Beginners Guide to Installing and Using Linux Mint 11

Quick to answer questions about finding your way around Linux Mint as a new user.
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Chainy

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by Chainy »

I did a little search in this thread, but I didn't find anything about a recommended partition table for those that want to do it manually. The guide as published by the person starting this thread is excellent, but it only describes creating a two partition set-up. One for the swap and one for everything else. It seems to me that the guide would be better if it recommended a three partition table for beginners:

1. A swap partition (twice the size of your RAM - if swap is too small, then 'hibernate' and 'suspend' won't work)
2. A second partition formatted as Ext3 and with the mount point of '/',
3. A third partition (also formatted as Ext3) for the home directory (mount point of '/home').

I'm sure people could offer alternative partition layouts, but this 3 partition system is nice and simple for beginners and it will help them greatly when they want to get the latest version of Linux Mint. All they will have to do is then do a fresh install, whilst leaving all the files in the home directory intact. A clear description of how to do this in the guide would be extremely useful!

I believe this is the best way of getting the latest version of Mint - the other two methods are no way near as good. Firstly, the upgrade system as described here (http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=1144) is not reliable at all and can lead to all sorts of problems for beginners. And secondly, doing a fresh install where you don't have a separate home partition means that you will then need to recopy all your files from a backup onto your computer once the fresh installation is completed. If you use the manual three partition method for installing Mint, then when you do a fresh install, you can leave all your saved files in the Home directory intact, along with all your personal settings (which is a very big bonus). Surely, we MUST recommend this to beginners and then they will all appreciate that it is actually an easy and enjoyable experience to do a fresh install of the latest Mint operating system. Even if the 'upgrade' tools are improved, I think I would still prefer a fresh install using the separate home partition method.

PLEASE NOTE THOUGH: Even with the separate Home partition method of installing Mint, it is VERY important to make a backup of your Home directory beforehand!! (Just in case you make a mistake - for example, some people might accidently tick the format partition box for the '/home' partition. This is necessary if it is a first time install, but NOT if you want your existing files of a Mint 7 installation to remain intact after you have freshly installed Mint 8 ). If you don't make any mistakes, though, your Home directory files and all the settings will be there after the fresh installation of the latest Mint. Everything will work just fine. No need to then start copying all your files and settings over from your backup!

As a general rule, I would always recommend even beginners to use the manual partition method during installation. The 'Guided - use entire disk' partition method often gets the size of swap wrong. This then leads to disappointment when the hibernation and suspend features don't work! (Ok, if the automated partition method makes a mistake with the swap size, it is of course possible to create a swap file to compensate for the existing (and too small) swap partition. But, why not just do it right immediately?...)
dedalmapeti

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by dedalmapeti »

I am using mint 7 for several months. Works just fine, but i am thinking about an upgrade to mint 8. i am highly skilled in ms operating systems, but new in linux. i wonder if i could keep all my installed software, documents ant other downloaded stuff on the installation partition or i have to move them on another partition and then reinstall the software and remake all settings, stored passwords,favorites, etc... or maybe i could use some kind of file and settings transfer wizard... at least i would like to keep my settings. please help...
pano623

Re: installation de programmes

Post by pano623 »

j'ecris en français je ne connais pas l'anglais ce qui est un inconvéniant sous linux car les explications les plus simples sont en anglais .
DEpuis 10 ans je'installe régulierement des linux . Mais je suis bloqué par 2 choses l'installation des imprimantes et l'installation des nouveaus programmes je crois que mandriva dans ses installations payantes ont prévu mais je n'ai jamais rien trové sous le gratuit . Alors a mon grand regret je suis resté sous windows et seven m'a d'autant conforté mon choix . Y a t'il un moyen simple genre application qui permetrait que enfin je me mette a linux . :oops:
J'essai en ce moment d'installer KOMPOZER sous linux j'ai le programmes sous cd que j'ai transferé sur le bureau eh bien malgré que je fasse un appel par la console ça me dit que le fichier n'existe pas . Si quelq'un connais un programme ou un application ou un package ou existerai cette application je suis preneur meçi a tous . :mrgreen:

[size=150]TRADUCTION par GOOGLE[/size]

:lol: I write in French I do not know English, which is a inconvéniant Linux because the simplest explanations are in English.
For 10 years regularly je'installe linux. But I'm stuck with 2 things installed printers and installing programs nouveaus I think mandriva pay its facilities were provided but I never trova under free. Then to my great regret I stayed under my windows and all seven confirmed my choice. Is there a simple application that permetra kind that I finally put a linux. : oops:
I am trying now to install Linux KOMPOZIT I programs in the cd that I have transferred the office well, although I make a call using the console it tells me that the file does not exist. If somebody know a program or application or package or existerai this application I am a customer meci all. :D
vincent

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by vincent »

En premier, je dois dire que le français n'est pas ma langue maternelle et je ne suis pas aussi fluent en français comme je suis en anglais, alors excusez-moi s'il y a des fautes d'orthographe ou de grammaire stupides dans mon écriture. :P

Oh, et il y a un forum dédié aux francophones; est-ce que vous avez essayé de demander pour de l'aide là en premier?

