Chapter 3. Before Installing Ubuntu additional software. Many more actors play smaller parts in this process, but debian-installer has completed its task when you load the new system for the first time. To tune the system to your needs, tasksel allows you to choose to install various predefined bundles of software like a Web server or a Desktop environment. Just be aware that the X Window System is completely separate from debian-installer , and in fact is much more complicated. Troubleshooting of the X Window System is not within the scope of this manual. Before you start, make sure to back up every file that is now on your system. If this is the first time a non-native operating system is going to be installed on your computer, it is quite likely you will need to re-partition your disk to make room for Ubuntu. Anytime you partition your disk, you run a risk of losing everything on the disk, no matter what program you use to do it. The programs used in the installation are quite reliable and most have seen years of use; but they are also quite powerful and a false move can cost you. Even after backing up, be careful and think about your answers and actions. Two minutes of thinking can save hours of unnecessary work. If you are creating a multi-boot system, make sure that you have the distribution media of any other present operating systems on hand. Even though this is normally not necessary, there might be sit- uations in which you could be required to reinstall your operating system’s boot loader to make the system boot or in a worst case even have to reinstall the complete operating system and restore your previously made backup. The LTS release’s kernel is refreshed with a new, optional kernel at some point releases. This kernel is referred to as the Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel, and provides support for new hardware that has been introduced after the LTS’s GA. New hardware components are supported by HWE kernels and on an installed system with proper networking you can install it by an apt command which you can find it at LTSEnablementStack (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack) on Ubuntu wiki. The LTS point releases also provide an updated installation kernel for scenarios where kernel support for key components, such as NIC or RAID cards, is required during the installation process. This document you are now reading, in plain ASCII, HTML or PDF format. • install.en.txt 3.4. Information You Will Need 3.4.1. Documentation 3.4.1.1. Installation Manual 3.3. Point release and HWE kernel 3.2. Back Up Your Existing Data! 15