Install Fedora 34

How to install Fedora 34 KDE

Installing Fedora 34 KDE Edition

Fedora is a Linux distribution developed by the community supported Fedora Project which is sponsored primarily by Red Hat, a subsidiary of IBM. A new release of Fedora is released every six months. Each release is supported for a 13 month period. After 13 months, you will need to upgrade. The upgrade process is simple to use providing you have a reasonable fast internet connection. Fedora is a favourite of system administrators as it ships with the latest versions of software. In this installation guide, I will be installing Fedora 34 KDE Plasma edition. However, many other desktops are available such as XFCE, LXQT, MATE-Compiz, Cinnamon, and LXDE. The desktops mentioned are available from the Fedora spins website, however, the standard workstation edition can be downloaded from Workstation Edition. In the KDE edition, the following software is included, Libre Office (A Full Office Suite), Kmail email client, Dragon Player video player, Elisa music payer and the Firefox web browser.

To try Fedora 34, click on the following link and follow the Instructions: Fedora Spins - KDE

Once you have downloaded your version of Fedora 34, you will need to burn this iso image to a DVD. For DVD burning software, search for "dvd iso burning software" in the search box located above. Your system may already come with the necessary CD/DVD burning software installed such as "Brasero, K3B, Nero, CDBurnerXP or Roxio". Once you have successfully burned your chosen "iso" image of Fedora 34, you will need to leave the DVD in the DVD drive and reboot your system (assuming this is your intended installation target). If you are installing to a "Virtual" environment, simply copy the downloaded "iso" image to a folder that can be accessed by your virtualisation software. If you are going to install from a USB stick, you can make a bootable USB stick by using the software: Bootable USB Software.

If you are booting from a DVD or USB stick, you may need to modify your system's BIOS settings. This can be done as the system starts by pressing the appropriate key. On many systems this key will be "F8", "F11" , "F12" or another key. Most systems display a message indicating which key needs to be pressed when they are booted. Once you have access to your BIOS settings, you will need to modify the boot order (sequence) that your system goes through. You will need to specify CD/DVD as the first boot option (before your hard drive) or USB device if booting from a USB stick. Once you have made this change, you can reboot your system and follow the instructions below.

Start Fedora KDE Live

Once your system has booted, you will be greeted with a welcome screen similar to the one below. At this screen you have to select the option "Start Fedora-KDE-Live 34". The system will now boot up into a Live desktop.

Live Desktop

The "Live Desktop" is a fully working Fedora 34 environment. here you can take a look at the system before you install the software to one of your storage drives. To start the installation process, click on the icon in the upper left hand corner of the screen "Install to Hard Drive"

Language Select

The following screen allows you to select the language used during your installation. In the example, I have chosen "English" and "English (United Kingdom)". Once you have made your choices, click continue.

Installation Summary

At the installation summary screen you will need to confirm your configuration settings and click on any items that are highlighted and need your attention. From this screen, you can configure your systems hostname, root password, create a local user, configure your keyboard, set your time zone and create your disk partition layout. The following steps will take you through this process.

Keyboard

From this screen you can choose your keyboard settings. These are normally selected automatically if you have a connected internet connection. If you wish to add a different keyboard, you can click on the plus arrow "+" in the lower left hand corner. The up and down arrow keys will then let you specify which will be the primary keyboard settings.

Time and Date

The following screen allows you to select your geographic location. If you have an active internet connection, this is normally identified for you. If you wish to change the region or city settings, use the pull down arrow buttons. In the upper right hand corner, you will also notice settings that can be configured for automatic time synchronisation (NTP). If you need to add a time server, then select this option. Usually, this setting is configured for you if you have an active internet setting. The step below highlights the NTP setting area.

NTP

If you need to amend the default NTP sever, you can use this screen to add your own servers. Once you have made your selections, click on "OK", then click on "Done".

Installation Destination

This screen allows you to specify your disk configurations. In this example, I have gone with the default option of "automatic". You also have the option of encrypting your data. if you are using a mobile device such as a laptop or notebook, then it is recommended that you select this option and provide a password when requested. Once you have made your choices, click on done.

Network Hostname

At this screen you can specify the hostname of your server. A hostname is a unique name that identifies your server on your network. In the example, I have chosen "fedora01". Once you have entered your name, click apply. Note, the current hostname does not update when you click apply, however, your new name has been recorded!

Root Password

At this screen, you must specify a root password to be used on your system. If you provide a weak password, you will be asked to press done twice to confirm.

Create User

At this screen you have to create a local user account. You can also select to make this user an administrator of your system. It is advisable to always check the option "require password to use this account".

Begin Installation

Once you have configured all the options, click on "Begin Installation" to start the installation phase.

Installation Progress

At this next phase, no further action is required. Progress of your installation is indicated.

Finished Reboot

Once your installation has completed, you will need to reboot your system to start using Fedora 34.

Login Screen

At the login screen, enter the password you created in the earlier steps to access your system.

Fedora Desktop

Congratulations, your system is now ready to be used.