Install Ubuntu 10.10 Step By Step

In a couple of minutes you will see the wallpaper and the installation wizard. Select your language and click the "Install Ubuntu" button to continue...

Preparing to install Ubuntu
Make sure you have all the listed requirements. Optionally, you can choose to download updates while installing and/or install third party software, such as MP3 support. Be aware, though, that if you select those options, the entire installation process will be longer!

Allocate drive space
At this screen you have three options:

1. Install alongside other operating systems
- Choose this option ONLY if you have another OS (e.g. Windows XP) and you want a dual boot system.

Editor's Note: Remember that, after the installation, the Windows boot loader will be overwritten by the Ubuntu boot loader!
2. Erase and use the entire disk
- Choose this option if you want to delete your existing operating system, or the hard drive is already empty and you want to let the installer automatically partition the hard drive for you. This is the option recommended for all users, especially those who want a machine with a single operating system on it.
3. Specify partitions manually (advanced)
- This option is recommended ONLY for advanced users, to create special partitions or format the hard drive with other filesystems than the default one. But it can also be used to create a /home partition, which is very useful in case you reinstall the whole system.
Here's how you do a manual partitioning with /home:
- Select the "Specify partitions manually (advanced) and click the "Forward" button;
- Make sure that the selected hard drive is the right one. /dev/sda is the first physical hard drive. /dev/sdb is the second hard drive in your machine. So, make sure that you know which is the one you want to format! Otherwise, you will lose ALL YOUR DATA on that hard drive;
- Let's say that the selected drive is empty (no other operating system or important data on it), but it has some partitions on it. Select each one of those partitions and click the "Delete" button. After a few seconds, it will say "free space." Do this with the other partitions from the selected hard drive, until they're all deleted and you have a single "free space" entry;
- With the "free space" entry selected, click on the "Add" button. In the new window, type 2048 in the "New partition size in megabytes" field and select the "swap area" option from the "Use as:" drop down list. Click the OK button and, in a few seconds, you'll notice a "swap" line with the specified size;
- With the "free space" entry selected, click on the "Add" button. In the new window, select the "Primary" option, type a value between 10,000 and 50,000 in the "New partition size in megabytes" field and select / as the "Mount point." Click the OK button and, in a few seconds, you'll notice an "ext4 /" line with the specified size;
- With the "free space" line selected, click on the "Add" button. In the new window, select the "Primary" option, type a value between 30,000 and 50,000 (or whatever space you have left on the drive) in the "New partition size in megabytes" field and select /home as the "Mount point." Click the OK button and, in a few seconds, you'll notice an "ext4 /home" line with the specified size.

This is how your partition table should look like...

WARNING: Be aware that all the data on the selected hard drive or partition will be ERASED and IRRECOVERABLE.
Click the "Install Now" button to continue with the installation...

Editor's note: At this point the hard drive will be erase and partitioned, the CD data will be copied to the hard drive, and you can relax and continue to input the following required information.
Where are you?
This screen will feature a map of the Earth. Upon the selection of your current location, the time for the final system will adjust accordingly. You can try to guess you exact location with the mouse on the map, or just type the town in the designated field. Click the "Forward" button after you have selected your desired location...

Keyboard layout
On this screen, you will be able to choose a desired keyboard layout. But the default automatic selection should work for most of you. You can also click the "Figure Out Keyboard Layout" button for better recognition of your keyboard's layout. Click the "Forward" button when you have finished with the keyboard configuration...

Who are you?
On this screen, you must do exactly what the title says. Fill in the fields with your real name, the name of the computer (automatically generated, but can be overwritten), the name you want to use to log in on your Ubuntu OS (also known as the "username," which will be required to log in to the system), and the password.
Also at this step, there's an option called "Log in automatically." If you check it, you will automatically be logged in to the Ubuntu desktop.
Other option, called "Encrypt my home folder," will encrypt your Ubuntu installation. Click the "Forward" button to continue...

At this point the Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) operating system will be installed...

After approximately 10 to 15 minutes (depending on your computer's specs), a pop-up window will appear, notifying you that the installation is complete, and you'll need to restart the computer in order to use the newly installed Ubuntu operating system. Click the "Restart Now" button...

The CD will be ejected; remove it and press the "Enter" key to reboot. The computer will be restarted and, in a few seconds, you will see the Ubuntu boot splash...