How To Clean Install Ubuntu 14.04 Guide

This is a short and sweet guide on how to clean install Ubuntu 14.04 on any computer. Windows tutorials can be found here.

Before Installing Ubuntu 14.04

First, we need to download the installation media before we do anything else. If you already have the installation media ready, you can skip step 1. If you haven’t, click here to be taken to the download page. Under ”Desktop Images” select the version you would like. Take note, that the 64-Bit version is designed to take full advantage of AMD processors. So if you have an Intel processor, you will need to download the 32-Bit version.

Once the download has finished, we need to install it to a USB drive,

Prepare and Get Ready To Install Ubuntu 14.04

There are many different software’s that will burn your image to a USB thumb drive. But my favourite one is Rufus, its light and simple, and does what it needs to do. If you haven’t got it already, you can download the latest version of Rufus here. .

Now we have both Rufus and the Ubuntu 14.04 image file, let’s burn it to a USB thumb drive. I recommend using a 2GB or bigger USB for this. Pop the USB into your computer and run Rufus 2.11, you should have a screen like the image below.

Double-check to make sure that the ”Device” selected is actually the USB drive that you’re using for Ubuntu because it will erase everything that’s on it. Next click the little CD and hard drive symbol next to where it says ”ISO Image”, this will open a browser to allow you to select the Ubuntu image file you downloaded earlier. Once you’ve don’t that, you’re ready to click ”Start”.

Wait a few minutes and the Ubuntu installation media should be created successfully. So, we are now ready to start installing Ubuntu onto your system.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP EVERYTHING BEFORE FOLLOWING ARTIFICIAL GEEKS ”Clean Install Ubuntu 14.04” GUIDE, AS IT WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT IS ON YOUR EXISTING HARD DRIVE.

Lets, Clean Install Ubuntu 14.04

Step 1. With the newly created Ubuntu bootable image still plugged into your pc, restart the computer and wait for the Ubuntu installer to boot up. If you find that your computer boots straight back into your current operating system, you will need to configure your bios and set your USB thumb drive as the first boot priority.

Step 2. Select your language from the left-hand menu and click ”Install Ubuntu’’ to begin.

Step 3. Here, you can choose whether or not to download updates for Ubuntu while it’s installing onto your system, the installation will take a little longer than normal, and you do need to be connected to the internet for this to happen. Alternatively you can download the updates later on from the Ubuntu desktop once it’s installed.

The same goes for the third-party software. When you’re ready, click ”Continue”.

Step 4. If you’re new to Ubuntu, I suggest using ”Erase disk and install Ubuntu” as you will not need to mess around with partitions, etc. If you’re an advanced user and know what you’re doing, you would probably choose ”Something else” to customize your setup. For this guide, I’m going to choose ”Erase disk and install Ubuntu”, when you’ve selected, click ”Install Now” to begin the installation process.

You will be prompted to confirm the changes to your hard drive and partitions before install begins, just go ahead and click ”Continue”.

Ubuntu 14.04 Configuration Menu

Step 5. While Ubuntu installs, you will need to select your location, use your mouse to select your location and hit ”Continue” when done.

Step 6. Next, you need to select the ”Keyboard layout” you want to use on your new Ubuntu operating system, once you’ve chosen, hit ”Continue”.

Step 7. This screen will allow you to choose a username and password for your Ubuntu system.

Note – the username can only be lowercase.

You can also choose whether to log in automatically so you don’t have to keep entering your password, plus whether or not you want to encrypt your home folder. When you’re finished, click ”Continue” to move on.

Now it’s time to wait, while Ubuntu finishes the installation process. Depending on your system, times may vary.

Step 8. Once the installation is complete, you will need to do one final restart in order to use your new installation.

Note – When you hit ”Restart Now”, you want to remove your Ubuntu USB installation media when the computer turns off, before booting back up, otherwise it will boot back into the installation media rather than your new Ubuntu operating system.