Installing Linux Mint: Engineering Walkthrough

Deploying Linux Mint can be a direct and efficient way to repurpose aging hardware, sidestep Windows licensing, or just ensure quick recovery images for end-users. Here’s a technically-focused procedure—tested on hardware from 2012–2023, referencing Mint 21.3 “Virginia” (Cinnamon), but easily adapted for MATE/Xfce or newer versions as they’re released.

Prerequisites

Hardware: x86_64 CPU, minimum 2GB RAM (4GB+ strongly advised)
Download: Linux Mint ISO (verify checksum—see below)
Boot Medium: USB flash drive ≥4GB, USB 2.0 or better
Backup: Don’t skip this—data loss at install is permanent.

Note: UEFI/Legacy BIOS settings trip up more installs than any other variable. Know your target system’s firmware and whether Secure Boot needs to be disabled.

1. Download & Verify the ISO

Quickest path:

wget https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/linuxmint/stable/21.3/linuxmint-21.3-cinnamon-64bit.iso
wget https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/linuxmint/stable/21.3/sha256sum.txt
sha256sum -c sha256sum.txt | grep OK

If verification fails, do not proceed. Corrupt ISOs lead to wasteful debugging.

2. Create a Bootable USB

Linux:

sudo dd if=linuxmint-21.3-cinnamon-64bit.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress && sync

Make sure /dev/sdX matches your USB—lsblk for validation.

Windows:

Use Rufus.
For UEFI, select “GPT partition scheme”; for legacy systems, “MBR”.
File system: FAT32 (rarely NTFS, even with large ISOs, to maximize compatibility).

macOS:

Balena Etcher is least painful. Disk Utility often introduces quirks.

Gotcha: Some USB drives—especially promotional ones—have subtle defects. If boots fail, swap media before rechecking upstream steps.

3. Boot Off the USB

Interrupt POST (often ESC, F12, or DEL).
Select the USB device explicitly; some firmware menus reorder priorities unpredictably.

If Mint fails to show a graphical loader, check Secure Boot settings.
If black screen after splash, try nomodeset kernel parameter—NVIDIA/AMD GPUs on old machines often require it.

4. Evaluate the Live Session

Run Mint directly from USB in “live” mode. Network, audio, and display should all work without extra drivers—except maybe Broadcom Wi-Fi (workaround: USB Ethernet dongle plus post-install firmware).

Open terminal:

inxi -Fxz

Quick hardware inventory—check for driver gaps before committing to install.

5. Launch Installer

Install Linux Mint icon on desktop. Sequence:

Language & Keyboard:
Defaults usually correct; only override on non-standard layouts.
Updates & 3rd-Party Software:
Check for media codecs/graphics drivers if you plan video playback or gaming.
Note: On some devices, proprietary drivers must be installed post-setup for full GPU acceleration.
Partitioning:
- Erase Disk…: Wipes all; use for clean installs.
- Install alongside…: Auto-sizing (sometimes poor at sharing space; manually adjust if dual-booting production environments).
- Something else: Manual setup (LVM, encryption; useful for advanced scenarios).
  Example:
  Partition Mount Point Type Size
  /dev/sda1 / ext4 50-100GB
  /dev/sda2 swap swap 2-4GB
Timezone, User, Password:
Set a strong password. You’ll need it for sudo/root tasks.

Partition	Mount Point	Type	Size
/dev/sda1	/	ext4	50-100GB
/dev/sda2	swap	swap	2-4GB

6. Monitor Installation

Typical time: 10–25 minutes (SSD vs. spinning disk is the main delta).

If installer hangs at “configuring grub” or similar step, check for UEFI/BIOS mismatches. Sometimes, manually selecting an EFI partition resolves the stall.

7. First Boot

Remove USB. Boot from internal disk.
If you see

error: no such partition
grub rescue>

you’ve got a bootloader misalignment—usually Secure Boot or device order. Restoring via live USB chroot is fastest recovery.

Post-Install Checklist

Update Everything:
```
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
```
Install Drivers:
For NVIDIA, open Driver Manager and select proprietary.
Snap/Flatpak Decision:
Default Mint disables Snap; Flatpak supported natively for sandboxed apps.
Timeshift:
Set up filesystem snapshots for easier rollback after major updates.
Test Suspend/Resume:
Not all hardware recovers from sleep cleanly.
Known issue: Some legacy ThinkPads require kernel boot parameter tweaks—see /etc/default/grub.

Non-Obvious Tips

If dual-booting with Windows, always shut down Windows fully. “Fast Startup” (hybrid sleep) can corrupt Linux partitions.
The built-in firewall (ufw) is not enabled by default.
```
sudo ufw enable
```
Performance on very old hardware (e.g., Atom) is fair, but Cinnamon desktop may lag. Try Xfce variant for lighter footprint.

Closing Note

There are myriad alternate installation pathways—PXE/network, unattended Auto-Install, or ISO remastering—but the above covers the most reliable and repeatable method for single-workstation deployment.

Any bespoke requirements (e.g., headless, encrypted LUKS, complex dual-boot), drop to the shell and adapt accordingly.

Known Issue: Occasional rare kernel panics on certain AMD APUs with default 5.15+ kernels. For mission-critical applications, pin to an LTS kernel.

For repeat deployments, consider scripting the partition and install process—reduces variability, especially across diverse hardware estates.

How To Install Mint