Linux Installation Guide: Fresh PC / Laptop

🐧 Linux Installation Guide

A complete, step-by-step reference for installing Linux on a fresh PC / Laptop.

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Overview & Choosing a Distribution

Before installing, pick the right distribution for your needs:

Distribution	Best For	Package Manager	Difficulty
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Beginners, general use	apt	⭐ Easy
Linux Mint	Windows switchers	apt	⭐ Easy
Fedora 40	Developers, up-to-date packages	dnf	⭐⭐ Medium
Debian 12	Servers, stability	apt	⭐⭐ Medium
openSUSE Leap	Enterprise workloads	zypper	⭐⭐ Medium
Arch Linux	Advanced users, rolling release	pacman	⭐⭐⭐ Hard
Manjaro	Arch-based, user-friendly	pacman	⭐⭐ Medium
Pop!_OS	Developers, NVIDIA GPU users	apt	⭐ Easy

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Fresh PC / Laptop Installation

1. Prerequisites & Hardware Check

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Component	Ubuntu/Mint	Fedora	Arch Linux
CPU	2 GHz dual-core	2 GHz dual-core	Any x86_64
RAM	4 GB (8 GB recommended)	2 GB (4 GB recommended)	512 MB (2 GB recommended)
Storage	25 GB	20 GB	2 GB (base)
Display	1024×768	1024×768	N/A (TTY)

Pre-Installation Checklist

[ ] Back up all important data from the target machine
[ ] Note your WiFi password
[ ] Have a USB drive (8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended)
[ ] Check if system uses UEFI or Legacy BIOS
[ ] Disable Secure Boot (for some distros)
[ ] Disable Fast Startup in Windows (for dual boot)
[ ] Note your disk partition layout
[ ] Check GPU type (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) for driver planning

Check UEFI or Legacy BIOS (on Windows)

# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
msinfo32
# Look for "BIOS Mode" — will show UEFI or Legacy

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2. Download the ISO

Download official ISO images only from official sources:

# Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop

# Fedora 40 Workstation
https://fedoraproject.org/workstation/download/

# Debian 12 "Bookworm"
https://www.debian.org/distrib/

# Arch Linux (rolling)
https://archlinux.org/download/

# Linux Mint 21.3
https://linuxmint.com/download.php

# Pop!_OS 22.04
https://pop.system76.com/

Verify ISO Integrity (SHA256 checksum)

# Linux/macOS
sha256sum ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso

# Windows PowerShell
Get-FileHash .\ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the output with the checksum listed on the official download page.

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3. Create a Bootable USB Drive

Option A: Using Balena Etcher (Recommended — All Platforms)

1. Download Balena Etcher from etcher.balena.io
2. Insert your USB drive (8 GB+)
3. Open Etcher → Flash from file → Select your ISO
4. Select the USB drive as the Target
5. Click Flash! and wait for completion
6. Eject USB safely

Option B: Using dd Command (Linux/macOS)

# Find your USB device
lsblk
# OR
diskutil list   # macOS

# Write ISO to USB (replace /dev/sdX with your device — BE CAREFUL!)
sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync

# macOS equivalent
sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/rdiskX bs=4m

⚠️ WARNING: Double-check the device path. dd will overwrite any disk without confirmation.

Option C: Using Rufus (Windows Only)

1. Download Rufus from rufus.ie
2. Select USB Device
3. Select ISO image
4. Partition scheme: GPT (UEFI) or MBR (Legacy BIOS)
5. Click START

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4. BIOS/UEFI Configuration

Accessing BIOS/UEFI

Manufacturer	Key to Press
Dell	F2 or F12
HP	F10 or Esc
Lenovo	F1, F2, or Enter then F1
ASUS	F2 or Delete
Acer	F2 or Delete
MSI	Delete or F2
Gigabyte	Delete or F2

Steps:

1. Insert the bootable USB
2. Restart PC and immediately press the BIOS key (repeatedly)
3. Navigate to Boot settings
4. Set USB Drive as the first boot device
5. Under Security → Disable Secure Boot (if needed)
6. Under Power → Disable Fast Boot
7. Save changes and exit (usually F10)

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5. Boot from USB

1. Insert USB and restart
2. On boot screen, press the Boot Menu key:

Manufacturer	Boot Menu Key
Dell	F12
HP	F9 or Esc
Lenovo	F12
ASUS	F8 or Esc
Acer	F12

1. Select your USB drive from the list
2. The Linux live environment will load

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6. Ubuntu Installation Walkthrough

Ubuntu is the most beginner-friendly option. Steps for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS:

