Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Base Install

Intro

New system builds for Ubuntu 10.4 LTS 
This is the process we follow to install Ubuntu 10.4 LTS. Feel free to use this guide for yourself. 

PreInstall
 
1. Boot machine with the installer CD, English is already selected by default if that is fine then hit enter. 
2. Install Ubuntu Server is selected by default so just hit enter. 
3. English is selected by default so hit enter. 
4. United States is default so hit enter if that applies. 
5. Unless you need to change the keyboard layout select no. 
6. Select your keyboard origin, USA is default if that is you then just hit enter. 
7. Again hit enter if USA suits you. 
8. If you have two network cards installed you will be asked to choose one here. 
9. Choose cancel when it is trying to configure via DHCP, this way we can manually do it.(Unless you want to DHCP, if so skip the next few steps. 
10. Enter your IP address. 
11. Enter your netmask. 
12. Enter your gateway. 
13. Enter your nameserver. 
14. Enter your hostname, this is the www, mail, ftp portion of the domain name. 
15. Enter your domain name. 
16. It will try to auto configure your timezone. If it is correct then choose yes, if not then choose no and pick. 
17. This could be different according to the setup but typically choose Guided - use entire disk. 
18. Select your hard drive and hit enter. 
19. Confirm the changes and choose yes if everything looks good. Note that ext4 is installed by default in this version of Ubuntu. Chances are that is ok but just in case it is not then go hit no and go back and change that via the manual option in the partition setup screen. 
20. Time for some good ole fashion waiting. 
21. You will be asked to enter the name, username and password of a new user. Remember this password as it will be needed to allow root to log in. 
22. You will have to choose whether or not you want your home directory encrypted. Choose no as this will not really matter. 
23. If you are not behind a proxy then hit tab and enter on continue. 
24. Choose No automatic updates. 
25. Here you can choose which packages you want to install. Typically make sure OpenSSh server is select and then continue, unless you really want to install other packages here but those can be installed just as easy from a commandline. 
26. Choose yes on Install the GRUB boot loader. 
27. Installation is complete, hit enter. 

After boot loader is installed, system will prompt to reboot, at this time the CD is to be removed (sometimes the CD will be ejected by the installer), and system rebooted. 

Postinstall

All the initial setup is complete. Now the security of the server needs to be tightened before we have the machine up for the customer, and the remainder of the base packages need to be installed and upgraded. 

1. Login as the user you created. 
2. Enter 'sudo passwd root' at prompt. 
3. Enter the password of the user and then enter the password for the root account. 
4. Remove the user that you were prompted to add during installation with this command 'deluser username'. 
5. Everything is done, enjoy your freshly installed OS!