed to the principles of open source software
development; encouraging people to use open source software, improve it and
pass it on.

System Requirements for Ubuntu 20.04

● At least 2 GHz dual-core processor
● 4 GB RAM (but 2 GB can work)
● 25 GB of hard-drive space
● VGA capable of 1024×768 screen resolution
● Either of the two: a CD/DVD drive or a USB port for the installer media
● Optionally, Internet access

Installation of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Desktop

1. Once you have obtained the Ubuntu 20.04 desktop image, create a bootable
media using Rufus tool or create a bootable USB drive using any LiveUSB
Creator available.
2. Next, insert the bootable DVD or USB into the appropriate drive on your
machine. Then start the computer and instruct the BIOS by pressing a special
function key (F2, F8, F9 or F10, F11, F12) to boot-up from the inserted USB or
DVD drive.
Once the BIOS detects the bootable media, it boots from it. After a successful
boot, the installer will check your disk (file system), you may press Ctrl+C to
skip this process.
 Figure 3.76. Checking Ubuntu Disk

3. When disk checking is complete or if you have cancelled it, after a few
seconds, you should see the Ubuntu 20.04 welcome page as shown in the
following screenshot. Select “Install Ubuntu”.

Figure 3.77. Install Ubuntu window

4. Next, choose your keyboard layout and click Continue.

 Figure 3.78. Keyboard Layout window

5. After that, choose the apps you want to install based on the installation type
(normal or minimal installation). Also, check the option to install updates during
the installation process and where to install third-party software.

Figure 3.79. Choose Ubuntu Installation Type

6. Now choose the actual installation type. This is normally the most confusing
part, especially for new Linux users. There are two scenarios we will consider
here.
First scenario is using an unpartitioned hard drive with no operating system
installed. Then secondly, we will also consider how to install on an already
partitioned hard drive (with an existing OS e.g Ubuntu 18.04).
Scenario 1: Using an Unpartitioned Hard Drive (without an OS installed)
7. For this scenario, you need to set up partitions manually so choose “Something
else” and click Continue.

Figure 3.80. Manually Create Partition Option

8. Now you need to partition your hard drive for the installation. Simply select or
click on the unpartitioned storage device from the list of available storage
devices then click “New Partition Table”.
Note that the installer will auto-select the device on which the boot-loader will
be installed as shown in the following screenshot.

Figure 3.81. Create New Partition Table

9. Next, click Continue from the pop-up window to create an empty partition table
on the device.
 Figure 3.82. Create New Empty Partition Table
10. Now you should be able to see the free space created equivalent to the
capacity of the hard drive. Double click on the free space to create a partition
as described next.

Figure 3.83. Free Space for Ubuntu Installation

11. To create a root (/) partition (where the base system files will be installed),
enter the size of the new partition out of the total free space. Then set the file
system type to EXT4 and the mount point to / from the drop-down list.

Figure 3.84. Create Root Partition

12. Now the new partition should appear in the list of partition as shown in the next
screenshot.
 Figure 3.85. New Ubuntu Partition Table
13. Next, you need to create a swap partition/area. Double click on the current free
space to create a new partition to be used as swap area. Then enter the swap
partition size and set swap area as shown in the following screenshot.

Quick tip: If you have more than 8 GB physical RAM, you may still need SWAP
if you run resource-intensive applications like video convention, virtual
machines, multimedia applications, etc. If you are using your PC for just internet
browsing, email, and running office applications, you can skip SWAP provided
you have at least 4GB RAM. We don’t want the memory to overflow RAM which
makes PC unstable and non-responsive.

Figure 3.86. Create Swap Partition

14. At this point, you should see two partitions created, the root partition and the
swap partition. Next, click Install Now.
 Figure 3.87. Ubuntu Partitions
15. You will be prompted to permit the installer to write the recent changes
concerning partitioning to disk. Click Continue to proceed.

Figure 3.88. Write Changes to Disk

Scenario 2: Using an Already Partitioned Hard Drive (with an existing OS

installed)
16. For this scenario, you will use the existing partitions, choose “Something else”
and click Continue.

Figure 3.89. Choose Installation Type

17. Then you should see your existing partitions for example, as shown in the
following screenshot. Double click on the partition with the previous OS
installation, Ubuntu 18.04 in our case.

