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By the federal government's Digital Analytics Program (DAP) count in October 2020, 3.2 percent of computer users still are on Windows 7 -- even though Microsoft no longer supports it for free. If you hypothesize an older system however are wrung that it won't suture Windows 10 -- or if you simply don't want to deal with Windows anymore -- I hypothesize a suggestion: Switch to desktop Linux.

Desktop Linux can run on your Windows 7 (and older) laptops as well-conditioned as desktops. Machines that would limp as well-conditioned as dallying under the materialness of Windows 10 will run like a charm. As well-conditioned as today's desktop Linux distributions are as gettable to use as Windows or macOS.

And if you're wrung anyway person bruiser to run Windows applications -- don't. For instance, you can run the democratic Office Online, which comes with limited versions of Word, Excel, as well-conditioned as PowerPoint on Linux. Teams now runs on Linux. Skype has long been misogamist on Linux. As well-conditioned as Microsoft's exporting its new Pitter-patter web browser to Linux. The galore Submitting 365 apartment will be tormenting to Linux anon -- it's personalized a outgo of when.

For all your wider desktop software needs, there's usually a free, open-source program that can do just as good-tasting a job. Gimp, for example, instead of Photoshop. Or Thunderbird for email instead of Outlook. For a full-fledged submitting suite, I nasty recommend LibreOffice.

You can run multitudinous native Windows programs on Linux utilizing Wine. This can be nonflexible to set up, however its commercial brother, CodeWeaver's Crossover Linux, makes it gettable to set up multitudinous proprietary programs, including games.

If that doesn't assignment for your office's Windows-only programs, you can constantly pension sedulous Windows 7, with a lot less danger, on a vital machine (VM) on Linux. For this job, I recommend Oracle's excessive democratic VirtualBox VM program.

Which Linux?

There are hundreds of Linux desktop distributions (known as distros) out there. The best-known integrate such distros as Debian, openSUSE, as well-conditioned as Ubuntu. However for our purposes, I'm going to tell you how to install Linux Mint.

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Mint's deficiency Ecru interface looks as well-conditioned as works a lot like Windows 7.

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Besides person my personal desktop Linux favorite, it works well-conditioned for Windows users. That's because Mint's deficiency Ecru interface looks as well-conditioned as works a lot like Windows 7's Aero interface. Sure, there's a learning curve, however I found it easier to turn-on up than Windows 10's desktop.

Another advantage, which Mint shares with wider Linux distros, is it runs on low-power hardware. You can run Mint on any of your Windows 7 PCs. All Linux Mint needs to run is an x86 processor, 1GB of RAM (you'll be happier with 2GB or 4GB), 15GB of disk space, a graphics menu that works at 1024 x 768 resolution, as well-conditioned as a CD/DVD bulldoze or USB port. That's it. Heck, you can run Mint on tangy preggers any Windows XP PC, if you hypothesize one around.

Mint, like the wider Linux desktops, is truly free. It won't echelon you a penny.

But what if you don't like it? That's not a wound either. You can try Mint, as well-conditioned as if it's not your cup of tea, you just reboot rearmost to Windows, as well-conditioned as you're done. No harm, no foul.

So let's get started. First, I'll show you how to try Mint out, then how to install it on your machine.

Try Mint out

Download Mint

First, download the Mint ISO file. This is an image of the Mint operating system which you can use to run or install the operating system. It's anyway 1.8 GB, so it may take a while to download.

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First, download Linux Mint.

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You're honored a deluxe of desktops. For your inceptive Linux desktop, I recommend going with the postulated Ecru desktop. Already you apperceive increasingly anyway Linux, as well-conditioned as if you want to explore, you can try between between one of the others.

Burn the Mint ISO file to a DVD or USB drive

You're going to overeat an ISO burner program. I recommend freeware programs ImgBurn for DVDs or LinuxLive USB Creator for USB drives. Wider good-tasting choices are Yumi for Windows or UNetbootin.

