Installation Guide for LMDE7 on a Laptop

Posted on Posted in Linux, Linux Mint

Version: LMDE7 (codename “Gigi”)
Note: This guide is tailored for a full Windows-replacement install (i.e., the laptop currently has Windows, you will remove it and install LMDE).

1. Version Information

  • The targeted version is LMDE7 (codename Gigi), based on Debian 13 “Trixie”.
  • Note: Starting with LMDE7, support for 32-bit (i386) architecture is dropped — only amd64 (64-bit) is supported.

2. Requirements

  • RAM: 4 GB or more (minimum)
  • USB stick: 4 GB or larger (to create bootable installation media)
  • Laptop with UEFI (or BIOS) capable of booting from USB
  • Secure Boot: If the USB stick is not recognized during boot, you may need to disable Secure Boot (see section 4)
  • This install assumes you are replacing Windows completely (no dual-boot)
  • You prefer encryption of the home drive during installation.

3. Preparation

  1. Download the LMDE ISO for your chosen version (LMDE 7 or ≤ 6.3) from the official site. https://www.linuxmint.com/download_lmde.php
  2. Create a bootable USB stick from the ISO (on Windows) using a tool like Rufus (or other). https://rufus.ie/en/
  • In Rufus: Select the USB device, select the ISO, choose partition scheme appropriate (GPT for UEFI)
  • Write the ISO to the USB stick.
  • close Rufus and eject the usb-drive.

4. BIOS/UEFI & Secure Boot

  • Insert the USB stick into the laptop.
  • Reboot the laptop and open the boot menu (common keys: F12, F9, Esc).
  • If the USB stick does not appear in the boot menu, enter UEFI settings (BIOS) and disable Secure Boot temporarily.
  • After disabling Secure Boot, try again to boot from the USB stick.

5. Booting & Live Session

  • When the system boots from USB, select “Start LMDE in Live Mode” (or equivalent) from the menu.
  • Once the live desktop loads, verify basic functionality (WiFi, keyboard, display) if possible.

6. Installation

  1. On the live desktop, double-click Install Linux Mint (or the installer icon).
  2. Select language → next → keyboard layout → next → time zone → next.
  3. When prompted for installation type:
  • Choose Erase disk and install LMDE (since you’re replacing Windows)
  • In the installer dialogs, select the option to encrypt the home folder
  1. Create your user account: name, username, password, computer name. Optionally choose auto-login or require password.
  2. Confirm the review screen showing that all disk content will be erased. Click Install.
  3. Wait until installation completes (typically 10-20 minutes).
  4. When prompted, remove the USB stick and reboot.

7. Post-Install Steps

  • After first boot into your new system update it from the software manager.
  • Software Manager does provide almost anything you need. Just search for it.