Ubuntu installation in dual boot mode
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS has been released since April 2020. The post is about what should be taken into account during installation process. This is mostly written for my own reference in the future.
Update: one should download the latest Ubuntu version on the website (which is Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as of May 2024).
Things to backup
Personally, I prefer a new fresh operating system for a new start. Therefore I backup only four directories Documents, Musics, Pictures, and Templates. Softwares can be installed after the installation has finished.
My custom setting worth noticing is shown in the table below. Neglect VS Code settings if you are not using that text editor.
| Setting | Directory |
|---|---|
| Bookmark folders | ~/.config/gtk-3.0/bookmarks (pointed out here) |
| Custom shortcuts in Jupyter notebook | None |
| Git global configuration | ~/.gitconfig |
| Startup Applications | None |
| VS Code snippets | ~/.config/Code/User/snippets/ |
| VS Code settings | ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json |
| VS Code keybindings | ~/.config/Code/User/keybindings.json |
Installation process
The overall process might be as follows:
- Create a live USB stick by Startup Disk Creator (in Ubuntu OS). The process takes approximately 15 minutes. Be aware that the USB will be renamed automatically.
- Plug in the USB, access UEFI/BIOS by one of following methods:
- (Windows) Settings / Update & Security / Recovery / Advanced start-up / Restart Now,
- Restart your computer, press
Esc/F2/F9to access Boot device option (based on desktop’s manufacturers).
- Remove / resize the obsolete operating systems (e.g., Windows OS) by GParted.
- Install the new Ubuntu OS by following the instruction. Always choose Something else to manually set up your partition.
Side notes
Just in case Startup Disk Creator is not installed by default, you can install it by running the command below.
sudo apt install usb-creator-gtk
Before installation, it’s best to know which partitions are mounted to which directories (/, /boot, /home, etc). You can acquire that kind of information via File Systems panel in System Monitor.
If you’re not sure about the guide provided in English, here is an article written in Vietnamese presenting how to install an Ubuntu OS alongside a Windows OS.
You might want to name your USB with something like Ubuntu20.04LTS. It is relatively easy to rename a USB on a Windows OS. As for this action on an Ubuntu OS, you can use Disks application as mentioned in this question in askubuntu forum.
After rebooting, your computer may go directly to the Windows OS already existed instead of prompting you to choose between Ubuntu and Windows. You need to get into the BIOS and make sure that the ubuntu device is above the Windows device in the OS boot manager. The detailed steps are in an answer in askubuntu forum.
Choose “Do not use the partition” during installation process to create buffers between partitions. It’ll come in handy in case you want to increase volume of some partitions.
As for the layout on the desktop, software icons on the left side bar are taken from Show Applications (the button in the bottom left corner of the screen), you just need to drag and drop them to appropriate locations. Moreover, for a clean desktop, the trash icon can be hidden by an option in GNOME Tweaks.
Finally, just in case you break something while creating new partitions, the guide in Ubuntu documentation might be helpful.