If in our comparison of Linux Mint vs. Ubuntu In the end you have opted for Linux Mint, then we are going to show you how to install it from a USB.
Although finding a Linux distribution that we love is not an easy task, many users stop looking when they try Linux Mint. In fact, many advanced users recommend that those who have never tried Linux start using this popular Ubuntu-based operating system. If you are one of these users, in this post you have explained how install Ubuntu from USB and everything you need to know about Linux Mint.
Linux Mint is available in 4 versions
Cinnamon
- Cinnamon is Linux Mint's own graphical environment and is a fork from GNOME.
- It is elegant and functional.
MATE
- MATE is another fork from GNOME and has an almost exact image of the one Ubuntu used until the arrival of Unity.
- It is lightweight, or should be when using a graphical environment that Ubuntu left in 2010.
- Especially suitable for those who prefer a classic graphic environment.
Xfce
- Xfce is even lighter than MATE. In Linux Mint it is very elegant.
- It is the best option for low-resource PCs.
KDE
- KDE is one of the most complete graphical environments.
- It offers many options and has a very attractive image.
- It is more suitable for more modern computers. Personally, I would say that I love KDE, but I don't usually use it on my laptop because I usually see more bug notices than I would like to see.
Linux Mint system requirements
- 512MB of RAM. 1GB is recommended for smoother use.
- 9GB of RAM. 20GB is recommended if you want to save files.
- Resolution 1024 × 768.
- The 64-bit version can work in BIOS or UEFI mode, while the 32-bit version will only boot in BIOS mode.
Steps to follow to install Linux Mint from a USB
- Let's go to the official website and download the ISO image of the operating system. We can choose between downloading it directly from the web or using a client to download torrent files. Personally, I find it easier to do it using one of the many mirrors offered by the web. What I usually do is try to download directly from the web and, if I see that it will take a long time, I download the torrent and download it with Transmission.
- Next we have to create the bootable USB. There are many tools available for any operating system, but I recommend using UNetbootin because it is free and available for Linux, Mac and Windows. In addition, its use is very simple:
- If we don't have it installed, we install it. On Linux we can do it using the command "sudo apt install unetbootin" without the quotes. For Mac and Windows we can download it from THIS LINK.
- We open UNetbootin.
- We look for the ISO image that we downloaded in step 1 by clicking on the 3 dots (…).
- We choose the drive where the bootable USB will be created. It is advisable to make sure that we have backed up the important data on that USB.
- We click OK and wait for the process to finish.
- We start from the USB we just created.
- Now we have to install Linux Mint as we would any other Ubuntu-based operating system:
- In the first step, I would recommend connecting the PC to a power outlet and to the Internet, either by cable or Wi-Fi.
- We double click on the icon that says «Install Linux Mint».
- We choose the language and click on «Continue».
- On the next screen we can choose if we want to install third-party software such as flash, MP3, ETC. I usually install it. We choose whether we want to or not and click on «Continue».
- In the next step we will choose how we want to install. Of all the options, I would highlight three:
- Install the system next to another (dualboot).
- Delete the entire disk and install Linux Mint from 0.
- More, from where we can make partitions such as root, personal and swap. This is the option that I usually choose.
- Once the desired option has been chosen, we click on "Install now" or "Continue" and accept the notice that it shows us.
- Now the installation will start for real. In the first step, we choose our time zone and click "Continue".
- We select the layout of our keyboard. For the Spanish of Spain we only have to choose «Spanish», but we can make sure if we click on «Detect keyboard layout», which will ask us to press some keys and will configure it automatically. I have to admit that, although I already know what will come of it, I feel calmer if it is automatically detected with this option.
- We click on «Continue».
- We create our user account. We have to enter:
- Our name.
- Name of the team.
- Username.
- Enter password.
- Confirm Password.
- We click on «Continue».
- Now we have to wait for the installation to take place. When the process is finished, we click on "Restart now" and we will enter Linux Mint.
Do you have any questions about how to install Linux Mint from a USB?
