OV9

Can anyone explain what I need to do to create a separate, bootable partition so I can experiment with Linux on my Windows machine? I’ve downloaded an iso file of Linux Mint.

In all honestly, I'd just buy a cheapo 128GB SSD, remove the windows drive and replace it, have a mess, then swap it back if needed.
Or, even easier, use Virtualisation (Oracle Virtualbox probably the best bet). You can boot up a virtual OS in that.

Otherwise, you've gotta fuck about with the partitions on your drive, it's just messy.

Matty wrote: Fri Jan 16, 2026 5:51 pm In all honestly, I'd just buy a cheapo 128GB SSD, remove the windows drive and replace it, have a mess, then swap it back if needed.
Or, even easier, use Virtualisation (Oracle Virtualbox probably the best bet). You can boot up a virtual OS in that.

Otherwise, you've gotta fuck about with the partitions on your drive, it's just messy.

What Matty says.

Virtual box. It'll make it much easier to get started and to reverse. Unless you have a very specific use case that cannot be virtualized, that's the route I've taken before.

What they both said.

Virtualbox if you just wanna get used to the design paradigms/changes in usability (menu positioning etc), and then a seperate SSD to test it For Realsies.

Other option is buy a cheap laptop like wot me and DJ have (thinkpad T480) and just install it on that and run that as your daily for a while. Get the full experience without risking your main wanking/banking box.

But, but, if I use Oracle am I supporting Red Bull?

Download Linux onto a USB drive. You can boot directly off the USB to see if you like it.

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jan 16, 2026 7:13 pm Download Linux onto a USB drive. You can boot directly off the USB to see if you like it.

Ah, might do that first.

Is Mint still the go-to OS for casual Linux users? I've not revisited it in ages.

I'm still hoping Valve can get a general-release version of the SteamOS.

I've recently installed Ubuntu and I'm impressed by how much more user friendly it is. Still not perfect, but it is miles better than it used to be.

Mint or Ubuntu are still the Go To for 'billy basic linux that's pleasant to use'.

I'm currently looking at NixOS which is a declarative OS (that is you write a config file and it'll build the system to your spec, every time) but to be fair, I am a fucking saddo

Ubuntu or Mint are fine. They have different Desktop Environments, have a look at what they look like (IE are they more OS X like (gnome), or Windows like (KDE Plasma)) and have a poke aboot whichever one looks like it'll work better for you. The underlying guts of the OS are the same.

(No, really, both come from Debian at the end of the day, the One True OS, but Debian is not for newbies)

I just need to run a container in docker. Ubuntu seemed the least faff that didn't involve buying a Windows license and is supported by the people that make the app I'm running.

Mint uses Ubuntu as the base OS, so things like docker will work identically on both.
Would love the time to play with Nix.

Matty wrote: Fri Jan 16, 2026 8:14 pm I'm still hoping Valve can get a general-release version of the SteamOS.

Very much this.

That would involve Nvidia sorting their shit out.

They are, but very slowly.