For an optimal user experience, you would want a fast operating system on your computer. When it comes to your Microsoft Surface Pro, it has a Windows system installed by default. If you keep the version up-to-date, you can get a fairly good performance. But, there are even better choices out there for you, such as Linux. And, Ubuntu is one of the most popular among all its distribution software.

Are you looking forward to installing Ubuntu on your device? It’s quite simple, and you need not remove your Windows system for that. So, if you need some help in proceeding with the installation, here you get the complete guide.

Installing Ubuntu on Surface Pro: A step-by-step guide

To install Ubuntu on your computer, you need a USB drive or a CD-ROM. Here, we are going to use the former. But, the process is somewhat similar if you’re using a CD-ROM.

Now, if you’re wondering, you must use a storage device of at least 4 GB capacity. Apart from that, there are no other requirements than basic ones, and you can get started. However, if you’re facing problems using it, you must consider contacting a Microsoft Surface Repair centre.

Before that, follow these steps for installing Ubuntu on your device:

1.Backup your data

There’s always a chance that your device crashes or faces an error during the installation process. As a result, you may end up damaging most of your important files. So, to prevent that, you need to backup your data before you proceed with the installation. If need be, you must store it in an external storage device.

Go to your device’s Settings and open the Update and Recovery section. Then, opt for backing up all of the data. This will take some time but is completely worthwhile. You must always perform a backup before starting processes like software installations.

2. Create a drive partition

There’s yet another important step before you install Ubuntu — creating space for it. Since you’re going to download a system software, it’ll require a considerable part of the storage drives. Are you unwilling to let go of your existing Windows system? You can keep it, but you must create a partition for Ubuntu in that case. For that purpose, you need to go to the diskmgmt.msc on your device.

How much space do you need to set aside for Ubuntu? In case you’re wondering, the software has a size of at least 15 GB. So, you’d want to keep aside a little extra space. In this case, it would be enough if you round it off to 20 GB.

Right-click the main device drive and opt for shrinking it. Then, enter the amount (20 GB) in the field where it asks about the space to shrink and proceed. This will partition the drive you selected.

3. Create a boot media

After you’ve created the required space, it’s time to download an ISO file on the USB. But before that, you need to format the storage device. Once you’re done with that, you can proceed with downloading the ISO and the subsequent steps.

Download the Ubuntu ISO

Regardless of which Linux distro you want to download, you can find it on their main website. So, visit the site and look for the one you want, in this case, Ubuntu. Download the ISO on the USB once you find it.

Can you get the file for free? In case you’re wondering, it’s completely free of cost. Moreover, the same applies to all Linux distros, except certain editions.

Write the ISO on USB

After downloading the ISO, you need to write it on the USB. For that, you need to use a third-party program. So, download a viable one made for writing ISOs on storage drives. After that, open the application and opt for writing a file on a drive.

Now, regardless of the app, you’re using, it’ll ask you which file you want to burn. Choose the Ubuntu ISO and ensure that you've selected the USB to write it on.

Some apps may ask the mode you want to write the file in. No matter what other options it provides, you need to choose the ISO mode. Now, this will take some time, so you might need to wait for a while. Once you’re done with this, you can proceed with installing Ubuntu on your Surface Pro.

4. Install Ubuntu using the USB drive

Keep the USB connected to your PC after creating boot media. Restart the system from the Start menu and press Shift while it’s in the process. In case you haven’t done this before, it takes you to the Recovery Environment. Here, you can boot new software on your device, apart from fixing booting issues.

Opt for the “use a device” option given on this screen. From the list of the drives it shows, select the USB where you wrote the ISO. Now, your PC should start-up in Linux rather than Windows. Ubuntu lets you try out the system before you proceed with installing it. So, whenever you’re ready, you can select the language and start the installation process. This will take some time, so you must wait for a while.

After the installation, you need to perform a reboot when it instructs you to. During that, you’ll see a screen asking which of the two systems you want to boot. Choose Ubuntu, and you’re all set to run it on your Surface Pro.

What are the Pros of using Ubuntu?

There could be various reasons for users to install Ubuntu on their devices. Not only that, but this software makes sure to take care of all their requirements. Being one of the most popular distros from Linux, it offers you the following impressive features:

1. Allows more personalizations

When you use a system, you’d want all its aspects as per your preference. While many software allows an optimal level of customisation, Ubuntu can outdo most of them. Many users find that to be a good enough reason to try it out.

2. Higher security

No operating software is completely immune from viruses and malware. But with Ubuntu, your device and data are more secure than that when compared with some other software. So, that’s yet another good reason for you to use it.

3. Performs optimally even with old hardware

Are you running your PC with old hardware parts? In that case, you might face issues with various operating systems. But that’s not the case when it comes to Ubuntu. This software works optimally on your device, regardless of the hardware. It is a better choice than many others for operating a computer that has ageing components.

4. You can use it even without installing

In case you didn’t know, it's not compulsory to install Ubuntu on your device to use it. You can also use it with the help of the bootable media you created in your USB or CD-ROM.  So, you can connect the storage device to your Surface Pro and simply reboot it to Ubuntu. That way, you can save a good amount of space in your main device drive.

Implement the Steps and Install Ubuntu…..

By following the steps given here, you can instal Ubuntu on your Surface Pro without any issues. Looking at the great things it has to offer, you won’t regret getting this software at all. Moreover, it may also become your first preference. So, what are you waiting for? Install it now and start working on this impressive software.

Article kindly submitted for publication by Hai Mcglynn