Install Ubuntu On Dell Inspiron
A friend of mine received this laptop for Christmas and wants to use it with Linux. More specifically, we want to install Kubuntu 19.10, but at this point we are getting desperate and would settle for any distribution. The main issue is that laptop has a single SSD, but Linux can't detect it so we are not able to select it in the installer.
Install Ubuntu On Dell Inspiron
There is support for this but its not free. Many are unable to install ubuntu 14.04.3 because not able to restart for finishing installation, but ubuntu 12.04.5 works fine although while booting it will have a white screen with verticle lines.
ProblemType: BugDistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04Package: ubiquity 20.04.15ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-26.30-generic 5.4.30Uname: Linux 5.4.0-26-generic x86_64NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpairApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27Architecture: amd64CasperMD5CheckResult: passCasperVersion: 1.445CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOMEDate: Sun May 10 12:01:58 2020InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed maybe-ubiquity quiet splash ---LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)ProcEnviron: LANGUAGE=en_CA.UTF-8 PATH=(custom, no user) XDG_RUNTIME_DIR= LANG=en_CA.UTF-8 LC_NUMERIC=C.UTF-8SourcePackage: ubiquityUpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
I originally burned the flash drive with ubuntu-20.04.2.0-desktop-amd64.iso with balenaEtcher using the default settings. I then tried the same ISO but using Rufus 3.13.1730, and burning the image as a dd. Its interesting that I get a little farther witih this. I can install the OS and then it will boot to the text screen that lets me choose Ubuntu, but then it dies immediately afterwards. It dies in the same fashion - backlight is on and slightly flickering, otherwise featureless black screen.
To dual-boot Linux, I recommend a tool call chrx(Opens in a new window), which will walk you through the necessary steps. By default, chrx installs GalliumOS(Opens in a new window), a lightweight distribution based on Xubuntu that's customized for low-powered Chromebook hardware. If you want things as snappy as possible, GalliumOS is a great choice. However, chrx can also install Ubuntu and Fedora (plus Ubuntu derivatives like Lubuntu and Kubuntu), if you prefer.
ProblemType: BugDistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10Package: ubiquity 17.10.10ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-16.19-generic 4.13.4Uname: Linux 4.13.0-16-generic x86_64ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3Architecture: amd64CasperVersion: 1.387CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOMEDate: Sat Nov 4 22:23:33 2017LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Release amd64 (20171018)ProcEnviron: LANGUAGE=en_GB.UTF-8 PATH=(custom, no user) XDG_RUNTIME_DIR= LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 LC_NUMERIC=C.UTF-8SourcePackage: ubiquityUpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
My apologies to everyone. The problem was bios settings. I changed the bios settings and was able to install ubuntu 17.10. If anyone else is having similar problems the Dell web site has info to help solve them.
IntroductionOne of the most talked about topics of the last year has been the Windows 8 debacle and how it is now much more difficult to install Linux because of the UEFI secure boot system.I have just obtained my first laptop that contains Windows 8 and therefore my first laptop with UEFI and secure boot enabled.So just how difficult is it to install Linux alongside Windows 8? I spent some time over the weekend installing Ubuntu alongside Windows 8 on this computer and the following is a guide showing the steps I performed to achieve this task.If you have Windows 8.1 and you wish to install Ubuntu 14.04 I have created a new guide showing how to install Ubuntu 14.04 alongside Windows 8.1.Click here if you are looking for a Windows 7 and Ubuntu dual boot guide.For those of you who already have Ubuntu installed alongside Windows 8 I have written a new guide showing how to upgrade Ubuntu to the latest version without harming Windows 8.If you are using Windows Vista then read this guide to installing Linux alongside Windows VistaIf you are using Windows XP then read this guide to installing Linux alongside Windows XP A review of Ubuntu 14.04Before you start it might be worth reading the latest review of Ubuntu 14.04 to make sure dual booting with Windows 8.1 is something you want to do.The hardwareThe hardware that I used to compile this guide is the Dell Inspiron 3521 laptop which you can pick up for around 400 at Argos. The Dell Inspiron 3521 has 6 gigabytes of RAM, an Intel core I3 processor, a 1 terabyte hard-drive and a 15.1 inch display. StrategyThe actual strategy for installing Ubuntu alongside Windows 8 isn't much different to installing Ubuntu alongside Windows 7, Vista or even XP. There are just a couple of extra hurdles along the way.Backup your Windows partitions
Shrink the Windows partition
Create a bootable USB drive with Ubuntu on it
Turn off fast boot and Disable secure boot
Run the Ubuntu installer
Partition the empty space (created after shrinking Windows partition)
Complete the installation
Reboot into the Ubuntu Live image
Run the boot repair
Test that everything works.
