Orzeka,
Your CQ57 has a DVD rewriter, so you will be fine.
You can either install
Linux on its own or dual-boot it with your existing Windows 7.
I recommend the first option because it keeps things simple.
Info on a dual-boot with Ubuntu 14.04 and W8:
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/d...-8-ubuntu.html
First,
backup all your existing documents, photos, bookmarks, emails etc from W7 to an external drive.
Then go here:
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
Select an operating system such as MATE 64 bit (An edition featuring the MATE desktop).
Select a Primary mirror near to you geographically.
Then download and burn the .iso image to DVD (not CD) using ImgBurn, Nero or similar burning program.
Connect your laptop to your router using an ethernet cable.
Boot your computer from the Linux Mint, or other Linux DVD.
NB You may first need to change a setting in your laptop's
BIOS (tap the
F10 key repeatedly immediately after switching on) and under the
Boot tab find Boot Order.
Make sure that CD/DVD drive is selected to boot
before Notebook Hard Drive/HDD.
Save the changes and exit (F10).
At the Partitioning choices, select the
Something Else option.
Wipe the existing hard drive by clicking on
New Partition Table and press Continue.
You are now presented with a single free space.
You are going to create 3 new Primary (not Logical) partitions. Make sure to select Beginning for the location of each partition.
sda1 (root)
Highlight the single free space and click on Change.
Depending on your hard drive's size, make the size between 12000MB and 20000MB and then select Primary.
Click on the black down arrow and select use as ext4. Click inside the box to format the partition (X) and select root (/) as the mount point.
Click on OK.
sda2 (swap)
Highlight the free space and click on Change.
Make the size 2000MB.
Click on the black down arrow and select use as swap. Do NOT click inside the box to format the partition. There is no mount point.
Click on OK.
sda3 (home)
Highlight the single free space and click on Change.
Make the size the remaining space on your hard drive.
Click on the black down arrow and select use as ext4.
Click inside the box to format the partition (X) and select /home as the mount point.
Click on OK.
Then click on Install now.
You should end up with something looking like the last photo on the first post here:
Linux Mint partitioning:
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=122276
Click on Install now.