From Live boot, to installation, to upgrade
Ready, Aim, Install!

© Lead Image © Jan Will, 123RF.com
Installing Linux is easier and faster than you might think. In this article, we'll help you take stock of your hardware, back up your data, and install Fedora 20.
Most people obtain their computer's operating system (OS) bundled along with their desktop or notebook hardware, so the task of installing a new OS – Linux or otherwise – can be daunting. Fear not. Installing a new OS is a fairly simple process, particularly a Linux distribution such as Fedora, which doesn't often appear preinstalled on consumer PCs, making do-it-yourself installs the norm.
Installing Fedora successfully boils down to taking stock of your hardware, backing up your data, and clicking your way through Fedora's friendly installation wizard. Before you know it, you'll be back up and running, basking in free software goodness.
Step One: Your Hardware
First, you need to make sure your hardware meets the minimum requirements for running Fedora (see the "Minimum Hardware Requirements" box), you have the correct installation medium on hand, and your network, display, and other key hardware work under Fedora. Once you've ensured that your computer meets the basic requirements for Fedora and you've acquired the correct installation medium, you need to boot from the DVD (or USB drive) to test the compatibility of your network and video adapters, along with any other hardware that's particularly important to you, before you install to disk. Keep in mind that the Live DVD versions of Fedora run much more slowly than the installed version that runs on your hard drive.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Red Hat Releases RHEL 10 Early
Red Hat quietly rolled out the official release of RHEL 10.0 a bit early.
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.
-
Plasma Ends LTS Releases
The KDE Plasma development team is doing away with the LTS releases for a good reason.
-
Arch Linux Available for Windows Subsystem for Linux
If you've ever wanted to use a rolling release distribution with WSL, now's your chance.
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.