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[Remuthra]

Hello everyone. My hard drive recently crashed and I will need to install an OS for the new one. I was running Windows 7, but the only disk I have is for Windows Vista, so I was looking at moving to a Linux OS. My current plan is to use Linux Mint Cinnamon 15 for an OS and Firefox for a browser. What advice do you have on the different browsers and operating systems available?

[Absolute Niro]

I don't know much about Linux, I just want to remind you that you can technically get W7 again for free... Your morals might differ from mine, but I think it's alright since you technically own a license.

[Darkmere]

I've been looking into this myself lately, as I'm getting tired of the in-built perpetual bloat of Win7. First of all, there are key retrievers that will scan the registry and get your encrypted windows install key back. Since you own it, there's no issue with getting the key, and MS even has official downloads for Windows ISOs.

But Windows is still Windows...

I'm rusty on the myriad LINUX distros, as I haven't used the OS since I built this machine (4 or 5 years?), but as a starter, I'd highly recommend Mint or any Ubuntu-based setup (make sure not to get the Debian version unless you know why you might need it). Those seem to be the most windows-like and easily accessible options. Once you get your feet wet, it's pretty easy to recompile the kernel the way you like it, or to get another distro on a dual-boot setup.

I use Firefox as well, for the plugin support, but you could also check out opera or something else. Software removal in Linux is as simple as typing "apt remove opera" in the console. Also, look into amaroK for audio playing, vlc media player for video needs, and every distro should come with OpenOffice. The only warning I'd have is, if you're big into gaming, WINE can have some issues with some games. For specifics, check Here.

My main suggestion is, before you commit to something, don't be afraid to download the DVD/CD/flash image and boot from it to see what it's like before you install it to the HDD. I'm assuming this is pretty standard now, but if something specifically offers a Live!DVD iso, that's the bootable image.

I have some experience with Fedora, Debian, Gentoo, and SuSE, but I wouldn't recommend them for a starter setup. Let me know if there's anything else I forgot.

[foil]

I posted this in another thread a few days ago, do you have a Win 7 key sticker somewhere?

"If its Windows 7, you can download a fresh copy from here and burn it to disc.

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/download-windows-7-sp1-iso/

Just remember to download the correct version that you had before that matches the Windows key somewhere on the computers case.

Even tho you will have to download some drivers yourself, its much better than restoring the crapware and trialware loaded Windows install that is usually on the factory restore disc/partition."

[Alastar]

There is only a narrow set of situations in which the preference of "Windows 7 > Linux > Windows Vista" makes sense.

Vista was breaking new ground and rough as hell for over a year... that's long been fixed, almost everything that still sucks in Vista also sucks in Windows 7 and 8.

Seven was a minor refinement and so never caused any undue troubles. In a triumph of marketing over substance, Microsoft made a lot of sales to people who really had no compelling reason to upgrade from Vista AND improved its reputation.
Only major caveat I can think of: Vista is very had on Solid State Drives by default. Otherwise... you get a few nice interface modifications and some services that were too aggressive in Vista (UAC, prefetching, indexing) have been toned down a little; fixing these relatively shallow deficiencies of Vista with 3rd party tools is a lot less effort than learning a new OS.

*

That said, I personally prefer Linux.

Ubuntu is user-friendly and unusual in that it tries to be a good consumer platform. However: it's resource-inefficient and buggy by Linux standards and features some tacky commercialism that is pleasantly absent from the typical Linux distribution. In other words, it has the closest experience to a commercial OS.

As an alternative, I recommend Crunchbang: It's based on Debian (which is rock solid even by Linux standards and a reasonable compromise between being easy to use and easy to understand) and features a user-friendly and resource-efficient UI, A little austere compared to Ubuntu or modern Windows though.
It's the most gentle introduction do the geekier side of Linux: simple enough to be tweak-friendly, but works very well out of the box.

Linux Mint was the first distribution I spent significant time with and should be an easy introduction into Linux as a more conservative respin of Ubuntu. However, in my opinion it's neither here nor there... and wastes a lot of effort reinventing the wheel to be more like chariot wheels ca. 500 BC.

[gigaraptor487]

used mint and ubuntu and both crashed and killed my computer, and mint was quicker to do so, which was once my vista machine. If you want a good distro, i recommend either Debian or Lubuntu as they are essentially the same save for the GUI and some pieces of unimportant software IMO. But if you use Live CD or GRUB you can test and use the best in your opinion.

As for a browser, i like chromium as it is chrome from windows essentially. But IMO firefox isn't bad.

[Tellemurius]

used mint and ubuntu and both crashed and killed my computer, and mint was quicker to do so, which was once my vista machine. If you want a good distro, i recommend either Debian or Lubuntu as they are essentially the same save for the GUI and some pieces of unimportant software IMO. But if you use Live CD or GRUB you can test and use the best in your opinion.

As for a browser, i like chromium as it is chrome from windows essentially. But IMO firefox isn't bad.

Mint and Ubuntu is all Debian derivatives that have graphics all setup from start.


Once again though, you can just use those windows 7 isos, burn the disc and install it again.