Cyber Grey

Installing Linux on your Server

Installing a new Operating System (OS) sounds scary and like it might have the potential to break your computer, but rest assured, it is totally safe and when you get the hang of it, it can even become addicting to test out different Operating Systems.

Tech By Matt has a great video detailing the process and even setting up some applications post-install.

Requirements:

First step is determining what OS to setup on your server. Keep in mind, you can test out the OS before install, so this does not need to be permanent if you are not a fan. For server installs, I always recommend Ubuntu Server.

After downloading your OS from your preferred site, you'll notice that it is most likely has the ISO file extension. This is normal, as an ISO is the most common file format of the disk image of an Operating System. (Linked some dry reading if you are curious.)

Next step is to find a tool that will help burn the ISO onto the USB. (This is not permanent, and after installation, you can format the drive and re-use it later). This will help your computer recognize the USB as a bootable device rather than just a storage device with an ISO on it.

A user-friendly and free tool to get the job done is called Balena Etcher. This easy-to-use tool provides a user-friendly user-interface that makes it simple to set up a bootable device.

Warning: Ensure all files on the USB drive are removed, as the flashing process will delete them.

After downloading Etcher from their site, and running it, we get a very intuitive interface. Follow the instructions, find your freshly downloaded OS image, choose the thumb drive you would like to use for installation, then press Flash.

This can take a few minutes, so grab a snack or some coffee.

After the Etcher program completes, it will auto-eject the USB device, so it can be removed safely, but from there you should be off to the races. You now have a bootable USB device that can install OR test drive an Operating System.

Final step is pretty important. Plug in the USB drive, and boot up the computer. BEFORE THE COMPUTER BOOTS UP, INTERRUPT THE BOOT SEQUENCE BY PRESSING F12. (Different hardware manufacturers might vary, but it is usually F12, F2, Esc, or Del, just google your laptop manufacturer + boot menu key)

If you successfully entered the boot menu, you will see different Boot Options. Choose the one that corresponds with your USB Drive. From there it should take you to your desired operating system and the Installer Screen.

If you hit a snag in the installation process, you may need to enter your BIOS settings and disable secure boot. This may sound scary and complicated but disabling Secure boot just allows you to boot from external devices such as a USB drive. Often times secure boot is enabled by some manufacturers.

If everything worked out, you should be greeted by the installer screen for your chosen OS. Feel free to test it out, or install if you want to use it full time.

This entire install process applies to installing all Operating Systems, so feel free to repeat the steps and test different Linux Distributions across your other devices until you find one that suits your needs. (This is often referred to as Distro Hopping)

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I wish you luck in all your future Homelab endeavors.