How To Install Linux Mint | Create Bootable Flash Drive

Windows Integrity Check

To verify on Windows, you need to download and install GnuPG. Make sure that you scroll down on the page and when you come to download.sig Simple installer for the current GnuPG this is the one you want. Here is a direct link to download it from the site. If they changed it, you may have to go to the site to get the correct one pictured below.

integrity check for windows GnuPG

After you have downloaded it you need to install it on your windows operating system. It does not matter if you give it administrative privileges or not.

Performing The Integrity Check In Windows

Now navigate to your downloads folder or the folder where you downloaded your Linux Mint. DO NOT go inside the folder. We just want to see the folder that contains the Linux Mint download, sha256sum & sha256sum.txt.gpg files.  Hold the “SHIFT” key down on your keyboard and right click the folder. You will see a menu pop up. Yours will either say, “Open with PowerShell” or “Open command window here”. I included a picture of both menues below.

Only cool people share!

open command windows

If PowerShell it will look like this.

Open With PowerShell

You will now see a command line. I am using PowerShell so it looks blue on my computer. Here is the command that you want to enter. NOTE: that if you copy this code and then you go to your terminal and right click it will automatically enter the text. You may have to change the filename of your ISO file.

CertUtil -hashfile filename.iso SHA256

Here is what I had to change it to so that it matches my ISO file. Also note that if you start to type a filename the program may try to auto complete it for you.

CertUtil -hashfile linuxmint-20.2-cinnamon-64bit.iso SHA256

My results were successful. You can see them below. If you did not receive a successful message, then you need to go back and re-download Linux Mint again.

hashfile completed successfully

Authenticity Check in Windows

Now let’s perform the Authenticity Check in Windows. In the same PowerShell Window, enter the following commands. We are going to get a key, then verify its authenticity. This may be tricky or may fail, but I included 3 different codes to help you below.

gpg --keyserver hkps://keyserver.ubuntu.com:443 --recv-key 27DEB15644C6B3CF3BD7D291300F846BA25BAE09

The above code may fail for some users, if so, enter the following into your terminal.

gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-key 27DEB15644C6B3CF3BD7D291300F846BA25BAE09

If that one fails, then try this one.

gpg --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-key 27DEB15644C6B3CF3BD7D291300F846BA25BAE09

If it continues to fail, please see more detailed instructions here.

When Successful Look Here

Now, once the above is successful, copy and paste this code into your terminal. Be in the same directory as your ISO and other downloaded files.

gpg --verify sha256sum.txt.gpg sha256sum.txt

You should get a message that looks like this. Don’t worry about what it all says, the only thing we are interested in are the important parts. It is a good signature!

successful message for verifying

Now that you could authenticate and verify your download, it’s time to burn it to a flash drive and make it bootable with Etcher.

How To Install Linux Mint | Create Bootable Flash Drive was last modified: May 7th, 2022 by Maximus Mccullough
how to install Linux mint create bootable flash drive

Pages:Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.