Figure 3.90. Existing Ubuntu Partition Table

18. Next, edit the partition and set the file system size, file system type to ext4,
and then check the format option and set the mount point to root (/).
 Figure 3.91. Edit Partition for Ubuntu Installation
19. Accept the changes in the hard drive partition table, in the next pop-up window
by clicking Continue.

Figure 3.92. Accept Partition Changes

20. Now you should have a root and swap partition as shown in the following
screenshot. Note that the swap partition will be auto-detected by the installer.
So click “Install Now” to proceed.

Figure 3.93. Ubuntu Partition Table

21. Next, select your location and click Continue.

Figure 3.94. Select Current Location

22. Then provide your user details for system account creation. Enter your full
name, computer name and username, and a strong, secure password as
shown in the following screenshot. Then click Continue.

Figure 3.95. Create User

23. Now the actual base system installation will begin as shown in the following
screenshot. Wait for it to finish.
 Figure 3.96. Ubuntu Base System Installation

24. Once the system installation is complete, reboot your system by clicking
“Restart Now”. Remember to remove the installation media, otherwise, the
system will still boot from it.

Figure 3.97. Completed Ubuntu Installation

25. After the restart, click on your name from the interface below.
 Figure 3.98. Select User Login

26. Then log into your new Ubuntu 20.04 installation by providing the correct
password you entered during the user creation step.

Figure 3.99. Log into Ubuntu

27. After login, follow the on-screen instructions to connect to online accounts (or
skip), setup Livepatch (or click Next), accept the option to send usage
information to Canonical (or click Next).
 Figure 3.100. Connect to Online Accounts
28. Then once you see “Ready to go”, click ‘Done’ to start using your system.

Figure 3.101. Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop

Congratulations! You have just installed Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on your computer.

Dual Boot Ubuntu 20.04 alongside Windows 10

 If you want to run Ubuntu 20.04 on your system but you already have Windows
10 installed and don't want to give it up completely, you have a couple of options.
● One option is to run Ubuntu inside of a virtual machine on Windows 10
● Another option is to create a multi boot system.
Both options have their pros and cons. A big advantage of a multi boot system
is that both operating systems will have direct access to your computer's hardware -
no virtualized hardware and unnecessary overhead.

Multi-booting
Multi-booting is the act of installing multiple operating systems on a single
computer, and being able to choose which one to boot.
A multiboot system gives you the best of both worlds. It works by prompting you
at start-up to select which operating system you'd like to load into. So, you'll have to
reboot your computer each time you want to load into a different operating system.

Figure 3.102. GNU Grub Boot Loader

Source: https://www.tecmint.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Ubuntu-Windows-Dual-Boot-Grub-Menu.png

Another good advantage of multi boot is that having multiple operating systems
can make troubleshooting easier and when you try something that doesn’t work with
one operating system you can try it on the other.
Example, if you have installed distribution of Linux over Windows 10 on your
system, you can execute programs in Linux that are not compatible with Windows 10.
In multi-booting, remember that to be able to use more than one operating
system in your computer, you need to have plenty of hard disk space.
Creating a dual boot or multi boot system is a viable solution for users that wish
to leverage the best of both worlds by having two (2) operating systems installed
simultaneously. While not as flexible as virtualization, it offers some advantage by
allowing both operating systems to have direct access to your system's hardware.

Virtual Machine
Virtual Machine is a cross-platform virtualization application. For one thing, it
installs on your existing Intel or AMD-based computers, whether they are running
Windows, or Linux operating systems.
Its biggest advantage compared to multi boot is that it extends the capabilities
of your existing computer so that it can run multiple operating systems (inside multiple
virtual machines) at the same time.
For example, you can run different Windows versions and Linux on your
existing Windows (or Mac and Linux), run Windows Server 2008 on your Linux server,
and so on, all alongside your existing applications.
Another advantage of Virtual Machines is the ability to install and run as many
virtual machines as you like -- the only practical limits are disk space and memory.

