In this guide, we will breathe new life into an old HP EliteBook laptop by installing Linux Mint. The process involves creating a bootable USB drive using Balena Etcher and then performing a full installation of the operating system.
Before starting, you need a USB flash drive (at least 4GB) and the necessary software. Format your USB drive to FAT32 to ensure compatibility.
Visit linuxmint.com and navigate to the download page. We recommend the Cinnamon Edition for the most feature-rich experience, although lighter versions exist for very old hardware. Download the ISO file (approx. 3GB) from a mirror close to your location.
Linux Mint recommends using Balena Etcher to create the bootable media. Go to balena.io/etcher and download the installer for your current operating system (e.g., Windows x64).
Once you have both the ISO file and Etcher installed, follow these steps:
Insert the USB stick into your laptop and turn it on. You need to access the boot menu. Common keys include F9 (HP), F12 (Dell/Lenovo), Esc, or Delete.
Select your USB drive from the boot menu list. Choose the top option ("Start Linux Mint") to boot into the live environment. This runs the OS directly from the USB stick without installing anything yet, allowing you to test hardware compatibility (WiFi, sound, etc.).
To install the OS permanently, double-click the "Install Linux Mint" icon on the desktop.
Select your preferred language (e.g., English) and keyboard layout (e.g., Swedish).
Check the box to install multimedia codecs. This ensures smoother playback for video and audio files post-installation.
The installer will detect any existing operating systems (like Windows). Select "Erase disk and install Linux Mint" to wipe the drive and use the entire disk for Linux.
Warning: This will destroy all data currently on the laptop's hard drive. Ensure you have backed up any important files before proceeding.
Select your time zone and create your user account (name, computer name, username, and password).
The installation will now proceed. Once finished, you will be prompted to restart the computer and remove the installation media (USB stick). You will then boot into your fresh Linux Mint desktop!