Linux Mint 8 Installation Visual Walk Through – VirtualBox

Here’s a walk through of the Linux Mint 8 Helena. You’ll notice a ton of similarities between the installation process of Linux Mint 8 and the base it’s built from Ubuntu.

The distribution in this walk through is Linux Mint 8 Main Edition, which is bundled with non-free software, which may make some of the debianites cringe. However, the Mint crew also produces another version called the Universal Edition.

Again I’m assuming that you know how to burn the ISO to a CD.

So here we start with some screenshots:

First you start booting to the CD (which is the only option). You’ll be greeted with a letting you know that Mint is getting ready to Autoboot.

Afterwards the boot process will start, and you’ll see a nice Linux Mint splash screen (which was a bit broken in my Virtual Box). You’ll note that this is exactly like the Ubuntu splash with the changing brightness.

Ooooh a pretty splash screen.

Now we’re brought to the “Live” desktop, where we see the same awesome background as we saw in the splash screen. Also, that theme looks alot like the sonar theme that openSUSE shipped with openSUSE 11.2.

To start the installation process click on “Install Linux Mint 8″ to be greeted with the very first step within the installation process, which again looks nearly identical to the Ubuntu installation (again this is expected since Linux Mint is Ubuntu that’s been “Minted”).

Why not take a screen shot of some of the progress after clicking Forward

Here’s where we choose what time zone we’re in. Again, if you need help with this, you shouldn’t be using a computer.

When you’re done with that you’ll setup your Keyboard Layout, which in my case was USA English ( I do live in California you know ).

Now we’re at a very important cross section of our installation. Note, I have a previous partition of Ubuntu in my installation, but I am choosing to erase the entire directory (which means all the data on the Ubuntu installation will be lost). Be careful with this step as I can’t be held responsible for any idiocy that happens here. If you want to keep your previous OS you’ll “Install them Side by Side”.

The next screen is where you give some personal info about yourself, like your Name and what you want your login to be along with your password for accessing the machine.

Finally we’re brought to the confirmation screen. Read it over a bit, or do as I do and just click “Install”.

Again here’s the point where I say grab your favorite cocktail and either read what passes the screen, or whatever really floats your boat. Here’s a few screenshots without commentary of the installation process.

And interesting thing to note is that when the Language Packages are being installed you’re given the option to skip them, in my case I didn’t test out that feature, but just letting you know it’s there if you wanted to spare yourself a few minutes.

Once the installation has finished and you’re done testing out the live CD you’ll then restart your machine.

A nice Linux Mint screen will come up reminding you to remove your media (ie CD) prior to booting up the computer again.

Once it reboots you’ll be brought to the Log in Screen (This is considered the GDM since the default desktop environment for Ubuntu and thus Linux Mint is GNOME).

Once you log in, you’ll be greeted with a nice Welcome Screen along with an interface that resembles the default GNOME installation in openSUSE. I bring that up because it’s not like the typical 2 menu Ubuntu installation you’re used to.

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