Install Ubuntu onto USB flash drive There are a lot of Linux distros to choose from, but in our example, we are going to install Ubuntu using a Windows machine.

But if you want to browse the internet, stream, or use most productivity software or office suites, you’ll find a capable ...

First, you can -- and should -- try Linux Mint before switching to it. Fortunately, unlike other operating systems, Linux distros like Mint make it easy to give them a test run before installing it.

If your PC can boot from a USB drive, you should get a program that will let you run and install Linux from a USB drive. My particular favorite for this job is Yumi for Windows.

But you can also download an ISO file for any of these operating systems and for many other Linux distributions and use the tool to copy the files to your USB flash drive.

The guide requires a thumb drive of 256 MB or larger, but other than that it should work on most USB drives. Also, in order to run Linux from your USB drive, your BIOS will have to support booting ...

Fedora 9 introduced the first high-quality USB installation system, but the main advantage of it is that it has a special Windows version, so even non-Linux users can get it in on the act.

OK, you've settled on which version of Linux you want to load on your old PC. Here's how to make it happen.