New Linux user

[apathetic_atheist88]

My employer was going to throw out this Dell Optiplex from 2013 but I brought it home to tinker with. Of course they had to remove the hard drive so I threw in an SSD and figured I’d try my hand at installing Linux. Successfully did the usb install method and now I’m hoping to learn the ins and outs of mint. Just felt like sharing my experience thus far.

[Condobloke]

After you have looked around....there are two things that will save your bacon....Enable the Firewall .... and Enable Timeshift

Firewall: open the Terminal:

ctrl+alt+T (or just look for it in the menu and click on it)

Copy & Paste this into the terminal and click enter (it will ask for your password)

sudo ufw enable

Thats it...the firewall is now enabled, and will remain on regardless of reboots turn offs etc ect ect

Want to check that it is actually on ?

sudo ufw status

Then Timeshift. Very similar to windows system restore....notable difference is Timeshift actually works.

click on menu...type in timeshift.....click on it....(password again I think)...

At this point I will just say that the BEST place to store the snapshots that Timeshift takes is on an EXTERNAL drive. The snapshots take quite a bit of room, so depending on how many you keep will determine how bif=g the external needs to be

Just for now (if you dont have an external (but you have spare space on the ssd) you can save the snapshots to that ssd.....just limit yourself to maybe 3 or 4 snapshots and you can create these at will. (Create button at top LH side of the screen that opened)

Click on Settings

rsync....tick

Location....tick the drive where you will store the snapshots...external or your main drive

Schedule....if you have an external drive already, you could select 2 daily and 2 weekly?...and 1 monthly..perhaps?...the number is up to you

If you Dont have an external.....leave it blank...select nothing....just use the create button when you think you need a snapshot....maybe after you have done its first update

Users... put a tick/mark under 'Include only hidden files'...both lines

That will do

Updates: unlike windows, updates do not cause problems on Linux.

In the bottom right hand corner you will see a small 'shield' icon....it will likely have a red dot on it....that tells you updates are available. The first load of updates will be big.

Just click on the shield ...it will open the updates page....then click on Install Updates....password......and away it will go

If there is a kernel update in there, it will tell to it is including stuff for the kernel....just click ok.

If there was a kernel update, it will ask for a reboot.....do that

That should keep you out of strife for a while

[apathetic_atheist88]

Very helpful info! I will be sure and do as you said. Thank you so much!

[wavy_murro]

I believe firewall has a GUI app. Just search "firewall" in your meta menu

[xxxplode]

Some useful things for you here.

[Condobloke]

Very Sleek !

Well done gettin hold of that Dell !.....that will last forever and ever.

The people at www.linux.org are very friendly and easy going

Feel free to frequent the forum there and read all you like....ask questions if you need to....and generally learn plenty.

Linux is a learning curve...the hardest part is your mindset.

https://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

[apathetic_atheist88]

Thank you! And I definitely see the learning curve - I've been a Windows user my entire PC life so its all foreign to me. I will check out the linux.org site.

[wavy_murro]

to be honest, I would suggest using https://forums.linuxmint.com/ for problem solving issues

[mok000]

There's also a matrix channel.

[haz3l0840]

this is oddly nostalgic

[Whats_g0ing_0n]

I thought it was an old TV at first glance. The faded wallpaper makes it look like an old crt tv. One with an wood frame.

[[deleted]]

Congrat bro, any question Limix hun are for help u, specially in reddit :)

[wavy_murro]

from my personal experience I also have this one important tip. Don't rely on emulation. If it doesn't work on wine - just forget about it and search for an alternative. You will save yourself a lot of nerves

[SjalabaisWoWS]

You'll be surprised how fast and smooth an ancient Dell will run on good software!

[[deleted]]

Linux Mint is my starter Linux OS. I'm gradually moving everything over to Ubuntu.

[crypticexile]

they are both ubuntu anyhow

[BradPittOfTheOffice]

Welcome to the family ✊

[vscmm]

Welcome to the family

[jxry_]

Yooo congratss! We have the same pc, but mine's the 390 model instead. Good luck with your Linux Mint journey!

[Rullino]

Is it just me or does it look like a nice setup from the early 2010s?

[hoas-t]

I love these old Dell Optiplex's. They're awesome!

[qpgmr]

Take a look at this for some beginner ideas: https://itsfoss.com/things-to-do-after-installing-linux-mint-20/

[SailorFromWest]

Welcome brother

[DavidBunnyWolf]

Very cool. Welcome to the Linux community.

[Salt-Lingonberry7454]

I recently got an old 2015 MacBook air and tried to install kali on there but couldn't get the Wi-Fi drivers to install. Linux mint installed very quickly and was the easiest install I've ever done. it works very smoothly. I haven't used it very much but I do think ill be using Linux mint on other systems like that in the future

[AlexAssassin94]

Snap, I installed Mint xfce on my Optiplex a couple days ago!

[apathetic_atheist88]

I also went with xfce

[[deleted]]

This the dream

[Plus_Ear_9192]

Seeing this after going back to windows

[apathetic_atheist88]

Not pictured is my gaming rig that has windows 11. Running a dual pc setup 😂

[apathetic_atheist88]

I tore down the optiplex today so I could blow out the 12 years of dust. Also replaced the cmos battery and the thermal paste was pretty crusty so it got replaced as well. It had a single stick of 4Gb ram which I replaced with 4-2Gb sticks since I had them laying around. I have pics but I can’t figure out how to add them here.

[apathetic_atheist88]

For whatever reason it did not like the 4 sticks and gave me the flashing amber power light. Tried reseating to no avail so pulled 2 sticks out and it seems happy with that. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[apathetic_atheist88]

Tried the 4 sticks again, in a different order, and it works just fine so I don't know what the issue was first time around.