Installing Ubuntu 12.10

If you've installed Ubuntu in the past, you might notice that, unlike its predecessors, Ubuntu 12.10 does not fit on one CD. Developers also improved the installer, which now provides full encryption and Logical Volume Manager (LVM). Other than these updates, not much has changed with the Ubuntu installation process.

Installing Ubuntu 12.10 on your computer or virtual machine can be done in several ways. Although Ubuntu is geared toward novice Linux users, installing the system is different from installing Windows. I'll explain your options and walk you through the steps.

What's New, Quetzal?

If you're running Ubuntu 12.04, you can update to version 12.10, or you can do a fresh install. In the latter case, try the Live version first to try the programs and get used to the Unity desktop. Then, you can load the distribution via the integrated installer on your computer. No matter what you decide, back up all your important files beforehand so nothing gets lost in the process.

Insert Media

The double-sided DVD that comes with this issue provides two versions of Ubuntu, for 32-bit and 64-bit computers. To boot from the DVD, first have your computer recognize it as bootable. Often, computers do this automatically; starting the PC with a bootable CD or DVD in the drive invokes the corresponding bootloader. If the computer can't find the DVD, change the boot order via the BIOS. To get to the BIOS, start up the computer and immediately press Esc, Del, F2, or F12, depending on your computer. Then, look for the appropriate option to change the boot order and move the CD/DVD drive to the top of the list. If you're starting Ubuntu from a USB stick, move the USB device to the top of the boot order. In both cases, save the setting and restart the computer.

If your computer is missing a drive, use a USB stick, which assumes that you already have Ubuntu installed. Create the stick by downloading the ISO image for Ubuntu 12.10 for the 32-bit or 64-bit architecture [1] that your installed Ubuntu uses, then load it to the USB stick using the Startup Disk Creator app in Ubuntu (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The Startup Disk Creator in Ubuntu 12.04 copies the Ubuntu 12.10 image onto a USB stick with the required free space. Both Ubuntu versions have to use the same 32-bit or 64-bit architecture.

To begin, delete all previous files on the stick, leaving at least 4GB of free space. Then, at the top of the Make Startup Disk window, select the downloaded ISO image. At the bottom, you need to select the USB device to use, then click Make Startup Disk. Booting from the USB stick requires the BIOS setting previously mentioned.