What made you switch to Linux Mint?

[KF5SDR]

I had been using Ubuntu since 2009. Then, everything changed when Unity attacked. That's when I switched to Mint.

[Dngrsone]

I had been using Ubuntu since 2009. Then, everything changed when Unity attacked. That's when I switched to Mint.

Are you going to return to Ubuntu now that Unity got the boot?

[Spearmint2]

Unity gone? What using now? There is already an Ubuntu MATE.

[Dngrsone]

Ubuntu is going to default back to Gnome.

Reference.

I kind of like Mint KDE, but you never know, I might take Kubuntu a try next year or something.

[ComputerBorks]

I'm a pretty anti-apple person, but I have an old macbook with el capitan on it. It was very slow and such, and a youtube channel, Maxxarcade, used it on one of his computers. I first tried it out in a VM and it was AMAZING. So I had to switch over.

[willim]

Hi,

For 25+ years my home PC's have all been running MS-DOS or Windows operating systems and currently, Vista and both Windows 10 Pro & Home editions. I have become totally browned off with Windows 10 rebooting without warning. This is my primary reason for the addition of GNU Linux LMDE as another operating system. I was hoping to be able to choose when the PC reboots rather than “the PC” deciding when to reboot.

Yesterday I installed Oracle VM Virtual Box with Windows 10 as the operating system. Last night the PC “decided” to reboot without warning.

My personal opinion is that PC's rebooting automatically are an issue for business. Some years ago PC's were regularly left on to run structural analysis packages overnight.

GNU Linux Mint was described as “an easy system” for newbies which I consider my self to be.

Five days ago I downloaded the LM 18.1 Iso to PC and then the LMDE 2-201701 Iso to PC four days ago.

I selected GNU Linux Mint LMDE as it is based on the Debian distribution. Ubuntu seems to have some “vague association” with Amazon, more likely to get Amazon adverts in browser? My reasoning may be “vague” but that is why I chose LMDE.

[Dngrsone]

Welcome to the site, willim.

Your machine rebooted itself for no reason while in LMDE? How often does this happen? Are you using it at the time or does it happen when you are not looking?

I am wondering if perhaps you have a hardware issue that is causing your problem.

[willim]

Welcome to the site, willim.

Your machine rebooted itself for no reason while in LMDE? How often does this happen? Are you using it at the time or does it happen when you are not looking?

I am wondering if perhaps you have a hardware issue that is causing your problem.

Hi Dngrsome

Thanks for the reply.

I was sitting at the machine using it at the time. It has been doing this for a few months, Windows 10 "un-scheduled boot," hence the move to/trial of LMDE. I am retired so the PC is on anytime within a 16 hour slot per day so I cannot schedule a 12 hour update slot outside the times I use the PC.

I suspect that the issue was the Oracle VM Virtual Box running Windows 10/ Adobe Reader DC. It was a round Windows 10 "un-scheduled boot" time.

I was going to be running a test for the benefit of others (and myself ) to determine if my suspicions were correct. My test would have been Oracle VM Virtual Box running Windows 10/ Adobe Reader DC and leave minimised to see if the issue recurred. However ...

Yesterday I spent an hour with Microsoft fixing my licensing issues on Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro PCs so I'd rather not cause too much grief too soon.

Yesterday I was also testing my PC:-

Processor Intel Core i3-4160 CPU @ 3.6GHz x 2
Graphics Intel 4th Generation Core Processor Family IGC

Running Google Earth with Oracle VM Virtual Box Snapshot running Adobe Reader DC but minimised resulted in my highest resources use.
Memory 3.2 GiB 86.2% of 3.7GiB Swap 1.7GiB (14%) of 12GiB
Memory 3.3 GiB 87.4% of 3.7GiB Swap 1.1GiB (9.6%) of 12GiB

? Normal use ? + Virtual Box
Memory 3.3 GiB 87.4% of 3.7GiB Swap 422.4MiB (3.4%) of 12GiB Swappiness = 10

No Google Earth, no VM "normal use"
Memory 316 MiB 8.4% of 3.7GiB Swap 221.3MiB (1.8%) of 12GiB Swappiness = 50
Memory 706 MiB 8.4% of 3.7GiB Swap 0 bytes (0%) of 12GiB Swappiness = 10

During the tests the one or two processors occassionaly reached 95+%. In "normal use about 25% is normal.
From the above my swapfile is too big, 5 or 6GiB would be appear to be more than adequate.

Running Google Earth with the Virtual Box minimised was really slow. My current conclusion is if I need to run Windows applications reboot to Windows. Why?

1) Loading the Virtual Box heavily enough it becomes slow. Solution don't load heavily, I was testing.

2) Today I have been digging in to Licensing VM's. It would appear to use Windows 10 on a VM it MUST be Win 10 Pro (or Enterprise) and up to 4 instances can be used. From the web the forth coming Windows 10 Pro 1703 users can defer upgrades for up to 365 days.