Mint is adult from now 🙂
Thank you for explaining so detailed… And a request…. As in the radio ... How to install a Libyan ... In USB. I mean use a USB. As a hard drive as a system. That you save not only as an emergency starter. And how to do it. Thanks
Hello, grego. I also wanted to do it for a long time and I ran into several problems:
1- The simplest thing is to use a tool like LiLi USB Creator (windows) that allows you to create a persistent USB Bootable. This means that it will be able to boot from the USB and will save the changes, but it only installs in FAT32, which means that the / home folder can only be 4GB. Also, if I remember correctly, this system does not support UEFI boot.
2- It can be installed on a USB by choosing the pendrive as the destination drive, but it will move the / boot partition to the pendrive and the installation of the hard disk will not start. A solution that I have not tried is, in one of the many times that I make a system change, take advantage of and create a USB of this type. The bad thing is that, if I'm not mistaken, that USB will only be compatible with the computer where we create it and, probably, when we use it, something will be loaded.
3- There is another option also for Windows that right now I don't remember what the program was called. Yes, I know that with this program you could run the USB on computers with BIOS and UEFI startup, but at most we had a 6GB / home folder. Maybe I have the program installed on my Windows partition, but since I never enter ... I don't really know. If I remember, I'll look at it and tell you what it is.
A greeting.
Excellent explanation, very didactic and simple, I am starting with the Linux operating system. Thanks,,
Please!!!! I did everything to the letter. But I don't have the install Linux disk left on the pendrive !! How do you have it on the desktop in the image? I've been with this all day. I appreciate the help. Greetings!
Edit the requirements part.
«9GB of RAM. 20GB is recommended if you want to save files. »
I think you meant the hard drive.
Thanks for the information.
I just installed Linux for the first time on my pc and, following your steps to the letter, I did it without any problem.
Thank you so much!
When installing linux, the windows operating system is erased and only linux remains? or is it like making a partition?
After installing LM18.2 KDE by default on a 3TB disk, the space occupied by the installation was 1MB of boot with 8GB of SWAP and 145GB of / which seems to me an exaggeration.
I'm already low-level formatted for a clean install with manual partitioning.
Where did I go wrong?
I've been creating the ext5 filesystem for / boot on partition # 2 from an installation usb for about 1 days. It is normal? Any solution?
Thanks from a new Linux Mint user
Hello: I wanted to install Linux Mint 4 times and I had problems in all of them.
The last two times after installing all the packages I threw an error when installing GRUB2 and the installation was unsuitable and unusable.
The other two times I got an error that said something about UEFI, which I don't know what it is.
I clarify that I did a clean installation and requested that the entire hard disk be erased and the installation will make the corresponding partitions automatically.
I don't know what happens
Now I use Linux Ubuntu 1804, but I would like to try Linux Mint
Hello, how are you? I have a question, how much capacity would the USB to be used? It can be anyone or it has to be 4GB, 8GB, etc, could you tell me
A M
as almost always in linux
In Ubuntu it is almost impossible to install unebootin
Multisystem does not work
Maybe ubuntu will layer these little programs so you don't abandon it, in the purest weindows style
the fact is that after a couple of hours going around google, I get fed up and send everything to the M
At least it happens to me often with this M for Linux
But since I don't want to use weindows, I have to hold on until I have money and buy a Mac
Hello, very good afternoon, I have tried the installation of the linux equipment but it is on a 4 GB USB and at first everything is fine, in fact, I was surprised because it did not even stay stuck, it was only a matter of a couple of times in that I shut down the computer completely and, now it got super slow.
Can someone tell me what happened or give me a chance to fix this detail. the product is really good and easy to use, you can help me.
For your attention thanks
Yes, the installation takes two days creating the ext4 files, it seems that it is still working, but it has been two days ……………………………….
Well, it freezes during the installation (version 19.3 XFCE). It is downloading files, and when it reaches file 239 (out of 239), it freezes for several minutes. I have a PC with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a M2.SSD disk, on an Asus TUF B360M-PLUS GAMING board and an Intel 5 processor. I don't know what the hell should happen to it.
I do everything to install and it stays static when it says welcome, and it doesn't go from there
!
Hi, thanks for the installation steps, it worked perfectly for me !!