1. Backup your Windows partitionThis is the most important step in the whole process, especially if you harbour any hopes of booting into Windows again should the worst happen.It used to be the case that when you bought a computer you received a set of disks or a CD that had a rescue image on it. If the computer failed all you had to do was insert the disks or the CD and your computer would be restored as if it had just been delivered.Computer manufacturers then took the step of creating rescue partitions on hard drives but now some have even stopped doing that. Even if your computer manufacturer did take the step of creating a rescue partition, because you are going to be messing around with the partition editor it would be a great idea to make sure you have recovery media that isn't in any way connected to the hard drive that you are partitioning.Regardless of restoring to factory settings you will want to back up all those pictures, videos and all those songs you downloaded from iTunes. Do not skip this step unless you have recovery mediaAs I am using a Dell I have two methods available to me to create recovery media and I am going to document both of them here. The chances are that the manufacturer of your computer has also provided software for creating recovery media. It is worth spending the time looking at the options available to you.You should backup your computer anywayWhether you intend to follow through with this guide or not and whether you decide Linux is or isn't for you I cannot stress enough the importance of creating recovery media.If you still do not believe me about how hard it is to get the recovery media after the event go to Google (who aren't in any way evil) and try searching for recovering Windows 8 on a Dell, HP, Toshiba etc. You will probably end up paying for support.Create recovery media using Dell's recovery toolsTo open the Dell Backup and Recovery software move your mouse to the top right corner within Windows 8 and this will bring up the search icon. Click on the search icon and start typing "backup". The "Dell Backup and Recovery" software will be the only option listed. As you can see there is a large exclamation mark next to "Recovery Media". This icon appeared because at that point in time I had not created any recovery disks meaning that should the worst happen I was on my own.If you see a large exclamation mark and a big orange status message saying "At Risk" it seems prudent to do something about that.Clicking on the "Recovery Media" option displays the screen above. You have two options:Factory Backup
Apps & Drivers
You can also decide the location to backup to. You can choose either DVDs or a USB drive. If you are smart you will do both. Run the "Recovery Media" option once and backup to DVDs and then run it again and backup to USB. Imagine you backed up to DVDs and then decided to restore from them later on. DVDs have a habit of getting scratched and generally speaking you will need 2 or 3 DVDs which means there is more risk of a failure. Backing up to USB as well as DVD means you have hedged your bets.You could of course just back up to USB but USB drives have the habit of getting lost or re-used for another purpose when you realise you need to transfer data from point A to point B.Now I will point out that this process only backs up the Windows 8 system files in order to get Windows 8 back in the event of a failure. This does not backup all your pictures, documents and videos etc. I will come to that later on.All you need to do to backup to DVD is insert the first disc and then press "Start". It takes a while to perform this process but it is definitely worth it. Just let it happen, go and get a coffee and watch a bit of television. Check back occasionally though because you will need to swap discs.Once you have finished backing up to DVD repeat the process but backup to USB.After running the "Factory Backup" click on the "Apps & Drivers". Now insert a blank DVD and click "Start". Again the process will take a little while but at least you will have a backup of all the applications that were installed when you bought the computer.Creating recovery media using Window's 7 toolsNow the first backup section was a little bit specific to Dell computers. Allowing for the fact that you may not be using a Dell computer this section shows how to create a system image using the Windows 7 File Recovery tools. (I wonder why I couldn't find a Windows 8 one?).To get to the Windows 7 recovery tools move the mouse to the top right corner and then select the search icon again.Click on the "settings" option and then type "recovery". The option for "Windows 7 Recovery" will appear. Clicking on this option will display the above window.There are 2 options here:Create a system repair disc
Create a system image
The system repair disc will boot into Windows recovery mode. Choose this option first and insert a blank DVD and then create the repair disc.The system image takes a copy of all the selected partitions and therefore you can restore your computer to the state it is in at the moment the backup is taken which means all your documents, pictures and videos etc will be safely backed up as well. (You can schedule a system image backup at regular intervals so that you get regular backups).When you create the image you will be shown the backup location where the image will be saved and the partitions that will be backed up.Now I highly recommend using external storage for this purpose.An external hard drive is great for this sort of thing but be careful. I have had external drives that corrupted the image due to the nature of pulling out the USB cable before it was ready.