Installing an Alternative Operating System: A Practical Approach Part 3: Installing the Operating System
Installing an Alternative Operating System: A Practical Approach Part 3: Installing the Operating System
A simple guide to choosing and installing a different operating system on your computer
Last Updated: May 18, 2025 Fact Checked
Installing the Operating System
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1.
1
Determine your installation order. If you are installing a Linux distribution that you want to run alongside Windows, you need to install Windows first and then Linux. This is because Windows has a very strict bootloader that needs to be in place before Linux is installed. Otherwise, Windows won't load.
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Boot from your installation disc. This is the USB drive or CD/DVD Rom with the ISO file you created. Insert the USB drive into a free USB port, or put the CD/DVD into the disk drive. Then reboot your computer. Your computer will boot from the disk drive instead of the normal hard drive. Once the boot program loads, it will walk you through the steps of installing the operating system.[9]
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Select your language and keyboard layout. The installation process is different for each operating system. Most will ask you to select your language, keyboard layout, and time and currency format first. It may detect your keyboard layout automatically, but check to make sure it is the correct layout for your country. Use the menu options to select your preferred options. Then click Next or Continue.
v If you are installing Linux Ubuntu, it gives you the option to try Ubuntu before installing it. You can select this option if you want to try Ubuntu first. Then click the icon that says Install Ubuntu in the lower-right corner of the desktop when you are ready to install Ubuntu.
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Enter your product key. If you are installing Windows, you will need to enter a product key to get full access to Windows.
v If you don't have a product key, you can click I don't have a product key at the bottom. This will allow you to select which edition of Windows you want to install and continue the installation process. You will be required to purchase a product key later on.
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Agree to the Terms and Conditions. Generally, you will need to agree to the license agreement before installing an operating system. Read over the license agreement and click the checkbox at the bottom to agree to the terms and conditions. Then click Next or Continue.
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Select your update options for Linux. If you are installing Linux Ubuntu, the installer gives you update options. You can select if you want to do a normal installation with games, a web browser, utilities, and a media player. A minimal installation will only install a web browser and utilities. You can also select if you want to install updates along with the installation and install third-party software for graphics, Wi-Fi, and other hardware.[10]
v It's recommended you install updates and third-party software for your graphics hardware and Wi-Fi.
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Choose your installation type. Windows will give you the option of upgrading or performing a custom installation. Even if you are upgrading to an older version of Windows, it is highly recommended that you choose "Custom" and start from scratch. This will minimize problems that may arise later from combining old settings and new ones.[11]
v If you are installing Linux, you will be given the option to install alongside your existing operating system (Windows), or to erase the disk and install Linux by itself. If you already have Linux installed, you can choose if you want to reinstall Linux, or erase the drive and install Linux again. Choose the option that best meets your needs. If you choose to install alongside Windows, you will be given the option to choose how much hard disk space you want to designate for Linux.
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Format your partitions. If you are installing Windows, you will need to choose which hard drive partition you want to install it on. Deleting partitions will wipe the data on the partition and return the space to the Unallocated section. Select the unallocated space and click Next to create a new partition.
v If you are installing Linux, the partition needs to be formatted in the Ext4 format.
v If you have more than one disk drive or drive partition, make sure you are careful which partition you select to install the operating system on.
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Select your location. If you are installing Linux Ubuntu, move the orange dot to your location to select your time zone. If you are installing Windows, select your country and then select your keyboard layout.
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Create your user login. If you are installing Windows, you will be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account. Then you will be asked to enter a username and password used to log in to your computer. If you are installing Linux, you will be asked to enter your name, computer name, computer name, and password.
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Wait for the installation to complete. You may be asked if you want to enable certain features, like the ability to use locations to find your device or send diagnostic data to Microsoft. Read the option you are offered and select the ones that are best for you. Then wait for the installation to finish.[12]
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