The Linux Mint User Guide

clem
  12 years ago
  379

This is the official Linux Mint User Guide, available in many languages in both PDF and ODT formats.

Download link: http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php

Table of contents:

Introduction to Linux Mint
    History
    Purpose
    Version numbers and codenames
    Editions
    Where to find help

Installation of Linux Mint
    Download the ISO
    Via Torrent
    Install a Torrent client
    Download the Torrent file
    Via a download mirror
    Read the Release Notes
    Check the MD5
    Burn the ISO to CD
    Boot the LiveCD
    Install Linux Mint on your Hard Drive
    The Boot sequence

Introduction to the Linux Mint Desktop
    The Gnome Desktop
    mintDesktop
    mintMenu
        Getting to know mintMenu
        The “Places” menu
        The “System” menu
        The “Applications” menu
        The “Search” field
        Define your favorite applications
        Make your own shortcuts
        Launch applications automatically when you log in
        Change the appearance of mintMenu
        Activate the Recent plug-in
        Restore the default settings
        Replace mintMenu with the default Gnome menu

Install/Remove Applications
    Package Management in Linux Mint
        MintInstall, the Software Manager
        mintMenu
        Synaptic & APT
    Remove applications
        mintMenu
        APT
        Synaptic
    Update your system and your applications
        Using mintUpdate

Make the most of your desktop
    Copy and paste with the mouse
    Takes notes with Tomboy
    Archive emails and websites as PDF

Conclusion

Comments
attractor 11 months ago

need help waydroid


kadosh87 11 months ago

hola


jackowako72 1 year ago

Thank you .


Jeff 2 years ago

Thanks for this, i'm going to follow it on my mac


aaronrv 3 years ago

Thanks!


Letsopa 4 years ago

Thank you very much this helped


Matisse 4 years ago

Thank you !


samjc 4 years ago

Thanks much!!


greencedar 5 years ago

Very good User Guide.


Benji54 5 years ago

Thanks you


sunilkumar 5 years ago

Thanks


sagart66 7 years ago

GOOD JOB


Pjotr 7 years ago

I'm a Dutch translator for Linux Mint on Launchpad. Where can I translate the official user guide? Not on Launchpad, it seems....


Kihon 8 years ago

Thanks for this but it is out of date and confusing referring to things incorrectly for Mint 17.3.
eg page 21, refers to the places menu and shows a pic of it.
When you choose the 'Places' menu it has the following 5 Places; Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Downloads, however the guide refers to the 'Computer' place which is NOT in the Places menu!
It then immediatley talks about partitions and mounting them etc in a way that only users accustomed to using Linux would undeerstand, yet this is supposed to be a beginners guide but is talking about advanced ideas in the middle of describing how to choose a simple menu!
It then talks about the 'Home' place as one of the Menu buttons you will use most, again there is NO 'Home' menu button in the section it is describing!
So it has referred to a 'Computer' and a 'Home' place in a menu that has the following 5 Places; Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Downloads! Very confusing.
It then talks about the 'System' menu, but where is it, how do you access it?
etc etc.



angelo_allegra 8 years ago

Great guide


danurahmat 8 years ago

great guide! Thanks


zald_hyberd 8 years ago

thanks


AndreaPronk 8 years ago

Thanks for this excellent guide!


krumer 8 years ago

Thanks


wanako 8 years ago

This is an excellent guide. Thanks!


rebusgadfly 8 years ago

thanks


nicholas_01 8 years ago

Grat job Clem! Thank you!


paul2carter 8 years ago

great info


Anthony78110 8 years ago

Hi, looking for some good tuto'.
Since this tutorial is 5 years old, is it still ok to use ?
Thanks :)


Oswald77 8 years ago

This looks to be just what I need. Thank you very much.


Romattman 9 years ago

A must read for all new minters like myself.