Vous pouvez trouver une grande variété de programmes avec Synaptic Package Manager (mintMenu > Package Manager), et je suis sûr que vous pouvez trouver la plupart de vos programmes préférés avec Synaptic. Sinon, vous pouvez toujours chercher Launchpad (https://launchpad.net) pour les PPAs (Personal Package Archives) qui contiennent les programmes que vous voulez. Vous pouvez aussi essayer d'aller au site-web de l'auteur de votre programme et voir s'il y a une version pour Linux (au lieu des extensions comme .exe ou .dmg, vous cherchez pour .deb ou .tar.gz). Finalement, si tout ça ne fonctionne pas, vous pouvez essayer d'installer la programme avec Wine (vous pouvez trouver ce programme avec Synaptic).
driverdaw2

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by driverdaw2 »

I am fed up with trying Linux Mint, used to play around with unix many years ago, now after 2 months of searching, loading reloading, windows is better for me. I will leave this on the computer but it is such a lot of messing around before you can do something, then 9 times out of ten it doesn't work after. Firefox, what a waste of time the fastest I xcan get it to download is about 9k, Windows 7 runs at about 450 kc/per sec. Sorry lads but I'm gone. Only here for a couple of months so you haven't lost much! I run a Phenom quad cpu 4Gbyte ram 320 Gbt SATA hdd. I am in China I don't know if that has any bearing on this speed, but windows runs at about 450 kb per sec. Thanks anyway.
Fred

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by Fred »

driverdaw2,

Have a nice life. :-)

Fred
mick55

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by mick55 »

driverdaw2 wrote:Firefox, what a waste of time the fastest I xcan get it to download is about 9k, Windows 7 runs at about 450 kc/per sec.
Uuummm.... Windows 7 is not a browser so your statement is patently absurd.

You need to compare apples to apples if you want your observations to be taken seriously.
driverdaw2 wrote:I am in China
Yeah, I guess all that government censorship couldn't be slowing things down. :roll:

If you are so supremely satisfied with your Windows 7 experience,
why are you here trying out Linux?

Or, are you just trolling?

Have a nice day
mick
User avatar
det4100
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Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:51 am
Location: New York

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by det4100 »

driverdaw2,

It would appear that you joined the forum a month ago and this is the only post you have made. ( I apologize if that is not the case.) What a shame you didn't ask any questions and take advantage of the vast quantity and quality of knowledge that is offered everyday by the members of this forum. Learning anything new can be difficult, but to give up without asking a question is just sad. Sorry it did not work out for you.

det4100
det4100

Running Mint Debian
badcompany9

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by badcompany9 »

Am a first time Linux user, and I apologise in advance if my queries reek of retardation.

Just installed Mint 8, made 3 partitions:
/
/home
swap

The /home partition doesn't show up in 'computer'. Went to disk utility and the partition was there but was not recognised. Anyone know what I am doing wrong? Is this a problem due to the ordering of the partitions?

After trying the installation process a few more times, I gave up and selected the install for everything on one partition. My hard drive capacity is 160GB (real capacity 150GB). After installation, free space was 130GB, swap was 6GB. Did Mint 8 really take up 14GB install space or am I missing something?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks.
vincent

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by vincent »

During the installation, you first chose the "specify partitions manually" option, right? And you ensured that you labelled the partitions you created with /, /home, and /swap, as well as ensuring that they were all formatted, right? If so, then I don't understand how you cannot see or access your /home partition...

Open up a terminal and run the following command, pasting the output here as well:

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l
An alternative would be to install GParted...

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install gparted
...grab a screenshot of what GParted sees on your drive when you run it, and paste the screenie here.
badcompany9

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by badcompany9 »

Yes, I selected the 'specify partitions manually' option and formatted all partitions except swap (option to format was not available).

