Monday, April 29, 2013
Taking Linux Mint for a Test Drive
BACK UP, BABY! BACKUP!!! - Before you take the plunge with trying Linux on your Laptop, PC or workstation, be sure you either have a spare machine with your Windows OS installed on it and all of your important files backed up. (There's nothing worse than trying something new and having something go wrong during the process of trying something new and not being able to go back to how it was before.)
TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Linux Mint (Download Linux Mint) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)
TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Linux Mint (Download Linux Mint) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)
- What you need to do is download the ISO file of the version of Linux Mint you want to use based on whether your hardware is 64-bit or 32-bit onto your Laptop.
- Then you need to download this program called Universal USB Installer (Download UUI) to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB.
- Follow the instructions of the UUI site to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB OR you can use the Wubi from either the Linux Mint Download sites.
- After you are done creating the LIVE CD, DVD or USB. Shut down your Windows Laptop.
- Plug in your CD, DVD or USB.
- Turn on your Laptop.
- Hit whatever key brings you to the BIOS on your Laptop. Mine was <F12>.
 |
| The Linux Mascot (aka TUX) |
- Select the Linux Mint from the Options menu and Voila!!! You're off and running Linux Mint.
Taking Ubuntu for a Test Drive
BACK UP, BABY! BACKUP!!! - Before you take the plunge with trying Linux on your Laptop, PC or workstation, be sure you either have a spare machine with your Windows OS installed on it and all of your important files backed up. (There's nothing worse than trying something new and having something go wrong during the process of trying something new and not being able to go back to how it was before.)
TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Ubuntu (Download Ubuntu) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) for versions earlier than 13.04 or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)
TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Ubuntu (Download Ubuntu) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) for versions earlier than 13.04 or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)
- What you need to do is download the ISO file of the version of Ubuntu you want to use based on whether your hardware is 64-bit or 32-bit onto your Laptop.
- Then you need to download this program called Universal USB Installer (Download UUI) to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB.
- Follow the instructions of the UUI site to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB OR you can use the Wubi from either the Ubuntu Download site.
- After you are done creating the LIVE CD, DVD or USB. Shut down your Windows Laptop.
- Plug in your CD, DVD or USB.
- Turn on your Laptop.
- Hit whatever key brings you to the BIOS on your Laptop. Mine was <F12>.
|
| The Linux Mascot (aka TUX) |
- At the Welcome Screen, select your Language at the left and click on the on Button that says "Try Ubuntu" and...
- Voila!!! You're off and running Ubuntu.
Installing and Configuring Apps in Linux Mint
In Linux Mint, there are 3 ways to install applications:
For some applications which are not found in Software Manager, you may be instructed by the Developers who created the applications to use the Terminal Emulator to install their applications.
- Software Manager -This is the easiest way to install most applications on Linux Mint. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Menu
- Clicking on Software Manager
- Entering your password at the Dialog box prompt
- Synaptic Package Manager - This is another way to install applications at a package component level, which makes it easier for Developers or System Administrators to review software components which are missing and need to be installed. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Menu
- Clicking on System
- Clicking on Synaptic Package Manager
- Terminal Emulator- This is the quickest way to install applications and missing software package components for more Technical users. It is very similar to the DOS Command Prompt in Windows. Users enter commands to execute processes within the operating system, including the installation of software. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Menu
- Clicking on Terminal Emulator
- As for configuring applications in Linux Mint, most of the time, you can use the applications within Settings to change how your operating system looks and behaves. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Menu
- Clicking on Settings
Alternatively, it is possible to configure applications by executing commands with Terminal Emulator.
For some applications which are not found in Software Manager, you may be instructed by the Developers who created the applications to use the Terminal Emulator to install their applications.
Installing and Configuring Apps in Ubuntu
In Ubuntu, there are 3 ways to install applications:
For some applications which are not found in the Ubuntu Software Center, you may be instructed by the Developers who created the applications to use the Terminal Emulator to install their applications.
- Ubuntu Software Center -This is the easiest way to install most applications on Ubuntu. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Suitcase Icon
- Synaptic Package Manager - This is another way to install applications at a package component level, which makes it easier for Developers or System Administrators to review software components which are missing and need to be installed. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Dash
- Entering "Synaptic Package Manager" in the Search field (If it isn't there, you may need to install it using the Terminal Emulator.)
- Clicking on the Magnifying Glass
- Clicking on the Synaptic Package Manager icon
- Terminal Emulator- This is the quickest way to install applications and missing software package components for more Technical users. It is very similar to the DOS Command Prompt in Windows. Users enter commands to execute processes within the operating system, including the installation of software. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Dash
- Entering on "Terminal " in the Search field
- Clicking on the Magnifying Glass
- Clicking the "X Term" icon
- As for configuring applications in Ubuntu, most of the time, you can use the applications within Settings to change how your operating system looks and behaves. You can navigate to it by:
- Clicking on Gear icon
Alternatively, it is possible to configure applications by executing commands with Terminal Emulator.
For some applications which are not found in the Ubuntu Software Center, you may be instructed by the Developers who created the applications to use the Terminal Emulator to install their applications.
Using Linux Mint with Windows on a Dual Partition
TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Linux Mint (Download Linux Mint) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) for versions earlier than 13.04 or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)
DUAL BOOT LINUX AND WINDOWS - You know that CD, DVD or USB you created in the step ABOVE You can use that same media to install a dual boot of Linux alongside Windows. That way, if you are playing conservative and don't want to end up in the deep end being a newbie and all with Linux, you can at BOOT UP decide which OS you want to use. This allows you to gain some experience in using Linux, its free Office and other applications and see how they compare to Windows and its commercial applications.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Installing Linux Mint Tutorial
- What you need to do is download the ISO file of the version of Ubuntu you want to use based on whether your hardware is 64-bit or 32-bit onto your Laptop.
- Then you need to download this program called Universal USB Installer (Download UUI) to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB.
- Follow the instructions of the UUI site to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB OR you can use the Wubi from either the Ubuntu Download site.
- After you are done creating the LIVE CD, DVD or USB. Shut down your Windows Laptop.
- Plug in your CD, DVD or USB.
- Turn on your Laptop.
- Hit whatever key brings you to the BIOS on your Laptop. Mine was <F12>.
|
| The Linux Mascot (aka TUX) |
- Select Linux Mint from the Options menu and Voila!!! You're off and running Linux Mint.
DUAL BOOT LINUX AND WINDOWS - You know that CD, DVD or USB you created in the step ABOVE You can use that same media to install a dual boot of Linux alongside Windows. That way, if you are playing conservative and don't want to end up in the deep end being a newbie and all with Linux, you can at BOOT UP decide which OS you want to use. This allows you to gain some experience in using Linux, its free Office and other applications and see how they compare to Windows and its commercial applications.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
- Plug in the CD, DVD or USB you created.
- Hit the <F12> key or whatever key you need to on your computer to display the BIOS.
- Select the option that corresponds to your optical device whether it be DVD/CD or USB from the BIOS menu. Hit <Enter>.
- Select the the first option "Start Linux Mint".
- Click on the Disc icon that says "Install Linux Mint".
- Go through and select the appropriate options until you get to Installation Type Window.
- Select the first option "Install Linux Mint alongside them".
- Select how much space to allocate to Linux Mint on a separate partition from your Windows OS.
- Go through the rest of the installation process choosing values specific to your Country.
- You can use the link below to help you with the rest of the installation process even though the tutorial is about removing Windows from its partition and replacing the whole computer with Linux Mint.
- When it is time to boot up the computer, you will now have Linux Mint as an option to boot into besides Windows.
Installing Linux Mint Tutorial
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