If you like the look and functionality of the Ubuntu OS, and also want to try downloading it on your laptop or PC, then you can simply download the Desktop Edition from the Ubuntu website. Click on the “Download” button in the menu at the top, then download and install the application according to the instructions on the site. Use the drop-down menu to select the version you want to install. It is best to carry out the installation with the default settings (if you see no reason not to do this). File size is about 700 MB.
Ubuntu can also be installed from a 4GB flash drive using the USB Universal Installer utility. Run the utility (it works directly in the window from the executable file that you downloaded) and make sure that you select the necessary version of Ubuntu from the list. Then specify the path to the location of the ISO file on the hard drive and, finally, select the correct drive on which you want to install it.
Make sure you back up the files on the flash drive before erasing them. In addition, back up files to the computer on which you will install Ubuntu from a USB flash drive, even if you plan to install it as a second operating system.
After all the files are written to the USB drive, you can insert it into a free port on your computer. If the computer does not boot automatically from the flash drive, you need to change the boot order of the devices in the BIOS. You can enter this section by pressing Del, F1 or another key that is displayed at boot time.
Follow the instructions on the screen when installing Ubuntu from a USB flash drive starts - it will detect the presence of another operating system and offer options on how to install Ubuntu exactly. If you want to get rid of Windows and make Ubuntu the only operating system, it is recommended that you select the "other" option and delete the Windows partition on your hard drive. You will also need a free area, which should be twice the RAM of your computer (so that installing Ubuntu from a flash drive is complete).
Even if you are familiar with the Windows partitioning process, this may seem a bit confusing on Linux. Instead of linking to discs under the letters, you will see the labels HDA, CDA, etc. Modern hard drives that connect via SATA or even USB are called SDA, SDC, etc. Each primary partition has a number from 1 to 4, and each logical partition consists of 5 parts. Confirm your confidence in the correct choice of drive and partition before making changes. The markup occurs only when you click on the "Install" button.
The partitions that are required to install Ubuntu from a flash drive will be the root, home, and swap sections. The root is the section in which Ubuntu is directly installed (its capacity is at least 4 GB). You should select ext4 as the file system and define it as the point of change. The home section is the section where your files are stored (it should be large enough to accommodate everything that you are going to store). Again, choose ext4 as the type of file system. The swap partition should be twice as large as the computer’s memory capacity (so if the RAM is 2 GB, you will need to create a 4 GB partition).
During installation, you will be asked to indicate a few details (including your location, language, username and password). It is advisable that your computer be connected to the network (you will be prompted to select a Wi-Fi network if the Ethernet cable is not connected). This ensures that the latest updates are installed.
After the installation of Ubuntu from the USB flash drive is completed, remove the disk and press Enter. Your computer will restart, after which Ubuntu will start. Go to the software center (basket icon at the bottom of the screen), you can install your favorite applications, including Chrome (version for Ubuntu Google Chrome), Skype, Dropbox and others.