Linuxmint_Learner73 9 years ago

You guide is great but I'm now looking for something the next step-- beginners using terminal commands. I came across something once and haven't seen it again that was easy to follow. Maybe you have an idea what I'm looking for now.....


gagaman 9 years ago

This is awesome... a User Gide for LM 17 Cinnamon edition in my native language (dutchà
Thanks!!


penttila 9 years ago

Thanks for having even a User Gide for LM 17 Cinnamon edition.
(http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation/user-guide/Cinnamon/english_17.0.pdf)

I have the following notes on it:

1) It would be nice to mention the exact version of described software (and maybe even the version of the document itself) on the first page .

2) Installation of Linux Mint (page 7). Newbies does not know what liveDVD means, so I would change the following sentence:

The liveDVD is then bootable and provides a fully-functional operating system which you can try without affecting your PC. -->
This DVD is then bootable and provides a fully-functional operating system which you can run on your PC. It is a so called liveDVD which can be used for trial without affecting your disk.

Please also change somewhat bellow:
If you like what you see when running the liveDVD you can decide to install the system
to your hard drive. -->
If you like what you see when running this liveDVD you can decide to install the system
to your hard drive from a desktop icon.

(Earlier it was not clear for me, how to install a liveDVD and thought I will need a different ISO for installation!)

3) The “Introduction to the Desktop” chapter describes how to “Getting to know the menu”, but there is neither “System menu” (page 22), “Package Manager button” (page 24) nor “Applications menu” (page 27) on the installed software.

4) On page 43-44 it is explained how to copy and paste just with selecting the text and pasting it with a middle mouse click using the “mouse buffer”. It doesn't work for me in the way you described with LibreOffice.
The sentence „Now click on some other part of the document to move the cursor there ...” is incorrect. You shouldn't click, just move the cursor (without clicking) above the new place and than paste it with the middle mouse click.

(some of these notes may apply for other editions of User manual)


jfleen 9 years ago

Good for a very basic starting point.


Peyroutel 9 years ago

A good basic guide but not totally relavent to my version, a shame.


JohnYate 10 years ago

I have installed LinuxMint 16 Xfce 64 bit on my AMD sempron 64-bit processor desktop machine, which it runs only flakily, despite only having this installation of Linux using its 3GB of memory and 500 GB hard drive. The Guide (which is for version 15, but that's all we English-speakers are allowed) offers no help with the following:
Please can you tell me how I can exit from the displayimage-melting screen saver. I've tried no end of keystroke combinations. My current best-bet is to press the big red "Reset" hardware interrupt button on the case of my desktop PC for an instant reboot - luckily my machine has got one! This is not a particularly productivity-enhancing option and courts software and data corruption.


portia-p 10 years ago

Found this user guide two days after installing Linux Mint 14 alongside Windows 7 and 8. I had no problems at all with the installation. I just wish that I've read this earlier. Making my way around the system was all good but I'm still a noob when it comes to coding though.


zantaz 10 years ago

You are a Very Linux Devoloper. Thanks for Your best work. Thanks Clement ...


8IGDADDY 10 years ago

Linux Mint 14, so far so good. I am a noob to linux and i dont know my way around this type of software so forgive me for making stupid questions. lol


taz0813 10 years ago

An easy to follow documentation, thank you very much.


SteveFAL 10 years ago

Excellent documentation. Concise, thorough without being overly complicated by minutiae and easy-to-understand.
Another win for Mint.


disPPlay 10 years ago

Very good documentation.


Fernando1959 10 years ago

instale linux mint en mi compu y me trone xp, parece que no perdi mucho ya que linux se mira exelente, lo unico que no puedo es instalar mi impresora l355, favor de mandarme los lineamentos para realizarlo,

Gracias


heng_funny 11 years ago

Thanks!


tamiflew 11 years ago

Good as the guide is, when a newbie like me has rashly decided to remove Microsoft Windows and start again, what I really needed was a step by step guide with screenshots to get me off the ground. Despite grubbing around websites and youtube, getting simple but high quality information proved difficult.


mahbub_hstu 11 years ago

Very useful and helpful! Many thanks for this User Guide!!!


dragondigger 11 years ago

Excellent guide. Very useful indeed.


panaretos 11 years ago

this is an excellent text mate!!!!congrats!!!how can i translate the manual in my language...some years ago i was translating in launchpad ...sorry guys for my stupid question


Mintification 11 years ago

This is an excellent piece of text to introduce newcomers to the environment of Linux and Linux Mint. Thanks again.


