Ubuntu is a universal operating system designed to run on almost any computer or device, from desktop systems to servers and mobile phones. While desktop versions tend to update more frequently than server ones, server versions often offer greater stability; businesses often rely on them as reliable backbone systems that will remain unaffected by changes to infrastructure.
The latest version, 22.04, boasts some significant enhancements over previous ones. Notably, GNOME 42 features major design and usability enhancements such as its cleaner look and increased performance on lower-end hardware. There are also various enhancements such as new keyboard layout support as well as an upgrade of the kernel.
Before beginning to install Ubuntu, it is a best practice to back up all of your data in case something goes amiss during installation or upgrade process and you lose any pertinent details. This ensures you won’t lose important documents that could prove crucial later.
Once your data has been backed up, insert the installer media and turn your computer on. When restarted, the computer may prompt you to press a key that opens its settings or boot menu – Escape, F2 or F10 are often good options if experiencing difficulty here. For more assistance with this step, refer to your specific machine documentation.
Once installed, the installer will prompt you to choose an installation type. Your choice will impact disk partitioning and options available will depend on which operating system is being installed. For instance, creating a swap partition is best done during setup so as to avoid rebooting after initial setup has completed.
Use this dialog to select whether you would like the installer to download updates during setup or install third-party software – two useful options if your proprietary software or hardware requires drivers.
Once complete with this dialog box, click Continue to begin the actual installation process. It should take only a few moments; during which your computer may appear idle for some time.
After some time has elapsed, the system will install all necessary files for its functionality, including security updates, system libraries, and core components. When this step has finished, an installer screen will appear asking you to choose your time zone.
Decide whether LVM (Logical Volume Management) or ZFS (Zettabyte File System) would best fit your system. ZFS provides both file systems and LVM management; its combination makes it best suited to high performance servers.