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Linux Mint Essentials
Linux Mint Essentials

Linux Mint Essentials: A practical guide to Linux Mint for the novice to the professional

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Linux Mint Essentials

Chapter 2. Creating Boot Media and Installing Linux Mint

During the installation process, you'll need to make various decisions about how to configure your system. These decisions might include determining your partitioning scheme and deciding whether or not to encrypt your home folder. Linux Mint, like most distributions, offers several ways in which you can configure it during installation. Mint can be installed on your hard drive by replacing the operating system that came with your computer, or it can be installed alongside existing operating systems or even on USB flash drives and virtual machines. In fact, Linux Mint can be used from bootable media (such as a DVD or flash drive) without wiping your hard drive. In this chapter, we'll go through most of the common installation scenarios and best practices. By the end of this chapter, you'll have your very own Linux Mint installation that you'll use to follow along with the remainder of the book.

In this...

Which version to download

As mentioned in Chapter 1, Meet Linux Mint, there are several versions (or spins) of Linux Mint. The primary difference is that each version features a different primary user interface (Cinnamon, MATE, KDE, and Xfce), but the differences don't stop there. The preinstalled applications also differ a bit between them.

Before you decide which spin to download, the first decision you should make is whether or not to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version. As a general rule, you should choose the 64-bit version if you have 4 GB or more of RAM. Considering that almost all computers sold at the time of writing this book shipped with 4 GB or more of RAM, the majority of readers should download the 64-bit edition. If you have an older computer with less than 4 GB of RAM and you have no intention of upgrading beyond 4 GB later, go with the 32-bit version of Mint. The version you choose will not impact your ability to follow along with this book in any way whatsoever.

Note...

The different methods of installing Linux Mint

Most operating systems are typically installed on your primary hard disk, and that's pretty much your only option. Linux (including Mint) is much more flexible and offers more options to install and use any given distribution. In the case of Mint, it can also take over your entire hard disk just like any other OS, but the fun doesn't stop here. Mint can also be installed on a USB flash drive (either as boot media or even as a full-fledged installation), which then becomes an operating environment in your pocket that you can take with you and use on any PC. Mint can also be installed on a virtual machine or alongside another operating system, thus allowing you to select between them when your computer starts up.

In fact, Mint doesn't have to be installed at all. The installation media you'll create is useful for more than just installing the distribution; you can even run Mint from the DVD or USB flash drive itself without...

Creating a bootable DVD

The current activity as well as the next one will walk you through the creation of your very own bootable media. This activity will walk you through the creation of a bootable DVD, and the next one will cover the creation of a bootable flash drive. However, you only need to complete one or the other (not both). Whether you should create a bootable DVD or flash drive depends on your needs, what you hope to accomplish, and what kind of hardware you have.

Live DVDs are very useful boot discs that will work on the majority of computers made in the last several years. However, optical drives are no longer a standard requirement on computers shipped today. While most computers still come with a DVD drive, more and more computers are being manufactured without them. For example, if you were to buy an Ultrabook, a live DVD would be useless to you because few (if any) Ultrabooks come with an optical drive. At the time of writing this book, Apple has discontinued optical drives...

Creating a bootable USB flash drive

Creating a bootable USB flash drive has the same benefits as creating a bootable DVD plus one. You can create a bootable flash drive where the changes you make are retained (persistence), unlike a DVD, which is entirely read only. Thus, you can have an entire operating system that fits in your pocket and can be booted from any PC. Depending on the type of computer you have, creating a bootable flash drive may be your only option if you lack a DVD drive, as is becoming more and more common. It's recommended that you use a 2 GB flash drive or a larger one. If you want your resulting flash drive to allow you to save files and changes, try to go for 4 GB or larger if you can.

The steps to create a bootable flash drive from within the Windows operating system are as follows:

  1. Access the pendrivelinux.com website in your browser.
  2. Look for Universal USB Installer and download it. At the time of writing this book, the direct URL is http://www.pendrivelinux.com...

Testing your live media

By now, I bet you're itching to create your very own Linux Mint installation. However, as mentioned earlier, it's important to test out any Linux distribution before installing it. One of the major benefits of live media is that it gives you a chance to see how well Mint will handle your specific computer. Take a moment to boot into the live environment and test out your hardware to ensure that everything works. For example, if you have a wireless card, make sure that you're able to connect to a wireless network. In addition, listen to audio and playback video (YouTube is a good test of the latter) to make sure the multimedia functions properly. If there are any other things that are important to you, test those too before installing them. In this way, you'll be able to discover any possible issues and identify fixes or work-arounds before you remove your existing operating system.

If you have any issues with Mint while using the live media, a...

Which version to download


As mentioned in Chapter 1, Meet Linux Mint, there are several versions (or spins) of Linux Mint. The primary difference is that each version features a different primary user interface (Cinnamon, MATE, KDE, and Xfce), but the differences don't stop there. The preinstalled applications also differ a bit between them.

Before you decide which spin to download, the first decision you should make is whether or not to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version. As a general rule, you should choose the 64-bit version if you have 4 GB or more of RAM. Considering that almost all computers sold at the time of writing this book shipped with 4 GB or more of RAM, the majority of readers should download the 64-bit edition. If you have an older computer with less than 4 GB of RAM and you have no intention of upgrading beyond 4 GB later, go with the 32-bit version of Mint. The version you choose will not impact your ability to follow along with this book in any way whatsoever.