Thanks for your suggestion. Shall try again but as I said, I gave up and settled for installing everything on one partition. So for the time being I will stick with it.
psykke

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by psykke »

So I installed Linux Mint 8 from the Live CD following the instructions here http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-d ... yssa-r1-p2.
After I reboot it it just boots into shell and I am lost. Any ideas?
FedoraRefugee

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by FedoraRefugee »

psykke wrote:So I installed Linux Mint 8 from the Live CD following the instructions here http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-d ... yssa-r1-p2.
After I reboot it it just boots into shell and I am lost. Any ideas?
I bet grub did not install, or it installed to the wrong place.

Are you running more than one hard drive? If so, are you putting Linux on the second drive in the boot order? If yes then you may need to hit the advanced tab on this screen of the installer:

Image

and specify that grub is placed in the MBR of the drive that is first in the boot order.
psykke

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by psykke »

FedoraRefugee wrote:
psykke wrote:So I installed Linux Mint 8 from the Live CD following the instructions here http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-d ... yssa-r1-p2.
After I reboot it it just boots into shell and I am lost. Any ideas?
I bet grub did not install, or it installed to the wrong place.

Are you running more than one hard drive? If so, are you putting Linux on the second drive in the boot order? If yes then you may need to hit the advanced tab on this screen of the installer:

[img_]http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4430/15485301.jpg[/img]

and specify that grub is placed in the MBR of the drive that is first in the boot order.
Well I am dual booting with Windows 7, so the OS Selection screen comes up, I believe that GRUB is doing that. When I load Win 7 it loads fine, but when I do Mint or Mint (recovery) it just boots into the shell.
I have 5 separate physical hdds and I installed Mint onto what Win7 displays as Disk 2.
FedoraRefugee

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by FedoraRefugee »

psykke wrote:
Well I am dual booting with Windows 7, so the OS Selection screen comes up, I believe that GRUB is doing that. When I load Win 7 it loads fine, but when I do Mint or Mint (recovery) it just boots into the shell.
I have 5 separate physical hdds and I installed Mint onto what Win7 displays as Disk 2.
Okay, never mind what I said then if Grub is coming up. What does the shell look like? Is there a command prompt? Are you in init3? does it ask for a login and have you tried startx?
psykke

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by psykke »

FedoraRefugee wrote:
psykke wrote:
Well I am dual booting with Windows 7, so the OS Selection screen comes up, I believe that GRUB is doing that. When I load Win 7 it loads fine, but when I do Mint or Mint (recovery) it just boots into the shell.
I have 5 separate physical hdds and I installed Mint onto what Win7 displays as Disk 2.
Okay, never mind what I said then if Grub is coming up. What does the shell look like? Is there a command prompt? Are you in init3? does it ask for a login and have you tried startx?
Yeah, it asks for the login and password I set up during installation. After I enter it I am greeted with a random quote and can type commands. What do I type to start the GUI?
FedoraRefugee

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by FedoraRefugee »

Try typing "startx" without the quotes (for Gnome). If this works then you need to edit your /etc/inittab file:

Code: Select all

sudo gedit /etc/inittab
Change the line that reads:

id:3:initdefault:

to read:

id:5:initdefault:

If startx does not work then there is some reason why X will not start.
psykke

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by psykke »

FedoraRefugee wrote:Try typing "startx" without the quotes (for Gnome). If this works then you need to edit your /etc/inittab file:

Code: Select all

sudo gedit /etc/inittab
Change the line that reads:

id:3:initdefault:

to read:

id:5:initdefault:

If startx does not work then there is some reason why X will not start.
startx doesn't work.
It comes up with some long error message. One part says something like 'no screens found' or something similar.
a52735

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by a52735 »

Can you help install this?









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Last edited by a52735 on Mon May 17, 2010 9:00 am, edited 2 times in total.
FedoraRefugee

Re: Beginers Guide to Installing and Using Mint

Post by FedoraRefugee »

psykke wrote:
FedoraRefugee wrote:Try typing "startx" without the quotes (for Gnome). If this works then you need to edit your /etc/inittab file:

Code: Select all

sudo gedit /etc/inittab
Change the line that reads:

id:3:initdefault:

to read:

id:5:initdefault:

If startx does not work then there is some reason why X will not start.
startx doesn't work.
It comes up with some long error message. One part says something like 'no screens found' or something similar.
Is this a fresh install (or did an install break?) and does the live CD work on your computer? Something is wrong in X, it will be hard to pinpoint it. If the live CD runs okay it is possible something just got borked during install. Maybe try to install again. It is a possible graphics driver problem, though these are very rare in Mint. What kind of graphics are you running? (nvidia or ati? Intel?...)
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