Almost all of the Linux distros are available for download in form of ISO disk images. In order to make downloads easier and reduce stress on their networks, some Linux distros offer the downloads from various global networks and also through BitTorrent P2P file distribution.
If you are downloading Linux Mint ISO image then you can use torrents to download the ISO file a bit faster. Windows users can use a portable BitTorrent client called PicoTorrent to download it very easily. PicoTorrent is very lightweight and works with both IPv4 and IPv6 networks.
Here is how you can download Linux Mint ISO image using PicoTorrent:
- Download portable version of PicoTorrent (ZIP file) from https://picotorrent.org/download/.
- Extract the contents of ZIP file to a folder and launch PicoTorrent.exe from there. You may have to give permission for PicoTorrent in Windows Defender Firewall or any other firewall software that you are using.
- Download the .torrent file for downloading Linux Mint from https://www.linuxmint.com/. Different files are available for download of the specific versions of Linux Mint, therefore you must choose the proper .torrent file.
- Drag-n-drop the downloaded .torrent file on the PicoTorrent window. You will be shown an “add torrent” window that allows you to change the download folder, whether you want sequential download or if you want to start the download right away. Clicking on the Save button will initiate the downloading through P2P BitTorrent network.
PicoTorrent is open-source, lightweight and easy-to-use BitTorrent client for Windows. It does not come bundled with any PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) and can be either installed or used in the portable mode. You can use it to download all the software and operating systems that are available over the BitTorrent networks. For example, LibreOffice, an excellent alternative to Microsoft Office, is available through BitTorrent and can be downloaded easily using PicoTorrent.