Linux WITHOUT Windows

tsalt

I have been trying to load Mint 17.1 on what was a Windows 7 machine. I suspect that the term MATE means that this is designed to be a "MATE" to Windows. Is that so, and if it is what do I need to get to load it as the only OS??

arochester

I suspect that the term MATE means that this is designed to be a "MATE" to Windows

No. It is a Linux Desktop which was developed in Argentina. It is MAT-ey and not mate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MATE_(software)

Just use the Linux Mint disk and tell it, when it asks, to use the whole disk.

tsalt

It doesn't ask. When I turn on the power with the disk in, it loads and runs. There are no questions at all. When re-booting it says it cannot find ntldr.
It also seems to load up way too fast, like 3 minutes. I expected that it would take at least as long as Windows does. It seems to be booted from the DVD without loading the files to the HD.
Any other thoughts?

Thanks

tsalt

More . . .
When I just shutdown, it said I was logged in as "live session user". Also, the DVD would not respond to the eject button. That seems to confirm what I said in my last post.

Thanks again.

arochester

I think you have nor "burnt" the ISO. It is a common mistake for newbie to just copy the ISO onto a disk. "Burning" is a special operation which creates a Linux bootable disk.

Have a look at e.g.
http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Linux-Mint
and
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto

tsalt

No, I burned the disk with Nero. It has lots of folders and files on it, not the .iso.
Also, I don't think it would even boot from an iso file.
When I downloaded the file, it gave me an option to save the file or burn it. after the download Nero did its thing.
It is clear now, though that there is something not right about the disk.
By the way, the machine I am loading this on currently has no Windows OS on it. It is a just purchased refurbished Lenovo that had Windows 7.

WAIT! I just now saw that there is an option to install, after the desk top comes up. I was running Firefox and such from the "Menu" without realising that I needed to "install"

I think I've got it now!

Thanks for getting me thinking.

tom

riccrouch

Tom,

That's a common mistake. Just in case anyone else sees this post and wonders what happened, the disc that you download is what's known as a "Live CD". Unlike Windows, you can run a full Linux system from the CD used to install WITHOUT actually installing the system (as Tom inadvertently found out in this case). You can run programs, surf the web, whatever you like, all while leaving an existing Windows installation in place.

Until you hit the "Install Linux Mint" option Tom mentions, no changes are made to your system at all. Once you DO install Mint, the Linux filesystem is installed on your hard drive and the drive now becomes bootable. Another change with installed Linux vs. "live" Linux is that until you install, you can't save any of your work. Once installed, you can.

At any rate, welcome to the Linux world, Tom. Hope you enjoy it!

Ric