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

Download the Ubuntu 24.04 ISO file from the official website
Insert your USB drive into your computer

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)

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.
Eject the USB drive safely

Step 2: Install Ubuntu

Boot from USB

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

Installation Process

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

Step 3: Initial System Configuration

Appearance Settings

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

Power Management

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

Mouse & Touchpad Configuration

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:

Sign in to your TeamViewer account
Go to Extras → Options → Security
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

Open Ubuntu Software Center
Search for "Notion"
Click Install

GitHub Desktop

Visit GitHub Desktop releases
Download the .deb file for Ubuntu
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:

Open Tweaks → Startup Applications
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

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.