12 Things to do After Installing Linux Mint

rgMekanic

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It's FOSS has posted an interesting article on 12 things to do after installing Linux Mint 19. There are some good tips for new as well as advanced Linux users to get the best Mint experience. I appreciate articles like this, as I've often tried to install Linux, and always ended up getting as far as installing Chrome and then giving up. I still wish that several of the Linux distros would pool together and make something actually competitive.

Linux Mint is one of the best Linux distributions for new users. It runs pretty well out of the box. Still, there are a few recommended things to do after installing Linux Mint for the first time.
 
Wow, Mint is about as easy as it comes. There's a small learning curve but really only because it's different.

I prefer to roll my own FreeBSD desktop. But that's just me.
 
Odd, Hard|OCP covering something like "What to do after installing Linux Mint". Not exactly big time news material. And I am a Linux user.
 
Oh, nice. Reminded me to use apt instead of apt-get, damn autopilot typing...
 
I liked the post. I haven't messed with Linux in so many years that this kinda thing gets me wondering if I want to re-prioritize my time to take it for another spin.
 
I have my own, which is personally a pain in my ass.

Step #1 Install Oibaf PPA open source graphic drivers.
Step #2 Fix Oibaf PPA with sudo apt-get install libwayland-egl1
Step #3 Fix Cinnamon from freezing cause of EDID not being fantastic with open source drivers and HDTV's. This also fixes Minecraft and other things.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=272221&p=1488969#p1488969
Step #4 Switch from Radeon to AMDGPU on my Radeon HD 7850 for RADV Vulkan goodness. Only newer cards get to use AMDGPU by default. :mad:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=272283&p=1488979#p1488979
 
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Oh, nice. Reminded me to use apt instead of apt-get, damn autopilot typing...

I catch myself doing this all the time. So used to that damn -get.

I liked the post. I haven't messed with Linux in so many years that this kinda thing gets me wondering if I want to re-prioritize my time to take it for another spin.

You won't regret it. There are a few minor quirks here and there, but it's as ready for primetime as anything.

Even gaming can be done. Maybe not EVERY game, but there are quite a few sporting Linux versions.
 
I have my own, which is personally a pain in my ass.

Step #1 Install Oibaf PPA open source graphic drivers.
Step #2 Fix Oibaf PPA with sudo apt-get install libwayland-egl1
Step #3 Fix Cinnamon from freezing cause of EDID not being fantastic with open source drivers and HDTV's. This also fixes Minecraft and other things.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=272221&p=1488969#p1488969
Step #4 Switch from Radeon to AMDGPU on my Radeon HD 7850 for RADV Vulkan goodness. Only newer cards get to use AMDGPU by default. :mad:

I had some issues with Cinnamon, which was a shame because I liked it the best. Ended up going with MATE and I've been pretty happy.
 
I appreciate this post. I have a i7-4770 system I just can't seem to sell and probably will try to mess around on Linux with it.
 
1) Install Windows 7
2) Install a few drivers (if that's even needed)
3) Install apps to get shit done
4) Get shit done
5) PROFIT!!!
 
rG is still online?

Get some sleep, stop playing with your new Linux box. :ROFLMAO:
 
Only tried to install a linux distro once. after 30 mins of having it installed i locked myself out of the entire system. gave up
Maybe I'll give this a go
 
I would like to see an editorial from [H] of someone who has never used Linux doing a install (no dual booting so complete wipe) of

1) windows10
2) mint
3) Gentoo

Just because I think it would be insightful and equally funny as with gentoo
 
I catch myself doing this all the time. So used to that damn -get.

I wrote myself a shell script to parse brew into apt because I automatically try and use Homebrew as soon as a terminal is in front of me. Might be the saddest thing I've ever done.
 
