Getting Started -
Prerequisites
System Requirements Installation Preparation Dual Booting Install Now
Post-Installation
Software Updates Drivers Language & Input Optional Tasks
Familiarity
Customization Keyboard Shortcuts
Troubleshooting
System Specifications

Please choose a topic to get started.

Modest System Requirements

Ubuntu MATE works well on both high-end to slow computers, optimised to be functional, while light on system resources.

Minimum
  • Pentium III 750 megahertz (MHz)
  • 512 megabytes (MB) of RAM
  • 8 gigabytes (GB) of disk space
Recommended
  • Core 2 Duo 1.6 gigahertz (GHz)
  • 2 gigabytes (GB) of RAM
  • 16 gigabytes (GB) of disk space

The operating system will run much more efficiently if your computer meets or surpasses the recommended requirements.

  What's inside my computer?

Next:  Installation Preparations

Preparing to Install

Ubuntu MATE is relatively simple to set up, whether you're looking to replace your existing operating system or install Ubuntu MATE alongside an existing one - such as   Microsoft Windows or another GNU/Linux distribution.

For the best results:

  • Back up any important data to another storage device.
  • Connect to the Internet to install all available updates during installation.
  • Stay connected to the Internet to install all available updates.
  • Plug in your device to the mains if it is running on battery power.

The live session you are currently in right now is a good opportunity to test Ubuntu MATE without modifying your computer, allowing you to test all of your peripherals are working as intended before committing to installing it on your machine. Once you are ready, double click the installation icon from the desktop.


Modern UEFI-based computers

If you have a modern PC that uses the Unifed Extended Firmware Interface (UEFI), you may need to disable Secure Boot (or enable an Unlock Bootloader option) prior to installation, particularly if an operating system was pre-installed.

If you are using a legacy BIOS machine, you do not need to do this.

Especially when dual booting, it is important that you boot your system in the correct mode and use the 64-bit image, as you cannot boot an operating system installed in BIOS mode after installing a UEFI-enabled operating system or vice versa.

Booting in BIOS mode on a UEFI system with a GPT-formatted disk will also show a "protection layer". Do not worry, your data is not lost or corrupt!

Your system is currently running in ??? mode.

Swap

For computers that start to run low on memory (RAM), the operating system will start swapping to disk. Known as a "paging file" in Windows. Performance will decrease when running low on memory and could possibly freeze if you completely run out of memory without anywhere to swap.

By default, a swap partition is created by the size of your RAM. For example, if you have 2 GiB of RAM, then 2 GiB of hard disk space will be reserved for swap at the end of the drive.


Previous:  System Requirements Next:  Dual Booting

Dual Booting

Should you wish to install Ubuntu MATE alongside your existing operating system, your partitions need to be shrunk. This results in sections of your hard disk being split between multiple operating systems.

To minimize the risk of data loss or failure, ensure that:
  • There is enough free space. 10 GB minimum is recommended.
  • Back up important data to another drive.
  • Defragment the hard drive.
  • Ensure Windows has been cleanly shut down (not hibernated).

Which approach would you prefer?

  • Simple
  • Advanced
  • Safest
The simplest method is to use the installer.

The installer scans your disks for existing operating systems and provides a choice on what you'd like to do.

You will see an option similar to this:

Followed by:

Do not interrupt or power off the computer during a resize operation.

If you do, data loss or a partition table corruption could occur. Please double check your changes before proceeding.

The installer may show a spinner cursor for a long period of time, depending on the size of your disk.

When you next boot Windows, run chkdsk /f from the command prompt to check the file system for errors. Windows may schedule this automatically. This ensures consistency for the NTFS file system.

Use GParted or the installer's "Custom" option.

GParted is available during the live session only. It is located under the System Administration menu. GParted provides complete flexibility over your partitions, primarily for power users who know how they'd like to layout their disks. This method makes changes to partitions prior to installation.

