2) Value Introduction

If you want to install Linux for development, security testing, or hosting apps, it’s easy to get stuck on the very first question: “Where do I actually run it?” Windows Subsystem for Linux, virtual machine, bare metal, or some cloud hosting server… they all sound similar at first.

This guide walks you through each option in plain language, so you can pick the right setup, install Linux step by step, and get a stable, fast environment without wasting days on trial and error. Whether you run it on your own hardware or on a hosted Linux server, you’ll know exactly what you’re doing.

Who This Guide Is For

If any of these sound like you, you’re in the right place:

• You’re new to Linux and just want something easy that works.

• You’re a developer who needs Linux for tools, containers, or CI.

• You’re thinking about running Linux servers in the cloud.

• You’re curious about what “bare metal,” “VM,” and “WSL” actually mean.

We’ll go from high-level decisions down to concrete commands you can type.

Step 1: Choose How You Want to Run Linux

First decision: how Linux runs on your machine (or in the cloud).

You’ve basically got three main paths:

• Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) – Linux running inside Windows.

• Virtual Machine (VM) – Linux running inside a virtual computer.

• Bare metal – Linux installed directly on your hardware.

Here’s how to think about it in real life:

• If you’re totally new to Linux
  Use WSL. It’s the easiest way to install Linux on a Windows PC. No partitions, no USB stick, no drama.
  
  

• If you’re in a business setting or need something “server-like”
  Use a VM in the cloud or on a host machine. It’s great when you need more RAM/CPU, better security policies, backups, and easy cloning.
  
  

• If you want Linux as your main OS
  Install bare metal. It’s more work up front, but you get every bit of performance from your hardware.
  
  

Once you pick the method, everything else becomes much clearer.

Step 2: Pick a Linux Distribution (Distro)

“Linux” isn’t just one thing; you choose a distribution (distro) that uses the Linux kernel plus a bunch of tools.

Some popular names you’ll bump into:

• Ubuntu

• Debian

• Kali Linux

• openSUSE

• Arch Linux

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Oracle Linux, and others for bigger businesses

How to decide:

1. Your Linux Experience

• Brand new to Linux?
  Start with Ubuntu. It’s friendly, well-documented, and has a huge community. You can run it as a desktop or a server.
  
  

• Want to really learn how Linux works and tweak everything?
  Try Arch Linux later on. It’s highly customizable but expects you to read docs and set things up by hand.
  
  

2. System Requirements

If your machine is old or low on RAM/CPU, look for a lightweight distro:

• “Minimal” or “lightweight” distributions use fewer resources.

• Something like Alpine Linux is tiny and great for containers and small environments.

3. Security Needs

If you’re doing security work, you might want a distro tailored for it:

• Kali Linux is built for penetration testing, security research, forensics, and reverse engineering.

4. Business / Enterprise Needs

In corporate or academic environments, you often care about support contracts:

• RHEL, SLES, Oracle Linux – paid support, SLAs, long-term stability.

• CentOS-type distros – community-supported, compatible with enterprise ecosystems.

5. Community and Support

Look for distros with active forums, docs, and frequent updates:

• Ubuntu and openSUSE both have strong communities.

• Many distros have official forums, Reddit communities, and wikis where you can search any error message you hit.

Once you know what you want (easy, lightweight, security-focused, enterprise, etc.), choosing a distro is much less confusing.

Step 3: Install Linux in the Way That Fits You

Now let’s turn those options into actual steps.

A. Install Linux with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

This is for Windows users who want Linux tools without leaving Windows.

1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator
   
   

   • Click Start, search for “PowerShell” or “Command Prompt”.

   • Right-click → “Run as administrator”.

2. Run the install command
   
   bash
   wsl --install
   
   

3. Restart your PC when prompted.
   
   

After reboot, Windows will finish configuring WSL and Linux. Usually Ubuntu is installed by default. You’ll be asked to set up a username and password inside Linux.

Choosing Another Distro on WSL

If you don’t want Ubuntu:

1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt.
   
   

2. List available distros:
   
   bash
   wsl -l -o
   
   

3. Install a specific distro:
   
   bash
   wsl --install -d
   
   

Replace <DistroName> with something from the list (for example Debian).

If the distro you want isn’t in the store, you can still import custom images into WSL, but that’s more advanced and usually not needed at the beginning.

Once WSL is running, you can:

• Use Linux commands (Bash) side by side with PowerShell.

• Store project files on the Linux filesystem.

• Use Windows tools like VS Code to edit those files.

• Run many Linux GUI apps directly in Windows.

It’s a simple way to get fast, stable Linux tools without dual-booting.

B. Create a Linux Virtual Machine in the Cloud

A virtual machine (VM) is like a computer inside a computer. With a cloud VM, that “computer” lives in a data center instead of your desk.

Why people like Linux VMs in the cloud:

• Easy to scale RAM/CPU up or down.

• Easy to clone, snapshot, and back up.

• Good for business workloads, APIs, and background jobs.

• You can access it over SSH from anywhere.

Typical flow looks like this (exact screens differ by provider):

1. Create or log in to a cloud account.

2. Choose “Create virtual machine” (or similar).

3. Select:

   • Linux image (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.).