I would like to see an editorial from [H] of someone who has never used Linux doing a install (no dual booting so complete wipe) of

1) windows10
2) mint
3) Gentoo

Just because I think it would be insightful and equally funny as with gentoo

Better yet, Kyle doing it as a video review. I suspect there would be enough f bombs to flatten North Korea
 
I would like to see an editorial from [H] of someone who has never used Linux doing a install (no dual booting so complete wipe) of

1) windows10
2) mint
3) Gentoo

Just because I think it would be insightful and equally funny as with gentoo
I did a dual boot, which makes it harder, right. The UEFI shit was a total fucking nightmare. After finally going through all that, getting the partitioning right was a much smaller, but still present obstacle. Then came the repositories. Hope you don't like WI-FI, or you own one of the adapters that works, or you're a genius. A few days later I redo my shit so my modem and router are next to my PC, super convenient. Then I ran ethernet and managed to get online, finally after all that. I forget what the next hurdle was but I know the immediate solution after that was to put Windows back and give up.

Sorry, all of that just to get in the door, no thanks. It doesn't need to be iPhone easy, but saying it's the easiest version of Linux is like saying it's the easiest second language to learn. Not willing to commit that much time or mental resources.

Love the idea though, hopefully some of that stuff gets easier.
 
I did a dual boot, which makes it harder, right. The UEFI shit was a total fucking nightmare. After finally going through all that, getting the partitioning right was a much smaller, but still present obstacle. Then came the repositories. Hope you don't like WI-FI, or you own one of the adapters that works, or you're a genius. A few days later I redo my shit so my modem and router are next to my PC, super convenient. Then I ran ethernet and managed to get online, finally after all that. I forget what the next hurdle was but I know the immediate solution after that was to put Windows back and give up.

Sorry, all of that just to get in the door, no thanks. It doesn't need to be iPhone easy, but saying it's the easiest version of Linux is like saying it's the easiest second language to learn. Not willing to commit that much time or mental resources.

Love the idea though, hopefully some of that stuff gets easier.
dual boot always is a nightmare. What to see how bad... install Mint on bare metal THEN install windows... it will obliterate your nice linux install SIMPLY because it cannot resize... and it likes to be 1st ...

so doing a windows 1st then going through a dual boot setup from linux does present you option which increase the probability of success BUT the complication is dual boot.


This is why I recommended bare-metal install each time. This removes the ambiguous, troublesome part. Bare metal install, even with UEFI is soo simple with Windows and Linux. Dual boot is borderline impossible Linux -> Windows, Dual boot is annoying Windows -> Linux but still doable but more oportunity for one not to boot. But why do an installation comparision when it wouldn't be apples to apples. Treat the drive as empty and ONLY for the OS being installed.

Windows10 is easy
Mint is easy
Gentoo is fun
 
Tried Mint 19 Mate via live USB on my old PC. Felt faster and smoother (visited msn.com on firefox) than Lubuntu 17.10. Am I crazy? Or Mint are better optimized?
 
I did a dual boot, which makes it harder, right. The UEFI shit was a total fucking nightmare. After finally going through all that, getting the partitioning right was a much smaller, but still present obstacle. Then came the repositories. Hope you don't like WI-FI, or you own one of the adapters that works, or you're a genius. A few days later I redo my shit so my modem and router are next to my PC, super convenient. Then I ran ethernet and managed to get online, finally after all that. I forget what the next hurdle was but I know the immediate solution after that was to put Windows back and give up.

Sorry, all of that just to get in the door, no thanks. It doesn't need to be iPhone easy, but saying it's the easiest version of Linux is like saying it's the easiest second language to learn. Not willing to commit that much time or mental resources.

Love the idea though, hopefully some of that stuff gets easier.

UEFI has worked on Linux for ages. Even Secure Boot works on MOST systems.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say your WIFI card is running a Broadcom controller. While that isn't an "excuse" people like to hear, it is what it is. Broadcom doesn't release Linux drivers, so unless someone wants to write a set themselves, you're SOL.

I learned the hard way, twice. Is it reasonable to have to search out the hardware chip on your wifi card? Not at all, but it was likely your issue.
 
dual boot always is a nightmare. What to see how bad... install Mint on bare metal THEN install windows... it will obliterate your nice linux install SIMPLY because it cannot resize... and it likes to be 1st ...

so doing a windows 1st then going through a dual boot setup from linux does present you option which increase the probability of success BUT the complication is dual boot.


