Table of Contents

Installing Ubuntu 12.04 “Precise Pangolin” For amd64

1. Welcome to Ubuntu

What is Ubuntu?

What is Debian?

What is GNU/Linux?

Getting Ubuntu

Getting the Newest Version of This Document

Organization of This Document

About Copyrights and Software Licenses

2. System Requirements

Supported Hardware

Devices Requiring Firmware

Purchasing Hardware Specifically for GNU/Linux

Installation Media

Memory and Disk Space Requirements

3. Before Installing Ubuntu

Overview of the Installation Process

Back Up Your Existing Data!

Information You Will Need

Meeting Minimum Hardware Requirements

Pre-Partitioning for Multi-Boot Systems

Pre-Installation Hardware and Operating System Setup

4. Obtaining System Installation Media

Official Ubuntu CD-ROMs

Downloading Files from Ubuntu Mirrors

Preparing Files for USB Memory Stick Booting

Preparing Files for Hard Disk Booting

Preparing Files for TFTP Net Booting

Automatic Installation

5. Booting the Installation System

Booting the Installer on AMD64

Accessibility

Boot Parameters

Troubleshooting the Installation Process

6. Using the Ubuntu Installer

How the Installer Works

Components Introduction

Using Individual Components

Loading Missing Firmware

7. Booting Into Your New Ubuntu System

The Moment of Truth

Mounting encrypted volumes

Log In

8. Next Steps and Where to Go From Here

Shutting down the system

If You Are New to Unix

Orienting Yourself to Ubuntu

Further Reading and Information

Setting Up Your System To Use E-Mail

Compiling a New Kernel

Recovering a Broken System

A. Installation Howto

Booting the installer

Installation

And finally…

B. Automating the installation using preseeding

Introduction

Using preseeding

Creating a preconfiguration file

Contents of the preconfiguration file (for precise)

Advanced options

C. Partitioning for Ubuntu

Deciding on Ubuntu Partitions and Sizes

The Directory Tree

Recommended Partitioning Scheme

Device Names in Linux

Ubuntu Partitioning Programs

D. Random Bits

Linux Devices

Disk Space Needed for Tasks

Disk Space Needed

Installing Ubuntu from a Unix/Linux System

Installing Ubuntu over Parallel Line IP (PLIP)

Installing Ubuntu using PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE)

The Graphical Installer

E. Administrivia

About This Document

Contributing to This Document

Major Contributions

Trademark Acknowledgement

F. GNU General Public License