Table of Contents
Understanding Installation on Real Hardware
Installing Linux directly onto a real computer is different from running it in a virtual machine. On real hardware, Linux interacts with your physical disk, your firmware, and all your devices. This means you must make a few careful choices so you do not accidentally erase important data and so your system can boot correctly.
This chapter focuses on what is unique about installing Linux on an actual machine, not in a virtual environment and not as a dual boot with Windows. The details of creating a bootable USB and partitioning are covered in their own chapters. Here you will see how those pieces fit together during a real installation.
Preparing the Machine
Before installing Linux on real hardware you should prepare both your data and your system firmware.
First, always back up important files that are currently on the computer where you plan to install Linux. Even if you are very careful, mistakes such as choosing the wrong disk can lead to total data loss. A backup on an external drive or a cloud service gives you a way back if something goes wrong.
Second, check whether your system uses BIOS or UEFI. Most modern systems use UEFI. This affects how the disk is partitioned and where the bootloader is installed, which you will see during the installer steps. You can usually find the firmware type in your current operating system settings, or by entering the firmware setup screen.
To enter that firmware setup you normally press a key just after powering on the computer. Common keys are Del, F2, F10, or Esc, and the correct key typically appears briefly on screen. In that setup interface you will later choose to boot from your USB installer. On UEFI systems you may also need to disable features like Secure Boot if your chosen distribution does not support it, although many popular distributions do support Secure Boot.
Finally, if the machine has more than one disk, make a note of which disk you want to use for Linux. During installation disks are usually shown as /dev/sda, /dev/nvme0n1, and similar names. Knowing which device corresponds to which physical disk will help you avoid overwriting the wrong one.
During installation, double check any option that mentions "erase disk" or "use entire disk". On real hardware these actions will permanently delete existing partitions and data on that physical drive.
Booting from the Installation Media on Real Hardware
After you create a bootable USB installer you must make the computer start from it instead of its internal disk. On real hardware this involves using the firmware boot menu or changing the boot order.
Most systems provide a one‑time boot menu key such as F12, F11, or Esc. When you power on, press that key repeatedly until a boot menu appears, then select your USB device. If the USB drive does not appear, check in the firmware settings that USB booting is enabled and that the USB was created correctly.
On UEFI systems you may see separate entries such as "UEFI: USB" and "Legacy: USB". Choose the UEFI entry if you plan to install Linux in UEFI mode. Keeping the mode consistent between firmware and installer avoids later boot issues.
Once the machine successfully boots from the installer you usually see a menu with options such as "Try" or "Install". On real hardware, a "Try" option will start a live session that runs entirely from RAM and the USB device, without touching your disk. This is a good way to confirm that basics like graphics, keyboard, and network appear to work before you commit to installing on the disk.
Hardware Detection and Drivers During Installation
On real hardware Linux must recognize your particular components. During the live session or early installation screens the kernel tries to detect your CPU, graphics card, storage controllers, network interfaces, and other devices. For most modern hardware this works automatically.
If you notice that the screen resolution is very low, that wireless networks do not appear, or that your touchpad does not work, this is a sign that special drivers may be needed. Some installers provide an option to enable proprietary or third party drivers during the installation process, which can be important for certain graphics cards or wireless chips.
Because you are working on real hardware, performance and compatibility here give you a preview of how Linux will behave after installation. If the live session works smoothly on your computer, the installed system will usually work just as well.
Choosing Where to Install on the Disk
When the installer reaches the storage step you must decide exactly how Linux uses your physical disk. The partitioning chapter explains the concepts of root, home, and swap. Here the important point is that these partitions are created on specific real disks inside your machine.
The installer typically presents options that range from automatic to fully manual. An automatic option might say something like "Erase disk and install" and will choose a layout for you. On real hardware such an option will delete all existing data on that entire disk, then create fresh partitions for Linux.
If you have more than one disk you will usually see a list of devices with their sizes. Identify the correct disk based on its capacity and type, such as solid state or hard drive. For example a 512 GB NVMe drive might appear as /dev/nvme0n1, while a 1 TB SATA disk appears as /dev/sda.
