Cloud Hosting

Welcome to the last day of Windows 7the last day Microsoft is giving out security updates for the antiquated operating system, that is. While you have plenty of options for upgrading Windows 7, and even a hack that might be able to extend your updates for years, one of the best things you can do if you dont want to make the jump to Windows 10 is to take a 90-degree turn toward Linux.

Yes, Linux. Dont be scared. While your first thought is probably, thats too complicated for me, hear me out. There are a number of Linux distributions that look and feel like the Windows youre already familiar with. You wont find yourself sitting in front of a command prompt, wondering what to do next, unless thats the kind of experience you want. Otherwise, Linux isnt terrifying in the slightest.

If youre sticking with Windows 7 because of a specific reasonapps that only work on that version of the OS and nothing elsewe even have a workaround for that, too: virtualizing Windows 7 so you can still access it in a safe, as-you-need-it fashion (assuming your system can handle it).

Stick with us, and well show you just how easy it is to switch to Linux and all the great apps that couldnt be any easier to download and install in the OS. (We do love package managers.)

For the sake of keeping this article under a million words, Im going to assume that youve already saved your critical data and everything else you need from your existing Windows 7 installation. (You should be backing up your system all the time anyway, so this shouldnt be a surprise).

If youre nervous about switching over, you can start by creating a live CD (or live USB) of the Linux distribution well be using, Linux Mint. In fact, youll have to do this anyway to install it, so might as well get it out of the way now. By booting to a Live CD when your computer starts instead of Windows 7, youll be able to explore what its like to use Linux Mint as if you had actually installed it on your system. Nothing you do in the OS persists between rebootsits all temporarybut this at least gives you the ability to try out this Linux distribution and see if you like it before you fully commit.

For most people, I recommend creating a list of all the Windows apps youve installed and saving that to a cloud-storage account somewhere, along with any other critical data that fits (your documents, for example). Upload your photos to a cloud-storage service as welleither Google Photos, if thats sufficient, or an online storage server if you need to preserve your shots in their original quality. Take all the time you need to do this part, because you only get one shot at it (unless youve taken the secondary step of using a service like Backblaze to automatically save all your stuff or have cloned your entire drive elsewhere).

Finally, write down your Windows 7 product key. If you have no idea where or what that is, use the ProduKey utility to find it.

Double-click the (blatantly obvious) Install Linux Mint icon on your desktop, which should pop up this first screen:

Continue forward. Eventually, youll see a screen that looks something like this, which is what I like to call the point of no return in this process.

Sure, you could create separate partitions on your primary drive Linux Mint and Windows 7. Its a great alternative if your system isnt strong enough to handle a virtual machine, but youd like the ability to use Windows 7 for tasks you cant otherwise complete within Linux. Im not going to get into it in this guide, but know that dual-booting both operating systems is an option. In fact, Linux Mint makes this easy for you, in a screen I cant show you because I installed this OS on a blank virtual machine (for conveniences sake). Yes, Ill soon be running a VM inside a VM. Insert Hans Zimmers Inception score here.

Once youve made your choiceI stuck with the default optionsyoull soon be asked to create a user name and password. Standard stuff. After that, Linux Mint will begin the process of wiping your drive and installing the OS. Heres hoping you backed up your critical information from Windows 7, like I advised earlier.

When Linux Mint starts back up again, you wont need your CD or USB key anymore, and your screen should look like this:

Ah, the fresh scent of a new operating system. Tempted as you might be to start re-downloading your files onto your new OSfrom the cloud, from an external storage device, or from wherever else it is you stored your Windows 7 dataresist the urge just yet. Pull up Driver Manager to see if theres anything new for your system that you need to update or install, and then do the same with Update Manager. Restart your computer as needed.

Assuming your system can handle it, virtualizing Windows 7 on your Linux desktop is a great way to keep the OS hanging around for those moments when there simply isnt a Linux alternative for whatever it is you need to do. And to do that, well be using VirtualBox to run an instance of Windows 7 directly within Linux Mint. It sounds complicated, but its not.

To get started, pull up Linux Mints software manager. You should see a listing for VirtualBox on the front page; if not, search for it.

Installing the app is easyjust click on the button and do whatever the prompts request of you.

Launch VirtualBox, and youll see a boring and blank interface. Fix that by clicking the New button, picking Windows 7 as your operating system, and giving your virtual machine a useful name.

Youll be asked how much memory you want to allocate to your virtual machine. Linux Mint needs about 2GB, at minimum, to run smoothly, and Windows 7 should get at least 1GB of memory if youre running a 32-bit version of the operating system and 2GB if youre bumping up to a 64-bit version.

Next, youll be asked to create a hard disk for Windows 7. Again, youll need slightly more space for a 64-bit version of the OS (20GB minimum) than a 32-bit version of the OS (16GB minimum). Youll also want to think about how much other stuff youll want to stuff on your Windows 7 instancedata, apps, et ceteraand decide accordingly.

If you choose poorly, dont freak out. You can embiggen this virtual hard drive later. Life goes on.

Once you click on create, youre halfway done. Youll want to click on your virtual machine in the listing, and then click on the Settings icon. Theres plenty to play with in here, but I recommend checking out two key sections: System, which will let you assign additional processors to your virtual machine if you want to boost its speed a bit, and the ever-critical Storage.

Once you get to Storage, youre going to want to take a moment to pull up a web browser in Linux Mint and navigate over to Microsofts site, where youll be able to download a full disk image (.ISO) of Windows 7. Yes, youll need your product key for this.

Once youve downloaded that .ISO to Linux Mint, head back to VirtualBoxs storage settings. Click on the disc icon under Storage Devices, and then click on the similar-looking disc icon on the right side of the window. Select Choose Virtual Optical Disk File, and go find that Windows 7 .ISO.

Theres more you can play with in Settingslike sharing a folder from Linux Mint (like Downloads) that you can then pull up in Windows 7, if you wantbut youve now checked off all the basic requirements. You can fire up your virtual machine via the big green start arrow on the main screen and begin the process of installing and configuring your new Windows 7 installation.

After that, its back to the basics: Make sure youve grabbed any updates you need from Windows Update and have installed whatever apps you plan to use. My advice is to resist getting hooked back into Windows 7 once again. The OS might seem more familiar than Linux Mint, initially, but if you can accomplish a similar task in Linux that you could in Windows, opt for the latter. Your performance will be better, first of all, and youll be doing whatever it is youre doing in a more secure operating system.

If youre still a little, what do I do next? whenever you launch Linux Mint, I understand. Lets get you up to speed with some useful apps. Were I looking to use Linux Mint like I use Windows, Id hit up the aforementioned Software Manager and grab these apps:

Of course, there are plenty of others worth installing, too (Steam? Discord?). These are the basics, but Linux Mints Software Manager makes it incredibly easy to find and install more.

Read the rest here:
The Easiest Way to Switch from Windows 7 to Linux - Lifehacker