Bathory 11 years ago

Great guide dude.Still having a few problems with mint but gonna stick with it, sure it will get sorted out soon one way or another.


JML103 11 years ago

As a new user ... tanx that great


BrittyLyn 12 years ago

Fantastic guide. As a new user this is much appreciated.


Alexio 12 years ago

@sbrbot - A link to your guide was posted on the Linux Mint Community Blog on tumblr.


sbrbot 12 years ago

I created Linux Mint 12 User Guide in Croatian language. One can fint it here: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5XAJBrSKXNpNERUMU84MlJTYkt0d25oMkNaLTJUUQ

How can I or who can put it with other user guides?


PerfMonk 12 years ago

Is there a version for LMDE ?


Biren 12 years ago

Are there any addenda to this nice guide specially for "Lisa".


24horsonline 12 years ago

Muito bom é sempre bom aprender mais....


PikoroRey 12 years ago

Buenisimo :) No sabia que ya estaba traducido al español. Gracias


Anleoje 12 years ago

Thank you :)


sunewbie 12 years ago

Thank you. It is written in very simple and easy to understand language.

Can you please add info about double and triple boot and the number of partitions that are needed to install mint.

I hope this should be in the scope of Mint guide.


Can0dope 12 years ago

Any chance the guide might be updated to include the different versions? I have LXDE and this guide only pertains to the Main version. I'm a noob to Linux, and completely loving it. I would like to learn more about the particular version that I am running though.


jayantr7 12 years ago

Thanks! It's really helpful for a newbie like me.


borgio3 12 years ago

Today i published the LMDE User Guide Alpha 1 version, in italian language. My intention is to provide an english version to all potential users in the world. The main page is this:

http://livelinux.altervista.org/Guida_LMDE/index_en.html

What do you think about that?

Thanks a lot to all :-)


blueXrider 12 years ago

Good reference


Biren 12 years ago

I find it , the full guide, an inspiration for new 'windows to Linux' migrators. Linux mint is even the easiest. Thanks for this guide which is essential for newcomers.


obakfahad 12 years ago

Mint is the best.....I hardly open my window now....


ray_nall43 12 years ago

This system is ten times better than Windows XP or any other system. Thanks for the new Windows Operating System.


theoldman 12 years ago

Look I just wanted an answer to a simple question, using an ACER wide-screen.
(15.6) laptop all I get after the install process installs is the initial splash screen and then the screen goes black. The disk is running and I can hear stuff going on, but no video? This is probably the wrong place to get some simple info but like most of you guys I've got to jump through hoops
(what with registering and navigating around to try and get a SIMPLE answer)
I'm expecting to get one of those RTFM answers to boot.


cloo 12 years ago

It would be nice to have a mirror: right now the link is down.


imv2000 12 years ago

La liga para descargar el manual no esta disponible (enlace roto). Si me gustaria obtener el manual, Gracias.


sandwichbay 12 years ago

Hey all. I'm coming over from using a dual boot with Windows XP and Mandriva 10. My question is this: I'm turfing Mandriva and can anyone tell me how to install MINT in the partition used by Mandiva while not affecting the Windows parition? I don't know enough to recognize the Mandriva partition straight off. Thanks in advance. BC (aka sandwichbay)


pana 12 years ago

Nice article


nurtel9 12 years ago

ok


noztox 12 years ago

thanks


tomipurba 12 years ago

i'm new to use linux mint.. Very useful and helpful! Many thanks for this User Guide. Hope i can learn anything from here


aaria5 12 years ago

Just what I need, very well put together, thank you.


linuxfanatik 13 years ago

I've been on the Introductory Course served by the Open University, and this guide is even better than their's (in the course). So that's a plus for Linux Mint!


