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Is #Linux Mint still good?
I'm trying to decide which Linux to go for on my desktop. I've used Mint before but a very long time ago.
Please do not fill my replies with techy talk. I want something easy.
OK next #Linux question: what does it mean if when following the (very confusing and overwhelming) verify instructions (https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=291093) I keep getting "command FAILED: 0x80070002 (WIN32: 2 ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)"?
Why is it so hard to just install it????
Edit: I think it might be because I downloaded the torrent and not the file? But I don't know what a torrent is and it doesn't explain it on the website, so...
I'm out. I'm going to have to either just install it without the verify whatevering and take the risk, or not bother.
So I finally managed to verify the ISO last night and am gonna try and install Linux being as my law mowing plan has been temporarily rained off.
So this is going really well...
Now also getting "init: line 38: can't cope dev/sr0: no medium found" in repeat. All I did was hit boot from usb. I hadn't event chosen any of the options after that.
Now "unable to find a medium containing a live file system"
![Free initramfs and switch to another root fs:
chroot to NEW_ROOT, delete all in, move NEW_ROOT to /, execute NEW_INIT. PID must be 1. NEW_ROOT must be a mountpoint.
-C DEV Reopen stdio to DEV after switch
-d CAPS Drop capabilities
-n Dry run
BusyBox v1.36.1 (Ubuntu 1:1.36.1-6ubuntu3.1) multi-call binary.
Usage: run-init [-d CAP, CAP...] [-n] [-C CONSOLE_DEV] NEW_ROOT NEW_INIT [ARGS]
Free initramfs and switch to another root fs:
chroot to NEW_ROOT, delete all in, move NEW_ROOT to /, execute NEW_INIT. PID must be 1. NEW_ROOT must be a mountpoint.
-C DEV Reopen stdio to DEV after switch
-d CAPS Drop capabilities
-n Dry run
No init found. Try passing init bootarg.
BusyBox v1.36.1 (Ubuntu 1:1.36.1-6ubuntu3.1) built-in shell (ash) Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
(initramfs)](https://toot.wales/system/media_attachments/files/114/766/141/346/974/621/original/e0993e2c62697b7a.jpg)
Much appreciate all the #Linux help yesterday. It turns out at least some of the problem was trying to dual boot so have spent all yesterday evening and all this morning shifting stuff from my desktop to my external drive or Nextcloud so I can just wipe it entirely.
I am finally tooting from #Linux Mint! Huge thank you to everyone who has helped me sort this out; @TCMuffin , @lexicaleigh, @woe2you , @ujeenator , @neil . So, so appreciated!
p.s. I love how willing to help folks on Fedi are.
I feel like this has been said a lot but Linux folks really need to understand what "101" actually means, cos I have watched some Linux 101 videos this afternoon and read a "commands for beginners" post, and it talks about stuff that I have zero idea what they mean.
It is intensely difficult to learn something when the explainers assume you have knowledge which you simply don't.
Please get some non-techy folks in to help you write better 101s!
@alexisbushnell Sorry this is so frustrating. Verification is an optional step, and can be skipped. However, if you can install an application I find HashTab is a much more friendly experience: right click on downloaded file, choose properties, switch to File Hashes tab. https://hashtab.en.softonic.com/
@alexisbushnell did you get this sorted? If not I can send instructions and further reading if you’re interested.
@alexisbushnell If you downloaded the torrent file rather than the actual image, you can tell by the size of the file you downloaded: the operating system image file (that you want) is more than a gigabyte, while the torrent file is tiny.
The torrent file contains only a text code that can be used to download the big file from multiple distributed sources.
@PembrokeshireDan thanks. I wish they explained that in the download section!
@alexisbushnell To verify the file on windows you can use powershell along the lines of this.
(Get-FileHash %userprofile%\downloads\name of downloaded iso file.iso -Algorithm sha256).hash|compare-object -IncludeEqual ccf482436df954c0ad6d41123a49fde79352ca71f7a684a97d5e0a0c39d7f39f
I used the file hash of the cinnamon linux mint iso but you can find them in the sha256 txt file on the download page
This should provide you with an output of ==. if that is the case then the file matches what the author originally uploaded. And you should be good to create a bootable usb
@alexisbushnell Of course I realise that this is pretty much techie talk 
@JSCybersec thanks. I did manage to do that but it kept saying no file found.
