Getting Started -
Index
System Requirements Installation Preparation Dual Booting
Desktop
Drivers Software Updates Language & Input Additional Tasks Customization Keyboard Shortcuts

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.

  Open System Monitor

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.


For UEFI computers

You may need to disable Secure Boot (or enable an Unlock Bootloader option) prior to installation. If you are using a BIOS machine, you do not need to do this.


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 decreases when running low on memory. The system 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.

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 Disks or the installer's "Custom" option.

Disks is available during the live session and installed by default. It is located under the Applications Accessories menu. Disks 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.

Drivers

Your computer may require additional drivers to function correctly. Go and install them now.

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

Software 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.

An Internet connection is required to download and install updates.
  Software Updates

Language Support

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

  Language Support

Complex Input

Some regions of the world require complex inputs.

  Chinese
  Japanese
  Korean

Backup, Firewall & User Management

Ubuntu MATE provides tools to backup your files, comes with a firewall and supports multiple user profiles.

  Backup
  Firewall
  Users

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 system 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

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

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.

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