HI, I am curently using MS Vista Home Premium and have found out that Microsoft nolonger is providing support for vista now. I would like to know if I can replace Vista 32bit with Linux 18.1, if I can what is the best way of doing so? Please forgive my ignorance but I have not got a clue what I'M doing, your assistance in this matter would be much apreciated.

Kind regards

Neil

Hi Neil,

Welcome to LQ!

Linux Mint is for beginners. And, it even has a version 18.1, as you requested. So, download the installation CD file, a .iso file, and burn it to a CD as an image, not as a file. Boot from it and install it.

It's pretty easy. Here's a link: https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi Neil, welcome to the forum

If you're interested in Linux Mint, here is a guide that offers more detail concerning the different desktop environments you can choose from.

However, to be able to give you a better idea of which distribution might be best for your system, please provide us with the brand and model (and model number) of your computer, along with the processor, amount of memory and graphics chip.

Regards...

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi.

There's a good sticky post from the top of where you started: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...xp-4175502495/

...some links in my signature may help too? (UNLIKE THE ABOVE! )

Have fun!

I must voice a slight quibble.

Mint is often recommended to persons looking to try Linux, as it tries to make the default desktop (menus, etc.) relatively easy for persons used to Windows to negotiate, but I must demure from the implications of saying that Mint is "for beginners"; that implies that it is somehow simplified or dumbed down. It isn't.

I don't happen to be using it right now, but I have used it for five or six years. Mint is a mature and robust distribution; to my mind, it's the only Ubuntu-derivative worth a second glance.

As for your question, you can almost certainly replace Vista with almost any Linux distro, but, for more specific answers, it would help to know the computer's make, model, and specifications (CPU, RAM, video and wireless chipsets, etc.). In particular, knowing the video and wireless chipsets would enable posters to let you know if there are any particular things you should watch out for. For example, Broadcom and Realtek wireless often take a couple of extra steps to get working, but they can be got working.

I suggest that you burn a Live CD/DVD of Mint (be sure to use the "burn image" option in your disc burner and not just make a copy of the *.iso file on the disk) and boot to it. That itself will tell you a lot.

1 members found this post helpful.

Not =! based on Ubuntu if Ubuntu's from: https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/u...y-live-builds/

Also – I would strongly advise you to grab a copy of VirtualBox®, which is a so-called "virtual machine monitor" that reliably runs on everything. With it, you can create a "virtual machine" environment, hosted by your existing Windows environment, in which a copy of Linux can run ... "in a window."

(VirtualBox is backed by Oracle Corporation ... one of the largest software companies in the world ... it runs on everything ... and, it is absolutely free.)

Yessir, without changing anything about your present Vista environment, "you can now run Linux ... also."

Use this to "kick the tires, get to know this new system, and find out where (some of) the hidden rocks are," before(!) you "bid Windows g'bye," even if this is "your ultimate intention."

1 members found this post helpful.

Frankly, I must say that I am rather surprised that Oracle, with its history of closing stuff off, has let VirtualBox alone to be VirtualBox.

I'm glad it has. I use VB daily.

I'm still chuckling that some are using vista... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC4vz6IbdtY

...ahem, sorry for your loss!

Yea VBox! Safely play before changing anything! Here's a 'pre-installed' idea.
Enjoy & welcome to Linux!

If that were the case, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Regards...

Run them in parallel - at least until you are completely at home with Linux.
I try to use Puppy Linux whenever possible - a bit difficult when my job is PC support - but there are still some things I do that need Windows.

No really you are just forced by work*.

I think an install of GNU\Linux is best for the OP as requested: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post5694106

...just read the getting started docs on one geared towards s for now then install VB from your distros pacage manager and try Linux from Linux don't forget BSDs then and Solaris and: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...n_Timeline.svg