How to Download and Install Linux

Installing Linux takes about 30–60 minutes from a standing start. The process is the same in broad strokes across all distributions: pick a distro, download the ISO, verify it, write it to a USB drive, boot from that drive, and run the graphical installer. Each step below covers the details that trip people up the first time.

Step 1: Choose a Distribution

There is no single "best" Linux distribution, but there are sensible defaults based on your goal:

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — Large community, excellent hardware support, five years of security updates. Good default for desktops and first-time users.
• Fedora 40 Workstation — Ships the latest stable software, Wayland by default, close to upstream. Good for developers who want current tooling.
• Linux Mint 21.3 — Ubuntu base with a more traditional desktop. Popular with people migrating from Windows.
• Arch Linux — Rolling release, minimal base, install exactly what you want. Not for first-timers unless you enjoy reading documentation.
• Rocky Linux 9 — RHEL-compatible, binary stable, ideal for server workloads or corporate environments.

If you are genuinely new, start with Ubuntu or Mint. You can always reinstall later once you know what you want.

Step 2: Download the ISO

Always download from the official project website. Third-party mirrors are fine only when the official site lists them explicitly.

• Ubuntu: ubuntu.com/download/desktop
• Fedora: fedoraproject.org/workstation/download
• Linux Mint: linuxmint.com/download.php
• Arch: archlinux.org/download
• Rocky: rockylinux.org/download

Download the x86_64 (also labelled amd64) ISO unless you are targeting ARM hardware. ISO files are typically 1–4 GB.

Step 3: Verify the Checksum

A corrupted download produces a broken install that fails in unpredictable ways. Checksums catch corruption; GPG signatures catch tampering. Always do at least the checksum step.

SHA256 verification

The download page for each distro lists the expected SHA256 hash next to the ISO filename. Download that hash (often in a file named SHA256SUMS or similar), then run:

sha256sum ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso

Compare the output against the value on the official page. Every character must match. On Fedora and Rocky, the tool is the same:

sha256sum Fedora-Workstation-Live-x86_64-40-1.14.iso

If the hashes differ, delete the file and re-download, preferably from a different mirror.

GPG signature verification (recommended)

Ubuntu ships a signed SHA256SUMS.gpg file alongside SHA256SUMS. After importing Ubuntu's signing key:

gpg --keyid-format long --verify SHA256SUMS.gpg SHA256SUMS

A valid result says Good signature from. A bad or missing signature is a hard stop — do not proceed.

Step 4: Write the ISO to a USB Drive

You need a USB drive of at least 8 GB. Everything on it will be erased.

Option A: dd (Linux or macOS terminal)

First, identify your USB device. Plug it in, then run:

lsblk

Look for a disk the right size — commonly /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc. Do not guess; writing to the wrong device destroys data. Unmount any mounted partitions on it, then write the ISO:

sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync

Use the disk device (/dev/sdb), not a partition (/dev/sdb1). The status=progress flag shows transfer speed so you know it is working. This typically takes 3–8 minutes. When the prompt returns, the drive is ready.

Option B: Balena Etcher (graphical, cross-platform)

Balena Etcher runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Download the AppImage or installer, launch it, click Flash from file, select the ISO, select the drive, click Flash. It validates the write automatically after finishing. This is the right choice if you are still running Windows before your first install.

Option C: Fedora Media Writer

Fedora's own tool handles both Fedora ISOs and other images, and is available for all three platforms at fedoraproject.org. It is particularly convenient when installing Fedora.

Step 5: Boot from the USB Drive

Restart the computer with the USB drive inserted. Most systems will not boot the USB automatically — you need to intervene.

• Boot menu key: Tap F12, F10, F9, or Esc immediately after powering on (before the OS starts loading). The key varies by manufacturer — look for a brief prompt on the POST screen.
• UEFI/BIOS setting: If the boot menu does not show the USB, enter the firmware settings (usually F2, Del, or F1) and move the USB to the top of the boot order, then disable Secure Boot temporarily if the USB is not recognized. Most modern distros support Secure Boot, but not all live USBs do.

Once the boot menu appears, select your USB drive. After a few seconds you will see a GRUB or systemd-boot menu — press Enter or wait for the default to select itself.

Step 6: Run the Live Environment and Installer

Most desktop distros boot into a live session first. You can browse the web, try applications, and confirm your hardware works (Wi-Fi, display, audio) before committing to an install. When you are ready, double-click the Install icon on the desktop.

Key installer decisions

• Language and keyboard layout — Set these correctly now; changing keyboard layout post-install is easy, but it is one less thing to fix.
• Partitioning — For a dedicated Linux machine, Erase disk and install is correct. If you are dual-booting with Windows, choose Install alongside Windows. Manual partitioning gives full control but requires knowing what you are doing.
• Encryption — Ubuntu and Fedora both offer full-disk encryption (LUKS) during install. Enable it if the machine leaves your home. You will set a passphrase at this step.
• User account — Create a real username and a strong password. The username must be lowercase with no spaces.

The installer copies files, installs the bootloader (GRUB2 or systemd-boot), and then asks you to reboot. Remove the USB drive when prompted.

Step 7: First Boot and Verification

After removing the USB and rebooting, you should see the GRUB menu or go straight to the login screen. Log in with the credentials you created.

Open a terminal and run a quick sanity check:

uname -r

This prints the running kernel version (e.g., 6.8.0-35-generic on Ubuntu 24.04). Then update the system immediately:

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

On Fedora:

sudo dnf upgrade -y

On Arch:

sudo pacman -Syu

On Rocky/RHEL:

sudo dnf upgrade -y

A reboot after the first round of updates is good practice, especially if the kernel was updated.

Troubleshooting

• Screen goes blank on boot: At the GRUB menu, press e to edit the boot entry and add nomodeset after quiet splash. This disables kernel mode-setting and is a common fix for NVIDIA cards on first boot.
• Wi-Fi not detected: Some Broadcom and Realtek chips need proprietary firmware. Boot with an Ethernet cable, then install the relevant driver package (sudo apt install broadcom-sta-dkms on Ubuntu, for example).
• USB not appearing in boot menu: The USB may not be written correctly, or Secure Boot is blocking it. Re-write the ISO and try temporarily disabling Secure Boot in UEFI settings.
• Installer crashes mid-way: Almost always a bad ISO. Re-download, re-verify the checksum, and re-write the USB.
• GRUB not installed / boots straight to Windows: In UEFI systems with dual-boot, run the installer's Repair option, or boot the live USB and run sudo grub-install followed by sudo update-grub.