From my reading of the licensing information below I may need another chat with Microsoft to do some more "licensing" if I was to continue using/testing VM Virtual Box or any othe VM requiring Windows. As noted above I'd like to avoid that

3) With my Windows 10 VM machine Microsoft may or may not need to "update" - this is something else for me to avoid.

Code: Select all

# # #
[url]http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com[/url]

[url]http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/ProductResults.aspx?doc=Product%20Terms,OST&fid=101[/url]

You selected: Windows Desktop Operating System (& "printed" on the web page)

4.1 Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5 (Per User and Per Device) and Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) E3/E5 (Per User and Per Device) additional use rights granted via SA

“Software,” as used here, refers to Windows 10 Enterprise Current Branch or Windows Enterprise LTSB.

“Licensed Device,” as used here, refers to the device to which Customer assigns active coverage.

“Licensed User,” as used here, refers to the user to whom Customer assigns active coverage. If the underlying user License is transferred from one person to another, the original user of the License is no longer licensed.

Any user of a Licensed Device, or any device used by a Licensed User, may remotely access up to four Instances of the Software Running in Virtual OSEs or one Instance of the Software Running in one Physical OSE on (a) device(s) dedicated to Customer’s use.
    
Refer to sections 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.2.2 for use restrictions on Conditional Qualifying Operating System.
Customer may create and store an Instance of the Software on one or two USB drives via Windows to Go and use them
on Licensed Devices if licensed per device or on any device by users licensed per user .

Customer may run Windows 10 Pro, or any earlier versions of the Software, in place of any Instance permitted in this section.

Customer does not need a License to access its permitted Instances only to administer the Software.
# # #
4.12 Software Assurance for Windows Embedded Industry Enterprise
Customers with Software Assurance for Windows Embedded Industry Enterprise have the same rights and restrictions as Windows
Software Assurance.
License Model Terms
Desktop Operating Systems
Device License

1. Customer may install one copy of the software on a Licensed Device or within a local virtual hardware system on a Licensed
Device for each License it acquires.

2. Customer may use the software on up to two processors.

3. Local use is permitted for any user.

4. Remote use is permitted for the Primary User of the Licensed Device and for any other user from another Licensed Device or a Windows VDA Licensed Device.

5. Only one user may access and use the software at a time.

6. Customer may connect up to 20 devices to the Licensed Device for file sharing, printing, Internet Information Services, Internet Connection Sharing or telephony services.

7. An unlimited number of connections are allowed for KMS activation or similar technology.
Adobe Flash Player The software may include a version of Adobe Flash Player. Customer agrees that its use of the Adobe Flash Player is governed by the license terms for Adobe Systems Incorporated at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=248532. Adobe and Flash are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

This may be easier to read through?
[url]https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/124053-licensing-windows-10-with-virtualization-technologies-how-to[/url]

# # #

As ever moderator feel free to delete/modify as you wish

[Dngrsone]

So, if I am reading you this is definitely an issue with Windows doing its dance of inconvenience, and your machine behaves itself when running LMDE.

Okay, that's cool. If it isn't obvious, I'm more of a hardware-oriented troubleshooter.

[willim]

So, if I am reading you this is definitely an issue with Windows doing its dance of inconvenience, and your machine behaves itself when running LMDE.

Okay, that's cool. If it isn't obvious, I'm more of a hardware-oriented troubleshooter.

Hi Dngrsone,

Thanks for the interest.

Yeah for now I'd go with that. :_) "Dances of inconvenience" or "unscheduled reboots" - six of one and half a dozen of the other

I don't think there are hardware issues the PC it can run for 16 hours per day except for "Dances of inconvenience" or "unscheduled reboots"

If I stay out of Virtual Box I have had no problems with LMDE LDME just runs ... just like an operating system should

I would have liked to confirm the suspect Virtual Box/Win10 issue for the sake of others following in our footsteps, but for me it will have to wait. Even my suspicion may set others thinking ... or you if you are assisting them

Again thank you for interest, it is appreciated

[Pjotr]

@willim: LMDE isn't very suitable for beginners with Linux. Only the main edition of Mint is.

[killer de bug]

Ubuntu seems to have some “vague association” with Amazon, more likely to get Amazon adverts in browser? My reasoning may be “vague” but that is why I chose LMDE.

This is not true. Forget about the craps you may have read on this subject.

[Dngrsone]

@willim: LMDE isn't very suitable for beginners with Linux. Only the main edition of Mint is.

I don't know, Cinnamon is nice, but is LMDE not more 'Windows-like" than Cinnamon or MATE? Or Gnome for that matter.

At any rate, he seems to be getting along well with it.

[killer de bug]

Cinnamon is a desktop environment. LMDE is a distribution.

Linux Mint main is based on Ubuntu.
LMDE is based on Debian.

