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Recently acquired new parts to build my second custom computer, primary focus of gaming. Looking into a new OS I just can't justify buying Windows 10. I tried downloading Ubuntu on my current computer but it requires a certain reader that I don't have. ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso is the name of the file. Standardized disc image stored in ISO-9660 data format – contains complete disc file structure, including files, file attributes, and boot code. That's the description I get so maybe it's because I'm on a computer with an OS already installed it won't run? So a few questions from someone who only knows that Ubuntu is an OS:

How do I go about putting Ubuntu onto a flash drive from my current computer and then installing that onto my new computer? Doesn't the new computer need that reader as well? Any guidance regarding installation and making sure it runs reliably is appreciated.

Any tips for a brand new user of Ubuntu who has no experience and has only dealt with Windows?

Thanks for taking the time to read my comment, even if your answer is a link to a helpful thread that would be really appreciated.

Edit 1: I have one 500gb SSD, Samsung EVO 850 to be specific, no HDD or second hard drive.

Edit 2: My "new" computer is one that I have to put together and build myself with 1 blank, 500gb SSD. It does not have an OS on it, How would I go about putting Ubuntu onto the SSD? Would I get a bootable USB and download the files from there onto my SSD? Then choose to boot from my SSD? I am currently using my "old" computer which is running Windows 7.

S. Green
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  • One tip is to learn the apt command, which is used to install and uninstall a huge variety of software packages. For example, to get up and running with the Steam game platform (which has a decent Linux selection these days), you can open up a terminal (i.e., a command line) and run sudo apt update; sudo apt install steam. Once that finishes, you've got Steam installed. – Olathe Dec 21 '16 at 23:51

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Welcome to the family. Below are a few links that will help guide you through creating bootable media that will help you install Ubuntu Desktop. This guide will assume you're using a USB.

CeFu
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  • Thank you for those links they really helped me understand how to put Ubuntu onto a flash drive. However that is only half of my first question. To get it Ubuntu onto my new computer should I follow the steps provided in the first link up to step 6, eject the USB, plug it into my new computer, and choose the USB as the first place to boot? Apologies for having another question but then how do I go about putting Ubuntu from the bootable USB onto my SSD? – S. Green Dec 21 '16 at 23:44
  • @S.Green - Try reading the 2nd one and follow through. Depending on how new the desired machine is you "might" have a small issue, but let us know how the second guide goes and we can go from there. – CeFu Dec 21 '16 at 23:52
  • The second link seems to be primarily about downloading Ubuntu onto my current and old computer and running it alongside my current Windows. On my new computer there is no operating system I would like to figure out how to get to Step 1 from the second link onto a put together brand new computer with no OS. Do I download Ubuntu from my old and current computer, put that file into a USB, put that into my new computer, go into the new computer BIOS and boot from my USB? How would I go about putting Ubuntu onto that SSD so I don't have to boot from the USB every time? – S. Green Dec 22 '16 at 00:03
  • Ubuntu has a wizard that will help you install it on your new SSD once you boot from the external drive. You may have to manually fiddle with partitions though. – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:07
  • @S.Green - Plug the bootable USB into the desired machine, and there should be prompts to boot into the installation media. If you do not see any prompts. Go into BIOS, and check your Boot order. The USB needs to be top entry on boot order. If you're still having issues, make sure EUFI is set right. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI – CeFu Dec 22 '16 at 00:08
  • What is that wizard? or is it included in the initial boot up menu's? – S. Green Dec 22 '16 at 00:14
  • @S.Green It all goes well, you will immediately see a menu asking if you want to install Ubuntu Desktop. – CeFu Dec 22 '16 at 00:28
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PowerISO will allow you to burn the file to a CD you can boot your computer from, to be able to try out and/or install Ubuntu.

My preferred method though, is to put the file onto a bootable USB stick using Unetbootin.

Once you have prepared your storage medium, restart your computer and enter your BIOS (the key you press will vary from computer to computer, but most of the time it's the Delete button, or F2)

There'll most likely be a section called Boot, go to this and make sure your USB/CD drive is set to the first boot device, and save and exit your BIOS.

Your computer will then start with a live Ubuntu session, or the installer.

