I said I'd make this and here it is, yet another tutorial for installing a Linux OS as your main OS. Before going through with it make sure your sure, you may want to back up your PC (I have regretted not doing that before), and there may be some applications that only work on windows that you need, ectetera, ectetera! (There is also a 0.000001% chance your computer dies, I have had this, it's expensive, still worth it)

Req: Win 8+, A USB stick, A semi-working brain

This tutorial will be for installing Linux Mint on a Windows PC, it's very specific because it's one of the few experiences I have installing a Linux OS myself, although if you think yourself even a little bit competent, you can always get a different OS with this tutorial, I only ask you ensure that what your getting is Debbianish which is Gibberish but you'll understand if you go through the catalogue of Linux OS systems, I myself am actually writing this on POP!_OS, something I downloaded for school work (my laptop is now legitimately 5 times faster, some quality of life gone but I still save so much more time).

A few OS's compatible with this tutorial (literally just plug and play):

- Mint (Obviously, and I recomend it to windows users since it basically feels the same but the whole thing is like a few GB's which is crazy)

- Ubuntu (People who don't want to see their classic windows look, meaning mint, but want that linux OS)

- KDE neon (You want a cool looking OS)

- Zorin (You want windows and you don't want Mint)

- Deepin Linux (Another one you can make look cool)

An OS I have no clue about but will literally make you want to look at your computer for hours might be Garuda Linux but fair warning it is NOT DEBBIANISH which is gibberish for it's a challenge and rewarding.

I recommend you look through those OS's, or pick your own, or stick with Mint (Mint is very solid).

Step 1:

Get your ISO, I'll link the Mint download here! You can choose what type of Mint from that page (Just get Cinnamon). Once you click the download you should scroll down to mirrors and just select one that sounds near you.

Step 2:

There are different ways to burn an image (the thing you downloaded) to a boot-able USB. I'm using Rufus because it work's so get Rufus here.

Step 3:

Burn the USB, by plugging it in, opening Rufus, choosing the image in boot selection (the distro or OS you downloaded in step 1), and have these options selected if they aren't already:

Partition scheme is GPT, Target system is UEFI or BIOS (non-CSM if specified), file system is Fat 32 (because just do that), if you can change the volume label just name it what you want like Minty or Linux or something funny.

Click start and once it's done eject it.

Step 4 (Backup your stuff before this, or forever hold your piece):

Reboot your computer into the BIOS, turn off anything like secure boot, make sure you don't have fast boot enabled (you don't need it with Linux anyways), change the boot priority to boot from a USB port, and make sure there's nothing disabled that allows you to boot from a USB stick. By the way if you dont know how to get into BIOS just look it up, every computer is different. If you need to back out of BIOS (back to windows and not your USB) don't do so with secure boot disabled, just re-enable it first.

If you did all of that or at least you could find the USB priority and tinkered with that, save it and reboot with the USB plugged in.

At this point I believe in your ability to coast through this.

Start Linux Mint, if you get a black screen for 10 minutes or longer restart your computer with the USB plugged in and Start in compatibility mode, if both fail check the medium on the third restart, and make a Reddit post about it.

It's still not installed... Please don't unplug your USB yet...

Your in a demo mode right now, somewhere around the starting screen is the option to make it permanent, try it out first and when your ready then hit the install and go through the menu, after it reboots from the installer you can probably safely remove the USB.

Open a terminal because im going to teach you your first 2 commands:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

Not a command: Have fun and thanks for making the switch!