In my previous blog post, I shared why I decided to move from Windows to Linux Mint after more than 15 years of using Windows.
After making that decision, the next step was creating a bootable USB drive and installing Linux Mint on my old laptop.
To be honest, I expected the process to be difficult. I thought I would spend hours searching for solutions and fixing errors.
Surprisingly, the entire experience was much easier than I expected.
My Laptop
I installed Linux Mint on my Dell Inspiron 14-3467 with the following specifications:
- Intel Core i3-6006U
- 8 GB RAM
- 1 TB HDD
The laptop was running Windows 10 and had become very slow over the years.
Simple tasks like opening a browser, checking emails, or installing updates often tested my patience.
Downloading Linux Mint
The first step was downloading the Linux Mint ISO file from the official website.
I chose Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition because it is recommended for most users coming from Windows.
The download process was straightforward and took only a few minutes.
Creating the Bootable USB with Rufus
To create the bootable USB, I used Rufus on Windows.
The process was simple:
- Insert a USB flash drive.
- Open Rufus.
- Select the Linux Mint ISO file.
- Leave most settings as default.
- Click Start.
- Wait for Rufus to finish writing the files.
After a few minutes, the USB drive was ready.
Even for someone who has never created a bootable USB before, the process is easy to follow.
Booting from the USB
After creating the USB drive, I restarted my laptop and pressed F12 to open the Dell boot menu.
I selected the USB drive and Linux Mint started loading.
One thing I liked immediately was that Linux Mint can run directly from the USB drive without installing anything.
This allowed me to test everything before making any changes to my laptop.
Testing Linux Mint Before Installation
Before installing Linux Mint, I checked:
- Wi-Fi connection
- Keyboard
- Touchpad
- Audio
- Display brightness
- Web browser
Everything worked without any additional drivers.
This gave me confidence that the installation would go smoothly.
Installing Linux Mint
The installation process was surprisingly simple.
The installer asked only a few questions:
- Language
- Keyboard layout
- Time zone
- Username and password
- Installation location
The installation itself took around 15–20 minutes.
After that, I restarted the laptop and removed the USB drive.
Linux Mint was ready to use.
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed was speed.
The laptop felt much more responsive compared to Windows 10.
Applications opened faster.
The desktop felt lighter.
System startup was noticeably quicker.
Even though I am still using the same hardware, the laptop feels newer than before.
Things I Liked
Clean Desktop:
The Cinnamon desktop feels familiar for Windows users.
The Start Menu equivalent is easy to understand and everything is organized neatly.
No Forced Updates:
One thing that always annoyed me on Windows was unexpected updates.
Linux Mint gives me more control over when updates are installed.
Lower Resource Usage:
Linux Mint uses less memory and fewer background processes compared to Windows.
This helps older hardware perform better.
Software Installation:
I was surprised by the Software Manager.
Many applications can be installed with just a few clicks.
I quickly installed:
- Google Chrome
- Telegram
- Visual Studio Code
- VLC Media Player
Better Learning Opportunity
As a front-end developer, I wanted to learn Linux better.
Now I use the same operating system family that powers many web servers and cloud environments.
Challenges
Not everything is perfect.
There are still some things to learn:
- Linux terminal commands
- Different file permissions
- Alternative software for Windows applications
- New system settings
However, these challenges feel more like learning opportunities than problems.
Was It Worth Switching?
For me, yes.
My old laptop feels faster and more usable.
The installation process was much easier than I expected.
Linux Mint has provided a fresh experience without requiring me to buy a new computer.
If you have an older Windows laptop that cannot upgrade to Windows 11, Linux Mint is definitely worth trying.
You can test it from a USB drive before installing, and you might be surprised by how well it runs on older hardware.
This is only the beginning of my Linux journey, but so far the experience has been positive.
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