Perform a clean install if you want to run the OS on a computer or virtual machine; restore a system that has been corrupted; or to upgrade the OS from a prior LTS.
Please read the disclaimer before proceeding. We review and update guided solutions regularly. If you have suggestions or requests, please write support@kfocus.org.
As the name suggests, KFS 24.04 LTS is a system image that provides the Kubuntu 24.04 LTS OS and a suite of software that adds convenience, performance, and reliability features that are impractical to add to Kubuntu directly:
KFS 24.04 LTS is the latest recommended and supported system image for Focus hardware. It was extensively validated and approved for all Focus models shipped since 2019. It is also continuously validated on all models sold within the last 3 years. See the Support Matrix for more details.
While we can’t validate for all other hardware, VMs and other devices can still benefit from the substantial testing, sophisticated tools, curated apps, and expert articles[1].
Get highly-tested and robust Kubuntu Focus Tools.
The minimum system requirements for physical hardware is the same as for all official flavors of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, as shown here. You should have the following to proceed:
The system requirements for virtual machines are similar to the requirements for physical devices. Here is some additional advice when using VirtualBox:
Type: Linux
and Version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
. The ISO Image:
field should show <not selected>
. Press the Next button to proceed.Settings > System > Motherboard > Enable EFI
.*ERROR* vmwgfx seems to be running on an unsupported hypervisor ... *ERROR* This configuration is likely broken
. These messages can be safely ignored./home
partition, mistakes happen. This guide shows important data we recommend you back up, just in case.[F7]
to see the BIOS list of bootable disks. If this doesn't work, you might tap [F2]
or [ESC]
and select the boot drive in the BIOS. In either case, boot from the USB flash drive. The name of this drive will depend on the brand of drive you use.Try or Install Kubuntu
option.[Try Kubuntu]
and [Install Kubuntu]
options. If this does not occur after 2 minutes, reboot the system and try using the Start Kubuntu (safe graphics)
option.[Try Kubuntu]
. The Live Boot environment will start with a full Kubuntu desktop.Install Kubuntu 24.04 LTS
. Follow the instructions on the screen./home
or /srv/data
mount. If this is desirable, click [ Yes ]
. Otherwise, click [ No ]
./home
or /srv/data
partition. If you need something more complex, you can use manual partitioning, which is discussed below.[ > Next ]
at the bottom right.Erase disk
option and use the defaults. This option also works if you have chosen to install in OEM mode and have a second disk, as discussed in the previous section.Encrypt system
checkbox in the lower half of the installer window. You will need to provide a secure passphrase. DO NOT FORGET THE PASSPHRASE YOU CREATE, as it cannot be recovered./home
partition on a single disk, please continue to “Manual Partitioning”.Manual partitioning
.Storage device
drop-down at the top of the screen. If the installer shows partitions already on the disk, make sure this is the correct disk!/home
on a separate partition so they can reinstall the OS without touching their data. Others like to mount a data disk in a location like /srv/data
.EXT4
file system if you need fast and reliable storage.BTRFS
file system ONLY if you want snapshots AND you know how to manage this file system. Otherwise, please stick with EXT4
.(/)
, and /boot
. No other partitions are snapshotted, even if they are BTRFS
.Next
to proceed with your chosen partition layout.
Partitions for System Rollback | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mount Point | File System | Size | Can be Encrypted? | Optional Label | Flags |
/boot/efi | FAT32 | 300 MiB | NO | boot | |
/boot | BTRFS | 4 GiB | NO | kfocus_boot | |
/ | BTRFS | Min: 32 GiB Prefer: > 120 | Yes | kfocus_2404 | |
Do NOT change the size of any partition where an exact size is specified. |
If you have multiple disks and proceeded with the OEM install mode, this section will be relevant. Otherwise, it does not apply and you may skip to the next section.
Once you boot into OEM mode, the desktop will appear. You should see the “Multi-Disk Configuration Tool” (the MDCT), which you will want to use now to set up your second disk. The MDCT is available only while in OEM configuration mode.
The MDCT provides the option to use one of the disks to store user home directories or general data. You may erase and reformat the disk, or reuse it and keep the existing data.
If the root disk is unencrypted, then the MDCT requires that any secondary disk also be unencrypted. If you are trying to reuse an encrypted secondary disk, make sure to install the OS with encryption enabled.
After the disks are set up, the system will reconfigure itself for the hardware and then offer to reboot. Please reboot immediately as suggested. After a reboot and a return to the desktop, you may see the first run wizard, which you should ignore. Double click Prepare for Shipping
icon in the top-left corner of the desktop to finalize the setup. Then reboot. You will be guided through setting up your user account at startup.
Start Menu > Kubuntu Focus Tools > Welcome Wizard
.Start Menu > Kubuntu Focus Tools > Disk Passphrase Changer.
All software has bugs and limitations. Before you proceed, please review the following known issues. Always back up your data before install. If you are not running on supported Focus hardware, also run a live session to verify compatibility before proceeding.
This is a partial revision history. See the git
repository for all entries.
2024-12-06 793c9019
Enhance install instructions2024-12-02 e4e3fe4b
Chronological sections2024-09-19 563954bf
Add section for VirtualBox 72024-08-23 72f0bb01
Include guide for multi-disk setups2024-07-30 0ea98a61
Add collapsible section for 24.04 Changelog2024-07-16 18b25e9a
Update for to latest 24.04 ISO2024-06-06 5b0ea29b
Update for Noble2023-11-18 e770b1c6
Add search and help bar2023-04-25 19f0fa02
Update Ir14g1, M2g52022-12-14 984993c4
Add Link to clean-install backup advice2022-07-11 19b39e5a
Add 22.04 Known Issues2022-06-20 abff0762
Add 22.04 LTS details2022-01-24 e6c509c6
Add option details and images to ISO guide2021-10-25 7bf9f4a5
Remove VM and use ISO exclusively2021-10-10 5728326e
Reformat to 2-column2021-09-22 dc862884
Update link and headline colors2021-08-23 681261b4
Review and update codeblocks2021-06-09 ef3ea572
Open external links in new tabs2021-04-22 5109fae2
Update to use ISO for this solution2021-01-11 dcc9c438
Add install-focal.sh script2020-06-10 c4ed9299
Restructure layout2020-05-20 f776dc20
Remove proprietary install option2020-04-20 8959836b
Use apt-get, streamline process2020-04-20 7b06252b
First publication2020-04-14 5a096eb3
Clarify VM use[1] The Kubuntu Focus team uses the Suite regularly on over a dozen different hardware configurations. These include the official models (Ir14, Ir16, M1, M2, NX, XE), other laptops, and desktop systems.
[2] The Live environment does not have the NVIDIA drivers installed and, as such, cannot perform advanced GPU-intensive tasks, such as machine learning and AI development. To use these features, the Kubuntu Focus Suite and the kfocus-nvidia
package must be installed on a Kubuntu Focus M1 or M2 system.
We try hard to provide a useful solution validated by professionals. However, we cannot anticipate every situation, and therefore cannot guarantee this procedure will work for your needs. Always backup your data and test the solution to determine the correct procedure for you.
THIS SOLUTION IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOLUTION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
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