But that set-up is seriously broken.
Everytime a new icon or whatever is needed, you will need to hack into the guts of the system.
It should just work.

If it worked on the live boot, it should work identically from an installed boot.

But that is very important to do! With such odd problem it does sound like a bad copy. I think others have covered the sum check (you can also do that in Windows, BTW, if that is where you are downloading, but you need a free program). , you need to do this. Not sure if I used the right phrase with "integrity test" but in ubuntu (and I think mint uses the same installer) there is an option before install where it has an option something like "check DVD" (something like that). That runs a test to see if it thinks the DVD you burned is correct. There may be a trick to get to this option if it doesn't present itself obviously. You hit the space bar at a certain point (that's ubuntu again) --I'll try and find that info if I can remember.

Another tip is to set burn speed to low speed (like 2x).

I think your integrity test is called "verify disk" in order to check the disk after burning. Img Burn automaticlly does that unless you turn it off. I have always used verify disk. As for mds sum check I'll have to see if that's called something else or if I can do that also.

JeremyBoden: I have never tried the live boot, always installing right away from disk boot.

Randicus Draco Albus: I have tried right clicking on the desktop (as well as the task bar). As I recall the desktop click gives me nothing. But I know what you mean it's better clicking there. After I finally choose the theme (that I don't get with the install) I get all what you referring to, menu, etc. But it appears you have not understood that's part of my problem of not getting the whole desktop. I won't get that menu, options, etc until I get the complete desktop (with working task bar and desktop).

The command you run is - not See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/md5sum for a simple explanation of what it does and examples of its use.

I don't believe so, this is on the ubuntu installer. But don't worry about that for now, the md5check is the only thing most people do anyway.

It's not called something else. Imgburn does not do that. winmd5.com is popular and easy for windows.

You need to do this also. Aside from just seeing how your machine works with the distro, this will be a big help to find out what is going on with your situation.

I think you have been leaving out some important preliminary steps. Your determination is admirable, but you are skipping important things. I hope you don't give up yet

The live boot is important as it allows you to configure your wireless or to test a wired internet connection.
It should just work, but very occasionally your hardware requires some manual configuration.

Hello Frankbell, still having problems after installing Mint, but solved at least one problem in Mint (17.1 Cinnamon). I found my graphics card not up to snuff in the computer I was testing with so went to one with better hardware and software. All the panel problems are gone, Mint boots up with clear panel entries and a full menu display. But ever since I have been trying to install my Canon MX922 printer and of course as you told me Canon doesn't like Linux, so even though I was able to (at first) install the printer using Mint cinnamon administration printer settings it stopped working after updates. Looking for answers it seems that Canons don't work at all with newer Mint updates, and it seems that Cinnamon does not allow that model of Canon at all now. Also, it's suggested that later this year there might be updates or upgrades that will allow for MX922. But apparently debian editions can install MX922 using the terminal to download and install the right drivers. don't know for sure if any of that is absolute, and I even tried to install Mint Debian on another HDD thinking I could try it with Canon. But the debian edition is anything but easy to install what with configuring partitions, etc. so I gave up there.

Do you know if there is an acceptable workaround to install Canon MX922 printer on the latest Cinnamon update? Or a trick to do so?

I've installed both Mint and Debian on separate machines.

The install procedures are virtually identical.

There may be a work-round for your Canon Printer:-
Download the drivers at http://www.turboprint.info/
There is a 30 day free trial, after which it will cost 30 Euro.

I've used them in the days when I had a Canon inkjet.

Jeremy, then I don't understand how you installed Debian. What I did was download the iso file and burn a live disk (DVD). Following the same steps to install Mint I tried to install Debian. The install steps were a nightmare (for me) compared to Mint, certainly not virtually the same. So where did you get your yours and how did you install it?

Without doing a re-install I can't tell you!

But the bits about resizing partitions and deciding which ones to format were virtually the same.

OK, then that tells me you must not have used the same live disk that I did (burning the iso file to disk). Because I never had the anything about resizing partitions, etc. The Mint cinnamon (Rebecca) I installed is virtually automatic except for choices like keyboard, language, location, and connection. So I assume you did not use the same Mint install I did. Right? If so I suspect what you used are both already Debian or "Debian like". My Mint is not, which might mean no workaround would work for my Canon printer?

BTW I did check your reference to turboprint and it does evidently list the Canon MX920 series, but I hesitate to install things without reasonable assurance it's valid for my purposes and OS. And if your installs were Debian or Debian like maybe you didn't need to use turboprint after all? Just asking.

It's quite a few years ago.
I was moving from Windows to Linux and I had a Canon inkjet.

The distro I was using - I think it was either Mandrake (Mandriva) or Ubuntu didn't support the Canon.
Normally if a printer driver exists, then it exists in most distros.

I would try Turboprint - you have a 30 day free trial.

I have a canon MP600 that works on Debian and Mint 13. Not tried your model but you tend to get an option of trying generic/foo type drivers, I take it you have tried this after uninstalling the printer?
The Debian partitioner is a bit basic and the graphical setup basically means you can use the mouse(whoopie do!) and it assumes you know a bit about partitioning but at least it gives you the option of setting up on free space. This is useful if you use a gparted disk to remove a partition that contians a previously failed setup. So just use 'unpartitioned space'.

Fred.