How to download and install Ubuntu Linux on a Laptop

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There are various ways you can use to install Linux on a bare metal Laptop. A bare metal in this case means that you’re installing Linux directly on a device and not using a virtual machine.
Now, here are the steps you need to follow;

Choose the Linux Distribution

A Linux distribution is more like the type of Linux you want to install. There are various Linux distributions out there, and your selection will depend on how experienced you are with Linux systems. For beginners, Ubuntu can be a good choice for you. In this guide, we will be showing you how to install Ubuntu Linux

Download Ubuntu Linux

At this point, I am assuming that you have two separate computers you’re going to use in this process. We need to download the Ubuntu Linux image from its official page. You need to keep in mind that Ubuntu Linux is free and you won’t need to pay any money. So, here is where you need to download the Ubuntu Linux image.

Create a Bootable Image

After downloading the Ubuntu Linux image from its official website, you need to convert the image to a bootable form. This basically means that the raw or freshly downloaded Ubuntu image will have to be packaged into a format that makes it possible for the installation and booting process on your computer.,

To create a bootable Ubuntu image on a drive, Please follow the steps below;

Get a USB drive

We need at least a 5GB USB drive on which a bootable Ubuntu Linux will be configured.

Download the Booting Software Utility

A Booting software utility helps you to create a bootable Ubuntu image. There are various software out there we can use to create a bootable drive, but our choice utility in this is called Rufus. So, you will need to download Rufus and install it on the other computer that you used to download the Ubuntu image.

Insert the USB Drive and open Rufus

Make sure Rufus is installed on the same machine where the Ubuntu image you downloaded is found. So, you need to insert the USB Drive which is fresh and has no data on it, and then open Rufus. See the image below;.

From Rufus, you need to make sure you configure the following settings;

Device: You need to select a USB drive you plugged in. This is going to work as a bootable drive.

Boot Selection: You need to click on the SELECT button so you can select the Ubuntu Linux image you downloaded on your computer.

Partition Scheme. You will need to select Master Boot Record (MBR)

Target System: This should be left to the default settings, which is BIOS or UEFI

Volume Label: You can name your bootable USB drive to help you easily find it during the Ubuntu installation process. You can even choose to leave it to the default settings. This is optional and it’s up to you.

The other remaining settings are optional and will be selected for you using the default configurations. Once everything is configured, you will need to hit START.

Please note that when you hit START, a small pop-up window will appear and this is to allow you to select the image mode you want to create. What you need to do at this point is to go with the RECOMMENDED settings as seen in the image below;

At this point, the boot creation process will start and you will need to wait until the green progress bar completes. This process can take some time and you will need to be patient until it finishes.

Install bootable Ubuntu Image

Now that you’ve created the bootable USB drive with Ubuntu image, you need to plug it into your target computer where you want to install your new Linux instance. Make sure the computer is powered off before you plug in the USB drive.

Enter the Boot Menu

You will need to select the target drive where the bootable Ubuntu Linux image is located. This means that you will need to go to the booting menu. To get there, you need to press your computer’s power button and immediately hold the F12 Key on your computer’s Keyboard during the startup. You have to keep Pressing the F12 Key until the boot menu will open.

Please note that the boot Menu Keys can vary from computer to computer. And if the F12 Key doesn’t work for you, then you will need to try out Esc, F2, or F10,

Once you successfully go to the boot menu, you can select the USB drive containing your Linux distribution ISO. Your bootable USB drive will be identified by the label you gave it. Please see the image below.

How to download and install Ubuntu Linux on a Laptop

Configure the Ubuntu Installer

Once you select the bootable USB drive, you will be taken to the first section of the Ubuntu installer interface. At this point, you need to select Try or install Ubuntu settings and hit ENTER as seen below in the image

Select the Language

You will need to select the suitable language which you want to use on your Ubuntu system. This is going to be the default language for your system. In this example, we’re selecting English

Once the language is selected, make sure you click install Ubuntu as seen in the image above.

Select the Keyboard Layout

Select the type of Keyboard Layout that is suitable for you. If you’re an English speaker, the English Keyboard layout is what you need. In this guide, we will select the English US Keyboard as seen below;

Updates and other Software

Under this section, you will need to go with the default settings selected for you as seen in the image below;

Installation Type

You will need to go with the first option. This means that everything on your computer will be erased once this installation type is selected. See the image below;

Select your Country

You will need to select your country in the dropdown under this option. This is the country you’re currently living in.

Configure the User Login credentials

When you’re installing a new Linux instance, you will need to set up the User credentials. These are the credentials you will be using to log in. See the image below;

Make sure to fill in your details as you prefer. Also, you will need to note down the preferred password you configure so you don’t forget it.

Now that everything is set up, you will initiate the installation process and wait until the process is complete. This can take some time and you will have to be patient. See the image below;

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