recently i was hacked. or at least think I was hacked. in the process of damage control ive manage to lock myself out of my own pc. forgot admin password - wiped windows something or other. in other words I cant reset my computer to factory settings. so I want to start all over again with Linux os. I have the presumed infected computer, a 125 memory stick and a chromebook. can I burn Linux mint to a memory stick. then either wipe the infected hhd/duy new ssd and then upload linux os to completely blank hhd/ssd. it cant be as simple as that. ive tried doing research but none of it is for Linux on memory stick to totally blank laptop. this whole process has showed me how vulnerable I/we are to hackers and how little knowledge I have of IT in general. any help or pointers/links would be appreciated.

What "pointers/links" would you like??? Yes, it is that simple to format a hard drive and install a new OS. As far as how, each distro has complete installation guides available to you, including how to make a bootable USB install media.

Download whatever distro you'd like (I'd suggest Mint, since it's broadly supported on lots of hardware, and easy for a new user) as an ISO image on your Chromebook. Use the "Chromebook Recovery Utility", and choose "Use local image" (click the gear icon, if I remember correctly), to choose the .ISO image you downloaded. Boot from that new USB, and perform the install.

You can usually create a usb install to be used for installing to common windows computers.

However if you mean you want to install to a chromebook then read this first maybe. https://itsfoss.com/install-linux-chromebook/


If you mean use chromebook to install some distro image to a usb then read this. https://askubuntu.com/questions/2784...-on-chromebook

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"dd if=ubuntu-12.*-desktop*.iso of=/dev/sdb" You have to be very careful here. If you don't fully understand then use a chrome program if one exists similar to rufus or live usb creator.
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Many of the major linux distro's come in a few versions. One could be an image designed just for a usb drive. Others are hybrid (and they don't even mention it anymore) to be used on disc or usb. Some netboot ways exist too still.

In the process of installing Mint, you can reformat and repartition the existing HDD and install Mint to it, and, yes, you can install from a USB stick. https://linuxmint-installation-guide...test/burn.html

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