Installing Mint Linux on a new ‘Hard Drive’ is straight forward for an empty ‘Hard Drive’ is without problems, then follow the ‘Mint Linux’ setting up processes up to successful.

If you want to install Mint Linux along side Windows 8 or any other version (Windows 7), then check your Windows machine for key requirements

1. Go to, Run & ‘diskmgmt.msc’ command to see your Windows Partitions available to you.
2. If you see 4 partitions on your hard drive, then Mint Linux won’t install.
3. If you see 3 partitions or less then continue…
4. check (C: Drive) on Windows 8 partition is large, say (200GB) of free space.
5. right-click (C: Drive) to Shrink Volume…
6. ‘Enter the amount you need’ let’s say 80GB to shrink a partition.
7. If successful, a (new: Drive) will be created with the name ‘Unallocated’.

Restart machine and boot up from CD/DVD drive launch ‘Mint Linux’ from CD.

Next, after ‘Mint Linux’ has booted up onto a GUI (Graphical User Interface), that you’ll see then ‘Mint Linux’ is running as a Live CD/DVD systems.

1. From here you can either use ‘Mint Linux’ as a Live System or
2. Now you can install it on your ‘ Hard Disk Drive’.
3. Installation process is simple and automatic detecting all partitions.
4. On the ‘free’ or ‘unallocated’ partition is where you’ll install ‘Mint’.
5. Choose the option for installing ‘Mint Linux’ along with ‘Windows 8’.
6. The process finalizes with a reboot and a fresh log into the system.

Reference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SwUgRtcrdk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gOark9_clY

Microsoft Answers

Credit Image wakpaper