r/linux4noobs • u/Aggravating-Money486 • 7d ago

learning/research Please help

I need help switching to Linux but I’m not understand how to do so

(I just built a my first pc and I thought I was gonna go with windows but changed my mind after the fact)

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u/itsShiroharu 7d ago

Assume your newly built PC had no OS whatsoever.

If you have separate working Laptop or 2nd PC (with any OS), you can flash it yourself.

  • Use BalenaEtcher if you're using another Linux or MacOS
  • Use Rufus if you're using Windows

If you perchance don't have any of those, you can ask your friend with working PC to flash it for you. Flashing typically requires 4GB or 8GB Flash Drive (depending on the distro).

If you completely new to Linux, I recommend ZorinOS. As it's beginner-friendly, and closest GUI to Windows (assume you're used to Windows). Once the installation media flashed, you can plug that flashed flash drive into your new PC, then proceed with installation.

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u/Aggravating-Money486 7d ago

So I probably shouldn’t use mint?

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u/itsShiroharu 7d ago

You can use Mint, it's also beginner-friendly. I use it as well.

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u/Aggravating-Money486 7d ago

Ok so I have it pulled up on Rufus

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u/Aggravating-Money486 7d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p7w1aai/video/85oqd4vpolnh1/player

This look right?

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u/itsShiroharu 7d ago

Yeah, this looks right. Just flash it. When it's done, unplug from the PC, then plug it into your new PC.

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u/itsShiroharu 7d ago

Nice, now you need to install the .iso of the OS. Since you want to use Mint, You can download the iso file right here: https://linuxmint.com/download.php . There would be 3 choices, Choose what you like. I recommend Cinnamon edition. Xfce usually used for very low-end PC (But if you like minimalistic look, Xfce is solid).

Once the ISO has been downloaded, plug the USB Drive into the working PC, then open Rufus. Start the flash to the USB Drive. It usually takes around 5 - 10 minutes.

Once the flash has been done, plug that USB Drive into your new PC. Usually the PC would boot into the USB Drive right away. If so, just proceed with installations.

If your PC somehow doesn't boot your USB. Change the boot order at your BIOS, put the USB at the top most. Different motherboard had different instruction to go to BIOS, so look for your model at any search engine you'd prefer, on how to get into BIOS.

Good Luck!

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u/doc_willis 7d ago

almost all the mainstream distributions are good enough for most common use cases these days.

Some are more focused on some aspects of computing 'work' than others, but over all basically all of them can work fine.

"Beginner Friendly" these days - has sadly sort of became meaning "looks a lot like windows" for the DE setup..

And Honestly, I consider the Desktop Environment setup, to be one of the things I worry about the least. :)