   • VM size (CPU, RAM).

   • Disk size and type.

4. Generate or upload an SSH key for secure login.

5. Open the necessary ports (like SSH port 22, HTTP/HTTPS if needed).

6. Create the VM and wait a minute or two.

7. SSH into the VM using its public IP.

That’s the “manual” version. It’s powerful, but the forms and options can get long, especially if you’re new.

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C. Create a Linux Virtual Machine Locally with a Hypervisor

If you want Linux isolated but still on your own hardware (laptop or desktop), run it as a VM locally.

You’ll need a hypervisor, for example:

• Windows built-in virtualization (like Hyper-V).

• Third-party tools such as VirtualBox or VMware.

The general process:

1. Check hardware requirements
   Make sure virtualization is enabled in your BIOS/UEFI and that your CPU supports it.
   
   

2. Install or enable the hypervisor
   
   

   • On Windows, you can enable Hyper-V through system features (if your edition supports it).

   • On other systems, install VirtualBox or VMware.

3. Create a new VM
   
   

   • Give it a name.

   • Choose “Linux” and the version closest to your chosen distro.

   • Allocate memory (RAM) and disk size.

     • For a comfortable general-use desktop, many people start around 4 GB RAM and 30–50 GB disk, but you can go smaller for lightweight setups.

4. Attach the Linux ISO
   
   

   • Download your distro’s ISO image from its official site.

   • Point the VM’s “optical drive” or “boot media” to that ISO.

5. Boot the VM and run the installer
   
   

   • Start the VM.

   • Follow the installer steps inside the VM window (language, keyboard layout, user account, disk partitioning, etc.).

6. Install any “guest additions” or “tools”
   Hypervisors usually offer an extra package to improve display, clipboard, and mouse integration between host and guest.
   
   

It’s a very safe way to install Linux, because if you break something, you just delete the VM and create a new one.

D. Install Bare Metal Linux (Directly on Hardware)

This is the classic way: Linux is the main OS on the machine.

You can:

• Run Linux alone on a device, or

• Dual boot Linux and Windows on the same machine.

Here’s the big-picture flow:

1. Download the Linux image (ISO)
   Go to your distro’s official website and download the correct ISO file for your hardware (x86, ARM, etc.).
   
   

2. Create a bootable USB drive
   
   

   • Use a USB stick with at least 16 GB of space.

   • Use a bootable-USB tool (like the usual popular ones) and write the ISO to the USB.

3. Boot from the USB
   
   

   • Plug the USB into the target machine.

   • Restart and enter the boot menu (often by pressing F12, Esc, or a vendor-specific key at startup).

   • Choose the USB drive as the boot device.

4. Run the installer
   The installer will guide you through:
   
   

   • Language, time zone, keyboard layout.

   • Whether to erase the whole disk or install alongside another OS (for dual boot).

   • Optional third-party drivers or codecs.

   • Partitioning and optional encryption.

5. Create a user account
   Set a username and password. This will be your main login and often your sudo user.
   
   

6. Remove the USB after install
   On the first reboot after installation, unplug the USB so the machine boots from the disk.
   
   

Dual-Boot and Encryption Notes

If you plan to dual boot with Windows and your Windows drive is encrypted (for example with BitLocker), make sure you:

• Know where your encryption recovery keys are.

• Understand that changing partitions and boot settings can interact with disk encryption.

Read up a bit on dual-boot and encryption before you start, especially if this is your main work machine.

Step 4: What to Do Right After Installing Linux

You’ve got Linux installed. Nice. Now do a little cleanup and setup so things run smoothly.

1. Learn your package manager
   
   Common examples:
   
   

   • Ubuntu / Debian: apt

   • Fedora / RHEL-type: dnf or yum

   • openSUSE: zypper

2. Package managers are how you install and update software. Get comfortable with basic commands like search, install, remove.
   
   

3. Update and upgrade packages
   
   On Ubuntu or Debian-based systems, a typical first step is:
   
   bash
   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
   
   

   • update refreshes the package list.

   • upgrade installs newer versions of installed packages.

4. This helps make your system more secure and stable.
   
   

5. Install your core tools
   
   Depending on what you’re doing, you might install:
   
   

   • A code editor (like VS Code), Git, and language runtimes.

   • Docker or container tools.

   • Databases, message queues, and whatever your stack needs.

6. Explore docs and community resources
   
   Most distros have official documentation and strong community guides. Searching “your-distro + how to” will quickly become a habit.
   
   

Bonus: Sudo-Like Behavior on Windows

If you’ve used Linux for a while, you’re probably used to typing sudo to run commands as an administrator.

Modern Windows has its own way to run elevated commands from a non-elevated session, bringing the experience closer to what you’re used to in Linux. If you bounce between Linux and Windows a lot, it’s worth checking out so your muscle memory doesn’t have to work too hard.

3) Conclusion

Installing Linux isn’t about being a “power user”; it’s about choosing the right place to run it: WSL if you’re on Windows and want something simple, a VM if you need isolation and flexibility, or bare metal if you want Linux to own the whole machine. Once you know which method fits your life, the commands and click-through screens are straightforward.

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