Install Ubuntu via Terminal: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hey guys! Ever wanted to install Ubuntu, but you’re more of a command-line kinda person? Well, you’re in the right place! We’re going to dive deep into how to install Ubuntu directly from your terminal. It might sound intimidating, but trust me, it’s totally doable, and I’m here to guide you through every single step. So, buckle up and let’s get started!

Why Install Ubuntu from the Terminal?

Okay, so why even bother installing Ubuntu from the terminal when you can use the graphical installer? Great question! Here’s a few reasons:

• For the Love of Learning: It’s a fantastic way to understand the nuts and bolts of the installation process. You’ll get a much deeper understanding of what’s happening under the hood compared to clicking through a GUI.
• Remote Installations: Imagine you’re managing a server remotely. Often, there’s no GUI available. Knowing how to install via the terminal becomes essential .
• Customization: The terminal gives you unparalleled control over partitioning, bootloader configuration, and other advanced settings. If you’re a power user, this is your playground.
• Efficiency: Once you get the hang of it, installing from the terminal can actually be faster than using the GUI. No more waiting for windows to load!

Prerequisites

Before we jump into the commands, let’s make sure you’ve got everything you need. Think of this as gathering your ingredients before you start cooking. Here’s your checklist:

1. A Bootable Ubuntu ISO: You’ll need the ISO file for the Ubuntu version you want to install. Download it from the official Ubuntu website. Make sure you grab the right one for your system architecture (usually 64-bit).
2. A Live Environment: You’ll need a way to boot into a live environment. This could be a USB drive or a DVD. Tools like Rufus (for Windows) or dd (for Linux and macOS) can help you create a bootable USB drive.
3. An Internet Connection: Some steps require downloading packages, so make sure you have a stable internet connection.
4. Basic Linux Knowledge: Familiarity with basic Linux commands like ls , cd , sudo , and apt will be super helpful. If you’re new to Linux, don’t worry, I’ll explain the commands as we go, but having some background knowledge will definitely make things smoother.
5. Backup Your Data: This is super important . Installing a new operating system can potentially wipe your existing data. Back up everything important before you proceed. Seriously, don’t skip this step!

Preparing the Live Environment

First things first, boot your computer from the live USB or DVD you created. How you do this depends on your computer’s BIOS/UEFI settings. Usually, you can press a key like F2 , F12 , Delete , or Esc during startup to access the boot menu. Select your USB drive or DVD drive from the list. Once booted, you should see the Ubuntu desktop.

Open a terminal. You can usually find it in the applications menu, or you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+T . Now you are ready to enter the command-line world. Time to make sure your internet is up and running by pinging Google’s DNS server: ping 8.8.8.8 .

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Ubuntu from the Terminal

Alright, let’s get our hands dirty! Here’s the step-by-step guide to installing Ubuntu from the terminal. I’ll break it down into manageable chunks so it’s easy to follow.

Step 1: Identify Your Disks

First, we need to figure out which disk you want to install Ubuntu on. Use the lsblk command to list all available block devices. This command shows you all your disks and partitions.

lsblk

Look for the disk you want to use. It’ll probably be something like /dev/sda , /dev/sdb , /dev/nvme0n1 , etc. Be absolutely sure you identify the correct disk , as the next steps will involve writing to it, and you don’t want to accidentally wipe the wrong drive.

Step 2: Partitioning the Disk (If Necessary)

If you have a fresh disk or you want to repartition an existing one, you’ll need to use a partitioning tool. fdisk is a classic choice, but parted is more powerful and supports GPT disks, which are common on newer systems. I’ll demonstrate using parted .

1. Start parted :

   sudo parted /dev/sda
   

   Replace /dev/sda with the correct disk identifier you found in Step 1.

2. Set the Disk Label (If Necessary):

   If it’s a new disk, you might need to set a disk label. For GPT disks, use gpt :

   mklabel gpt
   

   For older systems using MBR, use msdos :

   mklabel msdos
   

3. Create Partitions:

   You’ll need at least two partitions: one for the root filesystem ( / ) and one for swap. You might also want a separate partition for /home .

   Here’s an example of creating a root partition:

   mkpart primary ext4 0% 30GB
   

   This creates a primary partition with the ext4 filesystem, starting at 0% of the disk and using the first 30GB. Adjust the size as needed.