Open GParted

After completing operations to your disk, you can leave the remaining space unallocated, whereby the installer will detect this unused space to install Ubuntu MATE to.


Using the Installer's "Custom" option.

Instead or in addition to GParted, the Custom option during the installation wizard can also configure and resize your partitions as well as choose mount points. Dividing your disks can make it somewhat easier to re-install the operating system later if desired.

You can specify these mount points:

  • / - The base for Ubuntu MATE
  • /boot - Bootloader and kernels
  • /home - Your personal files and folders
  • /tmp - Temporary files
  • /usr - Contains most of the applications (binaries, documentation, libraries, etc)
  • /var - Variable data (such as system logs)
  • /srv - Data for System Services (typically used for server configurations)
  • /opt - Additional software unmanaged by the package manager (such as Spotify)

Creating separate partitions for all above mount points is not necessary. The commonly partitioned directories being /, /home and /boot. These mount points can also be set across different physical disks, for instance, if you'd like the OS / on an SSD, but your personal files /home on a mechanical hard drive.

Shrink your system disk within Windows.
Applies to Windows Vista and later.

If you are using Windows XP or earlier, you will need to use the Simple or Advanced method to shrink your disk.

Newer versions of Windows provide a tool to shrink the NTFS volume from within Windows. This is a safer bet if it's essential that Windows still boots on your computer while experiencing Ubuntu MATE.

1. Open Disk Management from the start menu.

2. Right click your desired drive and choose Shrink Partition from the context menu.

3. Enter the amount to shrink your system partition by.

Remember, Ubuntu MATE needs at minimum 8 GB of disk space. 1 GB = 1000 MB
Further Reading

For further information on the best practices to modify partitions containing Windows, see the following help article online.


Repairing Boot Problems

Linux distributions use a boot loader known as grub, which looks for and bootstraps the operating system. However, some operating systems (such as Windows) do not integrate with existing boot loaders and will overwrite them, with the potential to lose access to Ubuntu MATE temporally.

Fortunately, you can use the Boot Repair tool to repair common problems caused by other operating systems.

Requires downloading a package.

Please connect to the Internet to download and use this utility.

Sorry, Welcome was unable to establish a connection.

Retry
  Download Boot Repair   Open Boot-Repair

Previous:  Install Preparations

Software Updates

An Internet connection is required to download and install updates.

Ubuntu MATE periodically will check to see if new software and security updates are available for your computer. If you have just installed Ubuntu MATE, you might want to do this now.

  Software Updater

Software Updater can be found later in System Administration.


The codecs package include a complete, cross-platform solution to decode, encode, record, convert and stream audio and video. It also includes a MP3 audio decoder that permits the playback of MPEG 1 audio layer III (MP3).

  Install Codecs Package

Next:  Drivers

Drivers

While a wide range of hardware is compatible with Ubuntu MATE, there are some components and peripherals that require proprietary drivers to function properly. Installing the firmware package is often required to get some devices, typically Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, to work correctly.

An Internet connection is required to download and install drivers.
  Additional Drivers   Install Firmware Package

Additional Drivers can be found later in System Administration.

Graphics

Sorry, Welcome was unable to automatically identify the graphics vendor on this system.

Card/Chipset: Unknown

Proprietary or Open Source Drivers?

Proprietary drivers come directly from the manufacturer. As they are not open source, Ubuntu developers are unable review and improve code meaning you'll have to rely on the manufacturer for support.

In addition, proprietary drivers can significantly improve graphics performance and as a result, the entire system. Users may wish to install these drivers to:

  • Run 3D applications and games.
  • Use Compiz's window effects.
  • Improve power management, especially if the device overheats then usual under open source drivers.
  • Improve support for high resolutions and multiple monitors.
  • Fix blank screen issues.

Proprietary drivers are known as "binary blobs". Certain hardware may experience worse behaviour, causing more issues then the open source drivers, such as:

  • Failing to boot to the graphical desktop.
  • Broken drivers after an upgrade.
  • Serve graphical glitches.
  • Problems with applications/games requiring hardware acceleration.