This is why I recommended bare-metal install each time. This removes the ambiguous, troublesome part. Bare metal install, even with UEFI is soo simple with Windows and Linux. Dual boot is borderline impossible Linux -> Windows, Dual boot is annoying Windows -> Linux but still doable but more oportunity for one not to boot. But why do an installation comparision when it wouldn't be apples to apples. Treat the drive as empty and ONLY for the OS being installed.

Windows10 is easy
Mint is easy
Gentoo is fun

That's not correct at all. I've installed Linux first and Windows second a ton of times. It's not something I LIKE doing, but sometimes I want to throw windows on a folding box that's been running Linux standalone.

Windows will remove grub, sure, but I haven't had it touch the Linux partition at all. Once windows is installed I have to boot off a LiveCD and repair it. Is it ideal? Nope, but MS isn't required to maintain other OS's when installing. Linux does it, but it's far from their obligation.
 
I'm at the point I very seldom leave my Slackware install. I have my games mostly running in it, and the only reason I need to keep a windose around is Fallout 76. ;)

Same here, although my poison is Ubuntu. I only use my windows box at home for Forged Alliance Forever, and dual-boot my work box to run Corel X7 ... although even that is becoming rare as I'm getting more proficient in InkScape and Gimp.
 
That's not correct at all. I've installed Linux first and Windows second a ton of times. It's not something I LIKE doing, but sometimes I want to throw windows on a folding box that's been running Linux standalone.

Windows will remove grub, sure, but I haven't had it touch the Linux partition at all. Once windows is installed I have to boot off a LiveCD and repair it. Is it ideal? Nope, but MS isn't required to maintain other OS's when installing. Linux does it, but it's far from their obligation.
If you have a single-harddrive setup then I disagree... Windows has zero means to resize linux partitions and thus will ask you to format the drive -> linux install is destroyed

Consider these scenarios

Blank HDD -> install Linux single partition using entire HDD -> install windows = hosed linux
Blank HDD -> install windows single partition using entire HDD -> install linux ( option to resize windows) = possible dual boot
Blank HDD -> install linux BUT provision a spare partition -> install windows = boots windows but linux exists BUT the bootloader can be rebuilt


Now unless there is a drastic change to the windows10 installer to facilitate resizing then my statement stands AND thus the recommendation to do a blank install as the resize and dual-boot is always the most complex part. Do a 1-1 comparative test would mean a full HDD utilization by the OS in question, remember you don't need to make partitions in linux
 
If you have a single-harddrive setup then I disagree... Windows has zero means to resize linux partitions and thus will ask you to format the drive -> linux install is destroyed

Consider these scenarios

Blank HDD -> install Linux single partition using entire HDD -> install windows = hosed linux
Blank HDD -> install windows single partition using entire HDD -> install linux ( option to resize windows) = possible dual boot
Blank HDD -> install linux BUT provision a spare partition -> install windows = boots windows but linux exists BUT the bootloader can be rebuilt


Now unless there is a drastic change to the windows10 installer to facilitate resizing then my statement stands AND thus the recommendation to do a blank install as the resize and dual-boot is always the most complex part. Do a 1-1 comparative test would mean a full HDD utilization by the OS in question, remember you don't need to make partitions in linux

If you are installing Windows second and haven't resized a partition in Linux for it, then sure. But is that even something people would do? Most of the new people installing Linux for the first time aren't even going to know what partitions to create. Plus, when installing Windows it will tell you there is no current operating system installed that it can detect, that should be a red flag.

Maybe I am giving people too much credit.
 
