Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Clean Install Dell XPS 13 9305 UEFI BIOS with Secure Boot and MOK

Ubuntu by Canonical is the Linux distribution with most support from hardware vendors. Dell in particular test a large proportion of their hardware with Ubuntu. In this video I go through a Clean Install on Ubuntu 22.04 Long Term Support (LTS) on a Dell XPS 13 9305 Laptop (11th Generation Intel Processor) using a UEFI BIOS and Secure Boot and WD19TB Thunderbolt Dock. The SATA Operation must be changed to AHCI as Ubuntu does not support a RAID SATA Operation and does not include a Linux Intel VMD Driver.

Ubuntu 23.04 is now out:
A Clean Install of Linux Ubuntu 23.04...

Written Guide:
https://dellwindowsreinstallationguid...

0:00 Making a UEFI Bootable USB on Windows
2:10 Making a UEFI Bootable USB on Ubuntu
3:00 UEFI BIOS Settings (XPS 9305)*
7:40 BIOS Update
8:28 Booting from a Ubuntu Live USB
9:13 Installing Ubuntu
10:08 Configure Secure Boot
12:06 First Time Boot and Machine Owner Key (MOK) Management
13:45 Software Update
15:20 Appearance Settings (GNOME)
17:18 Multi-Monitor Configuration
20:03 2 in 1 Convertible Touchscreen Devices (XPS 9365)
27:10 Software Store

* Make Sure Secure Boot is On. This will mean you are using a UEFI Boot with Secure Boot. Remove Old Boot Entries, ensure that the SATA Operation is AHCI and optionally configure Dell Data Wipe (this is in the Security Tab of newer models and the Maintenance Tab of older models). If you are not prompted to connect to a network during the Ubuntu install. Ubuntu may not be able to fully initialsie your Wireless Card. Update your BIOS using a USB flash drive from the Boot Menu. If that does not work. Switch on the Airplane Switch for your Wireless Card, then power down. Power up and change the Fast Boot Post Behaviour from Minimal to Thorough. Switch on the Airplane Switch.


For a complete UEFI install including codecs and third party drivers, we need to set up a Machine Owner Key (MOK) to allow it to pass Secure Boot.

I then move over to a Dell XPS 13 9365 Convertible 2 in 1 Touchscreen Device (7th Generation Intel Processor) to check the performance of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with Touchscreen systems.

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is a significant improvement over Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. It has a new kernel with new drivers for example for Thunderbolt Docks. The system can not dock and undock unlike in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS where the system froze. The kernel has a NTFS driver and an updated display driver model. This new display driver model essentially allows for multiple monitor configurations, for example use of a high DPI laptop screen and standard DPI desktop monitor. In the past the same DPI needed to be used across both screens, essentially making one unusable.

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS has a snap only application store. These install programs, with all their dependencies sandboxed. The Firefox Browser preinstalled works properly with a 2 in 1 Touchscreen Device unlike in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS where it used a mouse and keyboard only input method. I test this browser with the updated touchscreen keyboard which includes emojis and use the XPS 13 2 in 1 in Laptop, Tent and Tablet Mode. The rotation sensor of the Laptop works with the GNOME Desktop as environment, auto-rotating the screen and touch input, although there is a minor issue if converted from a tablet to a laptop to quickly.

Unfortunately the Chromium browser and Chrome browser (built upon Chromium), input address bar and input search bar do not call up the onscreen keyboard... As the touchscreen keyboard can not be manually called up using a button, this makes them unusable in tent mode or tablet mode without an external keyboard. A partial workaround to this is to install GNOME Extension manager from the Ubuntu Software Store. In the GNOME Extension manager, install Improved Onscreen Keyboard. Change the settings to show the statusbar icon, this will display an icon to the top right which you can use to manually invoke the onscreen keyboard. Unfortunately this statusbar icon will only work when the onscreen keyboard is also enabled in the Accessibility Menu.

Although the Ubuntu Store is snap only we can install software using the traditional advance package tool (apt) using the terminal or by use of a Debian (.deb) package. snap installs can also be carried out in the terminal. I give an example of all of these installation possibilities and look at installing commonly used browsers Firefox, Chromium and Chrome, commonly used office suites Libre Office and Only Office Desktop Editors, commonly used image applications such as gimp, krita and kolourpaint. A commonly used screen-recording software such as Vokoscreen and a commonly used video editor such as kdenlite (please add more suggestions in the comments).

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Terminal Commands:
Essential Terminal Commands for Ubunt...
Making a Windows 8.1/10/11 UEFI Bootable USB (within Ubuntu 22.04 LTS):
Video

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