Guide

  1. Download and burn a copy of the Ubuntu Alternate Install CD. (Note that you do not want the Desktop CD.) If you do not know how to burn an ISO file, click here for a guide.
  2. Once you have burned the CD, boot to it to begin the installation. For help booting to a CD, click here.
  3. Select the language for the boot CD. At the prompt, hit F4 to open up the installation modes. Select Install a command-line system. Select Install Ubuntu.
  4. Select the default install language. This will be the language used on the final system.
  5. Select your location.
  6. Select No to disallow the installer from detecting your keyboard layout. Then, select the origin and layout of your keyboard.
  7. Ubuntu will now load a few modules. Let this run.
  8. Select a name for your computer.
  9. Ubuntu will try to guess your location based on your IP address. If this is correct, hit Yes. Otherwise, hit No and select your time zone.
  10. "Partitioning" is taking a hard drive and making it useable by an operating system. If you do not have anything on the drive, select Guided - use entire disk. If you wish to install Ubuntu alongside Windows, select Guided - resize...
  11. Confirm the partition changes. This is the point of no return. Be sure all of your settings are correct.
  12. The base system will now be installed. This will take some time.
  13. Select a username. It cannot be root.
  14. Choose a password.
  15. Decide if you wish to encrypt your home directory. This is not necessary, but good for security. I generally leave this off.
  16. Enter your proxy information, or leave it blank for "no proxy".
  17. Ubuntu will now perform the majority of the base install. This could take some time.
  18. If you opted to wipe the disc earlier, you will be asked if you wish to install GRUB to the Master Boot Record (MBR). This is safe for clean installs.
  19. Ubuntu will ask if your system clock is set to UTC. If Linux is your only OS (as in, you performed a clean install), select Yes. Otherwise, select No.
  20. Installation of the base Ubuntu system is complete. Press Enter to reboot, making sure to eject the CD.
  21. Log in at the command prompt. Note that on *NIX systems, your password will not show up as asterisks.
  22. Use the following command to download my script: wget http://minimal-desktop.sublevel21.com/latest-stable.sh
  23. Use the following command to make the script "executable" (that is, able to be run): chmod +x latest-stable.sh
  24. Run the script by running the following command: ./latest-stable.sh (NOTE the period-slash in front of the script name. The script will not run without this.)
  25. The installation is fairly straightforward. During the installation, the screen may go blank. This is normal. Hit the Space Bar to wake the screen back up.
  26. Once the install has completed, you should reboot your computer. Press Y at the end of the script to do this.
  27. Congratulations! You now have a fully functional, minimal Ubuntu Desktop system.

Script version: 10.10.2-2011.01.18 || Guide version: 3.2-2010.01.18