Tonya 13 years ago

Very useful and helpful! Many thanks for this User Guide!!!


timdavis 13 years ago

hi . new at this need help, lots of help...how do i get one and when .and where . bin using windows xp now also have this and it seems fun but hard.doent know what to do.


jerrycute 13 years ago

thanks dear...


wanda 13 years ago

This is an excellent user's manual for Mint! thanks.


bpgjohn 13 years ago

ive been using mint 10 now for a few days and so far ive had everything hardware and software work, windows may be gone from my hard drive very soon,as the more i use thin the more i like it way to go mint!!


mikefreeman 13 years ago

Nice! This is an excellent user's manual for Mint!


Mr_Krol 13 years ago

Been using Linux Mint for 7 months now. It makes Windows look like a dirty laundry.


jayrew1517 13 years ago

Thank you Buddy this should really help me out ...thanks


Woody 13 years ago

Excellent. All basics are explained very well, especially if you're new to Linux OS.


efthialex 13 years ago

Very Good! (y)


akash211 13 years ago

Excellent guide for begginers


leapfrwd 13 years ago

New to Linux. Using a full install of Julia on what was a 2 year old Vista laptop. Love it so much I installed Isadora on my netbook via Unetbootin last night and it also was a seamless process. I am head over heels a Linux man now. Still have one Vista desktop in the house as well as an XP desk and a Macbook Pro. I hope to have all the windows machines converted by summer as I build my knowledge base.


grim 13 years ago

Now, thats what I call a great initiative! Ty good sir.


Sol_Badguy 13 years ago

Very useful to beginners...


filip987 13 years ago

author of this, god bless you !


soloist4ever 13 years ago

Thanks a lot! :D


hasuin 13 years ago

Excellent guide for new users. Very useful and well done.


ahsanapu 13 years ago

Hi I am a new user of LinuxMint. I dont know how to install usb wareless network driver as well as configuring network. Could anyone help me.
Thank You.....


Ki3rk3gaard 13 years ago

need that


jmlinux 13 years ago

A very good information. Thanks a lot


grey1960envoy 13 years ago

A very informative book,It did give me a hand in understanding Linux. I would highly recommend downloading and reading it BEFORE you tear your hair out.


GaryPKU 13 years ago

Yesterday, I just finished reading the offical guide for Linux mint9, which was really fantanstic and easy to have a basic knowledge of Linux Mint!


tatsujin79 13 years ago

Very nice and very much appreciated


Doruletz 13 years ago

I can translate the 9.0 User Guide into Romanian. Just let me Know how and where....


BOOM13 13 years ago

tengo una asus Eeepc 1005h
intale mint9 32B
pero ¿no puedo conestar el internet?


wolfangofree 13 years ago

... e la guida per KDE? La guida Gnome è un classico, dove prelevare la guida di Mint 9 KDE italiano? Grazie


LinuxWiz83 13 years ago

I think this guide is way out of date


Tasyo 13 years ago

Clem:

There's a slight error on page 47, paragraph 1 that needs to be addressed.

"Now click on some other part of the document to move the cursor there..."

The mouse buffer will not work in OpenOffice Writer and GEdit once the text loses its highlighting by clicking on another part of the document.


kneekoo 13 years ago

It would be interesting if the Mint handbook could be published in HTML with anchors, so people can easily point to specific parts of the manual. I might give it a shot after we translate the manual to Romanian, in our national community. :)


clem 13 years ago

@Alexio: Oh, ok :) Thanks, it's fixed now.


Alexio 13 years ago

When clicking on the download link ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/linuxmint.com/docs/user-guide/ there is the message ¨An Error Was Encountered / The URI you submitted has disallowed characters.¨ and the link http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/[removed]void(0) appears in the browser´s address bar.


clem 13 years ago

RayWoods: Why would you follow such a link? For the links, there's more than one guide and I'm not sure how I'd anchor within the PDF/ODT.


RayWoods 13 years ago

By the way, I just got ...
An Error Was Encountered

The URI you submitted has disallowed characters.

When I followed the link!
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/[removed]void(0)


RayWoods 13 years ago

Hi Clem,
In the table of contents above, would it be possible to make the items live so clicking on them would take you to the relevant section of the guide? (Just like the index works in the PDF version of the Guide.)
Ray