(Yes I am aware that was a dumb thing to do)After clicking "Start Backup" the usual random green progress bar starts.We are all aware at this point that you have to wait an indeterminate period of between 5 minutes and 4 years for the green bar to reach the end and even when it does there is no guarantee it is the end of the process.When you have finished creating the system image you are asked once again if you want to create a system repair disc.I don't want to sound like your mum but you really should do this.2. Shrink the Windows partitionWindows is like an infestation of cockroaches. Cockroaches will keep filling up space until it runs out and will try and find some more space. Windows is built to believe that all the available disk space belongs to it and therefore there is no spare space for another operating system.To get around this issue there is a tool available within Windows that lets you shrink the Windows partition (or indeed any other partition on the disk).To be able to shrink the Windows partition you will need to run the "Disk Management" tool. To do this move your mouse to the top right corner and click on the search icon. Now click the settings icon and start typing "disk".Click on the option "Create and format hard disk partitions".As you can see the Dell Inspiron by default has a busy looking disk layout.The operating system is on drive C and is called OS. This is the partition that needs to be shrunk in order to make space for Ubuntu.Right clicking on the relevant drive brings up a context menu and on that context menu is the option to "Shrink Volume".When you click on "Shrink Volume" a box appears asking you how much disk space you want to shrink the disk by.The Shrink utility helpfully sets up the amount of disk space that it can comfortably spare.Unless you have a reason to choose otherwise it is generally fine enough to accept the default options.Click on "Shrink" to start the process.Unlike the backup process this bit is quite quick.3. Create a bootable USB drive with Ubuntu on itDownload UbuntuYou can download Ubuntu from As you can see there are two versions available.Version 12.04 is a long term support release which means you can install it now and it will still receive updates in 4 years time. This is great if you are the sort of person who likes stability and you aren't too bothered about getting the new features early.Version 13.04 has only 9 months worth of support and then you will be expected to upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu. This may sound like a very short period of time (and it is) but 13.04 already feels slick compared to 12.04.If you become comfortable with the installation process then moving up to the latest versions keeps you in the now club.The long term support releases are great but consider that the last LTS version was back at version 10 which pre-dates Unity. To quote Ferris Bueller:Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.The one thing you do have to do though to be able to run Ubuntu alongside Windows 8 is to choose the 64-bit version.Note that if you have a Dell Inspiron 3521 and you wish to install version 12.04 there is a dedicated version especially for you at -11539/.The Dell Inspiron 3521 can be purchased pre-installed with Ubuntu and therefore there is already an image available which has all the necessary drivers set up.I can confirm however that I installed Ubuntu 13.04 and I used the stock 64-bit download and I have had no issues with Ubuntu whatsoever.If you live in the city then downloading Ubuntu will be a quick process. If you live in the countryside and your internet connection sucks as much as mine then there is always the option of .Download UnetbootinUnetbootin is the tool that I used to create a bootable USB drive with Ubuntu on it. To download Unetbootin visit Click on the "Download (for Windows" link. The download is fairly small and even on my meagre internet connection takes under a minute.To run Unetbootin press the "Start" button and click on "Files". Now type "Unetbootin" into the search box and Unetbootin will be the first option. Click on the icon to run Unetbootin.To create a bootable USB drive you need to insert a blank USB drive into a USB port and then select the disk image option.Clicking on the button with 3 dots brings up a file browser and you should be able to find the downloaded Ubuntu ISO.Make sure that the USB Drive is indeed in the drive letter specified and when you are happy that you aren't about to install somewhere you shouldn't click OK.It takes a few minutes for Unetbootin to do it's stuff but ultimately you will end up with a bootable USB drive.4. Turn off fast boot and disable secure bootTurn off fast bootTo turn off fast boot you need to get into the control panel and then the power options.To open the control panel move your mouse to the top right corner and then click on the settings icon that appears.When the menu appears click on the control panel.From within the Control Panel click on the "Power Options" icon.From the "Power Options" screen look down the menu on the left side and select "Choose what the power button does".On the snappily titled "Define power buttons and turn on password protection" screen scroll down to the bottom.There should be an option that says "Turn on fast startup". If this option doesn't appear click on the link at the top of the window that says "Change settings that are currently unavailable".If the "Turn on fast startup" option is checked turn it off. I know that it says recommended but in this case it really isn't recommended.Click the "Save Changes" button to continue.Turn off secure bootTo turn off secure boot move your mouse to the top right corner and then click the settings option.Now comes the ninja bit. Hold down the shift key and select "power" and "restart" whilst keeping the shift key held down. (Take out the USB drive if it is still plugged in).When you reboot a screen similar to the one above will appear. The option you should choose is the UEFI Firmware Settings.At this point you will be taken into the UEFI settings for your make of computer and I can't write instructions for each make and model therefore Google is your friend (and not at all evil). Type in your make and model and search for UEFI settings.When you are in the UEFI settings you are looking for the option that says something like "Secure boot" with the value set to "Enabled" and you want to set that option to "disabled".5. Run the Ubuntu InstallerTo load Ubuntu in live mode insert the USB drive created in step 3 and reboot your computer.It is a beautiful sight seeing Windows disappear and Ubuntu appear in its place even if it is the live USB version.Let's get started.Clicking on the "Install Ubuntu 13.04" (or 12.04 if you are going LTS) brings up the Ubuntu installer.The first step lets you choose the language for the installer.If you speak English I recommend choosing English (unless you feel you need an extra challenge) and indeed if you aren't a native English speaker then choose the language you feel most comf