Linux Mint is at the forefront of making Linux accessible to beginners switching from other operating systems.
Luckily, installing Linux Mint on a PC or virtual machine is easier than you might think.
Here’s everything you’re gonna wanna know to get started.
Which one you choose depends on the desktop you want to install.
Linux Mint offers three official flavors of the OS: Cinnamon, MATE, and XFCE.
Cinnamon is the flagship variant of Linux Mint andoffers extreme customizability out of the box.
MATE is a desktop environment based on GNOME 2.
It’s light on resources and is much faster when compared to Cinnamon.
If you’re looking for a snappier Linux experience, you should go for the third flavor: XFCE.
Apart from being lightweight and highly customizable, there are several otherreasons to choose XFCE over other desktop environments.
Once you’ve decided which Linux Mint flavor to install, download its ISO image from the official website.
you’ve got the option to use Rufus on Windows andbalenaEtcher on macOSand Linux.
With the bootable USB in place, you oughta kickstart your box andboot using the newly created USB.
Proceed to the next step when you see the Linux Mint boot menu.
you could use hypervisors likeVirtualBox, VMware, or Hyper-Vto create a virtual machine for Linux Mint.
After creating a Linux Mint VM, start up the virtual machine and proceed to the next step.
You’ll see a Linux Mint logo on the screen after which you’ll be taken to the desktop.
Basic Configurations
When you’re ready to proceed, double-click theInstall Linux Mintdesktop icon.
Once you see the installer window, select your preferred language from the left sidebar and clickContinue.
On the following screen, choose your keyboard layout.
you’re able to also test out the selected layout by typing into the given field.
Once done, clickContinueto move to the next screen.
Linux Mint gives you the choice to install additional multimedia codes that add support for more media formats.
It’s always a good option to check that off and hitContinue.
Either way, clickInstall Nowto begin the installation process.
The installer will notify you of the changes it’ll make to the disk.
If you’re sure and want to proceed, clickContinueto approve the operation.
Next, select your time zone from the graphical map and clickContinue.
Confirm your password by typing it again in the corresponding field.
it’s possible for you to also choose toenable automatic loginby checking off theLog in automaticallyoption.
The default option will require your password to enter.
With all the details in place, clickContinueto proceed with the installation.
you might now check out your newly installed Linux environment.
And that’s exactly how you should learn to use Linux too.
