FYI - The Linux Mint operating system

[SlowBowinMO]

I have a dead lap top I'm seriously considering putting a new hard drive in and trying to put some type of Linux operating system on.  Bad idea?

Not sure I could get the download right, but it looks like the last (previous) version is the most current available on CD.  Not sure what I'm gonna do.  

[Missing Impossible]

@ SlowBowinMO, Per the users guide pdf on the mint download page, I used this  http://infrarecorder.org/

to burn the image.  I could not get Nero to burn the iso image for me.  I also found this page which gives several common add-ons that should make linux easier to transition to from windows.   http://how2forge.net/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-8-helena

[Rob DiStefano]

tim, just go for it - once you've been minted, it's very hard to go back to windows and all it's nasty hacker issues.

the absolute hardest part of any linux os is burning the iso download to create the install disc.  i've wasted about a dozen cd/dvd discs getting the dang thing to verify correctly (see my post above on mint verification).  not all iso burning progs work well.  always burn at the slowest speed possible.  

if you can't seem to get the iso to burn to a verified install disc, best to just spend the $10 and get the disc delivered.  once you have the install disc, you can easily make as many copies of it as you like.  backing up an install disc is never a problem - burning an iso file to create an install disc is the problem.

also, the linux mint iso can be 'burned' to a flash drive (1gig is all that's needed) - this means no wasted discs if there are iso burning issues.  you just set your pc's boot sequence to allow for booting from a flash drive.

[SlowBowinMO]

Still playing with this in my spare time (hah hah what's that?!)  I see an iso file that's 688 mg and a KDE file that 1.08 gigs...which one do I want on my flash drive?

What's fluxbox?  Do I need that too?

Thanks, Tim

[Rob DiStefano]

you want to download the linux mint 8 main edition (iso file) ....

 http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/linuxmint.com/stable/8/LinuxMint-8.iso

... after doing so, here's the page that shows how to create a full working copy of linux mint 8 on a flash drive ...

 http://www.pendrivelinux.com/create-a-linux-mint-8-usb-flash-drive-from-cd/

what fluxbox?  don't need no steenkin' fluxbox.  :D

[jack benson]

Just noticed this thread. Been using Mint for a long time as dual boot with Win 7. A few weeks ago, I needed (at least I thought I did)to run Win and since I had not used it in a while...it went to autoupdate itself...after which it was corrupted.

Trying to re-install Win in its partition, it took over the entire drive and wiped my Linux and data (thank God for back ups!). I took it as a sign and re-installed Mint 10 and have given up Windoze forever.

FWIW: I thought I needed MS to deal with my GPS and Audible audio books...both which work perfectly and install easily under WINE.

You do not need MS for anything and Mint is and has been a super OS. Those who use the Windows versions of Firefox, Thunderbird (email) and Open Office will have no problems doing 99% of what we all use computers for as they work the same (or better) under Linux.

jack

[Rob DiStefano]

i'd truly be lost without linux mint - it's that good.

[JohnnyWayne]

Don't forget guys you can run a Virtual Machine to check out other operating systems or if you have any programs that have to run with a certain OS without going the whole dual-boot thing      

I have been using VMware but Oracle has one that is open source though I have yet to test it, more info is available here:   http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/VirtualBox

Currently with my win7 box as the base I am running mac os panther (shhhh, not supposed to be doing that), 2 flavors of ubuntu and a security-centric version of linux called BackTrack which is used for penetration testing.

It's a great way to test operating systems without much "fear of repercussion" that can come from messing around with boot partitions