Step-by-Step

1. Boot into USB → Select "Try or Install Ubuntu"
2. Choose Language → Click "Install Ubuntu"
3. Keyboard Layout → Select your layout → Continue
4. Connect to WiFi (optional but recommended)
5. Choose installation type:
   - "Normal Installation" (recommended)
   - Check "Install third-party software" (codecs, drivers)
6. Installation Type:
   ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
   │  ● Erase disk and install Ubuntu (easiest)  │
   │  ○ Manual partitioning (advanced)           │
   └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Manual Partition Layout (Recommended for Advanced Users)

Mount Point	Type	Size	Notes
/boot/efi	FAT32	512 MB	UEFI systems only
/boot	ext4	1 GB	Optional, for older systems
swap	swap	RAM size	For hibernation support
/	ext4	30–50 GB	Root partition
/home	ext4	Remaining	User data

7. Select Time Zone → Continue
8. Create User:
   - Your name
   - Computer name (hostname)
   - Username (lowercase, no spaces)
   - Password (strong!)
   - Choose "Require password to log in"
9. Click "Install Now" → Confirm write to disk
10. Wait ~15–30 minutes for installation
11. Click "Restart Now" when prompted
12. Remove USB when instructed, press Enter

First Boot — Post-Install Wizard

Ubuntu 24.04 includes a welcome wizard. Follow on-screen prompts to:

• Enable Ubuntu Pro (optional, free for personal use)
• Set up location services
• Configure privacy settings

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7. Fedora Installation Walkthrough

Fedora uses the Anaconda installer:

1. Boot → Select "Start Fedora-Workstation-Live"
2. Click "Install to Hard Drive" on the desktop
3. Select Language → Continue
4. Installation Summary screen:
   ┌──────────────────────────────┐
   │ ⚠ INSTALLATION DESTINATION  │  ← Must configure
   │ ✓ Network & Hostname         │
   │ ✓ Time & Date               │
   └──────────────────────────────┘
5. Click "Installation Destination":
   - Select your disk
   - Choose "Automatic" or "Custom" partitioning
   - Click "Done"
6. (Optional) Set Hostname under "Network & Hostname"
7. Click "Begin Installation"
8. Set Root Password and/or Create User while installing
9. Reboot when complete → Remove USB

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8. Debian Installation Walkthrough

Debian offers a traditional text/graphical installer:

1. Boot → Select "Graphical install"
2. Language → Location → Keyboard
3. Hostname → Domain name (leave blank for home use)
4. Root password (or leave blank to use sudo only)
5. Create regular user → username → password
6. Partition disks:
   - "Guided - use entire disk" (easiest)
   - "Manual" (advanced)
   - Partitioning scheme: "All files in one partition" for desktop
7. Select mirror for package downloads (choose closest region)
8. Software selection:
   ┌────────────────────────────────┐
   │ [*] Debian desktop environment │
   │ [*] GNOME                      │  ← or KDE, XFCE, etc.
   │ [*] standard system utilities  │
   └────────────────────────────────┘
9. Install GRUB bootloader → Select /dev/sda
10. Finish installation → Reboot → Remove USB

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9. Arch Linux Installation Walkthrough

Arch uses a manual CLI-based installation. Boot into the live ISO first.

Verify Boot Mode

ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
# If the directory exists → UEFI mode
# If not → Legacy BIOS mode

Connect to Internet

# For WiFi
iwctl
  device list
  station wlan0 scan
  station wlan0 get-networks
  station wlan0 connect "YourSSID"
  exit

# Test connection
ping -c 3 archlinux.org

Partition the Disk

# List disks
lsblk

# Partition with fdisk (replace /dev/sda with your disk)
fdisk /dev/sda

# UEFI partition scheme:
# /dev/sda1 → EFI System  → 512M
# /dev/sda2 → Linux swap  → 4G
# /dev/sda3 → Linux       → remainder

# Format partitions
mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1          # EFI
mkswap /dev/sda2 && swapon /dev/sda2  # Swap
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3              # Root

Mount & Install Base System

# Mount root
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

# Mount EFI
mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi

# Install base packages
pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware base-devel vim networkmanager

# Generate fstab
genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Configure the System

# Enter chroot
arch-chroot /mnt

# Set timezone
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Kolkata /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

# Localization
echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

# Hostname
echo "myhostname" > /etc/hostname

# Set root password
passwd

# Create user
useradd -m -G wheel username
passwd username

# Enable sudo for wheel group
EDITOR=vim visudo
# Uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

# Install bootloader (GRUB for UEFI)
pacman -S grub efibootmgr
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=GRUB
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# Enable NetworkManager
systemctl enable NetworkManager

# Exit chroot and reboot
exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot

Install Desktop Environment (Post-Reboot)

# GNOME
sudo pacman -S gnome gnome-extra
sudo systemctl enable gdm

# OR KDE Plasma
sudo pacman -S plasma kde-applications
sudo systemctl enable sddm

# Start
sudo reboot

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10. Dual Boot Setup (Linux + Windows)

Install Windows first, then Linux. Linux’s GRUB bootloader will detect Windows automatically.

