I have just finished building a new computer - first time builder. Here's a link to the build on PCPartPicker:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Optiker/saved/2SKL

The only exception is the RAM, in which case I switched to the G.Skills Sniper series to save a little money.

I've installed Windows on the SSD, and would like to partition space on it for a dual-booted Mint installation. However, I'm still undecided because I don't feel confident that I can do it without running into issues that I can't handle.

My questions are, first, how much space would you recommend for the Mint partition (both main and swap space), and can you provide a detailed step-by-step procedure for installing Mint. My main concerns have to do with partitioning the 256 GB SSD. Otherwise, as I recall from the last time I installed Mint, it is pretty routine.

Can I expect any driver problems? If so, how do I deal with them?

Thanks!
Optiker

Nice system you have built there. I would go like 150 to 180 gig for the Windows Partition and use the rest for Mint. I assume you are going to using mostly Microsoft based programmes. A lot of the stuff you are going to download can be downloaded to the WD 1 TB drive you have. I am using Mint 16 Cinnamon and I don't have any driver issues.

I am using a really old ATI Radeon card and a Soundblaster Audigy and I have no driver problems.

I do know Linux Nvidia drivers are fairly good.

Thanks Pandas...

I will have MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher, but not much else Microsoft. I never use Internet Explorer or Outlook, but Firefox and Thunderbird instead.

I understand that for older cards, there usually isn't a driver problem in Linux, but for relatively new ones, there could be.

My current C-drive has around 175 GB in programs - data on a separate drive. That's what drove my 256 GB SSD. A chunk of that is games (LotRO, World of Tanks, Torchlight II, etc.), but I also use some fairly substantial graphics programs, and part of that 175 GB is about 25-30 GB in Logos Bible software with it's resource library. Many of the other programs can go on the HD, so while my thinking on the Windows partition was around 200 GB, I posted because I wanted to make sure, and your suggestions are reasonable.

Thanks again!
Optiker

Your card is not particularly new nor high end so you shouldn't have any unovercomable issues with nVidia.

Thanks Chris...that's good to hear.

Optiker