Beginning Ubuntu Linux - From Novice To Professional (2006)

Step 6: Partition the Disk

Partitioning the disk is one of the most important steps during installation although, unfortunately, it’s one that’s also couched in difficult terminology. Ubuntu does its best to make partitioning easy.

You have four main options when it comes to disk partitioning: install on a hard disk that also contains Windows, install on a second hard disk, delete an existing Windows partition, or use free space that already exists on your hard disk.

Sharing a Hard Disk with Windows

If you’re thinking of installing Ubuntu on a hard disk that has Windows on it, Ubuntu can shrink the Windows partition to make space (provided you have enough free space; see Chapter 4 for details).

Simply select the top option in the menu, which should read something like “Resize IDE1 master, partition #1 (hda1) and use freed space,” as shown in Figure 5-5 (what you see may vary slightly from this).

Figure 5-5. You can opt to shrink the Windows partition that’s already on the disk.

Following this, you’ll be prompted to type in a new size for the Windows partition. Ubuntu will tell you the minimum and maximum sizes for this partition. On my test PC, I was told the minimum size was 1.4GB and the maximum was 30GB. In other words, the Windows partition had around 1.4GB of data, and I couldn’t shrink it beyond this.

You have two main considerations here: you must shrink the partition to have enough space for Ubuntu but also maintain enough space to allow Windows to function correctly. Although you might choose to shrink the Windows partition to its minimum size, bear in mind

that Windows needs a little spare space to write temp and system files, not to mention files for the users, such as Word documents. At the very least, you should allow around 500MB to 1GB on top of the minimum Windows partition size recommended by Ubuntu.

A handy hint is that you can simply type 50%. This will split the free space in half, giving 50% to Ubuntu and leaving Windows with 50%. A neat and easy compromise!

Throughout the procedure, bear in mind that Ubuntu needs around 2GB to be able to function correctly, so you should create at least this much free space.

After the resizing, the automatic partitioning tool will take over. This automatically creates the partitions necessary for Ubuntu. You’ll see a warning about writing changes to your disk, as well as a warning about how data may be destroyed. If you wish, you can highlight the Go Back option to check the choices, but in nearly all cases, the default choices made by Ubuntu are correct, so you can simply highlight Yes and hit Enter.

Deleting the Windows Partition

Deleting the Windows partition on your main disk will remove all the data from your hard disk, including the Windows operating system (if it’s installed). Ubuntu will then take over the entire hard disk. If you’re happy with this choice, simply use the cursor keys to select the “Erase entire disk: IDE1 master (hda)” choice.

■Caution Be careful not to select the option marked “Erase entire disk and use LVM.” This is an option for a different kind of Ubuntu setup used by experts.

Following this, you’ll be asked to confirm the partitioning choices. The default options will be fine in most cases, so simply highlight Yes and hit Enter.

Installing on a Separate Hard Disk

Installing Ubuntu on a hard disk you’ve added especially for this purpose is very similar to installing it on the primary hard disk.

Beneath the menu option for erasing the disk should be a second similar option, along the lines of “Erase entire disk: IDE1 slave (hdb),” followed by the name and model of the second drive. You should select this option.

■Caution Make sure that you select to install Ubuntu on the “slave” drive. Do not select the option relating to the master drive! Doing so will erase all the data on your primary disk, including your current Windows installation.

Once the choice has been made, the automatic partitioning tool will step in, and you can simply select Yes. Then press Enter to continue with the installation.

Using Existing Free Space

If you’re an advanced user who has already freed space on your hard disk using a third-party partitioning tool, or if you deliberately set up Windows using a partition size that didn’t take up the entire hard disk, you can simply select the “Use largest continuous free space” option.

Ubuntu will then automatically partition your hard disk, and all you need to do is confirm that you want to write the changes to disk.

Step 7: Wait During Automated Package Copying

The next stage is the automated copying from the CD-ROM of packages, as shown in Figure 5-6. Initially, these are copied to your hard disk. Later, they will be installed and set up.

■Note Packages are single files that contain the individual program files and data. They’re analogous to Windows program installation files.

Figure 5-6. Ubuntu will copy all the necessary installation files to your hard disk.

Unlike some varieties of Linux, Ubuntu doesn’t ask you to make any choices regarding which software you want to install. It takes a “one size fits all” approach, which means that every installation of Ubuntu is exactly the same straight out of the box. However, you can add or remove programs very easily once the system is up and running.

Don’t worry about the names of the packages as they flash by on the screen. Some might seem quite strange, complicated, or even irrelevant. The way Linux works means that some

software packages rely on other software packages, so often software that will never be used directly is installed.

Step 8: Set the Time Zone

Depending on your location, the next step may be to set the time zone for your locality, as shown in Figure 5-7. For example, users in eastern United States will choose Eastern Standard Time. This setting also allows Ubuntu to update your system clock to take into account Daylight Saving Time (or similar schemes used throughout the world).

Figure 5-7. Choose the time zone appropriate to where you live.

Depending on your location, you may have an option to use GMT/UTC. If you’re dualbooting with Windows, you should decline this option because it can cause your PC’s clock to be set incorrectly. If Linux is the only operating system on your PC, you should choose GMT.

Step 9: Set Your Real Name, Username, and Password

Next, enter your real name and your username, as shown in Figure 5-8. The real name is how you’ll be formally identified on the system to anyone who uses the system. The standard practice is to use your full name, including first and last names, separated by a space.

The username is how the computer itself will identify you. It’s what you’ll use to log in to the system, for example. This needs to be unique (two users on the same computer cannot have the same username), and there are rules about which characters you can use.

Figure 5-8. A good username is simple, and it’s best to base it on your first name.

The username should be one word without any spaces in it. You can choose any username consisting of uppercase and lowercase letters, but try to avoid symbols and punctuation, because these can create problems later on. Additionally, the username cannot begin with an uppercase letter, although you can use uppercase in the rest of the username.

The simplest procedure for choosing a username is to use your own first name, typed entirely in lowercase letters. For example, when I installed Ubuntu, I typed my real name as Keir Thomas and chose keir as my username.

Following this, you’ll be asked to enter a password. Here, the rules are the inverse of those for your username. A good password contains numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation marks, and anything else you can get in there! This helps make your password almost impossible for someone else to guess, and thus makes your system more secure. (If you want to be really secure, create a password that’s ten or more characters long.) You’ll need to enter the password twice; the second time confirms that you didn’t make a typo the first time around.

Step 10: Install the GRUB Boot Loader

If Windows is also installed on the same hard disk as Ubuntu, you’ll be asked if you want to install the GRUB boot loader onto the PC’s master boot record, as shown in Figure 5-9. The GRUB boot loader is the menu that will appear when you first boot, from which you’ll be able to choose either Ubuntu or Windows. It’s pretty essential, so you should select Yes. Then hit Enter.

Figure 5-13. You’ll know when installation is complete because the standard Ubuntu login screen will appear!

Summary

By following the steps outlined in this chapter, you should now have Ubuntu installed on your computer. I’ve tried to provide you with enough information to get around any problems, as well as explain exactly what’s happening every step of the way.

Alas, it’s still possible that you encountered hurdles that weren’t addressed here. In the next chapter, you’ll find solutions to common problems associated with Ubuntu installation.