Well I didn't get Linux Mint to work, but I did get ubuntu to work and I am using it now. I really like it. Windows might be a thing of the past for me. So far it has been able to do any thing that Windows can do. Linux Mint wouldn't install, it said that there was a problem with some file.ubuntu works fine. I have loaded pictures, music , surfed the net and watched a DVD. So far all is GOOD. Did you get Ubuntu 9.10 or 10.04LTS?  I had 9,04 on a DISK and got it up and running. I really like it. I was asked did I want t up grade to 9.10 and I did and every thing went BAD. I couldn't bring it back up. It deleted some files to clean up and got rid of some thing it needed. I have spent most of the night trying to get it back.More often than not an update will break more things than fix.  I'd suggest backing up anything that's important and reinstalling with the latest version.  It may also help to backup your config files, too.

If you have a separate partition for /home it's much easier as you just install the new OS on the / partition and /home goes untouched.