Ubuntu 24.04 Setup Guide: Complete Installation and Configuration

Overview

This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough for setting up Ubuntu 24.04 on a new system, including installation, initial configuration, and recommended applications for developers and power users.

Prerequisites

Required Hardware

• USB Drive (16GB minimum)
  • For creating installation media
• SSD (128GB minimum)
  • For Ubuntu installation

Step 1: Create Installation Media

Download Ubuntu ISO

1. Download the Ubuntu 24.04 ISO file from the official website
2. Insert your USB drive into your computer
3. Unmount the USB drive if it's automatically mounted

   diskutil list # List all disk devices to identify your USB drive
   diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX # Unmount USB drive (replace X with your device number)
   

4. Create Bootable USB (macOS)

   # Write ISO file to USB drive (replace paths with your actual paths)
   sudo dd if=/path/to/ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/diskX status=progress
   

   ⚠️ Warning: Replace /dev/diskX with the correct device identifier for your USB drive. Be extremely careful as this command can overwrite your system drive if used incorrectly.
5. Eject the USB drive safely

Step 2: Install Ubuntu

Boot from USB

1. Insert both the USB drive and SSD into your computer
2. Power on your computer
3. Press the boot menu key repeatedly (usually F2, F12, or Delete)
4. Enter BIOS/UEFI settings
5. Select USB as the boot device
6. Choose "Try or Install Ubuntu"

Installation Process

1. Select "Install Ubuntu"
2. Choose your preferred language and keyboard layout
3. Select installation type:
   • Dual boot: Install alongside existing OS
   • Erase disk: Install Ubuntu only (⚠️ WARNING: This will delete all existing data)
4. Choose the SSD as the installation target
   ⚠️ WARNING: Never install Ubuntu on your Windows SSD unless you intend to replace Windows entirely.
5. Set up user account and password
6. Wait for installation to complete
7. Restart when prompted

Step 3: Initial System Configuration

Appearance Settings

1. Open Settings → Appearance
   • Adjust Desktop Icon Size to your preference
   • Configure Dock Icon Size for better usability

Power Management

1. Go to Settings → Power
   • Set Power Mode to "Performance" for better performance
   • Configure Screen Blank to "Never" in Power Saving settings

Mouse & Touchpad Configuration

1. Navigate to Settings → Mouse & Touchpad
   • Set Pointer Speed to your preferred sensitivity
   • Example: Set to 75% of maximum for comfortable navigation

Step 4: Language and Input Setup

For Japanese Users

If you installed Ubuntu in Japanese:

# Change folder names from Japanese to English
env LANGUAGE=C LC_MESSAGES=C xdg-user-dirs-gtk-update

For English Users (Adding Japanese Input)

# Install Japanese input method
sudo apt install ibus-mozc

# Install Mozc settings GUI
sudo apt install -y mozc-utils-gui

# Reboot to apply changes
sudo reboot

Step 5: Essential System Tools

Update Package Manager

sudo apt update

Install Core Utilities

# Install curl for downloading packages and scripts
sudo apt install curl

# Install net-tools for network diagnostics (includes ifconfig)
sudo apt install net-tools

# Install libfuse2 (required for some applications)
sudo apt-get install libfuse2

# Install tree for directory structure visualization
sudo apt install tree

Development Tools

For Git and Docker installation, refer to these guides:

Step 6: Recommended Applications

Remote Access

TeamViewer

# Download and install TeamViewer
wget https://download.teamviewer.com/download/linux/teamviewer_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i teamviewer_amd64.deb
rm teamviewer_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -f

# Start and enable TeamViewer service
sudo systemctl start teamviewerd
sudo systemctl enable teamviewerd

Post-installation setup:

1. Sign in to your TeamViewer account
2. Go to Extras → Options → Security
3. Enable Grant easy access for unattended access

Web Browser

Brave Browser

# Install Brave browser
curl -fsS https://dl.brave.com/install.sh | sh

Communication Tools

Thunderbird (Email Client)

sudo apt install thunderbird

Slack (Team Communication)

sudo snap install slack --classic

Productivity Applications

Notion

1. Open Ubuntu Software Center
2. Search for "Notion"
3. Click Install

GitHub Desktop

1. Visit GitHub Desktop releases
2. Download the .deb file for Ubuntu
3. Open the downloaded file and follow the installation prompts

Development Tools

Cursor (AI-Powered Code Editor)

# Download Cursor
wget https://download.cursor.sh/linux/cursor_latest_amd64.AppImage -O cursor.AppImage

# Make executable
chmod a+x cursor.AppImage

# Test the application
./cursor.AppImage

# Move to system directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/cursor
sudo mv cursor.AppImage /opt/cursor/

# Download icon
wget https://ai-cursor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/logo-cursor-ai-png.webp -O /opt/cursor/cursor.png

# Create desktop entry
sudo tee /usr/share/applications/cursor.desktop > /dev/null <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Cursor
Exec=/opt/cursor/cursor.AppImage --no-sandbox
Icon=/opt/cursor/cursor.png
Type=Application
Categories=Development
EOF

System Utilities

GNOME Tweaks

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Configure Startup Applications:

1. Open Tweaks → Startup Applications
2. Add the following applications:
   • System Monitor
   • Brave Browser
   • Cursor
   • Notion
   • TeamViewer

Step 7: Dock Configuration

Add the following applications to your dock for easy access:

• Settings
• TeamViewer
• Files (Nautilus)
• Brave Browser
• OBS Studio
• Thunderbird
• Slack
• Notion
• GitHub Desktop
• Cursor
• Terminal
• System Monitor

Conclusion

Your Ubuntu 24.04 system is now fully configured with essential tools and applications for development and productivity. The system includes:

• ✅ Complete Ubuntu installation
• ✅ Optimized system settings
• ✅ Japanese input support (if needed)
• ✅ Essential development tools
• ✅ Popular productivity applications
• ✅ Remote access capabilities
• ✅ Customized dock layout

Additional Resources

• Ubuntu Official Documentation
• GNOME Extensions for additional customization
• Ubuntu Community Help Wiki

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Note: This guide assumes a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 installation. If you're upgrading from a previous version or have specific hardware requirements, additional steps may be necessary.