Translations by Avi Markovitz

`Device Names in Linux <https://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/amd64/apcs04.html.en>`_

`Understanding the Linux File System <http://etutorials.org/Linux+systems/red+hat+linux+9+professional+secrets/Part+II+Exploring+Red+Hat+Linux/Chapter+7+Red+Hat+Linux+Basics/Understanding+the+Linux+File+System/>`_

Dedicated /home partition

In Linux, the ``/home`` directory is used to store user data and preferences.

This directory contains one subdirectoy for each user account. Say your username is ``john``, your home directory is ``/home/john``, your downloads are in ``/home/john/Downloads``, your documents in ``/home/john/Documents``, your Firefox bookmarks somewhere in ``/home/john/.mozilla`` and so on...

By giving ``/home`` its own dedicated partition, you separate the user data from the rest of the operating system.

The advantage is that you can wipe the operating system and replace it without affecting the user data.

When installing Linux Mint:

Assign the ``/`` mount point to the partition dedicated to the operating system, and tell the installer to format it.

Assign the ``/home`` mount point to the partition dedicated to the user data, and if it contains user data already, make sure to tell the installer **not to format it**.

This is not recommended for novice users. A misstep during the installation could wipe all your data. Always make backups, make sure to select the right partitions and to carefully review formatting options.

A Linux Mint operating system takes about 15GB and grows as you install additional software. If you can spare the size, give it 100GB. Keep most of your free space for the home partition. User data (downloads, videos, pictures) takes a lot more space.

System snapshots

Before you start using your operating system, set up system snapshots. Then if anything goes wrong, you can restore your system from an earlier backup.

Launch :menuselection:`Menu --> Administration --> Timeshift`.

Select ``RSYNC`` and click :guilabel:`Next`.

Select the device where you want system snapshots to be saved and click :guilabel:`Next`.

The selected device is not formatted and no data is lost. System snapshots are saved into a newly created ``timeshift`` directory on the root of the selected device.

Select when system snapshots are saved.

System snapshots are incremental so although the first snapshot takes a significant amount of spaces, new snapshots only take additional space for files which have changed.

``Boot`` snapshots are performed in the background and do not impact the speed of the boot sequence.

Click :guilabel:`Finish`.

Verify your ISO image

It is important to verify the integrity and authenticity of your ISO image.

The integrity check confirms that your ISO image was properly downloaded and that your local file is an exact copy of the file present on the download servers. An error during the download could result in a corrupted file and trigger random issues during the installation.

The authenticity check confirms that the ISO image you downloaded was signed by Linux Mint, and thus that it isn't a modified or malicious copy made by somebody else.

Do not copy their content, use "right-click->Save Link As..." to download the files themselves and do not modify them in any way.

To check the integrity of your local ISO file, generate its SHA256 sum and compare it with the sum present in ``sha256sum.txt``.

If you are using Windows follow the tutorial `How to verify the ISO image on Windows <https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=291093>`_.

If the sums match, your ISO image was successfully downloaded. If they don't, download it again.

GPG might warn you that the Linux Mint signature is not trusted by your computer. This is expected and perfectly normal.