Posted: 8/17/2025 12:54:11 PM EDT
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Pleased to report Complete Success in making a "bootable" USB thumb drive from which I can run Linux Mint Cinnamon Operating system on any computer. Went into BIOS and changed "Boot Order" to USB device First, HDD/SSD Second, and other boot methods in descending order. No Linux USB thumb drive present, computer starts from HDD/SSD automatically. I'm hoping that this is the first step towards preventing existing Win 10 computers, which will not allow installation of Win 11, to remain useful well into the future. Personally, I'm tired of bloated Win 10/11 OpSys from spying on me (even though I have nothing to hide) and pestering me with ads and other crap. I've tried to "shut-down" as much intrusive stuff as possible, but too much is built-in. So ends Phase One. Next is to create a bootable Linux SSD drive on which the computer will normally run. This particular model of computer allows quick swapping of main drives, as well as many other advantages. |
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Linux is the cure for older systems. I have 2009-ish (ran Vista when I got it, ugh) laptop I keep around for watching movies and Youtube while on the exercise bike, and it's still responsive enough using Ubuntu. I have a 2013 era laptop with 8gb ram and a 128gb SSD connected to my living room TV also running Ubuntu. It boots fairly fast and I use it mainly for Youtube, Tubi and surfing. Mint is a nice distro. I run Ubuntu LTS (long term service) on most of my systems. I run Raspbian (Pi OS) on my Raspberry Pi's and Armbian on another SBC. Mostly I stick to Debian branches out of familiarity. |
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Originally Posted By Moondog: Linux is the cure for older systems. Nope. I am using LM on brand new hardware, 9800X3D CPU, 9070 XT GPU |
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Originally Posted By raf: TYVM for comments. Currently having "issues" with SSD which has full install of Linux M/C Opsys installed. Works, but not how I'd like. I have some "questions" posted on Linux Mint forum ongoing. Will report. Also, have you ventured out beyond Mint before? |
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Originally Posted By KingSurplus: What issues are you having with an SSD on Mint? Also, have you ventured out beyond Mint before? Originally Posted By KingSurplus: Originally Posted By raf: TYVM for comments. Currently having "issues" with SSD which has full install of Linux M/C Opsys installed. Works, but not how I'd like. I have some "questions" posted on Linux Mint forum ongoing. Will report. Also, have you ventured out beyond Mint before? |
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Originally Posted By raf: Having trouble transferring iso on USB thumb drive to an external SSD (in a remote drive unit). I may need to re-install the ssd into the machine and transfer USB stick contents to ssd without use of the remote drive caddy. Bear with me, I'm confused. Why do you want the ISO transferred to an external SSD? Couldn't you install the OS on the ssd rather than transferring the live/ installer ISO? |
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Originally Posted By raf: Having trouble transferring iso on USB thumb drive to an external SSD (in a remote drive unit). I may need to re-install the ssd into the machine and transfer USB stick contents to ssd without use of the remote drive caddy. |
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Originally Posted By raf: Yes. Goal is a bootable Linux SSD with full install of Linux Mint Cinnamon on the SSD, which will be installed as only drive on the laptop. Boot from the Mint USB stick Once booted there should be an 'Install Linux Mint' icon on the desktop Open this and run through the installer. Choose to install to your SSD, using the whole drive. I'd stick with the default partitions. Once the installer completes, it will ask you to reboot, and remove the USB stick. You should reboot into the new Mint installation on your SSD. |
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Regret delay, but problem resolution took some time. Posted elsewhere: "Great Success! Finally, after much hassle due to my ignorance, the much-upgraded spare Dell E6420 laptop will finally boot into Linux Mint Cinnamon OpSys. I owe most of it to the very kind and helpful folks on Linuxmint.com forums, who provided well-informed suggestions concerning my problem. Now I have a stable and useful laptop which is not reliant on bloated, spying, and ad-infested Microsoft Windows. This particular OpSys was deliberately designed to be "friendly" to Windows users, and it is. Turns out that I only had to go into the computer BIOS (I know, scary) and change a couple of allowable parameters. I suspected it was something basic and simple, and that's how it turned out. It is possible that I may convert some other computers from Win 10 to Mint, depending on my experience, since they are incapable of being upgraded to Win 11. Rather "decent" Win 10 "gaming computer" might be a "challenge". |
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Originally Posted By Moondog: I bet it'll upgrade fine. I had no issues with higher end systems. Any problems I had were with lower end systems utilizing bottom tier graphics and network controllers. Originally Posted By Moondog: Rather "decent" Win 10 "gaming computer" might be a "challenge". I bet it'll upgrade fine. I had no issues with higher end systems. Any problems I had were with lower end systems utilizing bottom tier graphics and network controllers. On the Win 10 "gaming computer", I'll want to be able to keep the Win 10 Opsys, and the Win 7 SSD which can be accessed (along with the vintage games within it) via the win 10 SSD. I have a spare slot for one more internal SSD, onto which I will install Linux for safe access to the internet. I'll need to open the thing up and have a look-see. Pretty sure the "spare slot" has already been wired-up. I'm concerned that in switching from Legacy boot to UEFI boot (required for Win 11, and, AFAIK Linux) that there might be some data loss or other problems concerning the existing Win 7 and Win 10 drives; looking into it. |
I made the switch when support for Win7 ended. Two videos that helped me out: To Do List After Installing Linux Mint 19  25 Things to Do After Installing \u200eLinux Mint 20 "Ulyana" Not everything in these older videos apply to your current version of Mint, but things like tailoring your swap file setting if using an SSD are helpful. The most shocking setting is the firewall default is off. Took me 20 sec to turn it on  Menu->Preferences->Firewall configuration 
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Want to thank everyone for responses so far. I'll very carefully consider all of them. I am also picking the minds of the folks at Linux Mint Forums via this Thread Have not made any changes/additions to the Linux laptop, as I'm still mulling options. By all means please post any suggestions that come to mind. |
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Originally Posted By LonghornAR: Two apps that I use that isn't mentioned in the Mint forum thread is GIMP for image manipulation and Handbrake for video edit/transcode. As mentioned, intended purpose of Mint laptop is general internet surfing. I suppose that other possible uses might require some specific apps. Always good to know "best" apps for such purposes. |
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