If you do not want to erase the whole disk, choose a manual option. That allows you to create or select specific partitions for root, home, and swap without disturbing others. On a real machine you must take extra care not to modify any partition that contains data you want to keep.
On a physical disk, partition changes are permanent once written. Review the summary screen before you confirm. Check that the correct disk is selected, that only the intended partitions are created or modified, and that their sizes look reasonable.
Bootloader Installation on Real Hardware
A critical part of installing Linux on a real system is placing the bootloader in a location that your firmware can use. The most common Linux bootloader you will see is GRUB.
In a UEFI system the installer usually creates or uses an EFI System Partition, often labeled "EFI" or "ESP". It then installs GRUB files into that partition and registers a boot entry with the firmware. The firmware then knows how to start Linux directly from that disk.
In a BIOS system the installer writes GRUB to the beginning of the disk, in the Master Boot Record or equivalent area. The firmware simply starts from that location, and GRUB takes over and loads your kernel.
Some installers ask you explicitly on which disk to install the bootloader. On a real machine choose the disk from which the firmware actually boots, usually the primary internal disk. If you install GRUB onto a secondary disk but the firmware boots from the first disk, your system will not start Linux correctly.
If more than one disk is present, and especially if another operating system is installed on a different disk, it is important to understand which device will become the default boot disk in the firmware settings. This choice controls which GRUB instance runs first and therefore which operating systems you can select at startup.
Performing the Installation and First Reboot
After partitioning and bootloader configuration the installer copies files to the disk and applies your choices. On real hardware this can take from a few minutes to longer, depending on the speed of the disk and CPU.
During this phase do not shut down or reset the machine. Interrupting the installation on a physical disk can leave it in an inconsistent state that may require repeating parts of the process or even manual repair.
When the installer finishes it usually prompts you to restart. Before you do so, remove the USB installer only when instructed, or when the machine is powering off or restarting. If you leave the USB drive in, the computer may boot back into the installer rather than into your newly installed system.
On the first reboot the firmware should now detect the bootloader on your internal disk. You may see a GRUB menu that lists your Linux installation and possibly any other operating systems that were detected. Selecting your new Linux entry will start the system from the disk for the first time.
If instead the machine does not boot or shows an error like "no bootable device found", you may need to adjust the firmware boot order so that the correct disk is first. On some systems you must move the Linux disk or its UEFI entry above other devices in the boot priority list.
Post‑Installation Hardware Checks
Once Linux is running from the installed system you should quickly verify that your real hardware works as expected. Check that the display resolution is correct, that wired and wireless networking are available, and that basic input devices such as keyboard, mouse, and touchpad function reliably.
If your system has special keys for brightness, volume, or hardware toggles, test them briefly. For laptops, verify that power management features such as battery reporting and suspension work correctly by closing the lid or selecting suspend, then waking the system again.
At this stage you are no longer using the USB environment. Any settings you change are applied to the real installation stored on your disk. Problems you notice now are problems with the actual installed system, not just the live environment.
Some distributions automatically suggest proprietary drivers after installation. On real hardware, especially with dedicated graphics cards or certain wireless chips, accepting appropriate driver suggestions can significantly improve performance and reliability.
Verifying Disk and Boot Configuration
Because you installed on a physical disk, it is helpful to confirm the layout and boot configuration one time after installation. Open a terminal and run a basic command to list disks and partitions, for example:
lsblkThis shows which partitions were created and mounted. You can compare this with what you remember choosing in the installer to ensure it matches your expectations.
If you are using UEFI you can also check that the EFI System Partition is mounted, often at /boot/efi. This confirms that GRUB was installed correctly and can be updated later if needed.
On real hardware, understanding this layout helps you in future tasks such as resizing partitions, adding another disk, or troubleshooting boot issues. You do not need to memorize all the device names, but recognizing your main system disk and its primary partitions is a useful habit.
With the system booting successfully from the internal disk and your key devices working, your Linux installation on real hardware is complete. From here you can move on to first time setup tasks and daily use, knowing that Linux is running directly on your machine.