Pre-Dual Boot Checklist

[ ] Windows is fully updated
[ ] Disable Fast Startup in Windows:
    Control Panel → Power Options → 
    "Choose what the power buttons do" → 
    Uncheck "Turn on fast startup"
[ ] Disable Hibernate: (PowerShell as Admin)
    powercfg /hibernate off
[ ] Shrink Windows partition to make space:
    Disk Management → Right-click C: → Shrink Volume
    Shrink by at least 30,000 MB (30 GB)
[ ] Disable Secure Boot in BIOS (if needed)
[ ] Disable BitLocker (if enabled)

During Linux Installation

When you reach Installation Type:

• Select “Install alongside Windows” (Ubuntu auto-detects this)
• Or use Manual Partitioning and use the unallocated space

GRUB Will Handle Boot Menu

After installation, GRUB automatically shows a menu at startup:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Ubuntu 24.04 LTS                   │
│  Advanced options for Ubuntu        │
│  Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/sda) │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

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11. Post-Installation Steps

Run these on your freshly installed Linux system:

Update the System

# Ubuntu/Debian/Mint
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Fedora
sudo dnf update -y

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -Syu

Install Essential Tools

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install -y \
  curl wget git vim nano htop \
  build-essential software-properties-common \
  flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak \
  ffmpeg vlc

# Fedora
sudo dnf install -y \
  curl wget git vim htop \
  @development-tools \
  ffmpeg vlc

# Arch
sudo pacman -S \
  curl wget git vim htop \
  base-devel flatpak

Enable Flatpak (Universal App Store)

# Ubuntu/Debian/Fedora
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Install an app example (VS Code via Flatpak)
flatpak install flathub com.visualstudio.code

Install GPU Drivers

# NVIDIA — Ubuntu
sudo apt install -y nvidia-driver-550

# NVIDIA — Fedora (RPM Fusion required)
sudo dnf install -y akmod-nvidia

# AMD — Drivers are included in the kernel (mesa)
sudo apt install -y mesa-vulkan-drivers  # Ubuntu

# Intel — Usually works out of the box
sudo apt install -y intel-media-va-driver  # Ubuntu

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Fresh Installation Issues

Problem	Solution
USB not detected at boot	Try different USB port (prefer USB 2.0); re-flash with Rufus/Etcher
“No bootable device” error	Re-enable USB boot in BIOS; check boot order
Black screen after boot	Add nomodeset to GRUB kernel parameters
WiFi not detected	Use Ethernet for install; install proprietary drivers after
GRUB not showing on dual boot	Boot into Linux USB → sudo grub-install → sudo update-grub
Secure Boot error	Disable Secure Boot in BIOS/UEFI
Installation freezes	Try “minimal installation”; check RAM with memtest

Add nomodeset to GRUB (Black Screen Fix)

# At GRUB menu → press 'e' to edit → find the line starting with 'linux'
# Add 'nomodeset' before 'quiet splash'
# Press Ctrl+X to boot

# Make permanent after booting:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
# Change: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
# To:     GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"

sudo update-grub

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Essential Linux Commands (Post-Install)

# System info
uname -a                     # Kernel info
lsb_release -a               # Distro info
df -h                        # Disk usage
free -h                      # Memory usage
lscpu                        # CPU info
lsblk                        # Block devices

# Package management
sudo apt update              # Refresh package list (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt install package     # Install package
sudo apt remove package      # Remove package
sudo dnf install package     # Fedora
sudo pacman -S package       # Arch

# Services
sudo systemctl start service
sudo systemctl enable service
sudo systemctl status service

# User management
whoami                       # Current user
id                           # User/group IDs
sudo adduser newuser         # Add user

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Resources & Further Reading

• 📖 Ubuntu Official Documentation
• 📖 Arch Wiki — Best Linux reference wiki
• 📖 Microsoft WSL Documentation
• 📖 Fedora Quick Docs
• 📖 Debian Reference Manual
• 🐧 DistroWatch — Compare Linux distributions
• 💬 r/linux4noobs — Community support

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