This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Installing Kubuntu
Installing Kubuntu is just like installing Ubuntu. It is pretty much a snap. Let's start with where you can find it.
Where to Find Kubuntu
Kubuntu is available at www.kubuntu.org/download.php. An image file can be downloaded and then burned onto either a DVD or a CD-ROM. There are two different types of Kubuntu images that can be downloaded and used. The first is the desktop CD, which allows the user to test and run Kubuntu without changing any settings. The second is the alternate install CD, which provides for a more advanced installation.
The desktop CD of Kubuntu 7.04 is the primary way to install Kubuntu on your system. This CD is a great way to demonstrate the power of Kubuntu to your friends before they install it on their systems. The desktop CD acts as a live CD and allows Kubuntu to run on your system without erasing anything already installed.
Can I Switch to Kubuntu If I Have Ubuntu Installed Already?
If you have installed Ubuntu on your system already, it is extremely easy to install and configure Kubuntu. In Synaptic, find the package kubuntu-desktop, which will provide all the necessary programs to have your system look and act like Kubuntu. Don't worry—you can still switch between Ubuntu with GNOME and Kubuntu with KDE. Once Kubuntu is installed, you can choose which desktop environment to use, either GNOME or KDE. Also, if you have Kubuntu installed already and wish to install Ubuntu, it is just as simple to switch: Just install ubuntu-desktop through Adept and you will be using the GNOME desktop.
Once you have installed the kubuntu-desktop package, end your GNOME session and choose Session from the menu. Select KDE instead of GNOME as your window manager, and then select Make Default. From now on KDE will start for you when you sign on.
Installing from the Desktop CD
Kubuntu has the ability to install directly off the desktop CD. This removes the need to download separate CDs; simply download the desktop CD and show off to your friends how great Kubuntu is, or give it a test run for the first time. Kubuntu's live installer program is called Ubiquity.
After you start up the desktop CD, an icon will appear on your desktop called Install. Choose to install Kubuntu, and Ubiquity will start guiding you through the installation phase (Figure 7-1).
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Figure 7-1 Welcome screen of Ubiquity
Ubiquity will guide you in setting up the correct country and time zone (Figure 7-2).
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Figure 7-2 Selecting the correct time zone
Once you have answered these questions, Ubiquity will prompt you to select the correct keyboard layout (Figure 7-3) and help you create a username and password, along with helping assign a name for the installed computer (Figure 7-4).
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Figure 7-3 Selecting the keyboard layout
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Figure 7-4 Configuring the username and computer name
After you fill out this information, Ubiquity will help you set up and partition your disks, as shown in Figure 7-5. Before performing the installation, Ubiquity will show exactly what is going to happen to your system and make sure you would like to install (Figure 7-6). After everything is set up, Kubuntu will be installed, and you will be prompted for a reboot. You are now ready to use your Kubuntu system.
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Figure 7-5 Configuring the disk partitions
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Figure 7-6 Finishing the installation