Edit:- Wrote a big post about Balena Etcher but now I am not sure what I used to write to the USB stick. It may nothave been etcher, I will have to look on one of my OS's and get back to you about that. I do remember that it was easy as fuck though.
Otherwise:- Mint is great place for Linux noobs. One button installs ALL codecs and runs media centers like a charm. AMD graphics require no input at all, everything just works out of the box (but with no GUI for settings though). Use all your usual programs like , Firefox, VLC media player, Thunderbird Email as well as decent alternatives like Libre Office.
The curve is not too bad and is a zero sum game on a persistent USB stick as you can keep your windows installation etc. If you can't do something (you will 99% find useful or better alternatives) just pull out the stick and do it the old way.
Enjoy.
Edit:- Wrote a big post about Balena Etcher but I am not sure what I used to write to the USB stick now. Probably was not etcher, I will have to look on one of my OS's and get back to you about that.
Otherwise:- Mint is great place for Linux noobs. One button installs ALL codecs and runs media centers like a charm. AMD graphics require no input at all, everything just works out of the box (but with no GUI for settings though). Use all your usual programs like , Firefox, VLC media player, Thunderbird Email as well as decent alternatives like Libre Office.
The curve is not too bad and is a zero sum game on a persistent USB stick as you can keep your windows installation etc. If you can't do something (you will 99% find useful or better alternatives) just pull out the stick and do it the old way.
Enjoy.
Here is a linux install guide for Balena Etcher and then run through of the process.
Here is a link to download on Windows:- https://www.balena.io/etcher/
If you are using windows, you just have to install Etcher then the process will be the same. Was straightforward. It should ask you how much of the stick you want for persistence in the install (persistence won't work for all linux versions but will work with Ubuntu and Mint(use Mint))
Manjaro requires an trick install then a reinstall to the stick for persistence and will not work with this method at last try (1 year ago).
Mint is great place for Linux noobs. One button installs ALL codecs and runs media centers like a charm. AMD graphics require no input at all, everything just works out of the box (but with no GUI for settings though). Use all your usual programs like , Firefox, VLC media player, Thunderbird Email as well as decent alternatives like Libre Office.
The curve is not too bad and is a zero sum game on a persistent USB stick as you can keep your windows installation etc. If you can't do something (you will 99% find useful or better alternatives) just pull out the stick and do it the old way.
Enjoy.
Here is a linux install guide for Balena Etcher and then run through of the process.
If you are using windows, you just have to install Etcher then the process will be the same. Was straightforward. It should ask you how much of the stick you want for persistence in the install (persistence won't work for all linux versions but will work with Ubuntu and Mint(use Mint))
Manjaro requires an trick install then a reinstall to the stick for persistence and will not work with this method at last try (1 year ago).
Mint is great place for Linux noobs. One button installs ALL codecs and runs media centers like a charm. AMD graphics require no input at all, everything just works out of the box (but with no GUI for settings though). Use all your usual programs like , Firefox, VLC media player, Thunderbird Email as well as decent alternatives like Libre Office.
The curve is not too bad and is a zero sum game on a persistent USB stick as you can keep your windows installation etc. If you can't do something (you will 99% find useful or better alternatives) just pull out the stick and do it the old way.
Enjoy.