Open SUNY

So you want to try out Ubuntu and see if it’s the right fit for you, but you don’t want to make  drastic changes. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to do this. You can get a taste for Ubuntu before you cut any cords.

This makes good practical sense. Most problems with Ubuntu come at the beginning by having a machine that has hardware that Ubuntu doesn’t support. Once you clear that hurdle, Ubuntu should be a wonderful operating system for you and will give you no trouble.

Ubuntu has made huge improvements in hardware support (especially with 9.04 set to launch tomorrow), but it’s good to try it out on your computer and make sure that all of your important hardware is in working order (especially wireless cards).

Here are some ways to try out Ubuntu without making any drastic changes to your machine.

1. Create a Live CD
   • After you create a Live CD, you can boot from it by entering the boot menu. This will boot a version of Ubuntu for you to play around with. Note, that this will be a bit slower in some cases than actual Ubuntu because you’re running on your CD/DVDrom drive.
   • First, download the version of Ubuntu you want to try out from their site. Tomorrow - 9.04 will be available.
   • Follow their instructions for burning the .iso file to a CD.
   • Restart your computer and enter the boot screen (usually pressing F10, F11, or F12 - it’s different for each computer, but the first or second screen should tell you which button to press)
   • Select the boot from CD option, and you get to play around in Ubuntu (no major changes to your computer)
2. Create a Live USB Stick
   • This is the same thing as a Live CD, but it runs of a USB stick. If your computer can boot from the USB port (most modern computers can) this might be a better option because it runs a bit faster than a Live CD. (At least that’s been my experience)
   • Here are instructions on how to create one in Windows (You’ll need a 1GB USB stick).
   • There’s also a Windows Program designed specifically to create Ubuntu USB Sticks in Windows
   • If you’re on campus and you bring me a 1GB USB Stick, I’ll make one for you. My office is Fenton 2106.
     
3. Download the Wubi Installer
   • Wubi Installs Ubuntu as a program in Windows. And gives you the option to boot into Ubuntu instead of Windows so you can try it out. If you don’t like it simply uninstall it, like you would any other program and your computer is back to normal.
   • The FAQ section is helpful, and it also answers the question - Why Ubuntu?
   • Currently there is not Mac option for Wubi. They’re working on it. If you’re a Mac User, go with the Live CD or USB Stick option.
4. Come see Andrew Cullison
   • If doing any of these things is totally scary to you, come see me during my office hours - and I’ll walk you through it. My office is Fenton 2106.