Installing Linux Mint and Understanding GRUB

Introduction

Linux Mint is one of the most beginner-friendly Linux distributions available. It is based on Ubuntu, ships with a familiar Windows-like desktop called Cinnamon, and works out of the box with minimal configuration. It is an excellent choice for users switching from Windows or anyone who wants a stable, polished desktop Linux experience.

What You Will Need

Before starting, gather the following.

- A USB drive with at least 8GB of storage

- A computer with at least 15GB of free disk space (40GB or more recommended)

- At least 2GB of RAM (4GB or more recommended)

- A stable internet connection

Step 1 — Download the Linux Mint ISO

Go to https://linuxmint.com/download.php and download the latest stable release. Linux Mint offers three desktop editions.

Cinnamon is the flagship desktop and feels most like Windows. It is the most popular choice and recommended for most users. MATE is lighter on resources and good for older hardware. Xfce is the most lightweight option and ideal for very old machines.

Download the edition that suits your hardware and preference.

Step 2 — Verify the ISO (Recommended)

Linux Mint strongly recommends verifying your download because the project has been targeted by mirror compromises in the past. On the download page, click Verify your ISO to find instructions for checking the SHA256 checksum and GPG signature of your download.

On Linux run the following command.

sha256sum linuxmint-*.iso

Compare the result to the checksum on the website.

Step 3 — Create a Bootable USB Drive

Use Balena Etcher from https://etcher.balena.io to flash the ISO to your USB drive.

Open Etcher, select the Mint ISO, select your USB drive, and click Flash. Wait for the process to finish.

Step 4 — Boot from the USB Drive

Insert the USB and restart your computer. Access the boot menu as your computer starts.

F12 works on most Dell and Lenovo machines. F9 works on HP machines. F8 works on some Asus machines.

Select the USB drive and press Enter.

Step 5 — Try Linux Mint Live

Linux Mint boots into a fully functional live desktop environment before you install anything. This is a great opportunity to check that your hardware works correctly, including WiFi, sound, and display.

When you are ready to install, double-click the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop.

Step 6 — Language and Keyboard

Select your language and keyboard layout and click Continue.

Step 7 — Install Multimedia Codecs

Linux Mint will ask if you want to install multimedia codecs. Check this box. It installs support for MP3, video playback, and other common media formats that cannot be included by default for licensing reasons.

Step 8 — Installation Type

Option A — Erase Disk and Install Linux Mint

The simplest option. It wipes the disk entirely and installs Mint. Choose this for a dedicated Linux machine.

Option B — Install Alongside Another OS

If Windows is already installed, select this option. The installer will resize your Windows partition automatically. Drag the divider to set how much space each system gets. Give Mint at least 30GB.

Option C — Something Else (Manual Partitioning)

For full control over your partition layout. A typical setup includes a swap partition the size of your RAM formatted as swap area, and a root partition mounted at / formatted as ext4 using the remaining space.

An optional /home partition keeps your personal files separate from the system, which makes reinstalling easier in the future.

Click Install Now and confirm the partition changes when prompted.

Step 9 — Timezone

Click your location on the map or type your city name to set your timezone. Click Continue.

Step 10 — Create Your User Account

Enter your name, a hostname for your computer, your username, and a password. Choose whether to require a password at login. For security, requiring a password is always recommended.

Click Continue and installation will begin. This typically takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 11 — Restart Into Linux Mint

When installation completes, click Restart Now. Remove the USB drive when prompted and press Enter.

Your computer will reboot and GRUB will load.

Understanding GRUB on Linux Mint

Linux Mint uses GRUB as its bootloader, the same as Ubuntu and other Debian-based distributions.

The GRUB menu will show Linux Mint as the default boot option. If you dual booted, Windows Boot Manager will also appear. Use the arrow keys to select an entry and press Enter to boot it.

Configuring GRUB

Edit GRUB settings with the following command.

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Key settings include the following.

GRUB_DEFAULT=0 boots the first menu entry by default. GRUB_TIMEOUT=10 sets the countdown timer in seconds. GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT can be used to pass extra options to the kernel.

After editing, regenerate the GRUB configuration.

sudo update-grub

Linux Mint GRUB Customizer

Linux Mint users can also use the graphical GRUB Customizer tool for easier management. Install it with the following command.

sudo apt install grub-customizer -y

Then launch it from the application menu. It lets you reorder boot entries, change the timeout, and set a custom background image for the GRUB menu without editing configuration files manually.

Step 12 — First Boot Setup

Linux Mint will launch a Welcome Screen on first boot with helpful links for new users. It will also prompt you to run the System Reports tool which checks for issues like missing drivers.

Open the Update Manager from the taskbar and install all available updates.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 13 — Install Drivers

Open Driver Manager from the Administration menu. It will scan your hardware and suggest proprietary drivers for your GPU, WiFi card, and other components. Install the recommended drivers and reboot.

Step 14 — Install Common Software

Linux Mint includes a Software Manager for easy application installation. You can also use the terminal.

sudo apt install vlc gimp git curl vim build-essential -y

vlc plays virtually any video or audio format. gimp is a powerful image editor. git, curl, vim, and build-essential are essential developer tools.

Dual Boot Tips

If dual booting with Windows, keep the following in mind.

Disable fast startup in Windows before installing Mint. Go to Control Panel, Power Options, and turn off Turn on fast startup. This prevents disk corruption when Linux tries to access the Windows partition.

If a Windows update overwrites GRUB, boot from your Mint USB and reinstall it. Replace /dev/sda with your actual disk name found using lsblk.

sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

sudo update-grub

Troubleshooting

WiFi Not Working After Installation

Open Driver Manager and check for wireless drivers. If none are listed, try the following command to install common firmware.

sudo apt install firmware-linux firmware-linux-nonfree -y

Screen Resolution Wrong

Right-click the desktop and open Display Settings. Select the correct resolution for your monitor and click Apply.

Sound Not Working

Open Sound Settings from the system tray. Make sure the correct output device is selected. If the issue persists, run the following.

sudo alsa force-reload

Conclusion

Linux Mint is one of the smoothest Linux experiences available, especially for users coming from Windows. It is stable, well-supported, and has a large friendly community at https://forums.linuxmint.com. With GRUB managing your boot process you have full flexibility to run Mint alongside other operating systems or on its own.