Linux Mint gives you the option of loading it onto the hard drive or using it as a Live Disc, Robert just use it as a live disc, as Martin has already explained be careful not to install the OS at this stage, take a look around Mint, if you like it and if you have plenty of space on your HDD you could install it next to Windows and choose which OS you want to use on booting the computer, while loading Mint all the instructions and choices that need to be made are displayed so its pretty hard to make a mistake.

One of the benefits of Linux over Windows is the fact that Linux Mint only occupies about 5.5gb of space compared with Windows XP that when updates are done occupies around 14gb, on any computer that I have switched from XP to Mint I have found they run much quicker.

After your warning Martin I decided that, knowing myself only too well, that it was all too risky so decided to forget about Linux. I deleted the download and shut the computer down, forgetting the new disk was still in the bay, started up again and lo and behold here I am in Linux Cinnamon. I am only going to post this and then shut down again and this time start up without the disk being present. It should be OK but one never knows.

Well that's a relief. Started up in good old Windows 7 no problem at all. Now I know what is happening I may have a play with Linux again later on. First impression was how bare everything looked but of course it was ignoring Windows completely and starting off fresh, the same as a new installation of Windows. Have to say Firefox looked totally different but I think that was more to do with the basic theme than anything else.
Anyway that's enough excitement as I can stand for one day so I am going to treat myself to an extra dose of oxygen.  :roll:  :roll:  :roll:

  Thats what happens to all of us when we try a new OS, first time I backed everything up and loaded Linux Ubuntu onto my computer, had a play around but couldn't get it ti do everything I wanted so loaded Win XP back on.

As soon as I started downloading all the service packs, antivirus, antispyware onto XP I thought of giving computers away completely, my thoughts were "why am I putting all this rubbish on my computer just to stop virus writers and hackers from invading my computer".

I had Win XP back in my computer for about one month and as usual got sick to death of doing scans for this and scans for that, I spoke to my Son in Law who is a self employed IT man he said forget Ubuntu and try Linux Mint.

The rest is history, I tried Linux Mint and it did everything I wanted, that was four years ago when Mint 6 was all the go, I have loaded every version of Linux Mint onto my PC ever since but also tried many other Linux distributions since and found Mint to be the best.

Robert if you had an old computer I would suggest you load Mint 13 but because you have Win7 I would keep using that, please don't think I am being clever here but by the time Win7 has been around a few years it will have become a massive bloated system, this of course happens to every Windows OS because of all the service pack and patches they have to pass on, it may be time to look at Mint again.

As the Russian chap that owns Kapertsky Antivirus said, "the hackers and virus writers are always ahead of us and there is nothing we can do about it", it is then left to Microsoft to come up with all these security updates to try and protect peoples computers.

I'll do some exploring from the disk first Dave. I know it's very slow but it's quite safe. I'm assuming that everything on the disk is OK and there shouldn't be any problems if I decide to install Linux. Presumably then I will finish up with a dual boot system and the installation procedure will take care of all this.

Hi Robert you wont have any problems if you do decide to load Mint on with Win 7, just take your time and make sure you read everything in the dialog boxes especially the part that lets you choose where you would like to install the OS.

You may find this Youtube Video worth a look.

Man oh man, that fella can talk. Have to admit though that he makes a very good case for Linux Cinnamon.

I now have two operating systems to choose from. Linux and Windows 7. The installation of Linux went without a hitch although it does take some time so it's as well not to get impatient and start tapping keys or playing with the mouse. I only have one problem so far and would be grateful if someone can help me with it. I am using a laptop and in Windows 7 I have got it so that I use a separate keyboard and my big monitor screen and the laptop screen stays blank. In Linux both screens are operating and both keyboards but it's only the laptop keyboard and cursor that are working exactly as they should. Is it possible to make Linux the same as Windows 7 in this respect?

Hi Bob nice to see you have Mint on your computer, a quick question, did you have both monitors turned on when you loaded Mint?.

Sorry Dave, forget the monitors. Windows 7 was suddenly all over the place with dozens of copies of any particular screen I clicked on. All my restore files have been corrupted and I can't do a thing with it. Anyway I have deleted the Linux files but Windows is still the same except for Firefox which is working OK. It looks like I will have to return the laptops system back to the factory settings. It's no big deal really as I have all my programs available. I'll get on to the shop tomorrow to see if they can do anything with it. Fortunately they are pretty whiz with computers.