Note

The...

The different methods of installing Linux Mint


Most operating systems are typically installed on your primary hard disk, and that's pretty much your only option. Linux (including Mint) is much more flexible and offers more options to install and use any given distribution. In the case of Mint, it can also take over your entire hard disk just like any other OS, but the fun doesn't stop here. Mint can also be installed on a USB flash drive (either as boot media or even as a full-fledged installation), which then becomes an operating environment in your pocket that you can take with you and use on any PC. Mint can also be installed on a virtual machine or alongside another operating system, thus allowing you to select between them when your computer starts up.

In fact, Mint doesn't have to be installed at all. The installation media you'll create is useful for more than just installing the distribution; you can even run Mint from the DVD or USB flash drive itself without installing it. This...

Creating a bootable DVD


The current activity as well as the next one will walk you through the creation of your very own bootable media. This activity will walk you through the creation of a bootable DVD, and the next one will cover the creation of a bootable flash drive. However, you only need to complete one or the other (not both). Whether you should create a bootable DVD or flash drive depends on your needs, what you hope to accomplish, and what kind of hardware you have.

Live DVDs are very useful boot discs that will work on the majority of computers made in the last several years. However, optical drives are no longer a standard requirement on computers shipped today. While most computers still come with a DVD drive, more and more computers are being manufactured without them. For example, if you were to buy an Ultrabook, a live DVD would be useless to you because few (if any) Ultrabooks come with an optical drive. At the time of writing this book, Apple has discontinued optical drives...

Creating a bootable USB flash drive


Creating a bootable USB flash drive has the same benefits as creating a bootable DVD plus one. You can create a bootable flash drive where the changes you make are retained (persistence), unlike a DVD, which is entirely read only. Thus, you can have an entire operating system that fits in your pocket and can be booted from any PC. Depending on the type of computer you have, creating a bootable flash drive may be your only option if you lack a DVD drive, as is becoming more and more common. It's recommended that you use a 2 GB flash drive or a larger one. If you want your resulting flash drive to allow you to save files and changes, try to go for 4 GB or larger if you can.

The steps to create a bootable flash drive from within the Windows operating system are as follows:

  1. Access the pendrivelinux.com website in your browser.

  2. Look for Universal USB Installer and download it. At the time of writing this book, the direct URL is http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal...

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Description

A task-oriented look at Linux Mint, using actual real-world examples to stimulate learning. Each topic is presented in an easy-to-follow order, with hands-on activities to reinforce the content. If you are starting out with Linux from a different platform or are well versed with Linux Mint and want a guide that shows you how to exploit certain functionality, this book is for you. No previous Linux experience is assumed.
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Publication date : May 22, 2014
Length: 324 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782168157
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Table of Contents

16 Chapters
1. Meet Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Creating Boot Media and Installing Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Getting Acquainted with Cinnamon Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. An Introduction to the Terminal Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Utilizing Storage and Media Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Installing and Removing Software Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Enjoying Multimedia on Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Managing Users and Permissions Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Connecting to Networks Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Securing Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Advanced Administration Techniques Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
12. Troubleshooting Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
A. Reinstalling Mint while Retaining Data Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
B. Using the MATE Edition of Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
C. Using the KDE Edition of Linux Mint Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.2
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A. Scataglia May 15, 2020
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great read for anyone new to Linux Mint. Author is very good, watch his YouTube videos all the time!!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Dr. R. R. Dartt Jul 20, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Truthfully I haven't loaded this distro yet but I certainly intend to in the near future. I have already read this book and refer back to it as I progress in my understanding of Linux's various systems. I'm learning on LUbuntu first and then will switch over to Linux Mint Mate and Cinnamon as these two are what I really desire in my computer after Windows XP PRO.Since this Book is up to date currently, it IS very interesting to me and easy to understand for the most part. Yes, I know that it is a costly Book but specialized information generally is. I certainly feel that its High cost is well worth the price. Thank you.
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ted schroeder Aug 01, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Very well written. covers a lot. I am still going thru it trying to learn Linux.
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Michael A. Johnson Dec 01, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Unlike the other book I read to introduce me to Mint, this author doesn't assume I have used Linux for years. I didn't have to go online to look anything up to understand his explanations. He assumes that (like 80% of computer users) that we just want to surf the internet, watch a movie or write a letter. Not find out how to rewrite the entire Linux system in computer language.
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Pieter May 28, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
The eBook (PDF) is a 12 MB download, Has a good chapter index and is clearly written. The title says its for Linux Mint but because its based on Ubuntu other novice users might be interested in the book to.Its starts with the many way’s to create a boot disk and what I realy liked what kinda desktop and menu’s you want to use. For Mint you have the option to look at and work with four different desktop environments KDE, Xfce, MATE and Cinnamon. They writer explains the difference between the four choices.After we have installed Linux Mint the book goes more into getting to know the Cinnamon environment because its most popular Mint flavour. At the end of the book the author takes the time to take a dive with you into MATE and the KDE version of Linux Mint.My conclusion:If you are a novice user or curious about the standard software, this book is for you. From chapter 11 on this gets interesting for the more experienced user. Its about securing, tweaking, updating and upgrading your Linux Mint version. Again, if you use an Ubuntu based Linux distro, this might also be learn full. Its well written and it will take you from a novice to a Linux Mint User who knows how the system will work.
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