What about the latest NVIDIA drivers?

Additional Drivers fetches the latest tested driver from the Ubuntu repositories. Advanced users and gamers who would like newer versions may wish to consider adding the Ubuntu Graphics Driver PPA, which packages up the latest NVIDIA drivers for Ubuntu. These packages are not as thoroughly tested.

This only applies for actively supported cards, and not older cards using the legacy driver.
  Add Repository

To add the repository to the system, open a terminal and type the following:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa
  sudo apt-get update

After the PPA is added, newer versions are presented to install in Additional Drivers:

Wireless, Bluetooth and Other Devices

If there were no additional drivers found for the hardware nor did it work after installing the firmware packages, you may need to research your device to find the appropriate driver.

Unfortunately, this is due to the fact the manufacturer for your hardware hasn't provided any open source code for developers to freely use, or there is insufficient documentation to create drivers for your particular brand and model.

Some manufacturers may provide closed source drivers provided by themselves directly. If you require assistance, feel free to ask the community.

Read more on troubleshooting wireless hardware.

Printers

When you set up a printer in the Printers utility (under System Administration), you will be presented with a list of drivers available to use, if applicable.

Some manufacturers may provide their own drivers and require you to download them from their website.

Read more on printing.


HP Linux Printing and Imaging System is recommended if you have an HP printer because it provides full support for printing on most HP SFP (single function peripheral) inkjets and many LaserJets, and for scanning, sending faxes and for photo-card access on most HP MFP (multi-function peripheral) printers.

  Install

HP Linux Printing and Imaging System is installed, which provides full support for a wide variety of HP printers.

  Open


Previous:  Software Updates Next:  Language Input

Language Support

You computer may require updates to your language and localisation settings, or you may want to install additional language support.

  Language Support

Language Support can be found later in System Preferences Personal

Complex Input

Some regions of the world require complex inputs.

  Chinese
  Japanese
  Korean

Previous:  Drivers Next:  Optional Tasks

Backup, Firewall & User Management

Ubuntu MATE provides tools to backup your files, comes with a firewall pre-installed and supports multiple user accounts.


Backups

Nothing is more important then having a backup of your personal files, just in case something disastrous happens to your computer.

Deja-Dup comes pre-installed and supports backups to local devices as well as online cloud-based services.

  Configure Backup

Backups can be found later in System Preferences Personal.


Firewall

Firewalls prevent malicious connections entering and leaving your computer. By default, the firewall is disabled, learn more about firewalls.

Gufw provides a graphical frontend to ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall). If security is important to you, there are more ways to stay secure too.

  Configure Firewall

Firewall Configuration can be found later in System Preferences Internet and Network.


Users

Share your computer with others? Set up each user with their own unique profile that they can use to login and isolate their personal data with yours.

You can also log in to a Guest Session if someone is using your computer as a one-off.

  Configure Users

Users and Groups can be found later in System Administration Users and Groups.


Previous:  Language Input Next:  Customization

User Interface

Ubuntu MATE provides a unique tool to transform the user interface. It can be used to quickly setup the user interface to broadly reflect how other popular operating systems look and feel. The Redmond layouts are most similar to Microsoft Windows and Cupertino layouts are most similar to Apple Mac OS X.

  User Interface

MATE Tweak can be found later in System Preferences Look and Feel.

Control Center

The utilities mentioned above are all part of the extensive Control Center that Ubuntu MATE provides. You can configure just about every aspect of your computer from the Control Center.

  Control Center

Control Center can be found later in the System menu.

Desktop Wallpaper

The Ubuntu MATE Community have contributed dozens of desktop wallpaper images over the years. Why not install them and find something to suites your tastes?

  Wallpapers

Previous:  Optional Tasks Next:  Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts

Ubuntu MATE has many keyboard shortcuts that help make using your computer more efficient.