   Next, create a swap partition:

   mkpart primary linux-swap 30GB 34GB
   

   This creates a swap partition from 30GB to 34GB. The size of the swap partition depends on your RAM and usage, but 4GB is a good starting point. If you want to create a home partition, do that like this:

   ```bash
   

   mkpart primary ext4 34GB 100% “`

4. Set Bootable Flag (If Necessary):

   If you’re using MBR, you need to set the bootable flag on the partition where you plan to install the bootloader:

   set 1 boot on
   

   Replace 1 with the partition number.

5. Exit parted :

   quit
   

Step 3: Format the Partitions

Now that you’ve created the partitions, you need to format them with the appropriate filesystems. Use the mkfs command.

1. Format the Root Partition:

   sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
   

   Replace /dev/sda1 with the correct partition identifier for your root partition.

2. Format the Swap Partition:

   sudo mkswap /dev/sda2
   

   Replace /dev/sda2 with the correct partition identifier for your swap partition.

3. Enable the Swap Partition:

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   sudo swapon /dev/sda2
   

4. Format the Home Partition (If you created one):

   sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3
   

Step 4: Mount the Partitions

Now we need to mount the partitions so we can install Ubuntu onto them. Create a mount point for the root partition:

sudo mkdir /mnt/root

Mount the root partition:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/root

If you have a separate /home partition, create a mount point for it:

sudo mkdir /mnt/root/home

Mount the /home partition:

sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/root/home

Step 5: Install Ubuntu Base System

Time to install the base system using debootstrap . This tool installs a minimal Ubuntu system into the target directory.

sudo debootstrap focal /mnt/root

Replace focal with the Ubuntu codename for the version you’re installing (e.g., jammy for 22.04, kinetic for 22.10, lunar for 23.04, mantic for 23.10). This command downloads and extracts the base system files into /mnt/root . This will take a while, depending on your internet connection.

Step 6: Configure the Base System

Now that the base system is installed, we need to configure it. First, chroot into the new system:

sudo chroot /mnt/root

This changes your root directory to /mnt/root , so you’re now operating within the new Ubuntu system.

Set Up Networking

Copy the networking configuration from the live environment:

cp /etc/resolv.conf /etc/resolv.conf

Mount Virtual Filesystems

Mount the virtual filesystems:

mount -t proc proc /proc
mount -t sysfs sys /sys
mount -o bind /dev dev /dev
mount -o bind /dev/pts dev/pts

Install Essential Packages

Update the package list and install essential packages:

apt update
apt install --reinstall linux-image-generic grub-efi-amd64

Configure the System

Set the hostname:

echo yourhostname > /etc/hostname

Replace yourhostname with your desired hostname.

Edit the /etc/hosts file to include the hostname:

echo "127.0.0.1 localhost yourhostname" >> /etc/hosts

Set the root password:

passwd

You will be prompted to enter a new password for the root user.

Configure Locale and Timezone

Set the locale:

dpkg-reconfigure locales

Choose your desired locale from the list.

Set the timezone:

dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

Choose your timezone from the list.

Configure the Bootloader

Install the GRUB bootloader:

grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub

Replace /dev/sda with the correct disk identifier. If you’re using UEFI, you might need to specify the EFI directory:

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu
update-grub

Step 7: Create a User Account

It’s a good idea to create a non-root user account for everyday use:

adduser yourusername

Replace yourusername with your desired username. You’ll be prompted to enter a password and other information.

Add the user to the sudo group to grant administrative privileges:

gpasswd -a yourusername sudo

Step 8: Exit and Reboot

Exit the chroot environment:

exit

Unmount the partitions:

sudo umount /mnt/root/home
sudo umount /mnt/root

Reboot the system:

sudo reboot

Remove the live USB or DVD. Your system should now boot into your newly installed Ubuntu system.

Troubleshooting

• Boot Issues: If your system doesn’t boot, make sure you installed GRUB correctly and that the bootable flag is set on the correct partition.
• Networking Issues: Double-check your /etc/resolv.conf file and ensure your network interface is configured correctly.
• Package Installation Issues: Make sure your internet connection is stable and that you’ve updated the package list with apt update .

Conclusion

And there you have it! You’ve successfully installed Ubuntu from the terminal. It might have seemed daunting at first, but hopefully, this guide has made the process clear and straightforward. Installing from the terminal gives you a deeper understanding of the system and provides more control over the installation process. Happy hacking, and enjoy your new Ubuntu system!