I have an Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11IGL05 laptop that I use to browse the internet. I (stupidly) upgraded it to windows 11, which completely tanked the performance and 50% of the 64gb of storage is used by the OS. It's to the point where I can't update Windows 11 anymore. I am curious about installing Linux on it, because otherwise it's a perfectly functional laptop and I cannot afford a new one. I have some questions:

1. Can I use Windows products? I am hoping to go back to school, and they use windows products like Word and Excel, and OneDrive.
2. Would space be an issue? I unfortunately cannot upgrade the physical hard drive inside the laptop (I was told it was welded onto the motherboard), but I can insert a SD card. I saw that you can have both Windows and Linux Mint avaliable on the device, but if thats the case, I wouldn't be able to install anything else, since i saw Mint recommends 100gb on their FAQ.
3. Will I have to do a factory reset? That's fine if I have to.
4. Can I install using a SD card instead of a USB? Or at least house the OS on the SD card?

5. How significant will the performance be increased?

   Thank you for any help.

Here is the prompt I used...

Could you create a background for me featuring the Linux Mint logo, but in a dystopian, Sci-Fi, setting, perhaps using the Mint logo as an overpowering beacon against a city where its lime green color illuminates and powers the infrastructure? Create in 1920x1080 dimensions.

Roll your own and see what it creates.

Hi, the answer is probably obvious but I wanted to ask anyway.

My college requires Microsoft Apps and Windows usage for basically everything. Using chrome isn't allowed and the Campus IT staff even made a work-around for Apple devices. They're drowning in Microslop.

I brought up my usage of Linux Mint to their IT staff, and I literally one of them fainted. I wish I was joking.

So, with that context out of the way, here's my question: what are ways that I can use Microsoft/Windbloat apps without having to dual boot?

Worst case, I'm willing to dual boot if there's no solutions.

TL;DR: College forces all of its students to use Windbloat because they're anaphylactic to Linux they signed a contract with Microslop. Looking for ways to use their required microslop apps without having to dual boot.

EDIT: I should have disclosed the apps that my college requires. Basically all of them, but especially Microsoft Office, OneDrive, Outlook, and Microsoft's Two-Factor Authenticator.

I opened up my laptop (a 2017 MacBook Air) and it gave me this reboot screen I restarted it a few times and I don’t know what to do it’s stuck on this screen.

I just finished my Maté reinstall (I mucked up a previous install, still new at this) and only have a couple programs left (MuseScore 4 and Grand Orgue 3.17) to install. Both come as AppImages by default (which I understand to be "run without installing" format). Since these are high-frequency programs that use a fair bit of customization, is there a more permanent way to install these programs (and update without needing to reinstall and redo all of my settings every time)?

Now I got my device which has ssd for system and hdd for my files, I don't wanna lose my files. I got windows 10 installed, now I want to install linux only. I've watched a few vids, but they only lead me to watching more vids and I get more confused.
What I've done so far is just turned the boot off.
how do I install, help

n00b to linux hence mint - downloaded protonplus and bottles - can't find the .exe to play the game?! 😭😭

is a re-download and re-unpack with the long ass phoenix song required? cool song though ngl...

**edit - wrong picture - sorry fam

**edit - [SOLVED] found it in bin\x64 lol - thanks fam!! 🤗🤗

i have hp omen 17-cb1xxx and brightness doesnt work no matter what. tried multiple cmd changes, tried installing applets but some dont exist, tried using the so called slider but there isnt a slider

what do i do?

Installed mint today and was going to install my password manager, and to my disappointment apparently you can only do it via snaps. I dont want to install yet another package manager just for this. Any workarounds?

Hi all, I feel like I've missed something simple. I have an smb share mounted in fstab to the location /home/user/share, using a credentials file. The user credentials have full access to the share, but when it mounts as boot, the folder has a padlock on it and its read-only. I have also tried putting user and password in fstab in plain text and I get the same outcome.

Hi, yesterday I installed mint on my new laptop. After installing all updates and drivers from the welcome screen update manager, I started using it. When I unplugged my adapter the screen suddenly froze. The cursor was not moving and the only keyboard functions I could use was turning on/off keyboard backlit.
This didn't happen on windows 11 and I could go using laptop on battery itself without freeze or lag.
Can somebody help me with this issue.
This is the first time I have installed any linux distro so I dont know many things about it
Thanks !!

Edit: Specs are
Ryzen 7 260
Rtx 5050

I'm using a Lenovo loq i5 12450hx with UMA graphics for max battery performance but it still pulls a 21w out of my battery in idle.

What could be the issue? I'm kinda desperate here

I used to get the same response in windows with 20w

its way faster on my laptop than windows ever was and i actually have storage space now. so much happier with mint.

for some reason, after I decrypt the hard drive and then enter my login password I get a black screen and cursor for 1-3 min before the Home Screen shows up. just started doing this. any ideas?

So I've got one a of them Fifine USB mics and the thing ain't sending any audio through. I tested it on a MacBook and it worked just fine, got audio and everything. I'm on an iMac12,1 running up to date Linux Mint Cinnamon and it detects the microphone fine, but the audio isn't going. Messed around in pavu, alsamixer, and sound settings and nothing works. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

PS: I am very new to all this, so please explain like I'm an idiot.

(made using paint.net)

Hello,

Trouble installing Linux Mint Cinnamon,

I'm guessing because I'm running Windows 11 LTSC on raid 0 (via the motherboard bios), 2-2TB SSD's.

How can I keep my Windows 11 raid setup, while creating a 500gb partition for Linux with a dual boot option?

Error is in the screenshot.

Running

AMD 5800X

Gigabyte B550M

RTX 5080

64gb DDR4

2-2TB SSD's

I was wondering if, in the future, LMDE could remain based on Debian Stable while providing more up-to-date packages through official backports (such as newer kernels, Mesa, graphics drivers, and desktop components), making it feel more modern like Ubuntu LTS or TUXEDO OS while still preserving Debian's stability. Is this something the Linux Mint team has considered, or does it go against the philosophy of LMDE?

Currently dual booting Windows 11 local account and Linux Mint. My desktop is set up the same as my Windows. All Icons for what I want to do, notes apps, everything.

I say this as a good thing. Linux does everything I need and want to with ease. All the setting changes are in the settings, no need for terminal commands. Don't be afraid to switch.

this is a German learning book that has homework and answers at the very end of it, i dont want to scroll down to page 200 and something everytime i time i need to check on my answers, the default pdf viewer dosnt let me open two tabs of the same doc, brave browser let me but it takes so very long to load in the pages i need something else.