Installing Linux for users who are familiar with Linux OS is a common practice, however for new users, this is a challenging task. While installing Linux, we have to keep a lot of things in mind because one wrong selection can lead to serious data loss. Although in the past few years, Linux developers have made the installation process easy. But still, newbies always stuck at some point and question still remains how to install Linux? Here’s how you can install Linux distribution without getting into deep trouble.

How to Install Linux OS (Detail Step by Step Method)

Before Installing Linux, make sure that you have plenty of space left on your hard drive (At least 10GB) and you have downloaded an iso File. We generally recommend Ubuntu Linux if you are a first time user as it has vast community Support.

So, Let’s Start with the steps which show the whole tutorial of Linux Installation:

Step 1: Boot From USB or CDVD

Insert USB/DVD into your computer and Boot from it. If you don’t know how to make an bootable USB you can read our guide here.

Step 2: Click Linux OS Install icon

After Booting OS into Live mode just click on “Install”. (In our Case we have “Linux Mint”.)

Step 3: Select your Desired Language

Select your Desired Language  and click on continue.

Step 4: Select your Preferred Keyboard Layout

After that select your preferred keyboard layout.

Step 5: Install 3rd Party Libraries

Click next, Select on InstThird-Partyarty Drivers and media codecs.

Also Read: Why Ubuntu is the Best Among other Linux Distros

Step 6: Choose your Installation Type

Here is the most important step you need to keep in mind while installing Linux. As you can see in below screenshot that there are two options. In this method we can leearn more deep about “How to install linux”. Let’s see what these exactly mean:

1. Erase Disk and Install Linux – This Option will erase the whole hard drive including your existing partitions and othere OS (If exists). And after deleting partitions this will install Linux OS in single Hard drive partition.

2. Erase Linux Mint 18 and Install Linux Mint 19 – Installing through this option will delete previous Linux OS and replace the new one.
(This option will only displays if you have existing Linux OS).

3. Install Linux Alongside Windows – This will Automatically swap available space from Hard Drive and will Install Linux in it. You will be prompt about partition requirement which you want to allocate to Linux or Ubuntu.

4. Something Else – This option allows you to manually select partitions in which you want to Install Linux. This is the safest method from above three option in terms of data loss but little complicated.

So, If you are not sure which installation option needs to be chosen, simply go with “something else option” as it offers greater flexibility.

Step 7: Select Existing Partitions Manually to install Linux

After when you click on “something else” installation wizard, it will show you the number of partition available.

Here is the Screenshot:

In case you have Windows or Linux OS already installed. Your partition will be shown followed by the distribution name like this:

If you already have Linux installed on existing partition just Hit (-). This will delete your existing Linux partition.

Step 8: Create New Partition for Linux

For creating a partition in Linux, click on (+) Sign then a dialogue box will appear. Just enter your desired partition size and leave partition type as Primary and use as to EXT4 file system. For Mount point, just type (/) as shown in screenshot when you are done just click OK and wait until your partition is being created.

Step 9: Installation

When you finish up with creating partition then just click on “Install Now”. Just a moment before the installation starts Ubuntu/Linux will make you confirm about the partition which is being affected (see above screenshot). Click on Continue.

Step 10: Configuration & Finalizing

Just Fill up your Required credentials and click continue, you are done

Additional Notes in “How to install Linux”

Before Installing Any Linux Distribution it is highly Recommended to make a backup of your relevant data. Following and understanding every step in detail your “how to install Linux” problem will be solved.