How to install Ubuntu Server in 2023

Are you trying to set up a new server? Here are the instructions to install the popular Ubuntu Server on a system.

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Ubuntu Server install complete

You can perform a clean install of Ubuntu Server on virtually any hardware, and in this guide, you will learn how. Ubuntu Server is one of the most common operating systems for the server environment since it’s free and you can configure many different types of services. For example, you can set up a file server to share content with other users in the network, no matter the desktop platform (Linux, Windows, or macOS).

It’s also a great solution to create a web server to host websites internally or be accessible from the internet. In addition, it can also work as a print server, backup server, router, switch, media server, and more with the correct packages and configuration.

Unlike the desktop version, the server version of Ubuntu doesn’t include a graphical user interface (GUI) or the default desktop applications. Although you can always install the GUI experience as an add-on, it’s usually recommended to manage the server using commands.

Whatever the server you want to build, the installation of the Ubuntu Server is straightforward. You only need to start the device with a USB installation media and complete some basic steps.

This guide will teach you the easy steps to install Ubuntu Server (22.04.1 LTS) on a server or computer hardware.

Ubuntu Server hardware requirements

Although you can install Ubuntu Server on virtually any hardware, the operating system has some minimum requirements:

  • CPU: 1GHz or faster (64-bit) amd64, arm64, ppc64el, or s390x.
  • Memory: 1GB or more.
  • Storage: 2.5GB or more (20GB is usually the minimum recommended).

You will also need a network card for internet and local networking access and a VGA graphics card if you plan to connect a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Create Ubuntu Server bootable USB media

To create a Ubuntu Server bootable USB installation media, use these steps:

  1. Open Ubuntu Server page.

  2. Click the Download Ubuntu Server button.

    Ubuntu Server download ISO

  3. Save the ISO file on your computer.

    Quick note: If the download doesn’t start automatically, click the download now link on the page.

  4. Open Rufus website.

  5. Under the “Download” section, click the download link for the latest version of the tool.

  6. Double-click the file to launch Rufus.

  7. Select the USB flash drive option in the “Device” setting.

  8. Click the Select button.

    Rufus create Ubuntu Server USB

  9. Choose the Ubuntu Server ISO file.

  10. Click the Open button.

  11. Click the Start button.

Once you complete the steps, you can proceed to connect the USB flash drive on the server to perform the clean installation of the Linux distro.

Clean install Ubuntu Server

To perform a clean install Ubuntu Server from USB, use these steps:

  1. Start the server with the Ubuntu Server USB flash drive.

  2. Select the “Try or Install Ubuntu Server” option and press Enter.

    Install Ubuntu Server

  3. Select the installation language and press Enter.

    Select installation language

  4. (Optional) Choose the “Continue without updating” option and press Enter.

    Continue without updating

  5. Select the keyboard layout and press Enter.

    Select keyboard configuration

  6. Choose the installation type, including the “Ubuntu Server,” that includes the most common packages needed to run the system. Or you can choose the “Ubuntu Server (minimized)” if you plan to set up the server for a specific purpose and know how to aggregate the necessary packages.

    Ubuntu Server installation type

  7. Select the Done option and press Enter.

  8. Select the adapter to connect to the network.

    Network configuration

    Quick note: If you want to configure a static TCP/IP address configuration, click on the adapter’s name, select the “Edit IPv4” option, choose the “Manual” option, and configure the static settings. (You can always complete this after the installation.)

  9. Select the Done option and press Enter.

  10. Select the Done option again, and press Enter to skip the “Proxy” configuration (unless required).

  11. Select the Done option one more time, and press Enter to skip the “Mirror address” configuration for updates and other downloads (unless required).

  12. Choose the “Use an entire disk” option to install Ubuntu Server on the hard drive.

    Ubuntu Server install on entire disk

    Quick note: If you don’t want the system to use the entire drive, you can partition the storage using the “Custom storage” layout.

  13. Select the “Set up this disk as an LVM group” option.

  14. (Optional) Check the “Encrypt the LVM group with LUKS” option and provide an encryption and decryption password.

  15. Select the Done option and press Enter.

  16. Choose the Continue option and press Enter to confirm the drive settings.

    Confirm destructive action

  17. Configure your account name and password, and server name.

    Ubuntu Server profile setup

    Quick tip: It’s recommended to use lowercase and pick a username other than “root.”

  18. Select the Done option and press Enter.

  19. (Optional) Choose the “Install OpenSSH server” option and configure the settings. Or select the Done option and press Enter to skip this part.

    Ubuntu Server install openSSH

  20. (Optional) Select or deselect (with the “Space” key) the applications the system will install during the setup.

    Optional features for Ubuntu Server

  21. Select the Done option and press Enter.

Once you complete the steps, the setup with proceed with the Ubuntu Server installation.