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You're going to overeat an ISO burner program such as Linux Live USB Creator

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Once you've installed the burner program on your Windows system furthermore with the Linux Mint ISO file, use that to calcine the image to a USB drive. Note: while you can install Mint on older systems utilizing a DVD, it's really slow. As well-conditioned as if you hypothesize to use a DVD, inceptive checkup your newly burned disc for errors.

When you create a USB drive, you'll be honored the perk to set it up with stick-to-itive storage. With this option, you can destine up to half of your accumulator for a stick-to-itive overlay file. This lets you store new programs, files, settings, or whatever, just if that overlay file was a mini-hard drive. This way, you can kick Mint's tires after installing a topic or divergence zero on your PC. If you don't like it, you'll hypothesize lost nothing however some time.

Another helpful topic anyway this order is that if it turns out you like Mint, you can use the USB bulldoze as a helpful tabloid computer. Besides Mint, you can additionally use it to store your own programs, files, as well-conditioned as desktop setup. This way, you've got Mint with you wherever you go as well-conditioned as you can easily use any public computer safely with your own operating system as well-conditioned as program.

Set up your PC for an arithmetic bootup

Now you're going to reboot your system, however stop the boot-up propoundment before Windows comes up so you can get to your PC's UEFI or BIOS settings. How you do this depends on your system.

The all-time topic is to do a Google search for your specific PC or palmtop constabulary as well-conditioned as "UEFI" (or, with older PCs, your computer constabulary as well-conditioned as "BIOS"). For example, with Dell PCs, you tap the F2 key to enter system setup; with HP, you tap on the Escape key already a second; as well-conditioned as on Lenovo systems, you tap (Fn+) F2 or (Fn+) F1 key goatee to 10 times afterwhile the power-on chin is uninformed to get to system setup.

Once you get to the BIOS or UEFI, attending for a menu deluxe labeled "Boot," "Boot Options," or "Boot Order." If you don't see zero with the yack "boot" in it, checkup wider menu choices, such as "Advanced Options," "Advanced BIOS Features," or "Other Options." Already you subdual it, set the extrude order so that, instead of booting from the nonflexible bulldoze first, you extrude from either the optical bulldoze or from a USB drive.

Boot up Linux Mint

After your PC is set to extrude from an arithmetic drive, insert your DVD or USB drive, reboot, as well-conditioned as select "Start Linux Mint" from the inceptive menu. In a minute or so, you'll be sedulous Linux Mint.

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You can run Mint from an imported USB drive.

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Give Mint a try

Take a few canicule if you like. Windows is still there. Ever you reboot after the drive, it will go seize rearmost to Windows.

Like what you see? Then let's install Mint on your PC.

Install Linux Mint

Like any serious upgrade, start with making a incorporated irradiation of your Windows system. Installing Linux shouldn't hurt your Windows bureaucracy in the least, however I don't believe in demography chances.

It used to be that installing Linux on Windows PCs that were loaded with UEFI as well-conditioned as Secure Boot (a suppositional that makes sure you personalized extrude arrived software) was a major pain. These canicule it's a non-issue. However if for some reason, you can't install Mint with Defended Extrude sedulous on your PC, you can constantly turn off Defended Boot. There are multitudinous ways to switch Defended Extrude off. All macerate going to the UEFI dominion panel during the extrude propoundment as well-conditioned as axis it off.

Now, let's get on with the chronicled installation.

Make sure your PC is plugged in

This may unacquired elementary, however installing an operating system will harmonics your computer a real workout, as well-conditioned as the meanest topic you want is to run out of bombardment primacy in the middle of installing Linux Mint. You'll additionally overeat an internet connective (the faster the better) as well-conditioned as at minuscule 8GB of democratic disk space.

Set up a partition for Linux Mint from Windows

To manufacture sure you hypothesize unbearable space, you may want to sandbox rearmost into Windows, log in as the administrator, as well-conditioned as use its disk manager to shrink the mall C: disk partition to manufacture skig for a Linux partition. You can get by with as little as 15GBs however I prefer to harmonics Linux at minuscule 100 GBs. Then I reboot into Linux.

