Your steps to Linux Mint

From GreyHaven. For the Cinnamon, replacing Windows.

PC didn't start from the USB stick?

Restart and press your PC's startup menu key (often F12, F11, F8 or Esc) again and again as the PC starts. Then pick your USB stick.

1. Try Linux

See how it works on your PC. Nothing is installed yet.

Choose Try Linux Mint when it asks. Nothing is installed, and your files aren't touched.

Check these things work. Skip any your PC doesn't have:

On a laptop

On a desktop

If GreyHaven said a part needs an extra step after installing, it may not work fully yet. That's expected.

Happy with how it works? Go on to Install. Not happy? Shut down from the power menu, take out the stick, and Windows starts as before. Nothing has changed.

2. Install Linux Mint

Put Linux Mint on the whole drive. This erases Windows and your files.

  1. The Linux Mint desktop with an 'Install Linux Mint' disc icon at the top left. Install Linux Mint
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    The Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop

    Double-click Install Linux Mint on the desktop.

  2. Linux Mint installer Welcome screen with a list of languages, English chosen, and Quit, Back and Continue buttons with Continue highlighted. Install Welcome Deutsch English Español Français Italiano Nederlands Continue Back Quit
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    The language list and the Continue button

    Pick your language, then click Continue.

  3. Linux Mint installer Keyboard layout screen with English (US) chosen and Continue highlighted. Install Keyboard layout English (UK) English (US) French German English (US) English (US) - Cherokee English (US) - Colemak Continue Back Quit
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    The keyboard layout screen

    Pick your keyboard layout, then click Continue.

  4. Linux Mint installer Wireless screen with a home Wi-Fi network chosen and Continue highlighted. Install Wireless Connecting this computer to a Wi-Fi network: I don't want to connect to a Wi-Fi network now Connect to this network HomeNetwork Neighbour-5G Continue Back Quit
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    The wireless network list

    Connect to Wi-Fi, then click Continue.

  5. Linux Mint installer Multimedia codecs screen with 'Install multimedia codecs' ticked and Continue highlighted. Install Multimedia codecs Install multimedia codecs Codecs are required to play some video formats. Continue Back Quit
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    The multimedia codecs box, ticked

    Tick Install multimedia codecs, then click Continue.

  6. Linux Mint installer Installation type screen with 'Erase disk and install Linux Mint' chosen and its warning. Install Installation type This computer currently has Windows Boot Manager on it. Install Linux Mint alongside Windows Boot Manager Erase disk and install Linux Mint Warning: this deletes all your files. Something else Continue Back Quit
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    Installation type with Erase disk chosen

    Choose Erase disk and install Linux Mint, then click Continue.

  7. Linux Mint's 'Write the changes to disks?' box with Go Back and Continue buttons, Continue highlighted. Write the changes to disks? The partitions of the following device will be formatted: your drive. Check it's the right one. Continue Go Back
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    The Write the changes to disks? box

    Check it's the right disk, then click Continue to write the changes.

  8. Linux Mint installer Where are you? screen with a world map and your city, and Continue highlighted. Install Where are you? London Continue Back Quit
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    The Where are you? map

    Pick your time zone, then click Continue.

  9. Linux Mint installer Who are you? screen with boxes for your name, computer name, username and password, and Continue highlighted. Install Who are you? Your name: Your computer's name: Pick a username: Choose a password: Confirm your password: Continue Back Quit
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    The Who are you? screen

    Type your name and a password, then click Continue.

  10. Linux Mint's Installation Complete box with Continue Testing and Restart Now buttons, Restart Now highlighted. Installation Complete Installation has finished. You can continue testing Linux Mint now, but changes won't be kept until you restart. Restart Now Continue Testing
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    The Installation Complete box with Restart Now

    When it's done, click Restart Now, then take out the USB stick.

Installer screens change a little between versions. Follow the words on screen if they look different.

3. After installing

A few last things to make Linux Mint yours.

Install updates

Open Update Manager and install everything it offers. Then restart.

If GreyHaven said your NVIDIA graphics needs an extra step

Follow the pictures. Don't download drivers from websites: that can break your setup.

  1. The Linux Mint menu with 'driver' typed in the search box and Driver Manager highlighted. driver Driver Manager
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    Open the menu and start "Driver Manager".

    Open the menu and start "Driver Manager".

  2. Linux Mint's Driver Manager with the NVIDIA driver marked 'recommended' chosen and the Apply Changes button highlighted. Driver Manager Additional and proprietary drivers NVIDIA Corporation: your graphics card nvidia-driver (recommended) NVIDIA driver metapackage xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (open-source) Revert Apply Changes
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    Select the NVIDIA driver marked "recommended" and click "Apply Changes".

    Select the NVIDIA driver marked "recommended" and click "Apply Changes".

  3. A Linux power menu with Restart highlighted. Power Off Restart Log Out
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    Restart when it finishes.

    Restart when it finishes.

Or type this in a terminal:

sudo ubuntu-drivers install

If GreyHaven said your Broadcom Wi-Fi that needs the "wl" driver needs an extra step

Follow the pictures. Don't download drivers from websites: that can break your setup.

  1. A laptop connected to the internet with a network cable or a phone's USB cable. Network cable, or USB from your phone
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    Connect to the internet with a network cable or USB tethering from your phone.

    Connect to the internet with a network cable or USB tethering from your phone.

  2. Linux Mint's Driver Manager with the Broadcom driver chosen and Apply Changes highlighted. Driver Manager Additional and proprietary drivers Broadcom Inc.: your Wi-Fi bcmwl-kernel-source (recommended) Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA driver Apply Changes
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    Open "Driver Manager", select the Broadcom driver and click "Apply Changes".

    Open "Driver Manager", select the Broadcom driver and click "Apply Changes".

  3. A Linux power menu with Restart highlighted. Power Off Restart Log Out
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    Restart.

    Restart.

Or type this in a terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source

Install your apps

Your list of apps, with where to get each one, is in the printed or saved copy of your guide from GreyHaven. It isn't on this page, to keep it private.

Where to get help

When you ask for help, share your GreyHaven report. It lists your parts without any personal details.

This page is the same for everyone who picked Linux Mint (Cinnamon) and chose to replace Windows. Anything personal on it comes from the part of the address after "#", which your browser keeps to itself. GreyHaven 0.1.0.