Help Me Enjoy [Install] Kubuntu Please

[logan01]

I'm a Linux newbie. Yesterday I downloaded the live version of Ubuntu 14.04.3. After getting a bit familiar with it I was highly impressed; to the point where I now want to install Linux to my laptop. I have decided on Kubuntu after conducting much research and pretty much becoming overwhelmed by it all.

I wish to keep Windows 10 though I hope it's in my past. I know nothing about partitioning and all that kind of thing. I can follow instructions well if they're clear and concise.

I'm ready to download, what do I do?

Thank you

[Snowhog]

Welcome.

The first thing you will need to do is use the Windows 10 Disk Management Utility (or what ever it is called) to shrink the space on the drive that Windows 10 has 'reserved' for itself, which is all of the drive space. Once that is done, you will have unallocated space that can be used for installation of Kubuntu. It is recommended that you prepare this unallocated space with another program -- GParted -- which is free and a downloadable 'live' .iso file. We are going to need other information about your laptop: make and model, and when it was purchased.

Others will chime in here to provide you with the help you have requested and need. So stay tuned!

[logan01]

Welcome.

The first thing you will need to do is use the Windows 10 Disk Management Utility (or what ever it is called) to shrink the space on the drive that Windows 10 has 'reserved' for itself, which is all of the drive space. Once that is done, you will have unallocated space that can be used for installation of Kubuntu. It is recommended that you prepare this unallocated space with another program -- GParted -- which is free and a downloadable 'live' .iso file. We are going to need other information about your laptop: make and model, and when it was purchased.

Others will chime in here to provide you with the help you have requested and need. So stay tuned!

Thanks.

Specs:

~Windows 10 (x64) (build 10240)
Install Language: English(United States)
System Locale: English (United States)
Installed:7/31/2015 1:42:25 PM
Boot Mode: UEFI with successful Secure Boot


.15 gigahertz Intel Celeron N2830
56 kilobyte primary memorycache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache


498.11 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
396.29 GigabytesHard Drive Free Space


Much more data if needed. This is from Belarc Advisor.

[Qqmike]

SteveRiley has covered the Windows case, in the newer UEFI systems (like you have). Read it carefully.

Dual-booting Kubuntu on a Windows Machine.
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthread.php?65253

Since your new-ish computer uses UEFI firmware, you need to download the Kubuntu 64-bit which is for UEFI (not the 32-bit).

Imo, do not do this until you have made yourself a Windows 10 installer USB (flash drive), for which there are many posts around the Internet on how to.

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html

[logan01]

Thanks. I downloaded another Windows 10 from Microsoft to a USB and moved the HP Recovery from D: drive to a usb.

[logan01]

Steve Riley is at a level that I only squint at through slightly parted fingers. I do appreciate your response though.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Steve Riley is at a level that I only squint at through slightly parted fingers. I do appreciate your response though.

Welcome aboard--and don't despair! Anything you don't understand, someone will help you out with. (I won't be among those helping because I don't do window$, therefore I can't help!) See how far you can get reading Steve's UEFI info, and then post any specific questions you have here.

[logan01]

Thanks DoYouKubuntu for your response and moral support. I soon hope to not be doing Windows as well. The following is addressed to all members: Yesterday I used UNetbootinto install Ubuntu to a flash drive to try a "live" version of Ubuntu. For me it went very smoothly. I noticed each time I booted to my usb that I had the option of installing Ubuntu. If UNetbootin offers Kubuntufor download, and if it too offers "install" as an option, what happens during the process? Does it offer to install along side of Windows inside Windows, wipe Windows off the face of the earth, etc? If it offers to install along side Windows, Does it do all the things I either don't know how to do or am hesitant to do?

[logan01]

Well, I know ya'll have been standing by with bated breath and great concern as to my Kubuntu downloading status. I downloaded the "live" version of Kubuntu 15.04 w/KDE Plasma Version: 5.2.2. The first boot attempt got to the point of trying, installing, quiting. I selected try and my screen went black and the laptop stayed powered up. I let close to 10 minutes elapse and did a hard kill. Went outside to see if an armadillos were around and came back in. Booted to usb again and all went well. I did notice that with the option of install, it clearly states it'll be installed along side my current operating system which is what I think I want. Could it be that simple? Is the installed version of what I have on my flash drive the full blown Kubuntu or is it a "light" version? I reckon you're now current as to my status. Again, I do appreciate the help here and please keep those cards and letters coming. I really need someone to tell me to install this so that if something screws up I can shift blame (ex-federal employee).

