Moving From Windows to Linux Mint | Udemy

With Microsoft ending security updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, there are many computers that will not meet the system requirements of Windows 11. Computer owners can use Linux as an alternative operating system, and keep their current computers running. Linux is a free and open source operating system that is secure, with no sharing of personal data. It is the basis for the Android operating system, and is widely used for servers and web sites. There are many distributions (“distros”) of Linux; Linux Mint has been selected for this course as an easy to use option for users new to Linux. The course learning applies to any other distro; e.g., Elementary OS, Zorin, Pop! OS, etc.

This course will lead you through the process of downloading, evaluating and installing Linux Mint.

– Download Linux Mint Cinnamon distro and the Balena Etcher installer

– Create a bootable USB flash drive

– Boot the computer with the live drive and evaluate Mint, making no changes to the current operating system

– Permanently install Linux Mint on the computer hard drive alongside Windows (dual boot)

Once Mint is installed, the course will cover:

– Using the Terminal with some basic commands

– Updating the GRUB menu to change the dual boot load options

– Tweaking the appearance and convenience settings of the desktop

– Downloading apps using the System and the Snap, Flatpak and AppImage packages

For users with more than one computer, the course will cover:

– Setting up Windows and Linux PC’s for sharing files on the network

– Determining the IP addresses of each PC

– Accessing and sharing files over the network between a mix of Windows and Linux PC’s.

Open source video editing software will be used to edit:

– Personal videos from a smartphone or video camera

– Old home movies (e.g., 8 mm or VHS)

– Over the air broadcasts of television programs