First Boot Checklist

Essential tasks after a fresh Ubuntu-based install: fix missing user directories, update packages, install core tools, and create a Timeshift snapshot.

Beginner Verified Working Updated 3 min read Tested on Linux Mint 22.3 Cinnamon (Ubuntu 24.04 Noble base); also tested on Zorin OS 18.1 Pro Hardware Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 (Intel i5-1135G7, 16GB RAM, Intel Iris Xe, 1366x768)

Overview

A fresh Linux install needs a short round of setup before you start using it: restore any missing user directories, bring the system fully up to date, create a first Timeshift snapshot as a restore point, and install a handful of essential tools. This checklist walks through those steps in order — the whole thing takes about fifteen minutes.

The Problem (Windows User Perspective)

After a fresh Windows install, you run Windows Update and you’re mostly done. After a fresh Linux install, there are a few things to check and fix — most importantly, some default user directories may be missing, and you should set up system snapshots before making any changes.

Step 1 — Fix Missing User Directories

Sometimes the Files sidebar may show shortcuts to folders like Music, Pictures, or Videos that don’t actually exist on disk. On most Linux desktops (GNOME, Cinnamon, and others), clicking a missing shortcut produces:

“Unable to find ‘/home/mohsin/Music’. Please check the spelling and try again.”

Fix — create all standard directories:

mkdir -p ~/Desktop ~/Downloads ~/Templates ~/Public ~/Documents ~/Music ~/Pictures ~/Videos

Then update the XDG config:

xdg-user-dirs-update --force

Note: xdg-user-dirs-update without --force only updates the config file — it won’t create missing folders. Always use --force or create them manually with mkdir.

If directories still don’t appear in the sidebar, try:

rm ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs
xdg-user-dirs-update --force

Then log out and log back in.

Step 2 — Update Everything

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Run this immediately after first boot, then once a week as a habit. It’s the Linux equivalent of Windows Update but faster and non-disruptive.

Step 3 — Set Up Timeshift (System Snapshots)

Timeshift is included on some Ubuntu-based flavors. If it is available on your system, create your first snapshot before making any other changes — this gives you a clean restore point.

sudo timeshift-gtk

See the Timeshift Guide for full setup instructions.

Step 4 — Install Essential Tools

# Build tools (needed for compiling software from source)
sudo apt install build-essential git curl wget -y

# System monitoring
sudo apt install htop -y

# Hardware sensors
sudo apt install lm-sensors -y
sudo sensors-detect  # press Enter for all defaults

Step 5 — Check Display Server

Verify whether you’re running Wayland or X11:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

If it says x11, you’re on Xorg. If wayland, you’re on Wayland. See the Display Server Guide for when and why to switch.

Step 6 — Check for Additional Drivers

Ubuntu-based distros usually handle common drivers automatically, but verify:

  1. Open Software & Updates from your app menu
  2. Go to the Additional Drivers tab
  3. Install any recommended proprietary drivers (especially for NVIDIA GPUs)

Optional: Set Hostname

# Check current hostname
hostname

# Set a new one
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname my-thinkpad

Summary Checklist

  • Fix missing user directories (mkdir -p)
  • Run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
  • Set up Timeshift and create first snapshot
  • Install build-essential, git, curl, htop, lm-sensors
  • Check display server (X11 vs Wayland)
  • Check Additional Drivers in Software & Updates
  • Set hostname (optional)
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