This article will walk you through installing Ubuntu Linux on a computer, then installing BOINC and getting the machine up and running as a distributed computing cruncher. The article assumes that the computer will be used for other purposes, but we have included additional tips and suggestions for a dedicated cruncher installation (a machine that will be used exclusively for distributed computing purposes).

We have tried to be thorough with various aspects of the installation process that you will need to consider. Where appropriate, we've included alternative methods and practices in order to ensure your success. Some of these are largely a matter of opinion and personal experience, and you may find numerous instances of contradictory advice on the World Wide Web, offered up by experts and idiots alike. You are welcome to follow such advice at your discretion, as this article is by no means the final authority on any subject. We can only assure you that this tutorial is the product of many years of experience, not a few days of haphazard guesswork or piecing together of random hogwash from a Google search.

The first thing you will need to do is to download the .ISO image for the current version of Ubuntu or one of its derivatives (Xubuntu, Kubuntu, etc.) from the appropriate download page.

Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop environment, Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop environment, and Xubuntu uses the lightweight XFCE desktop environment. There are other, more specialized distributions that use Ubuntu as their base. For most people, the Ubuntu distribution will serve just fine. For a dedicated cruncher you might want to consider using Xubuntu for a lighter weight distribution with fewer bells and whistles, especially on older hardware. For this article, we used Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) but there will be little, if any, difference using the other versions.

The next step is to burn the image file to a blank CD-R disc using any software that is capable of doing this. Most commercial disc burning software for Windows will do the job, and there are free programs available on the internet, as well. Simply type the keywords "iso burn" into a search engine to find one.

Once you have burned the disc, label it with the operating system's name and version number so that you can find it again, should you need it. Before we begin the install, there are a few things you need to consider.

If this machine will be a dedicated cruncher, you only need a HDD of about 8 GB or so. Any older IDE drive between 8 and 40 GB will be sufficient, as drive speed is largely unimportant for this purpose. If you can get your hands on some 40 to 60 GB laptop drives for cheap, IDE or SATA, these will work well, too. They're larger than what's really needed, but finding smaller drives can be hard, sometimes. Thrift stores and Ebay are good places to look. Any extra space can be used for network storage, if desired.

If the machine will be used for other purposes, then larger drives make sense. If you want to keep Windows on the machine, as well, you can do this. You'll need to read our HOWTO article that covers dual-booting Windows and Ubuntu before you continue with the installation.

For the purposes of this article, we assume that Ubuntu will be the only operating system on the computer. How we partition the hard drive during the install will depend on whether the machine will be used as a dedicated cruncher, or if it will be used for the other purposes normally associated with a home computer or workstation. We'll cover both scenarios in enough detail to help you make logical decisions about the drive partitioning and usage.

Turn on the computer, and enter the BIOS screen. For most machines, you press the DELETE key right away, as the monitor comes up with either a splash screen or the POST information. This can vary, though, so check your owners manual if you're not sure how to do this. Locate the screen that sets the BOOT ORDER for the drives, and set it to boot from the CD-ROM drive first, then removable drives, then the hard drive(s). The important thing here is for the machine to look for a boot image on the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive before it looks for one on the hard drives. If it shifts the order around strangely (some BIOS versions do) so that it boots from removable drives, then the CD-ROM drive, then the hard drives that's ok, too. Just make sure there's no removable media in any of the drives or connected to the USB ports. Place your freshly burned Ubuntu CD in the drive and SAVE/EXIT the BIOS.