Then both of them have a Cinnamon and a MATE edition. The look is the same. The base is slightly different.

[sbroccolo]

I first got into Linux about 20 years ago. Primarily to give my wife a machine that she couldn't corrupt with downloads from untrusted sites. I tried OpenSuse and Red Hat. At the time they were both finicky and I was on the road a lot as a Network Tech, then Network Project Manager, I was constantly providing tech support over the phone to her. You know all those crazy tech support memes and stories? I could write a book based on my experiences providing tech support to my wife alone. "It won't turn on" "OK honey, let's double check to make sure it didn't get unplugged, like last time" "OK, hold on while I get a flashlight" "Why?" "There's a storm and the power went out, it's too dark for me to see the plug" "Honey, sweetheart, the computer needs power or it won't work" "Why? the phone is working" "Do you want the technical answer or do you just trust me?" "OK, fine, just fine, fine! I'll call you when the power is back! $#@% Linux! This wouldn't happen if you bought me a Windows computer!!"
So, I bought her a Windows Laptop. Of course we had conversations about why the computer would work but not connect to the Internet until I installed a UPS for my router and cable modem.
Fast forward to 6 months ago. I am retired now, but I like to take long trips to visit relatives around the country. I usually have to reinstall Windows about every 6 months for her and occasionally I am gone when she corrupts it. Fortunately I was home the last time she obliterated the OS. I told her that I had been following the progress of Linux and they have made a lot of advancements since the last time she had it. "Linux? I LOVED Linux! Yes, let's do that!" After 40 years of marriage you learn that there are times when you just smile and agree, and when she says "let's", she means me.
So I downloaded several and installed full versions onto USB drives. The various Ubuntu distros were non-starters for her. She thought Apricity looked too much like Apple and she hates Apple because her sister uses it. It came down to Zorin or Linux Mint Cinnamon. She liked both. I prefer Linux Mint. While I am fairly proficient in using terminal mode and Linux commands I felt that Linux Mint had easier to use GUI's to "look under the hood". Talking her through typing in command lines and reading back to me the results is just not going to happen. Since I usually only take my tablet with me when I travel remote access is not a viable solution. I also like that it is based on Ubuntu and follows close behind when they release a new version. I prefer not to be on the cutting edge.
Rather than install Linux Mint onto her hard drive I made several full installs onto 32GB Sandisk USB flash drives. Yes, a little slow, but given the state her laptop was in, way faster than what she had. I left her with 3. I've been gone a month and yes, somehow she has manged to wreck one of them already.
I love it. While visiting my sister, my brother-in-law had several old Compaq Presarios. I was able to cobble together what amounts to a game console for their teenagers using Linux Mint as the OS. He also gave me an old (about 6 years old) Sony Vaio with a bad hard drive, bad power supply and battery, and a flaky mouse pad. $50 worth of parts and it is a pretty quick little machine with Linux Mint on it. Currently visiting my daughter and using it to hone my Linux skills.

[rick gen]

Been dabbling with Linux on and off for the last decade.
Most key searches direct you to Linux Mint, which is obviously the most popular and deservingly so.
Which is why I'm here. Can't say I switched because I still have to use Windows occasionally.

[panjia]

I tried Ubuntu a long time ago (around 2008-2009) and didn't have good experience with that.
One day Linux crossed my mind and I browsed the internet and found that Linux Mint is a good user-friendly alternative to Ubuntu.
I read a lot of articles about Linux Mint and decided to give it a try.
I'm impressed on how much Linux has changed and become way much more easier to use.

Cinnamon desktop is beautiful and the collection of softwares are awesome.
I think I will never go back to Windows anymore.

[majpooper]

Hi sbroccolo,

Enjoyed your post. I have had similar experiences with my wife and sister, two very smart, highly educated and accomplished women but can not be bothered with "technical computer stuff" in fact they find "that stuff" not only boring but annoying.

What really hit home though was " "when she says "let's", she means me." "

[Vanilla Lumina]

A friend told me about it, because he dual boots it with Windows 10 (he'd replace it with Mint but he is a PC gamer, so has to dual boot). I decided to dual boot it on my Mac and it has turned nicely so far. ^^

I went for XFCE version because clean interface.

I might install Mint on my Windows 10 laptop; as a single boot: is this possible using UEFI boot or do I need to use Legacy in my BIOS settings?

[Dngrsone]

I might install Mint on my Windows 10 laptop; as a single boot: is this possible using UEFI boot or do I need to use Legacy in my BIOS settings?

I have Mint installed on my Windows 10 Laptop in UEFI. There are several tutorials out there to help you. I am actually multi-booting Win 10, Mint 17.3 KDE, Mint 18.1 xfce and Mint 18.1 KDE on a Toshiba Satellite P55t. Win 10 is slow as hell on this machine compared to even KDE, but there are times (about once every other week) when I have to boot it up for an hour or two.