Figure 3.103. Oracle VM VirtualBox Window

Here are some of the best virtual machine software programs available.
1. Oracle VM VirtualBox
Virtual Box is a complete free Open Source virtualization software which was
developed by Sun Microsystems which is now a subsidiary of Oracle Inc. (as the latter
acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010). Since it being marketed and circulated for
distribution as a free software its entire source code is available for anyone to
download for free. So apart from not only using it for your day to day needs of
virtualization at work, study or play time, anyone also have the flexibility and the ease
to read the entire code of Virtual Box and know each and everything about it with the
same level of detailing as its creators.
 VirtualBox can be installed on a number of host operating systems, such as
Linux, macOS, Windows, Solaris and OpenSolaris. It also supports the creation and
management of virtual machines which run versions of Windows, Linux, BSD and
others, as well as limited virtualization of macOS guests on Apple hardware.

2. QEMU (Quick EMUlator)

QEMU is the short form of Quick Emulator. This system is written in C language
and is an open source system. It can be used on any type of system and no restrictions
for the host OS.
What QEMU lacks is any sophisticated interface tools, instead relying on CLI
inputs to install and configure VM clients. At this time it is also only able to host on
Linux, even if it can run a wide range of operating systems under that.

3. Parallels Desktop
Parallels Desktop was launched in 1999. Parallels Desktop provide four (4)
products especially for businesses and three (3) products for personal use. This
software is for Mac users, to use Windows OS on Mac.
Parallels enables the user to seamlessly run Windows alongside their native
OS, for those awkward moments when they need software that only works on that
platform. A few of the elegant things that Parallels can do is make Windows alerts
appear in the Mac notification centre, and operate a unified clipboard.
Most Mac users think of Parallels as a tool exclusively for using Windows, but
it can be used to host a wide range of Linux distros, Chrome OS and even other (and
older) versions of Mac OS.

4. VMware Fusion and Workstation

VMware Fusion software is for Mac users. With the help of VMware Fusion, you
can use Windows, Linux, NetWare, Solaris and many other OS on your Mac. Its first
version was released in August 2007 and the Latest version 10.1.0 was released in
December 2017. VMware is a subordinate company of Dell Technologies. It is known
for cloud computing and virtualization software.
VMware Workstation software is for Linux or Windows OS users. This system
is specially developed for IT professionals and developers. It will help developers to
develop the software to be compatible for multiple OS/platform.

5. Microsoft Hyper-V
Hyper-V, formerly named Windows Server Virtualisation, is a hypervisor
designed to create virtual machines on x86-64 systems running Windows. A server
computer that runs Hyper-V can be configured to expose individual virtual machines
to one or more networks.
Hyper-V carries out the isolation of virtual machines in terms of a partition, a
logical unit of isolation that is supported by the hypervisor that each operating system
executes in. The Hyper-V does not virtualise audio hardware, and does not require
users to have an existing installation of Windows Server 2008 or R2. The Hyper-V
Server is built with components of Windows with an included Windows Server Core
user experience.
 6. Windows Virtual PC
Windows Virtual PC is a freeware virtualisation program designed for Microsoft
Windows. It does not run on versions earlier than Windows 7 and does not support
MS-DOS or operating systems earlier than Windows XP Professional SP3. The Virtual
PC is able to virtualise a standard IBM PC compatible device and all associated
hardware, with the ability to enable supported Windows operating systems to run
inside it. The Windows Virtual PC can be accessed by either being installed by OEMs
or via direct download from Microsoft’s website.
Linux-based guests can also be installed in Virtual PC; these include RedHat
and SUSE Linux, some of which must be installed in text mode as they do not support
the Virtual PC’s graphics chip.

Advantage of Virtual Machine

1. Multiple OS environments can exist simultaneously on the same machine,
isolated from each other.
2. No limit on the number of operating systems to be installed.
3. No need to restart the PC.
4. Flexibility. You can install, reinstall, backup, move your guest OS easily. Also
you can manage allocation of resources (Memory, Hard disk), and etc.
5. Cross Platform including Mac OSX

Disadvantage of Virtual Machine

1. When multiple virtual machines are simultaneously running on a host computer,
each virtual machine may introduce an unstable performance, which depends
on the workload on the system by other running virtual machines;
2. Virtual machines are not that efficient as a real one when accessing the
hardware.