David Thefan
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If the new computer you are buying has a UEFI boot mode, installation is easy. (Most new computers have UEFI boot mode)

First you need to format an external hard drive to have a single FAT32 partition. To do this, if you have windows, open up Disk Management. If you want a prettier tool, I have found that the MiniTool Partition utility is a great free one you can download. If you are using Ubuntu now on your old computer, install gParted apt-get install gparted, and format it that way. It must be FAT32 or it won't work!

Then mount the ubuntu installation iso ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso and then copy all the files in it to the external hard drive. If you are using windows, you can just double click the iso to mount the iso. You don't have to do anything special when you copy the files. UEFI can read all the files as long as the hard drive is FAT32 formatted.

Then put the external hard drive in your new computer and turn your new computer on. It should boot up to grub. It should be pretty straightforward from there.

user3413723
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  • The computer I have is not a pre-built one. I'll edit that in the OP, I have a blank SSD with 500gb of storage I want to put Ubuntu on and have my new computer boot from that every time I start it up. Should I, instead of an external hard drive, connect my new SSD to my old computer (which I am currently using as the new one is not built yet), and then follow your steps? What is a FAT32 partition and how do I format my SSD to have one in this instance? When you say "mount" do you mean drag the Ubuntu file into my SSD after it has been FAT32 formatted? – S. Green Dec 21 '16 at 23:52
  • Are you using windows or linux on your old computer? If windows, what version? I will give more detail for whatever system you are using – user3413723 Dec 21 '16 at 23:55
  • My current, and old, computer is running Windows 7. I want to download Ubuntu FROM this computer but not ONTO this computer. I want to download Ubuntu from this computer onto a bootable USB, plug that USB into my new computer, somehow get those files onto my SSD, and have my new computer boot up from my SSD. – S. Green Dec 21 '16 at 23:57
  • Ok, you can just put it on your new SSD if you want. Attach it to your old computer and download minitool partition wizard. Open up Minitool, and click "convert MBR to GPT" if it's there. If the reverse is there don't do anything. (You need GPT). Then you should be able to right click on it, and delete all partitions if any. Then right click and create partition. There you can choose fat32. Then double click the ISO file and copy the contents to your newly formatted hard drive. Then put it in your new computer. Then with luck it will boot! – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:02
  • Also the reason for the external hard drive is because linux runs on Ext4 much better than FAT32. But UEFI needs FAT32 to boot. So it is probably best to format an external hard drive to FAT32. From there you can boot to linux, then there is a simple wizard that will help you format your main Hard drive to ext4 and install ubuntu there permanently. – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:04
  • Waiting on one more part to arrive tomorrow, but I think this might do it! Thank you very much! Now a partition that is fat32 will I be able to save files and games to that as well without a problem? – S. Green Dec 22 '16 at 00:07
  • Can I format a USB stick to FAT32, boot up and find the wizard, make my SSD ext4, install Ubuntu there, and have no problems downloading other files onto that hard drive? Games, photo's, etc? – S. Green Dec 22 '16 at 00:10
  • Ok did some research and aparently you can't install linux on a fat32 drive -permanently. So you are probably best off putting it on a fat32 external hard drive, booting from that, and then going through the wizard and installing on your new hard drive which should be formatted to ext4. – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:12
  • Yeah what you just said is probably best. ext4 is the latest standard for ubuntu, so everything should work. – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:13
  • Sure thing... I hope it works! – user3413723 Dec 22 '16 at 00:45
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So to run this iso image you need to boot from it... thats the usb. So to do this when you start up your computer you will see a few options, for instance your BIOS or boot menu. It will say something like press F5 to bring up your boot menu or boot process something with "boot". Press the button and it will bring up a hole bunch of stuff but all you care about is something that starts with USB(make sure its plugged in) and follow the installation process. Now that you know how to boot your computer from a USB you need to make the USB bootable(lol). Download this http://rufus.akeo.ie/ its my personal favorite(I did this to boot my computer). And just go with the default things(make sure its your USB thats selected it deletes EVERYTHING), and select your iso image(click the button next to "Create a bootable disk using" it should be iso image so click the picture). Find the iso image from your hard drive and click Start. That should be enough if you have any more questions just comment!

Peyto
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