Moving From Windows To Linux
Step by step guide on how to move from Windows to Linux.
This guide is for installing Ubuntu desktop linux.
1. Download the latest CD image from the Ubuntu download page. Currently the version is 8.04 (Hardy Heron). There are torrent files as well from this page.
2. Once downloaded check the MD5 hash signature to ensure the file has downloaded correctly. Download winMD5Sum to do this in windows.
3. Once downloaded and installed right click on the downloaded ISO file and choose Send To > winMD5Sum. The file will be analysed and will display a hash signature check this against the Ubuntu hash page. For this version of Ubuntu find the entry in the table called “ubuntu-8.04-desktop-i386.iso” and copy and paste the hash signature there into the winMD5Sum window and click compare. If they are the same then the download of the ISO file was successful.
4. Now download the appropriate version of ISO Recorder to burn the image to a CD. Once downloaded and installed right click the ISO file and choose the option “Copy Image To CD”. The image will then be burned to a CD.
5. Now insert the CD into the CD drive of the computer you wish to install Linux on and restart the PC. It should then boot from the CD. If not restart the PC again and press F12 as soon as the PC starts up and this should take you into the boot menu and choose the option of CD-ROM drive. This should then boot the PC from the CD.
6. Once loaded there are a number of options, choose “Install From CD”. The CD will then start the process. You will then get a number of on screen prompts.
7. Choose your keyboard layout from the options available.
8. Prepare Disk Space – this is asking you were you want to install Linux. You can re-partition your disk and leave Windows installed but for the purpose of this guide I am going to use the entire disk. So choose the option “Guided – use entire disk”. If there is more than one hard drive then use which ever drive you want to install it on. If you want to use the hard drive windows was installed on then the option will most likely be called “sda”. Then click “Forward”.
9. Who are you? – Fill out these details, all fairly obvious.
10. Ready to install – Check all the details here and then click “Install” if everything is hunky dory. Ubuntu will then begin to install.
11. Once the install is complete you will need to restart the PC. Remeber to take the CD out otherwise it will just boot from the CD rather than the new install of Ubuntu.
All of the above instructions are also available from the Ubuntu site:
