How To Transfer Mint to DVD or USB

You need the latest version of Linux Mint before you can transfer it to a DVD or USB. Go to www.linuxmint.com/download.php and download the 64-bit version of Cinnamon to start with. Other versions can be tested once you’re accustomed to the system.

DVD BOOTABLE MEDIA

We’re using a Windows 10 PC here to transfer the ISO to a DVD. If you’re using a version of Windows from 7 onward the process is extremely easy.

Step 1

First locate the ISO image of Mint you’ve already downloaded. You can usually find this in the Downloads folder of Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 computers; unless you specified a different location when saving it.

Step 2

Next insert a recordable DVD disc into your computer’s optical drive. After a few seconds, while the disc is read, Windows will display a pop-up message asking you what to do with the newly inserted disc; ignore this, as you’re going to use the built-in image burning function.

Step 3

Right-click the Mint ISO and from the menu select Burn Disc Image. Depending on the speed of the PC, it may take a few seconds before anything happens. Don’t worry too much, unless it takes more than a minute in which case it might be worth restarting your PC and trying again. With luck, the Windows Disc Image Burner should launch.

Step 4

Right-click the Mint ISO and from the menu select Burn Disc Image. Depending on the speed of the PC, it may take a few seconds before anything happens. Don’t worry too much, unless it takes more than a minute in which case it might be worth restarting your PC and trying again. With luck, the Windows Disc Image Burner should launch.

USB BOOTABLE MEDIA

USB media is faster than a DVD and it’s often more convenient as most modern PCs don’t have an optical drive installed. The process of transferring the image is easy but you need a third-party app first and a USB flash drive of 4GB or more.

Step 1

First open up a web browser and go to www.rufus.akeo.ie. Scroll down the page a little and you come to a Download heading, under which you can see the latest version of Rufus (2.12 in this instance). Left click the link to start the download.

Step 2

Double-click the downloaded Rufus executable; you can click ‘Yes’ to the Windows security question and ‘Yes’ to checking for updates. With Rufus launched it should have already identified your inserted USB flash drive; if not just remove and reinsert.

Step 3

At first glance the Rufus interface can look a little confusing, don’t worry though it’s really quite simple. To begin with, click on the disc and drive icon next to the ‘Create a bootable disk using..’ section and the ‘FreeDOS’ pull-down menu. This will launch a Windows Explorer window where you can locate and select the Linux Mint ISO.

Step 4

When you’re ready, click on the Start button at the bottom of the Rufus app. This will open up another dialogue box asking you to download and use a new version of SysLinux. SysLinux is a selection of boot loaders used to allow a modern PC to access and boot from a USB flash drive. It is necessary, so click on ‘Yes’ to continue.

Step 5

The next step asks which image mode you want the Mint ISO to be written to the USB flash drive in. Both methods work for different situations but generally, the recommended ISO Image Mode is the more popular. Make sure this mode is preselected and click OK to continue, followed by OK again to confirm the action.

Step 6

The Mint ISO is now being transferred to the USB flash drive. The process shouldn’t take too long, again depending on the speed of the USB device and the PC. You may find Rufus will auto-open the USB drive in Windows Explorer during the process; don’t worry you can minimise or close it if you want. When the process is complete, click on the Close button.

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