[Rod J]

I wouldn't recommend 15.04 for a newbie trying Kubuntu for the first time. It is still too unstable for regular use IMHO. You'd be much better off sticking with the LTS version (currently 14.04.*) which is much more stable. I have 15.04 installed in a virtual machine but the last lot of updates seem to have caused it to start freezing and made me glad I wasn't using it as my everyday OS.

So, installing alongside Windows is the option you want if you want to be able to boot into Windows too (probably rarely once you get used to the freedom of Kubuntu!). My preference is to partition the hard drive separately before installing Kubuntu in the same manner as described by Snowhog (post #2).

Just make sure you backup any important data before you start making major changes to your system first ... things can go wrong.

Once installed you will have the full version installed, there is no "lite" version.

[Qqmike]

OK. Definitely, since this is your first go at it, and since 15.04 seems a bit uh, uhmm, uh experimental, stick with the Kubuntu 14.04 LTS -- 64 bit. (That's what I use all the time, even though I have 15.04 installed twice on this hard drive for experiments.)

So, kind of an outline, general discussion, highlighting key points, general guidance -->

Fact is, this really is pretty easy, except for possibly one small step:
Shrink the existing big Windows 10 partition down to make room for Kubuntu.
Then install Kubuntu in that unallocated space you just created on your hard drive.

The catch could be the partitioning. Usually, the Kubuntu DVD/USB installer will give you the option of installing Kubuntu alongside Windows. BUT lately, I've seen some posts saying that it ain't so.

You can easily and quickly check this:

Boot your computer using your Kubuntu live DVD/USB installer medium -->

--> BUT, you must make sure you are booting your computer in the new UEFI mode, not the older BIOS mode. This is not the fault of Kubuntu; this is the new trend in computer firmware that everyone is quickly moving to.

I clipped this from another how-to I wrote, telling how one makes sure that you are booting your computer in UEFI mode using your Kubuntu DVD/USB:

Install the Kubuntu OS in UEFI mode
--> Must be 64-bit Kubuntu OS for UEFI. I am using Kubuntu 14.04, 64-bit.

Important: You must make certain you are installing Kubuntu in UEFI mode.

I used a Live DVD Kubuntu installer.
Install the DVD in the optical drive, reboot the PC, enter UEFI(-BIOS) by pressing F2.
Under Advanced, find the ASUS boot menu, and the "boot override" menu under that.
The bootable devices will be listed.
Choose the one that corresponds to the Kubuntu UEFI choice.
Look for UEFI / FAT) or some reference to UEFI.
My Live Kubuntu DVD installer showed up twice in UEFI BIOS (under Boot Override) as a "normal" DVD writer, and also as:
UEFI (FAT) TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-224DB (1028 MB) (= my Samsung DVD player).
Found out you may have to re-boot a time or two for this to appear correctly, so I think.
Select that option from the boot override menu.
The PC will re-boot, and you will see a text mode screen with a grub-like menu. Select install O/S. If, instead, you see the full graphical setup menu, the installer is probably in legacy BIOS mode so reboot, enter the UEFI setup, navigate to boot override and try again.

If yours is a live flash drive, you will look for that flash drive prefaced by the string UEFI or EFI (like UEFI Kingston USBData Traveler etc etc...).

So, now you are booted in UEFI mode with your Kubuntu DVD/USB installer medium.
Select Try Kubuntu, select Install Kubuntu. Go through the installation until you come to the Installation Type Screen.

--> Do you now see an option to install Kubuntu "alongside Windows" (or something to that effect)? That option should be in the top three or so of the choices.

If so, then yes, the installation can be that simple.
If not, then, well, then you will have to deal with some partitioning.
--> While you are at that screen, note the last option: Manual


QUIT the installation if you are not yet ready to install Kubuntu:
--> Click the Quit button at lower left.


