Revision as of 11:56, 10 February 2009

Installing and Configuring Ubuntu

Installing

Installing Ubuntu Server edition is relatively straight forward but can be a bit overwhelming to get started.

First, download the image file from Ubuntu's website. Burn it out as an image, so the DVD/CD will be bootable. I can only recommend the free image burner ImgBurn - fast and easy to use.

Insert the DVD/CD into the desired computer and make it boot up on it. The installation will start right away. Just follow the on-screen information. Eventually you will boot into your new Ubuntu Server installation.

Configuring Ubuntu Server

As Ubuntu starts, it will ask you to login. As you recall, you did not set up a root password or anything. That is by design in Ubuntu, as it makes use of sudo instead. sudo stands for superuser do and does exactly what it says. It runs a certain command as a superuser, which is in most case a root user or administrator. Your standard user is, by default, just a regular user - but if you run sudo on a file you are not permitted to edit or run, it will prompt your user password so you got some sort of root priveledges.