New to Linux

ChandrasekharanKunnath

I have an HCL laptop with Windows XP on it. Recently, my OS failed to connect with the internet. I suspect virus activity. I would like to replace my OS with Linux because I am told that Linux is less vulnerable to virus attacks.

I have downloaded Sarah and made an ISO. What should I do next to install Linux as the OS? Double clicking the ISO does not help. I get the message that it cannot be opened. I tried installing WinRar and dragging the ISO into the WinRar folder but it does not work? I am stuck.

Will someone who has already installed Linux tell me how I should go about it?

Chandrasekharan K

 

arochester

It is a common mistake, among people who are new to Linux, to just copy across the ISO or try to unpack it.

No. You need to "burn" the ISO. That is a special operation which makes a Linux bootable disk.

You can burn the ISO to either a CD/DVD or USB stick.

Look at e.g. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto , http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu and http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Linux-Mint