Ubuntu Installation Guide
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Ubuntu Installation Guide

Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006 the Debian Installer team

Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006 Canonical Ltd.

This manual is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License. Please refer to the license in Appendix F, GNU General Public License.

Abstract

This document contains installation instructions for the Ubuntu 7.04 system (codename “‘Feisty Fawn’”), for the Intel x86 (“i386”) architecture. It also contains pointers to more information and information on how to make the most of your new Ubuntu system.

Table of Contents

Installing Ubuntu 7.04 “Feisty Fawn” For i386
1. Welcome to Ubuntu
1.1. What is Ubuntu?
1.1.1. Sponsorship by Canonical
1.2. What is Debian?
1.2.1. Ubuntu and Debian
1.3. What is GNU/Linux?
1.4. Getting Ubuntu
1.5. Getting the Newest Version of This Document
1.6. Organization of This Document
1.7. About Copyrights and Software Licenses
2. System Requirements
2.1. Supported Hardware
2.1.1. Supported Architectures
2.1.2. CPU, Main Boards, and Video Support
2.1.3. Graphics Card
2.1.4. Laptops
2.1.5. Multiple Processors
2.2. Installation Media
2.2.1. CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
2.2.2. Hard Disk
2.2.3. USB Memory Stick
2.2.4. Network
2.2.5. Un*x or GNU system
2.2.6. Supported Storage Systems
2.3. Peripherals and Other Hardware
2.4. Purchasing Hardware Specifically for GNU/Linux
2.4.1. Avoid Proprietary or Closed Hardware
2.4.2. Windows-specific Hardware
2.4.3. Fake or “Virtual” Parity RAM
2.5. Memory and Disk Space Requirements
2.6. Network Connectivity Hardware
3. Before Installing Ubuntu
3.1. Overview of the Installation Process
3.2. Back Up Your Existing Data!
3.3. Information You Will Need
3.3.1. Documentation
3.3.2. Finding Sources of Hardware Information
3.3.3. Hardware Compatibility
3.3.4. Network Settings
3.4. Meeting Minimum Hardware Requirements
3.5. Pre-Partitioning for Multi-Boot Systems
3.5.1. Partitioning From DOS or Windows
3.6. Pre-Installation Hardware and Operating System Setup
3.6.1. Invoking the BIOS Set-Up Menu
3.6.2. Boot Device Selection
3.6.3. Miscellaneous BIOS Settings
3.6.4. Hardware Issues to Watch Out For
4. Obtaining System Installation Media
4.1. Official Ubuntu CD-ROMs
4.2. Downloading Files from Ubuntu Mirrors
4.2.1. Where to Find Installation Images
4.3. Preparing Files for USB Memory Stick Booting
4.3.1. Copying the files — the easy way
4.3.2. Copying the files — the flexible way
4.3.3. Adding an ISO image
4.3.4. Booting the USB stick
4.4. Preparing Files for Hard Disk Booting
4.4.1. Hard disk installer booting using LILO or GRUB
4.5. Preparing Files for TFTP Net Booting
4.5.1. Setting up BOOTP server
4.5.2. Setting up a DHCP server
4.5.3. Enabling the TFTP Server
4.5.4. Move TFTP Images Into Place
4.6. Automatic Installation
4.6.1. Automatic Installation Using the Ubuntu Installer
4.6.2. Automatic Installation Using Kickstart
5. Booting the Installation System
5.1. Booting the Installer on Intel x86
5.1.1. Booting from a CD-ROM
5.1.2. Booting from Linux Using LILO or GRUB
5.1.3. Booting from USB Memory Stick
5.1.4. Booting with TFTP
5.1.5. The Boot Prompt
5.2. Boot Parameters
5.2.1. Ubuntu Installer Parameters
5.3. Troubleshooting the Installation Process
5.3.1. Boot Configuration
5.3.2. Common Intel x86 Installation Problems
5.3.3. Interpreting the Kernel Startup Messages
5.3.4. Bug Reporter
5.3.5. Submitting Installation Reports
6. Using the Ubuntu Installer
6.1. How the Installer Works
6.2. Components Introduction
6.3. Using Individual Components
6.3.1. Setting up Ubuntu Installer and Hardware Configuration
6.3.2. Partitioning and Mount Point Selection
6.3.3. Setting up the System
6.3.4. Installing the Base System
6.3.5. Installing Additional Software
6.3.6. Making Your System Bootable
6.3.7. Finishing the Installation
6.3.8. Miscellaneous
7. Booting Into Your New Ubuntu System
7.1. The Moment of Truth
7.2. Mounting encrypted volumes
7.2.1. loop-AES
7.2.2. Troubleshooting
7.3. Log In
8. Next Steps and Where to Go From Here
8.1. If You Are New to Unix
8.2. Orienting Yourself to Ubuntu
8.2.1. Ubuntu Packaging System
8.2.2. Application Version Management
8.2.3. Cron Job Management
8.3. Reactivating DOS and Windows
8.4. Further Reading and Information
8.5. Compiling a New Kernel
8.5.1. Kernel Image Management
8.6. Recovering a Broken System
A. Installation Howto
A.1. Booting the installer
A.1.1. CDROM
A.1.2. USB memory stick
A.1.3. Booting from network
A.2. Installation
A.3. And finally..
B. Automating the installation using preseeding
B.1. Introduction
B.1.1. Preseeding methods
B.1.2. Limitations
B.1.3. Running custom commands during the installation
B.1.4. Using preseeding to change default values
B.2. Using preseeding
B.2.1. Loading the preconfiguration file
B.2.2. Using a DHCP server to specify preconfiguration files
B.2.3. Using boot parameters to supplement preseeding
B.3. Creating a preconfiguration file
B.4. Contents of the preconfiguration file
B.4.1. Localization
B.4.2. Network configuration
B.4.3. Mirror settings
B.4.4. Partitioning
B.4.5. Clock and time zone setup
B.4.6. Apt setup
B.4.7. Account setup
B.4.8. Base system installation
B.4.9. Boot loader installation
B.4.10. Package selection
B.4.11. Finishing up the first stage install
B.4.12. X configuration
B.4.13. Preseeding other packages
B.5. Advanced options
B.5.1. Shell commands
B.5.2. Chainloading preconfiguration files
C. Partitioning for Ubuntu
C.1. Deciding on Ubuntu Partitions and Sizes
C.2. The Directory Tree
C.3. Recommended Partitioning Scheme
C.4. Device Names in Linux
C.5. Ubuntu Partitioning Programs
C.5.1. Partitioning for Intel x86
D. Random Bits
D.1. Linux Devices
D.1.1. Setting Up Your Mouse
D.2. Disk Space Needed for Tasks
D.3. Disk Space Needed
D.4. Installing Ubuntu from a Unix/Linux System
D.4.1. Getting Started
D.4.2. Install debootstrap
D.4.3. Run debootstrap
D.4.4. Configure The Base System
D.4.5. Install a Kernel
D.4.6. Set up the Boot Loader
D.4.7. Create a User
D.4.8. Install the Ubuntu Desktop
D.5. Installing Ubuntu over Parallel Line IP (PLIP)
D.5.1. Requirements
D.5.2. Setting up source
D.5.3. Installing target
E. Administrivia
E.1. About This Document
E.2. Contributing to This Document
E.3. Major Contributions
E.4. Trademark Acknowledgement
F. GNU General Public License

List of Tables

3.1. Hardware Information Needed for an Install
3.2. Recommended Minimum System Requirements
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