Microsoft really wants you to use a Microsoft account on Windows, to the point where it won't tell you how to make a Local one.
  • Microsoft removes guide on converting Microsoft accounts to Local, pushing for Microsoft sign-ins.
  • Instructions once available, now missing - likely due to company’s preference for Microsoft accounts.
  • People may resist switching to Microsoft accounts for privacy reasons, despite company’s stance.
  • GreatAlbatrossAEnglish
    5·
    5 months ago

    This is good feedback, the Mint team could definitely streamline things, maybe even with a “help pick”.

    Because it’s not immediately apparent which to use (Cinnamon/MATE/Xfce).
    I’m not sure how the resolve the mirror issue, sadly.
    The cost of serving the data directly would be very high, but doing so would avoid scaring people. Unfortunately, it’s hard for them to 100% guarantee every mirror is safe (even though they are!), which means they have to leave instructions on how to verify.

    Selling pre-loaded USB sticks would be very cool, but people would have to be interested enough to spend £20.

    • ItsComplicated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      5 months ago

      Selling pre-loaded USB sticks would be very cool, but people would have to be interested enough to spend £20

      I am one that would happily purchase something like that. I finally made the bootable drive but am not sure if the install is verified. There was no sha txt file to compare. I just haven’t figured it out yet

      • wanderingmagus@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        5 months ago

        The sha txt file should’ve been available alongside the iso file from the mirror you downloaded it from. Honestly, as long as you used one of the mirrors that the Linux Mint website provided, you should be perfectly fine.

        • ItsComplicated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          5 months ago

          Is there a way to check it after install before it is connected to the internet?

          I did use one of the mirrors on the Linux download page.

          • wanderingmagus@lemm.eeEnglish
            3·
            5 months ago

            It should be fine. If you’re truly worried, go here:

            https://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/linuxmint.com/stable/

            And click the version of Linux Mint you downloaded - it’s probably 21.3 - and then download both sha256sum.txt and sha256sum.txt.gpg by right-clicking -> “save link as…” to download the files themselves.

            After that, verify the iso you had in your downloads folder by following the instructions here:

            https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/verify.html

            Again, as long as you downloaded from one of the mirrors linked on the Linux Mint download page, you should be absolutely fine. This step is a just-in-case, for your personal ease of mind. It will, however, need you to open cmd.exe and copy the code inside the green boxes into the terminal and press Enter. There’s a pictoral guide if you’re doing the verification on Windows still, right here:

            https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=291093

            Let me know if you get stuck!

            • ItsComplicated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              2·
              5 months ago

              Thanks. These are the instructions having a time with. I am going to take a break. I think I have just stared at it too long overthinking it!

              • wanderingmagus@lemm.eeEnglish
                2·
                5 months ago

                No problem, and again - if you experience any confusion during the process, just let me know! I also had to get help with installing Linux Mint myself when I first got started.

                  • wanderingmagus@lemm.eeEnglish
                    1·
                    5 months ago

                    Did you make sure that you opened the terminal inside the folder where your iso and txt files are, or at least navigated to that folder after opening the terminal? Basically, it’ll say “file not found” if you run the CertUtil command while not “inside” the folder containing both the iso and the txt files. Same with running the gpg command.

                    Usually, if you just open cmd.exe by itself from the searchbar, you’ll see something like this:

                    PS C:\Users\your_username>

                    If you instead opened the terminal inside the folder, you’ll instead see this:

                    PS C:\Users\your_username\Downloads\ISO>

                    Or whichever folder your iso and txt files are located in.

                    CertUtil and gpg are pretty tunnel-visioned - they can only see stuff that’s in the same folder as they’re being run in, unless you give them specific directions to get to a different location. That’s why it’s easiest and best to have everything in a single folder and open the terminal “inside” that folder.

                    Again - all this verification stuff with the terminal is, in my opinion, optional as long as you downloaded from one of the mirrors on the website. But since you still want to do it, this is the easiest way to go about it.

                    All the directions are here: https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=291093