Installing Ubuntu 16.04

If you've installed Ubuntu in the past, you might notice that, earlier versions up to 12.04, Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus) does not fit on one CD. As from 12.10 onwards, developers also improved the installer, which now provides full encryption and Logical Volume Manager (LVM). The step in 13.10 that allowed access to or set up of an UbuntuOne account was removed in 14.04. Other than these updates, not much has changed with the Ubuntu installation process.

You can Install Ubuntu 16.04 on your computer or virtual machine in several ways. Although Ubuntu is geared toward novice Linux users, installing the system is different from a Windows installation. We'll explain your options and walk you through the steps.

Figure 1: Choose Try Ubuntu to run a Live instance on your computer without installing anything.

What's New, Wily?

If you're running Ubuntu 15.10, you can update to version 16.04 directly. However, if you're upgrading from a version of Ubuntu earlier than 15.10, you will have to update in steps to 15.10 first and then to 16.04. If you decide to go with a clean install, try the Live version first to test the programs and get used to the Unity desktop. Then, you can load the distribution via the integrated installer on your computer. Regardless of what you decide, back up all your important files first so nothing gets lost in the process.

Insert Media

The double-sided DVD that comes with this issue provides two versions of Ubuntu: one for 32-bit and another for 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 DVD drive, use a USB stick. We will assume that you already have Ubuntu installed. Create the stick by downloading the ISO image for Ubuntu 16.04 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 2). First, delete all previous files on the stick, leaving at least 4GB of free space. At the top of the Make Startup Disk window, select the downloaded ISO image; and, at the bottom, select the USB device to use, then click Make Startup Disk . Booting from the USB stick requires the BIOS setting previously mentioned.

Figure 2: The Startup Disk Creator in Ubuntu 15.10 copies the Ubuntu 16.04 image onto a USB stick with the required free space. Both Ubuntu versions have to be for the same 32-bit or 64-bit architecture.