How to install Ubuntu on a wiped drive?
October 30, 2016 3:03 AM Subscribe
In the process of putting up my old desktop for sale I wiped the hard drive. Now that I'm ready to install Ubuntu via USB, I forgot how to get it done. Once I boot, what command do I type in so I can have it boot and install with USB?
The key to press in order to enter BIOS differs depending on your machine, so it's impossible to tell you that without any information about the hardware. So if you need more details, best to tell us what you're dealing with. But yes, most computers will show you during boot.
Here's wishing you a swift sale!
posted by Too-Ticky at 3:44 AM on October 30, 2016
Here's wishing you a swift sale!
posted by Too-Ticky at 3:44 AM on October 30, 2016
You have to watch the screen closely during the first few seconds of boot for the message about what key you press to abort the normal boot process and enter BIOS config.
However, on modern flat displays, it often takes the display a second or two (or three ...) to recognize the format of the new video signal coming from the computer, and so you actually can't see that initial screen.
In those cases, I just blindly try one of the following keys, hit every half second:
F2
Del
Esc
One of them will either enter BIOS, or stop the process so you can see what the screen says, before the computer races ahead into hard drive boot.
posted by intermod at 6:32 AM on October 30, 2016
However, on modern flat displays, it often takes the display a second or two (or three ...) to recognize the format of the new video signal coming from the computer, and so you actually can't see that initial screen.
In those cases, I just blindly try one of the following keys, hit every half second:
F2
Del
Esc
One of them will either enter BIOS, or stop the process so you can see what the screen says, before the computer races ahead into hard drive boot.
posted by intermod at 6:32 AM on October 30, 2016
I'll add F10 and F12 to the list of keys to mash. Sometimes one of those brings you straight to a menu to select the boot device, where your USB key should be listed.
posted by whatnotever at 8:43 AM on October 30, 2016
posted by whatnotever at 8:43 AM on October 30, 2016
F12, F11 and F10 are all reasonably commonly used as boot menu access keys. I've seen F9 and F8 used as well. F8 is a particularly stupid choice because it's also what Windows uses to select Safe Mode and friends, but that didn't stop Asus (iirc) using it in some of their BIOSes.
Del and F2 are the most common keys for access to BIOS setup menus.
HP/Compaq machines commonly use Esc to pause the boot sequence and show you a menu of other keys that do other things.
posted by flabdablet at 11:19 AM on October 30, 2016
Del and F2 are the most common keys for access to BIOS setup menus.
HP/Compaq machines commonly use Esc to pause the boot sequence and show you a menu of other keys that do other things.
posted by flabdablet at 11:19 AM on October 30, 2016
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Thanks very much!
posted by AngryTypingGuy at 3:15 AM on October 30, 2016