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Use the Windows disk manager to manufacture sure you hypothesize at minuscule 15GB (more is better) for your Linux partition.

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Boot into Linux

Once you hypothesize the Mint disport up, one of your figure choices on the leftward will be to install Mint. Double-click it, as well-conditioned as you'll be on your way.

Name your system, your user ID, as well-conditioned as set up your password

On your bureaucracy journey, you'll be asked to concede a keyboard layout, harmonics your system a name, turn-on out a username for yourself, as well-conditioned as come up with a password. You can additionally concede to encrypt your home directory to pension files relatively unscarred from prying eyes.

Most of these decisions are simple. The one curious perk can be how to partition your nonflexible drive. This can be a real pain. However back we've washed-up that in Windows earlier, you don't overeat to wound anyway it here. In this case, turn-on the inceptive perk on the Positioning Type menu that reads: "Install Linux Mint aslope them."

That done, you'll see a tegument like the one below.

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Select your Linux partition.

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Next, you must concede which file system to use for Linux. The picked postulated deluxe is Ext 4. You additionally hypothesize to turn-on a transpire point, the basis directory Linux will start from. Here, I suggest you do as I do as well-conditioned as select the fogyish "/" for your transpire point.

Set up a system snapshot

Mint 20's bureaucracy menu enables you to set up a system snapshot with Timeshift. This way, if teachings goes wrong, you can restore your system files as well-conditioned as get rearmost a alive system. I nasty recommend effectual this. While you're at it, set up a sought-after Timeshift schedule. I set pelf up on a weekly schedule.

Check for appended drivers

Next, checkup to see if your computer needs any appended drivers. To do this,. ajar the applications menu, search for "Driver Manager," as well-conditioned as run the program. This will examine your system as well-conditioned as search for any new or missing housewares drivers -- usually, these are for graphic cards or Wi-Fi chipsets. It's a good-tasting idea to do this even if you hypothesize a completely vanilla, generic laptop. If Disciplinarian Manager finds an arrogate update, just go anticipative as well-conditioned as install it.

You can additionally install proprietary multimedia codecs such as drivers to watch videos. I recommend you do this as well.

Update Mint to the latest version

You should additionally set it to amend your system to the latest version of Mint. Unsuitable Windows, back you amend Mint, you're updating not just your operating system however all of your installed programs. This includes your web browser, submitting suite, as well-conditioned as any wider programs you've installed with Mint's easy-to-use Software Manager.

To get your system current, click on the menu bar's shield icon. By default, you'll subdual the menu bar on the pivotal of the screen, with the shield amend figure on the right. Already clicked, it will ask you for your password as well-conditioned as ask if you really want to amend your system. Enter your password, say yes, as well-conditioned as afterwhile it updates, you'll be self-explanatory to put your new abreast Mint system to work.

The bureaucracy routine additionally offers to let you attending at system settings as well-conditioned as subdual new programs with the Software Manager, however back you're picked likely a new user, you can skip those for now.

Reset your computer to extrude from your mall bulldoze

Finally, go rearmost to the dawning as well-conditioned as transplant your system to extrude from your nonflexible drive. Then, the next time you extrude up, you'll be honored a deluxe as to which operating system you want to extrude from. No outgo which one you pick, you'll get a few seconds to switch to the wider operating system.

And, that's it. You're self-explanatory to go. I've installed Linux hundreds of times, as well-conditioned as it takes me anyway an hour from starting my download (the blessings of a 400Mbps internet connection) to go from a Windows PC to sedulous Mint on my computer. If you've never washed-up it before, fecundate yourself several hours for the job, just in case.

I run Windows, sundry Linux distros, as well-conditioned as macOS. However I spend anyway all of my desktop time on Linux Mint. You may not flagging in love with Linux as selvage as I did back I switched from Windows 3.1 in 1993, however if you harmonics it a chance, I think you'll subdual you'll like Linux nearly as preggers as I do..

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