Installing Linux for the first time, even if it is something user friendly like CachyOS sounds like a pretty complicated process but the process is surprisingly straightforward if you follow the basic setup process carefully. So follow along as this guide walks you through everything from start to finish. Before you start though, set aside a good amount of time to do this as you do not want to be rushing through any steps on your first time.
Takeaways:
- Learn how to install CachyOS: Full beginner guide.
- How do you install CachyOS?
Table of Contents
How to Install CachyOS: A Beginner Friendly Step by Step Guide
- Start by opening your browser and going to the official CachyOS website.
- Download the desktop ISO file. This file contains the operating system you will install.
- Next, download a USB flashing tool such as Balena Etcher from its official website. You can also use Rufus if you are more familiar with it and on Windows.
Create a Bootable USB for CachyOS
- Insert a USB stick into your computer and keep in mind that all data on this USB will be erased, so back up anything important first.
- Open Balena Etcher or Rufus and select “Flash from file.” Choose the CachyOS ISO you downloaded. Then select your USB drive as the target and start the flashing process. Wait until it completes.
Time to install from the USB
- Restart your computer and enter the BIOS settings.
- Disable Secure Boot if it is enabled, as it may prevent the installer from working correctly.
- Save changes and reboot.
- Choose to boot from your USB drive.
- When the boot menu appears, select the default CachyOS option.
- You may see a screen with many lines of text. This is normal and not an error.
Prepare the Live Environment
- Once the system loads, you will be in a live environment.
- Before starting the installation, connect to the internet using the network icon. A working internet connection is required for installation.
- After connecting, launch the installer.
Configure Installation Settings
The rest of the process is pretty straight forward and follows a very similar path as Windows does. You basically jump through a set of hoops configuring things as you want them.
- Select your language, time zone, and keyboard layout.
- Choose the correct drive where you want to install CachyOS. Selecting “erase disk” will remove all existing data on that drive, so double check your choice.
- If you are new, choose either KDE Plasma or GNOME. Plasma is often more familiar for Windows users.
- Enable printing support. If you use an HP printer, enable HP support as well. Leave other options as default.
- Create your username and password. It is recommended to use the same password for the administrator account to simplify management.
- Review the summary page to confirm all settings are correct. Start the installation and wait for it to complete. This may take several minutes depending on your system and USB speed.
- Once finished, restart your computer and remove the USB stick.
- After rebooting, you will see the boot menu. Select CachyOS and log in using your password. You are now ready to use your new system.
Optional: Enable Dual Boot Detection
If you want CachyOS to detect another operating system such as Windows:
- Open the file manager and go to the root directory.
- Locate the GRUB configuration file.
- Find the line that disables OS detection and remove the comment symbol.
- Save the file.
- Next, open the terminal and run the update command with administrator privileges.
- Enter your password when prompted.
- This will refresh the boot menu and detect other installed systems.