I think it's cos they only had a torrent file on the download page which apparently isn't the thing you actually need, so I'm not sure why it's on the download page with no additional information, but here we are!
@alexisbushnell Glad you managed it. Yes the torrent file is if you want to download it via torrent streaming and would need a separate app for that. The main reason is to save on bandwidth costs for the hosting server.
Good luck with the install and I hope you have fun with it :)
@alexisbushnell just to be sure
- Boot into Windows and select Shut Down it completely
- In BIOS find boot options and find something like "Legacy UEFI", if its not enabled - enable it
@ujeenator how do I boot into windows from here? Typing "reboot" does nothing
@alexisbushnell just take out USB drive and press Ctrl+Alt+Del or hold physical power button two times
@ujeenator ah thank you!
@alexisbushnell @ujeenator
Boot from a Linux USB disk Boot image - you can make one from another computer.
If you can, then use the Linux disk partitioner to check whats happened with your disk. You can reformat it from there if you have backups.
@krisvdm those photos are what happened when I booted from the Linux usb I created
@ujeenator it's set to "UEFI and Legacy" at the moment. Is that right?
@alexisbushnell yes, means that your USB drive with linux will be able to boot in legacy mode, because its defenetly not UEFI
@ujeenator ok well that was what it was set to when I tried before and the screenshots I posted happened. Does that mean there's a different problem?
@alexisbushnell does boot message changed after you actually Shut Down Windows? So its not in hybernate mode
@ujeenator I'm not techy at all but when I booted from the USB that was from the PC being turned off off.
@alexisbushnell its quite odd if you still getting this message
I will be at my PC in 30 minutes, if you we still need help I can provide direct support e.g. via messenger or voice call
@ujeenator thank you. I'm in the boot menu again, maybe I hit the wrong one?
There are 2 USB options, one is UEFI and one is not. Which one do I need?
@alexisbushnell im still 90% sure that your usb is not uefi, so uefi boot option will not work for you
How exactly other option named?
@ujeenator thanks so much - a local is helping me via Signal and I have managed to get it to boot in compatibility mode, so progress!
@alexisbushnell You'll get there if you want to. A long (long) time ago I had similar issues because of the complexities of also having Windows.
https://kylerconway.com/2014/05/15/the-gnulinux-lagniappes/
You can also make a "live USB" to test out Linux on your computer without first installing by putting it on a USB with a tool like the below and booting from the usb.
Best of luck (and fortitude) on your journey!
@alexisbushnell @TCMuffin @ujeenator @neil Yay, well done!
Other half is @woe2you on here, and he's a bit melting but happy to have been a help!
@alexisbushnell great news! knew you could do it!
@picard thanks. I would not have done it were it not for all those people! But success either way!
@alexisbushnell @TCMuffin @lexicaleigh @ujeenator @neil @woe2you
You guys did it right.
Check check check
@alexisbushnell @lexicaleigh @ujeenator @neil
From zero to hero in a just a couple of afternoons...and that includes the time it took you to back up your Windows 10 PC 
You've done brilliantly...and I'm happy if I've helped a little
@alexisbushnell It *is* a problem: when you have dozens of years of experience with the command line, you lose track of what is basic and what isn't.
(also, if you're #ActuallyAutistc you're going to give too much detail for allistic folks to process!)
@fishidwardrobe yeah I do get it, although with different stuff. I do the same with kink education, I am really bad at explaining stuff to newbies.
I feel like the techy folks need a team of non-techy folks who can read (or indeed write) the how tos and therefore also ask the "ok but what does that actually mean?" question in advance!
@alexisbushnell we should treat it like software: "this is beta release candidate advice. I need testers."
@fishidwardrobe sounds like an excellent plan!
@alexisbushnell it reminds me of every time I want to download an app made by geeky nerds. The app may be great, and the website will have a "download"-button in a menu. But I still have to find the true download-link burried in the middle of a wall of text or 80 hacky commercials yelling DOWONLOAD NOW!
@kochpittet Yeah, that's super annoying. Don't you have an ad blocker? I find that solve most of these annoyances.
@narF not on every browser, no. But it does help, that is true. What would also help would be for the clever nerdy ones to get a tiny fragment of help from someone who knows anything about UX :D
@kochpittet are you offering? 