:shock:   I'm glad I didn't jump in, Bob.

It will be something I have done wrong Max as Linux works for too many people running alongside windows for the fault to lie at it's end.

Very sorry things went wrong for you Robert, I have never dual booted computers of my own but had used  a desktop that had WinXP and Linux on it and it worked OK.

There is a fair bit of information regarding a Win7 and Mint dual boot on the Linux Mint Forums but I cant find anything like what happened to your system.

I formatted my HDD the first time I used a Linux distribution so had no real problems other than four years ago Linux was more Geeky and I had trouble working it out, I reloaded Wix XP after my first Linux experience, since then Linux Mint has become very user friendly and once mastered I would never return to a Windows OS.

Once again I am sorry you had trouble and hope you get the laptop up and running ASAP.

Just found this topic and am very interested in everyone's comments. I have been using Windows XP Pro for a number of years now and was considering upgrading to Windows 7 when I get back to UK.  I've seen several recent articles on Linux though and I am now considering replacimg XP with Linux instead of upgrading to Windows 7.

HOWEVER, I am worried that some of my Windows software might not run under Linux, particularly Hotmail, MS Office and my Winrail track planning programme. I note that there is a Linux Add-on for running Windows programmes but I'm wondering just how reliable/successful it is ?

The other thing that concerns me are the claims that no anti-virus sofware is needed and I would be interested to know how ths can be true. Surely the hackers are able to bypass any in-built security by now ?

Can someone please explain what the advantages AND disadvantages of moving over to Linux would be ? 

. . .  a quick comment.  Apparently Win 8 has just been released.

More confusion.  :???:

From what I've read I think Win 8 is more suited to i-Pads and PDAs as it is based around touch screen technology.

Hi Trevor I use the Wine software to run Windows programs within Linux and have no problems, I spend quite a lot of time reading reviews regarding Linux OS and I believe most Linux users running Wine are happy with the results.

May I suggest that if you do load a Linux OS onto your computer that you use Mint 13, it is more user friendly than some of the other distributions, Flash, Java and many other updates are already done on the initial download.

With regard to your MS Office Mint comes with what used to be Open Office but is now called Libre Office and is compatible with MS Office.

Regarding the net Mint and most other Linux distros come with Firefox as a browser and Thunderbird as an email client, I use T/Bird for my Hotmail, GMail and Yahoo Mail accounts, you also have access to other many Mail Clients and Browsers including Chrome and Opera,
put simply using the net in Linux is exactly the same as using it in Windows.

Overall I describe Linux Mint as an easy to use system similar to XP without the need for all the security paraphernalia, it will automatically find drivers for a vast majority of hardware which is made even easier when the hardware is switched on before installing.

Finally if anyone strikes any problems there is a wealth of information on the net mostly from very expert Linux users and developers.

Thanks for your reply Dave.

While it does sound promising I do have concerns about using Open Office. It is very crude when compared to MS Office, particularly in respect of its graphics capabilities. If I can't actually use MS Office then Linux is, I'm afraid, a non starter. 

HI all,  
I have just found this thread having been away/busy/occupied for a week with the birth of our first grand child… it's been quite a week!!!
This thread is excellent and I am fascinated that having done a bit of research that Windows programs can be run under Linux. I know very little of Linux itself but have use Open Office for some time so finding WINE can do the task is great. Has anyone tried running Trainz under WINE and Linux…? Just wanting to see how it runs as being of the Barchester school of economics, I have no real desire to make Microsoft richer for what all along has been a not terribly good operating system or anything else for that matter… 
Trevor… OO is really good and the price is right AND they have not made physical changes to the look of the program as did MS to Word 07 onwards just to …
a) confuse the general publicb) look different without any useful purposec) have a product which they can sell literally as what I see as a con job 
Thanks for any input about the use of Linux
Regards


Trevor (in Oz… not China)
PS H&T will be back soon!

Hi there Trevor, what used to be Open Office has now become Libre Office and comes ready loaded in Linux Mint 13 Cinnemon an many other Linux Distributions.

There was a break up with the Open Office consortium because of lack of development, a few of the members got together and now Libre Office which is a better version is there ready to use.

As for Trainz, it seems the the software is working well in Mint 13, here is a link from a chap that is using Trainz in Mint.

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/archive/index.php/t-89692.html

There is also some other information on Mint forums but some of it very old, since then Linux has advanced in leaps and bounds.

You may find this Video interesting



Always available if you require any other help.