How to Install Solus?

Last Updated : 26 Sep, 2022

Solus is a Linux distribution that is currently used by many users and getting a huge audience in the community of Linux. So the reason why Solus, is unlike other Linux distros, Solus OS is independent, it’s entirely written from scratch like Debian, Arch Linux, Red Hat. Solus is considered an independent Linux distro that uses its native package manage. Budgie DE is the default desktop environment of Solus that is derived from gnome stacks. Like other distros.

In this article, we are going to see how we can install Solus Linux distribution in our system.

Prerequisites

System requirement: 10 GB of free space on the disk, 64-bit system architecture, 2 GB of RAM.
Empty USB stick or DVD of at least 8 GB storage.
Balena Etcher Installed in the system. You can also use any other application that can create a bootable disk such as Rufus.

Step 1: Download the Solus ISO file and create a bootable device

First things first we need to download the desktop environment. For that, we would go to getsol.us/download/ and select the Budgie environment since it is developed specifically for Solus. Click the download button and it will start downloading the ISO file.

After the downloading is complete we will launch Balena Etcher and plug in a USB or DVD in order to flash the Solus system image onto a USB drive. Now we will select the ISO file that we just downloaded and the USB or DVD drive in which we want to flash the image and click the Flash button (it will ask for the administrative rights).

Step 2: Boot the image

Once the system image is flashed, we need to take the USB or DVD and insert it in the computer where we want to install Solus. Now we will boot this computer into BIOS and in order to boot the computer from system image on USB or DVD. Now we will start or restart the computer and press the correct boot key right after light appears on the screen, this will take us to the boot menu, and we will change the boot order by selecting the Solus system image drive (USB/DVD). Now the computer will boot from the system image and Solus would be launched, if it is not launched that will appear on the screen. Where we have to select start Solus.

Step 3: Install and setup

Now that we have launched a live system image of Solus, we will go to the left bottom of the screen and click the button that says Launch Install OS, to actually complete the Solus installation on our system.

Step 4: Select Language

Now the first thing that installer is asking is to select the language for our system. Here we would select English (United Stated) and click next.

Step 5: Choose the Location

Now we need to check whether we want our feed our location automatically in the system or not. Providing location automatically is usually helpful to speed some services, therefore we would select the checkbox and click next.

Step 6: Select the Keyboard

Here we need to select the keyboard layout that we use. For most people, it is English (US), so we would select that and move ahead.

Step 7: Select the Timezone

We would provide our time zone here, so that system could show time and date accordingly.

Step 8: Select the Disk

In this screen, we have to select the disk where we want to install Solus. You can select the disk of your choice and it will be formatted and partitioned accordingly.

Step 9: Select the Disk Configuration

Following the Disk selection, we get the option to use Logical Volume Management in our installation. It allows users to resize the disk space in an easier way rather than having to unmount it and convert it to a live disk. This option would not of much use, so we can level the check-box unselected and click next.

Step 10: Select the System Setting

In this part, we will provide a name to our computer on which we are installing Solus (Install a bootloader, must be checked), and move ahead.

Step 11: Create the Users

Now, we need to create an administrator user of the system by filling all these details and click add now. After it is done you can create another user who will use this system or click next.

Step 12: Select Summary

Here we get to see a summary of all the options we have selected for the installation, after reviewing them all we will click the install button. It will ask for confirmation that you want to delete all the data that is currently on the selected disk and install Solus.

Step 13: Install Solus

The installation will take a few moments and after it is done we need to restart our system. One thing to remember while rebooting the system is that we must remove the installation media USB or DVD so that it does not boot again from the ISO file.