One: Throw Windows 10 on a flash drive. Two: Boot off said flash drive. Three: Format the primary drive and install / reinstall Windows 10, drivers and updates. :D Not 10 thing s to do and so much easier. ;) :D :LOL::sneaky::ROFLMAO:
 
One: Throw Windows 10 on a flash drive. Two: Boot off said flash drive. Three: Format the primary drive and install / reinstall Windows 10, drivers and updates. :D Not 10 thing s to do and so much easier. ;) :D :LOL::sneaky::ROFLMAO:

If you read the article, it references 12 things to do AFTER Linux is installed. Not 12 steps to install it. It is no different than the million topics floating around titled "Things you must do after installing Windows!". These articles are all just opinion pieces, though. 10 of those 12 I wouldn't do myself.

But I am pretty sure you knew that and decided to act the way you did anyway.
 
If you read the article, it references 12 things to do AFTER Linux is installed. Not 12 steps to install it. It is no different than the million topics floating around titles "Things you must do after installing Windows!". These articles are all just opinion pieces, though. 10 of those 12 I wouldn't do myself.

But I am pretty sure you knew that and decided to act the way you did anyway.

"Act" the way I did? Yeah, I guess those smileys went right over your head. :D Dude, never post before your first cup of coffee, or your first beer, depending on where you are from or what time it is where you are at. :D

Well, that and it was only 4 or 5 things to do after installing Linux Mint but hey, to lazy to think of more. :D ;) Sorry but, I cannot stand Mint nor any of those copy cat start menus that are never intuitive and puts things not where you think they would be.

I would rather use Ubuntu Unity or their newest interface of any "Start Menu" the Linux community has tried to create.
 
Protip for anyone actually wanting to try installing Linux bare metal: Turn off all ancillary SATA drives in BIOS. It's not always a problem, but i have found the bootloader can go onto the wrong disc, like a storage disc rather than the main drive or even overwrite another OS drives. Keeping your initial install as simple as possible works wonders.
Also if your just messing around but want that baremetal performance you can install Linux on that one drive you have enabled and the windows drive is disabled so it doesn't screw up your windows bootloader/install. Then at the very least you can alternate with your boot drives in BIOS or F key the boot menu on startup to select which drive to boot from.That way Linux is always there if you need it and if you don't then just change the boot order to the windows SATA drive and format the Linux back to an empty drive.

i wouldn't do a side by side and trust it to work with a proper prompt for each OS on boot. Dual booting is not really a good way to go but trying Linux, the above removes all associated risks with doing so.

USB key, download ISO, write image, live boot.. 15min install and your good to go :)
 
Mint is fine, but for newbies I still tell them to install Ubuntu. It and Red Hat/Cent have the most online help if something goes wrong, and Ubuntu is easier to use than Red Hat by a mile.
 
One: Throw Windows 10 on a flash drive. Two: Boot off said flash drive. Three: Format the primary drive and install / reinstall Windows 10, drivers and updates. :D Not 10 thing s to do and so much easier. ;) :D :LOL::sneaky::ROFLMAO:
Not 10, but much more to do. Need to get of the spyware, viruses, bloat, telemetry, etc.
 
Protip for anyone actually wanting to try installing Linux bare metal: Turn off all ancillary SATA drives in BIOS. It's not always a problem, but i have found the bootloader can go onto the wrong disc, like a storage disc rather than the main drive or even overwrite another OS drives. Keeping your initial install as simple as possible works wonders.
Also if your just messing around but want that baremetal performance you can install Linux on that one drive you have enabled and the windows drive is disabled so it doesn't screw up your windows bootloader/install. Then at the very least you can alternate with your boot drives in BIOS or F key the boot menu on startup to select which drive to boot from.That way Linux is always there if you need it and if you don't then just change the boot order to the windows SATA drive and format the Linux back to an empty drive.

i wouldn't do a side by side and trust it to work with a proper prompt for each OS on boot. Dual booting is not really a good way to go but trying Linux, the above removes all associated risks with doing so.

USB key, download ISO, write image, live boot.. 15min install and your good to go :)

Thanks for the tips. In all seriousness, I wish those who claim that ONLY WINDOWS could do this really have no full understanding of how hardware and the UEFI / BIOS works. Once again, thanks for letting us know this.
 
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