Setting up Ubuntu/Linux on a desktop PC or a laptop.

1. Overview

Linux is widely used in research computing, bioinformatics, software development, cloud infrastructure and data science. Ubuntu Desktop is one of the easiest Linux distributions to install on a desktop PC or laptop because it has a graphical installer, broad community support and extensive official documentation.

2. Choose the right Linux option

For most desktop and laptop users, an Ubuntu Desktop LTS release is the safest default choice. LTS releases are intended for stability and receive standard security maintenance for five years. Other Linux distributions may be excellent choices, but Ubuntu is usually the easiest starting point for users who want broad documentation and compatibility.

3. Before you start

Preparation avoids most installation problems. Spend time checking hardware, power, storage and backups before booting the installer.

Checklist

• Back up important files to an external drive or trusted cloud storage.
• For Windows systems, save your BitLocker recovery key if BitLocker is enabled.
• Connect the laptop to power.
• Use a reliable USB stick, preferably 8 GB or larger.
• Make sure you know how to enter the boot menu or UEFI/BIOS settings for your computer.
• Check Wi-Fi adapter, graphics card and storage type if the computer is unusual or very new.
• Decide between clean install, dual boot or installation on a separate drive.

4. Download Ubuntu Desktop

Download Ubuntu Desktop only from the official Ubuntu website or official release mirrors. For stability, choose a current LTS release unless you specifically need newer packages from an interim release.

1. Open the official Ubuntu Desktop download page.
2. Download the ISO image for the current LTS version.
3. Optionally verify the checksum if you need extra assurance that the file was downloaded correctly.
4. Keep the ISO file in an easy-to-find folder.

5. Create a bootable USB stick

A bootable USB stick contains the Ubuntu installer. You can create it from Windows, macOS or Linux.

6. Boot from the USB stick

Insert the USB stick into the target PC or laptop, restart the computer and open the boot menu. Common keys include F12, F10, F9, Esc, F2 or Del, depending on manufacturer.

Typical boot steps

1. Insert the bootable USB stick.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Open the boot menu during startup.
4. Select the USB device, preferably in UEFI mode.
5. Choose “Try or Install Ubuntu” when the installer menu appears.

7. Try Ubuntu before installing

Ubuntu can run from the USB stick without installing. This live session is useful for checking whether the hardware works.

Test before installation

• Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity.
• Keyboard, mouse and trackpad.
• Screen resolution, brightness controls and external monitors.
• Sound input and output.
• Bluetooth, webcam and card readers if needed.
• Sleep, resume and battery behavior on laptops.

8. Install Ubuntu Desktop

Start the installer from the live session or installation menu. The exact screens can change between Ubuntu versions, but the overall sequence is similar.

1. Choose the installation language.
2. Choose keyboard layout.
3. Connect to the network if available.
4. Choose normal or minimal installation.
5. Select whether to install updates and third-party codecs/drivers during installation.
6. Choose the installation type: erase disk, install alongside, or manual partitioning.
7. Set timezone, user name, computer name and password.
8. Review the summary and start installation.
9. Reboot when installation completes and remove the USB stick when prompted.

9. Partitioning and storage planning

For most beginners, automatic partitioning is sufficient. Advanced users and workstations may benefit from a separate data partition or dedicated drives for large datasets.

10. First boot after installation

After logging in for the first time, update the system and install essential tools.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

sudo apt install -y \
  build-essential curl wget git unzip zip \
  htop tree ca-certificates gnupg lsb-release \
  software-properties-common

Recommended first checks

• Open “Software Updater” and apply available updates.
• Restart if a kernel or driver update was installed.
• Open “Additional Drivers” and check whether proprietary GPU or Wi-Fi drivers are recommended.
• Set display scaling, keyboard shortcuts and power settings.
• Configure online accounts, printers, VPN and network storage if needed.

11. Drivers, graphics and hardware

Most hardware works automatically, but some GPUs, Wi-Fi chips and docking stations may need additional drivers or firmware.

12. Security, updates and backups

Linux is robust, but it still needs updates, sensible permissions and backups.

Recommended baseline

• Use a strong login password.
• Enable full-disk encryption during installation if the laptop contains sensitive data.
• Keep automatic security updates enabled.
• Enable a firewall if the machine connects to untrusted networks.
• Use encrypted backups for sensitive research or clinical data.
• Do not run analysis tools as root unless required.

sudo apt install -y ufw deja-dup

sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verbose

13. Scientific and bioinformatics workstation setup

Ubuntu/Linux is especially useful for NGS analysis and AI-powered bioinformatics because most command-line tools, workflow engines and scientific libraries are developed for Linux first.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y \
  git git-lfs curl wget build-essential cmake \
  python3 python3-pip python3-venv \
  r-base r-base-dev \
  openjdk-17-jre \
  samtools bcftools bedtools fastqc

curl -s https://get.nextflow.io | bash
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
mv nextflow "$HOME/.local/bin/"
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

nextflow -version

mkdir -p ~/projects ~/datasets ~/software ~/references ~/scratch

# Example
mkdir -p ~/projects/rnaseq_project/{data,results,scripts,logs,reports}

14. Troubleshooting common installation issues

15. Useful Linux commands after installation

These commands are useful for checking system information, storage and hardware.

lsb_release -a
uname -a
hostnamectl
lscpu
free -h
df -h
lsblk
lspci
lsusb

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt autoremove
apt search package-name
apt show package-name

nvidia-smi

Frequently asked questions

Official references

Use official documentation when checking the latest installer behavior, supported releases and bootable USB instructions.