Replace Linux Mint with MX and keep windows dual boot

[TouchOdeath]

You might want to try Sparky's MinimalGUI (which is Openbox), and then install the DE of your choice.

Hrmm.. I'll definitely have to try that. I like Xfce for two reasons. 1. Lightweight. 2. Whiskermenu. The whiskermenu is great. If a new app is installed it goes there, so you don't have to figure out where the app is after you install it. Also The Search of the apps is important. I would be happy to have something else besides xfce if those two criteria can be met.

[TouchOdeath]

SalixOS is my second-favorite distro. Slackware-based, simple enough for a technophobic kid, Xfce desktop, and completely systemd-free. I'm sure there is an Xfce community spin of PCLinuxOS as well, also completely unencumbered by systemd. And there's probably an xfce version of Devuan out there too. There are plenty of options. MX has systemd but it's just "there" as a dependency, not as the init. It goes unused, but satisfies dependencies you need for whatever Gnome stuff you have, Pulseaudio, those kinda things.

While I really like Salix for it's simplicity and being "truly" systemd-free, it doesn't have the cool tools or the cool forum support that we enjoy for MX-Linux here.

I know nothing of Slackware. Can Slackware install a .deb file? Using Gdebi maybe?

I don't know if this is related to debian in any way, but my problem with non-debian OS's is that most everyone has a debian package that you can install. It seems like not everyone has a RPM that you can install. Someone correct me if my beliefs are wrong on that.

[turtlebay777]

Re Systemd - those not in favour of it might be interested in reading this thread on the Mint forums, https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic. ... 0&t=280049

Mint of course use systemd all the time.

[Artim]

I know nothing of Slackware. Can Slackware install a .deb file? Using Gdebi maybe?
I don't know if this is related to debian in any way, but my problem with non-debian OS's is that most everyone has a debian package that you can install. It seems like not everyone has a RPM that you can install. Someone correct me if my beliefs are wrong on that.

Slackware is the oldest surviving Linux distro in the whole entire universe. It's definitely not beginner friendly, but SalixOS aims to do for Slackware what MX does for Debian: Make it simple enough for us ordinary mortals to use. Also nicknamed "the distro for Lazy Slackers," Salix has graphical tools and dependency resolution for installing software. It looks a lot like Synaptic Package Manager, actually, and it's called Slapt-get. It won't install deb packages, but the Slackware repositories are huge, vast, ginormously massive. Like Debian's! Plus Salix has it's own repositories in addition to Slackware's. And with Salix, there's even a graphical tool called Sourcery that can install stuff from source if you don't find it in the repositories.

Also, there's no Gnome stuff there. Slackware dumped Gnome a couple of years ago and systemd-dependency was one of the reasons I'd bet. No loss in my opinion, Gnome is a bloated mess.

If you try it, please by all means read the Startup Guide first! It's not nearly as newbie-friendly - yet as MX is.

[kc1di]

I know nothing of Slackware. Can Slackware install a .deb file? Using Gdebi maybe?

Slackware can not install .deb or rpm packages it install it's package from .tgz compressed files. and uses a completely different packaging system from Debian.

[KoO]

Why not install AntiX it is systemd free and easy to install you can always drop xfce on too.

With Slackware installing apps you have to find and install all the dependences yourself.
It also users LILO not grub..
last update was more then 2 years ago 2016-07-01

[Artim]

Why not install AntiX it is systemd free and easy to install you can always drop xfce on too.

Absolutely a better idea! A lot easier, too.

[TouchOdeath]

Wow... that was very informative on slackware/SalixOS, I appreciate that. I've always wondered about slackware. I noticed when I was burning MX Linux, the USB said 'AntiXLive' or something similiar which is interesting. AntiX looks like an option as well as Sparky. I've got some linux homework to do. Thanks alot guys, I really appreciate it!! So far all my experience with the Linux community has been wonderful! You guys are what really makes Linux shine, yall are some good dudes for sure.

Unfortunately for me, I ran out of time and now I'm back on mint :/. But now I know more of what I'm doing on reformatting. The reason why MX Linux installer wasn't keeping windows in my grub was because I did something wrong. I guess I'll go ahead and update an answer in the first post so people don't have to read. My answer being: If I would have just identified and deleted the Linux partitions which would make them 'free space', the MX installer would have automatically used the free space. I'll probably summarize the answers of the other posters.

Big thanks guys, I appreciate it!

[Artim]

It's good practice, if you intend to dual boot Windows and any Linux distro, that Windows is installed and fully updated first. Have fun! Mint Xfce is a solid distro, though I think it's way more "bloated" than it needs to be.