Verifying linux mint iso image

I wanted to try linux mint on my computer so I downloaded the iso file from the official website https://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=217 via torrent.

The computer I used to download it runs windows 10. Now I want to verify the integrity of the iso file, but the instructions in the website https://linuxmint.com/verify.php don't seem to apply for my case (being a windows owner).

I know that before linux used to provide with the value of the md5 checksum, but from what I see that is no longer available. I could generate md5, sha-1, sha-256 and sha-512 using a windows utility. However, I don't know where to find the correct values to compare them. Using both mirrors or torrent, I could only download the iso file. Theer were no sha256sum.txt or sha256sum.txt.gpg files along with it.

What would you suggest for this case?

Lazarus Rising

Posted 2016-07-25T13:30:44.803

Reputation: 145

Answers

I accessed the mirror, chose the stable branch, klicked on "18" and found the sha256sum.txt and the corresponding gpg file sha256sum.txt.gpg. https://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/linuxmint.com/stable/18/

3fb60a7698f5d80e68526016da3e4455d8a19be6b1cb0eeb5b59dbdd8cf1ffb3 *linuxmint-18-cinnamon-32bit.iso
2238dca5b51f9e2674a7e31c46f19141fbdecff6e44c06ecbc9a7bb59b75a816 *linuxmint-18-cinnamon-64bit.iso
d064397cd185fa4a91fd6db4ff42f105c121a7607691797325323135713a8810 *linuxmint-18-mate-32bit.iso
c634f48b248489eef782067484a04978f046e9ccd507d9df35c798a1db9bef22 *linuxmint-18-mate-64bit.iso

You should definetily check them out yourself, but know you can compare them with PsFCIV

simplex123

Posted 2016-07-25T13:30:44.803

Reputation: 56

May I ask which mirror you chose or how you access it? I haven't tried all of them one by one, but so far mirrors prompt me to immediately download the iso file. What I do is go to the download page https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=217 and click on the link on (for example) Internet Solutions, which is one of the primary mirrors in South Africa. Maybe I am doing something wrong?

– Lazarus Rising – 2016-07-25T13:44:33.583

I surfed on https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=217 , chose the one closest to me and found it. Using your example the url would be http://mirror.is.co.za/mirrors/linuxmint.com/iso//stable/18/linuxmint-18-cinnamon-64bit.iso You can just remove the filename (linuxmint-18-cinnamon-64bit.iso) and get the directory listing with the corresponding checksums. http://mirror.is.co.za/mirrors/linuxmint.com/iso//stable/18 But you are definetly right, this seems overly complex and not intuitive. Just mail them, I'm sure, they'd like to know that :)

– simplex123 – 2016-07-25T13:52:09.680

Ok, after some more careful examination of the verification page I noticed the link to the main mirror. Sorry for the carelessness and thanks for the quick reply. – Lazarus Rising – 2016-07-25T13:52:22.617

No problem, just tell them that you find this process intransparent. – simplex123 – 2016-07-25T13:53:33.820

Actually, Linux Mint site has already provided the sha256sum.txt or sha256sum.txt.gpg files for us to verify the downloaded ISO files. It is included in the release announcement.

You can find them from the links below:

Linux Mint 18 “Sarah” Cinnamon released! (Cinnamon Edition) http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3051

Linux Mint 18 “Sarah” MATE released! (MATE Edition) http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3052

You can find the sha256sum.txt or sha256sum.txt.gpg files links in the two release announcements.

Please pay attention to the edition and version you downloaded before verifying the ISO.

Green Yi

Posted 2016-07-25T13:30:44.803

Reputation: 101

Thanks for the reply and reminding us to pay attention on the edition of the image I am downloading. However, I had the impression that files with keys for verification were provided in the official download page. At least that is what I remember from around 2 years ago, when a friend of mine tried Rafaela (17.2). Are these files no longer available in the official download page? – Lazarus Rising – 2016-07-25T13:49:15.193

Have no idea why they not put the sha256sum.txt or sha256sum.txt.gpg files in the main official download page. In the verify ISO page (https://linuxmint.com/verify.php), it states “Browse the main mirror, or choose a mirror near you, and download the ISO image, the sha256sum.txt and the sha256sum.txt.gpg files into the same directory.” Also, they provide the method to verify the ISO. Maybe they changed the release strategy. However, the files are provided, just not in the ISO or not along with the download.

– Green Yi – 2016-07-25T14:03:13.450

@Freya, If you want to find out it, you can contact them via: https://linuxmint.com/contactus.php (forums or IRC, or e-mail them)

– Green Yi – 2016-07-25T14:03:29.433