You shouldn’t need Rufus. Download ubunto iso. Then use some windows utility to burn a bootable thumb drive from an ISO. Rufus may do that but I would think there’s something native to windows that will work.
Then just boot on the thumb drive and let it rip. It’ll work perfectly on that Machine.
i tried installing linux mint, and it looked great at first, but then I tried to figure out how to use WINE from instructions on the web and it was just way over my head
Dont use wine. Install virtual box with guest additions which will give you a virtual machine. Then install a real copy of windows inside the virtual machine.
That lets you run Windows as an app, or inside a Linux window.
You can also set up a shared folder inside virtual box, letting you share files between the two operating systems.
And we use ubuntu, which is IMO where most beginners should start. INstalls easily, looks like windows for the most part. Updates are done automatically and continually. and if you need an app, generally it’s available in a repository - you just go to the software repository app, type in the name of the program you’re looking for, and click install.
onto my usb as I post.