Will Installing Linux Mint Erase All My Data and Viruses?

Absolutely! If you go for a clean installation and tell it not to dual boot, everything on the disk will be wiped out. Since you're concerned, just ensure to back up any vital data before the installation.

If you choose to erase the entire disk during the installation, then yes, everything will be wiped clean. Just make sure to back up important files while you're in the live session before you start the installation.

It depends. A simple format or reinstall doesn't guarantee that all data is gone, but for most basics, it seems ‘erased.’ If you want to be absolutely sure you’ve wiped everything, there are thorough methods to do that, which can take a while, especially on older drives.

If you had Windows before, installing Linux will typically remove everything. For extra peace of mind, you can wipe the drive using methods like the 'dd' command. If you have an SSD, just know that it automatically handles overwriting when installing a new OS.