Help with: Clean wipe, fresh Installation of 2ndhand PC

[Kenny_]

Hi I bought a 2nd hand Laptop with ubuntu and wanted to basically wipe it clean and then freshly install linux mint 18 cinnamon. Just to make sure there is no potentially nefarious content on it when i use it.
Besides from putting the new os on, is there any procedures i should do to make it more trustworthy and safe (in terms of it being a second hand machine)?
Thanks

 

[wizardfromoz]

Hi @Kenny_ and welcome to linux.org . I am from DownUnder (Australia) where it is lunchtime Wednesday.

I just have to do a few things and I'll be back in about 45 mins, likely.

Are you writing from the 'buntu lappie at the moment? If so, you could give us the output from Terminal of

inxi -Fxs

and that will tell us what we could use with the lappie's specs.

Have you downloaded a Mint .iso?

Do you know you have to burn it to a USB stick or DVD, not just copy it - special software has to be used, but that is available if your Ubuntu is up and running.

And do you know there is a newer version, v19. Tara?

is there any procedures i should do to make it more trustworthy and safe (in terms of it being a second hand machine)?

Not really, unless you really want to go the extra miles. Mint uses the Ubiquity Installer developed by Ubuntu, and in it you will get a choice to erase disk and install Mint. That is likely sufficient.

When Mint is installed, we can tell you how to enable your Firewall, and with one on the OS and one at your Router, you are very safe.

There is software we could use first to write zeroes to the HDD first and then install.

Think about it and I'll be back asap

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[Kenny_]

Nah im writing from my desktop atm, i didn't want to connect it to my wifi without wiping it first.
I cant do the command due to not having the software responsible for the 'inxi' command.
But i just checked and downloaded the iso v19. Tara instead of v18 now haha.
I used YUMI to set up the bootable installation of Tara on a USB.

I have no idea how to zero the HDD though
is this the correct command for ubuntu-
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX bs=1M

 

[wizardfromoz]

A sensible precaution, on the wifi

That's correct with the dd command syntax, it is likely /dev/sda but you can run it from the stick. Check for sure by going to Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-t) and entering

df

#OR

blkid

and you can identify the hdd with sizes.

Did you get the .iso from the official LInux Mint site, and did you verify the SHA256 checksum &c?

Also did you get the latest, Version, the first release had a bug whereby you had to leave the internet off to install.

You can also get the inxi information while on the stick.

I see you have a new thread so I'll swing over there briefly and then I'm off for the evening.

Cheers

Wizard

 

[Kenny_]

Did you get the .iso from the official LInux Mint site, and did you verify the SHA256 checksum &c?

Yes I used MD5 and SHA Checksum Utility to verify

Also did you get the latest, Version, the first release had a bug whereby you had to leave the internet off to install.

I assume so, I installed Tara with the internet on and all seems to be working fairly fine now