Common application shortcuts

These shortcuts apply in most applications.

  • Ctrl + C Copy the selected text/object
  • Ctrl + X Cut the selected text/object
  • Ctrl + V Paste/insert the selected text/object
  • Ctrl + A Select all text
  • Ctrl + F Find and replace words
  • Ctrl + B Make the selected text bold
  • Ctrl + I Make the selected text italic
  • Ctrl + U Underline the selected text
  • Ctrl + N Open a new document or window
  • Ctrl + S Save the current document
  • Ctrl + O Open another document
  • Ctrl + P Print the current document
  • Ctrl + Z Undo the last change you made
  • Ctrl + Shift + Z Redo a change that you just undid
  • F11 Toggle the current application between full-screen and windowed

Desktop shortcuts

This section lists common keyboard shortcuts which you can use to operate parts of the desktop.

  • Alt + F1 Open the Applications menu
  • Alt + F2 Run an application by typing its name in the box which appears
  • Prt Sc Take a screenshot of the whole screen
  • Alt + Prt Sc Take a screenshot of the current window
  • Ctrl + Alt + Delete Prompt is you want to Suspend, Restart or Shutdown the computer
  • Ctrl + Alt + L Lock your screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + T Open a terminal.

Window shortcuts

  • Alt + Tab Switch between currently-open windows. Press Alt + Tab and then release Tab (but continue to hold Alt). Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the list of available windows which appears on the screen. Release the Alt key to switch to the selected window.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab Switch between currently-open windows in all Workspaces. Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the list of available windows which appears on the screen. Release the Ctrl and Alt keys to switch to the selected window.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Left Switch to the next workspace.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Right Switch to the previous workspaces.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Left Move the current window to the next workspace.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Right Move the current window to the previous workspace.
  • Alt + F4 Closes window.
  • Alt + F5 Returns window to 'normal' or previous size.
  • Alt + F7 Moves the current window (can be moved with mouse or keyboard).
  • Alt + F8 Resizes current window (again, can be moved with mouse or keyboard).
  • Alt + F9 Minimizes current window.
  • Alt + F10 Maximizes current window.
  • Alt + Space Displays the window menu with with options such as 'Always on Top' and 'Minimise' and 'Maximise' and above commands.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 7 Place window in top left corner of screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 8 Place window in top half of screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 9 Place window in top right corner of screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 5 Center/Maximize the window in the middle of the screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 1 Place window in the bottom left corner of the screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 2 Place window in the bottom half of the screen.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 3 Place window in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Compiz Effects Shortcuts

All of the shortcuts listed in this section require Compiz to be enabled.

  • Ctrl + Alt + D Toggles 'Show Desktop'.
  • Super + A Zoom out, show workspace switcher.
  • Super + W Enables the 'scale' effect, it shows all windows from the current workspace.
  • Super + Shift + W Enables the 'scale' effect, it shows all windows from all workspaces.
  • Super + N Invert colours of the focused window.
  • Super + M Invert colours for the whole screen.
  • Super + Mouse Scroll Zooms in on the screen.
  • Super + Middle Mouse Button Select a region to zoom into, using a rectangle.
  • Alt + Left Mouse Button Move focused window.
  • Alt + Middle Mouse Button Resize focused window.
  • Alt + Right Mouse Button Show window menu.

Previous:  Customization

What's inside my computer?

Your machine is made up of various components that interact with one another. This information is useful when providing support to ensure hardware and software works on your machine and Ubuntu MATE.


System
No information to display.

Machine
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CPU
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Memory
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Show more information (Authentication Required)

Storage
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Optical Drive
No information to display.

Graphics
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Audio
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Network
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Sensors
No information to display.

HardInfo is avaliable to install if you would like further system information, such as CPU benchmarks, USB and PCI devices.

  Install

HardInfo is installed, which provides more information, such as CPU benchmarks as well as USB and PCI devices.

  Open