Partitioning is easy, but you said

I know nothing about partitioning and all that kind of thing. I can follow instructions well if they're clear and concise.

The question might be HOW clear and HOW concise :-) .........

Back to the game plan:

Fact is, this really is pretty easy, except for possibly one small step:
Shrink the existing big Windows 10 partition down to make room for Kubuntu.
Then install Kubuntu in that unallocated space you just created on your hard drive.

If you must do some partitioning, this plan becomes:

Fact is, this really is pretty easy, except for possibly one small step--partitioning.
Shrink the existing big Windows 10 partition down to make room for Kubuntu.
Make partitions for Kubuntu.
Then install Kubuntu in the partitions you just created.


Partitions for Kubuntu

Basic user:
You need a "root" partition for the Kubuntu filesystem, the main Kubuntu partition.
Sometimes this partition is designated by " / " in writing or in lists you see.
And you need a swap partition (even though it is rarely needed).
You can ask questions about this and find that everyone has an opinion.
Or, simply make your swap partition, say, about, 4GB to 8 GB in size.
And make your root partition anything you want, but it should be big enough to store the main Kubuntu filesystem (say 7-15 GB, but bigger if you have the extra space, like 25-50 GB?) plus space for your personal data/application files (say a minimum of, what, 30GB? 50 GB? 100 GB? more?).

Formatting: Keep this simple for now and format your / root system as "ext4."

(Swap: You don't have to do anything special about the swap partition, no formatting needed, it is recognized as a "Swap partition.")


Advanced user:
Same drill, except you make 3 partitions:
root / for the main Kubuntu filesystem.
A swap partition.
And a separate partition for your personal data/application files, called your "home partition," designated by the notation "/home."

Formatting: Keep this simple for now and format your / root partition and home partition, /home, as "ext4." (You'll see the choices in lists of your partitioning tool.)


Conclusion

So, you must make your partitions for Kubuntu this way:

You shrink the Windows 10 partition down to make room.
Then you make the two or three partitions for Kubuntu.


How?

You can use the Windows disk management thingy whatever.
Or, you can use ANY partitioning tool on the market, free or bought.
Or, you can use a Kubuntu partitioning tool called GParted (free).
(Many/most of us use GParted.)


This is not a big deal, but I remember doing it for the first time, and it was a little scary. Now "we" do it all the time, on the run, in seconds. You can, too.

After you make the 2 or 3 partitions for Kubuntu, you will then run the DVD/USB installer in UEFI mode and install Kubuntu using the Manual Installation choice that we touched on above.


FWIW, this is my write-up on doing this, but I don't know how it will read to a new newbie. You can ask questions, though, and anyone can chime in. Today, all day until later, I will be away from the computer taking care of business, except possibly to check in at midday, maybe.

Installing Kubuntu -- Using the "Manual" Installation Type, with your own partitioning

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post377688


Then again, logan01, someone else here may have totally other ideas about all this! ............ and THAT is what makes Linux so great! Choices.

[logan01]

I'm currently downloading Kubuntu 14.04 64x to usb. I'm still researching the partition deal. Ran across this.
http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/home/d...th-screenshots I would like your input. Especially the part of selecting "something else" then proceeding with the partitioning. If this is acceptable, Perhaps it's covered later, will I then install Kubuntu and "files" find their way to the different partitions when installing or ..........? Or should I first use the GParted partitioner and then install Kubuntu? I currently have 387 GB of an available 442 GB in my C: drive. How much of that should be allocated to Windows 10 and associated software, files, etc? I copied the HP Recovery from D: drive to usb. This emptied D: therefore there's 21 GB of free space just sitting there. Anything I can do with that?

[elijathegold]

Before you do any of this make sure you have a backup of any data you wouldn't want to or couldn't live without. Partitioning is pretty simple and safe these days but power cuts or cats at the wrong moment and it gone!

[logan01]

Thanks. Fortunately this being a new computer, not much personal stuff on here and I have it all on flash drive. Anything else like Malwarebytes and all that kind of stuff I reckon I could download again. When I begin I'll be using my Windows 7 laptop for "Oh poop, I need help!" communications.

[logan01]

Currently test driving 14.04. Now anxious to get this going.