Ditching Windows: Installing Pop!_OS on a Laptop

This tutorial walks through replacing Windows entirely with Pop!_OS, a Linux distribution built by System76. By the end you will have a clean, fast, encrypted Linux install with no trace of Windows left. I used a Dell Latitude 7430 but the process applies to most modern laptops.

Executive Summary

#

Pop!_OS is built on Ubuntu so it has broad software support, but System76 ships their own drivers and kernel patches that improve hardware compatibility out of the box. WiFi, Bluetooth, audio, and webcams work immediately after install on most hardware with no manual driver configuration required. The installer includes full disk encryption, which is important on a laptop that travels.

Prerequisites

#

• A laptop you want to install Pop!_OS on
• A USB drive, 8 GB or larger
• A second computer to create the bootable drive
• Balena Etcher installed on the second computer (etcher.balena.io)

Implementation

#

Step 1: Download Pop!_OS

#

Go to https://pop.system76.com and download the latest LTS release. If your laptop uses an Intel or AMD CPU with integrated graphics, download the Intel/AMD version. If it has an NVIDIA GPU, download the NVIDIA version instead. The download is an ISO file, roughly 2.5 GB.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

#

1. Open Balena Etcher
2. Click Flash from file and select the Pop!_OS ISO
3. Click Select target and choose your USB drive
4. Click Flash

This will erase everything on the USB drive. Safely eject it when finished.

Step 3: Configure the BIOS

#

Power on the laptop and press the BIOS key as soon as it starts. Dell laptops use F2. HP is usually F10, Lenovo is F1, and ASUS is Delete.

Disable Secure Boot

Find the Secure Boot setting under the Boot or Security section and set it to Disabled. Pop!_OS can work with Secure Boot on but disabling it avoids potential issues during install.

Set Boot Mode to UEFI

Confirm the boot mode is set to UEFI and not Legacy/BIOS mode. Pop!_OS requires UEFI.

Save your changes and exit. The laptop will restart.

Step 4: Boot from USB

#

With the USB drive plugged in, power on the laptop and press the one-time boot menu key as the logo appears. Dell uses F12, HP uses F9, Lenovo uses F12, and ASUS uses Esc. Select your USB drive from the list.

Step 5: Install Pop!_OS

#

Once the live environment loads, follow the installer prompts:

1. Select your language and keyboard layout
2. When asked about installation type, select Clean Install. This erases the entire drive and removes Windows completely.
3. When asked about encryption, select Encrypt. Create a strong decryption password. This password is required every time the laptop powers on before the OS loads, and protects all your data if the laptop is ever lost or stolen.
4. Confirm the installation and let it run. It takes about 10 minutes.

When it finishes, remove the USB drive when prompted and restart.

Step 6: First Boot and Disk Decryption

#

On first boot you will be prompted for your disk encryption password. Enter it and press Enter. Follow the initial setup prompts to create your user account. Use a strong password here too. This is your login password and is separate from the disk encryption password.

Step 7: Update the System

#

The ISO you downloaded may be weeks or months old. Run updates before doing anything else.

Open a terminal with Super + T and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

full-upgrade is required here rather than upgrade because it will remove packages to resolve conflicts, which is necessary for kernel and system-level updates to apply correctly.

When finished, restart:

sudo reboot

After the reboot, open the Pop!_Shop, go to the Installed tab, and click Update All if any OS updates are shown. These are System76-specific updates that come through their own channel. Restart again if prompted.

Step 8: Set Your Power Profile

#

Open Settings > Power & Battery. You will see three options:

• Extended battery life — reduced power, good for long sessions on battery
• Balanced — good for everyday use on battery
• High performance — best when plugged in

Set it to High performance when plugged in and Balanced on battery. Pop!_OS does not switch automatically so make it a habit to check when you plug in or unplug.

Step 9: Map a Network Share (Optional)

#

If you store files on a NAS or home server, you can map a network share so it appears as a folder in your file manager.

Open the Files app and click Other Locations in the left sidebar. In the address bar at the bottom, enter:

smb://YOUR-SERVER-IP/your-share-name

Enter your credentials when prompted and check Remember password to reconnect automatically.

Lab Notes & Troubleshooting

#

WiFi or hardware not working after install. Open a terminal and run sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y to make sure all drivers are current. The Pop!_OS Reddit community and System76 support forums are good places to look for model-specific fixes.

The laptop will not boot from USB. Confirm Secure Boot is disabled and boot mode is UEFI in the BIOS. Use the one-time boot menu key to manually select the USB drive rather than changing the permanent boot order.

I forgot my disk encryption password. There is no recovery option for full disk encryption. The data on the drive is not accessible without the password. This is why choosing something memorable matters.

The installer does not show a Clean Install option. Make sure you booted from the USB drive and are in the live environment, not trying to run the installer from within Windows.

Summary

#

You now have a clean Pop!_OS install with full disk encryption, all hardware working, and no Windows. The system is fully updated and ready to use. From here, explore the Pop!_Shop for software, set up your network share if needed, and get familiar with the terminal for system management.