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a. Prepare The Installation Media
First obtain the ISO image file of Linux Mint 18.1. Then write the ISO file to a USB drive. Such USB bootable drive is the easiest media for any GNU/Linux installation. You can obtain the ISO from the official source:
- Serena CE 64 bit https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=226
- Serena CE 32 bit https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=225
b. Prepare The Partitions
Preparing the partitions before installing is the quickest method for installing any GNU/Linux. So you need to create or provide one partition for the main system and one partition for the swap. In my system, I prepared /dev/sda6 20GB for the main partition, and /dev/sda7 2GB for swap.
WARNING: DISK PARTITIONING IS DANGEROUS! Make sure you understand and read your screen carefully in every single step while doing Linux Mint installation. Don't be sleepy, don't make any mistake, always be careful while you doing anything with disk partitioning and system installation. Don't continue the installation if you are not sure or you can ask someone nearby capable to help you directly. You do it on your own risk.
c. Boot To Live Session
Now boot your computer into your USB drive so you see the live session. It appears as a normal desktop OS you can try. What you need to do is running the Install Linux Mint program on desktop. This system installer program is called Ubiquity.
1. Select Language
At first page of Ubiquity, select your language. This will affect the rest of partitioning language.
2. Select On-Installation Connection
The quickest choice here is 'I don't want to connect". This makes the installation does not download anything while installing.
3. Selecting Third-Party Programs Installation
The quickest choice here is leave the choice unchecked. By leaving it unchecked, it won't download any third-party program while installing.
4. Select Partitioning Option
Select "Something else" so you enter the manual partitioner. Always believe yourself in partitioning, don't believe automatic choices.
5. Creating System Partition
In creating main system partition, as you have prepared a blank partition before, now you can just select the partition and edit it. In this example, I select /dev/sda6 20GB ---> press Change button ---> (1) determine partition size as 20GB ---> (2) determine Ext4 as the file system type ---> (3) choose to format the partition ---> (4) determine slash (/) as the mount point ---> OK. See picture below.
6. Creating Swap Partition
Just the same as creating main system partition (slash), create one partition as swap from the blank partition you have prepared. In this example, I choose /dev/sda7 2GB as my swap.
7. Selecting Bootloader
Select your hard disk where the main partition belongs. In this example, my hard disk in only one: /dev/sda. This is the place where your bootloader being installed. Bootloader is a program that allows you to choose one among the operating systems installed to boot.
8. Select Time Region
Select your time region by either clicking on the map of typing on the bottom text box. For example here, I choose Jakarta. This choice of region affects your time and date settings.
9. Select Keyboard Layout
Select a keyboard layout available as you wish. For most users, the default choice is OK.
10. Select Username & Password
You need to determine the username and password of your Linux Mint.
11. Waiting The Progress
Now the Ubiquity takes the rest jobs for you. You may need to wait for 5-10 minutes. In my system, this installation progress takes about 6 minutes.
12. Installation Finished
While you see a notification sating Installation Complete, it means the installation progress has finished. Now you can reboot to your just installed Linux Mint 18.1 Serena.
