I want to install Linux Mint on my Windows 11 computer, replacing Windows rather than simply running Mint in a virtual machine. I do have a USB stick, but I'm curious whether there's a way to install Mint without using it. What alternatives are available, and which ones are reasonably safe and practical?
5 Answers
Linux Mint doesn’t normally provide a Windows-style installer that you can just download and run to replace Windows. Some other Linux distributions offer that kind of setup, but for Mint you should use bootable media such as a USB drive, optical disc, or a carefully configured network boot.
Network booting or booting an installer from an internal drive or separate partition may be possible, but those methods are more advanced and easier to get wrong. They’re generally not worth the trouble for a normal personal installation, especially when a USB stick is already available.
If you only want to try Linux without changing Windows, install it in a virtual machine using VirtualBox or Hyper-V and the Mint ISO. That won’t replace Windows, but it’s the lowest-risk option for experimenting.
The safest and simplest approach is still to create a bootable USB installer. For a full replacement of Windows, the computer needs to boot into Linux’s installer from some external or otherwise bootable media. Make a complete, verified backup first, since installing Mint over Windows will erase the existing installation.
A CD or DVD can work instead of a USB drive, assuming the computer has an optical drive and you burn the Mint ISO correctly. It’s slower and less convenient, but it follows the same basic process: boot from the disc and run the installer.
I don’t have a particular goal beyond curiosity, but that makes sense. I was mainly wondering whether a USB drive was required.