Ade Malsasa Akbar contact
Senior author, Open Source enthusiast.
Monday, October 10, 2016 at 20:23


This is a 6-steps guide to install Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak for beginnner. It uses the easiest installation method, to install Ubuntu into an already-prepared blank partition in a blank disk drive. It is also applicable if you want to install Ubuntu in dualboot mode. I create this guide for beginners and I hope this helps everyone to install successfully. Enjoy Yakkety! 
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i. Partitions Planning


I installed Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak on a blank laptop SSD, in /dev/sda2 20 GB of main partition, plus /dev/sda7 2 GB of swap partition. My laptop specification is ACER AspireOne 756 64 bit, Intel Pentium 967, 4 GB of RAM, 120 GB of SanDisk SSD. I prepared the partitions before installing, this is the much safer way compared to doing partitioning while installing.

This picture showing the map of my SSD partitions:


So if you want to follow this tutorial, then at least prepare 2 empty partitions:

  1. Create a blank ext4 partition as 20 GB
  2. Create a blank swap partition as 2 GB

ii. Dualboot?


If you want to install Ubuntu 16.10 in dualboot mode (e.g. besides Microsoft Windows), just follow this article in general: prepare 2 blank partitions first, then remember correctly where those partitions are, then install Ubuntu exactly into the partition you intended for + don't forget to create swap.
Important: if your computer uses UEFI Secure Boot and GPT system, the installation procedures will be different. Please follow another tutorial about that. Please see for example this UEFI guide.

iii. Preparations


  1. Get the ISO file of Ubuntu 16.10 from official link this https://wiki.ubuntu.com/YakketyYak/ReleaseNotes or this http://releases.ubuntu.com/16.10/.
  2. Create a USB bootable of Ubuntu. Alternatively, you can burn the ISO into a DVD. 
  3. Set your BIOS to boot from USB (or alternatively, from DVD). 
  4. While entering Ubuntu splash screen, the installer will ask you whether you want to Install or to Try. Choose "Try".
  5. The Ubuntu 16.10 desktop appears and is fully functional (this is called live session).
  6. Run the Install Ubuntu button on the desktop, and the real installer comes.  This installer window is called Ubiquity.
 Note: you can take screenshot in this live session. 


Step 1. Language Selection

 

The first step on Ubiquity is choosing language. This will be your whole desktop and application interfaces language. I choose "English" here.



Step 2.  Network Connection

 

The second step is choosing a network connection to be used while installing progress running. It will be used to download dozens or hundreds of MB of packages, and is not really important for installation progress, so choose "I don't want to connect...".



Step 3. Additional Software

 

The third step is to decide whether to install or not to install third-party software packages. It is actually also not really important for installation progress, so choose nothing and press Continue.



Step 4. Partitioning

 

The fourth step is to determine the partitions for Ubuntu, one partition as main partition and one partition as swap partition. Because we have already prepared the partitions before the installation, now this step comes much easier.


(1) Choose "Something else"

On the Instalation type page in Ubiquity, do not choose Erase disk or Install Alongside. Choose "Something else". It is important for both purposes, singleboot and dualboot.


(2) Determine the main partition

Choose the partition intended for main partition (in my case, /dev/sda2) > press Change button > let the Size: as is > change Use as: to Ext4 > check Format option > change Mount point: to / > press OK.


(3) Determine the swap partition

Choose the partition intended for swap partition (in my case, /dev/sda7) > press Change button > let the Size: as is > change Use as: to swap > OK.



(4) Determine the location of the bootloader

Choose the hard disk name (for me, SSD name) where your Ubuntu main partition belongs. For example, if my main partition is /dev/sda2 then the disk drive name to install the bootloader is /dev/sda. It is correct. If your main partition is /dev/sdb2, then your disk drive name is /dev/sdb. It is also correct. Notice the number (2, 3) and the letter (a, b).

Bootloader is a program running when computer starts that displays the list of operating systems installed and lets the user to boot into one. GRUB is the bootloader of GNU operating system, the OS where Ubuntu is built from.


This choice will install GNU GRUB bootloader into that disk drive so your Ubuntu can boot while the computer starts. It is also really important if you install Ubuntu in dualboot mode, because GRUB will always running first to show you the list of operating systems installed.

(5) Accept the changes

Ubiquity then will ask you to perform all your decisions. It asks "Write the changes to disks?" and you must read carefully every detailed information there. Make sure you did not make any mistake (e.g. were choosing wrong partitions). When you are sure everything is correct, then accept it and the actual system installation process will begin.



 

Step 5. Installation Progress

 


The fifth step is waiting for the actual system installation. While waiting, Ubiquity will ask you for 3 stuffs: your geographical location, your keyboard layout, and your login username. These stuffs are easy to fill, they are all up to you.


Finish


Once finished, if the whole installation progress done successfully, Ubiquity will notice you that "Installation Complete". Happy installing, welcome to Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak.