Linux

Honestly, dude.

With all the time and effort in writing this ling post, you could've installed Linux. For Linux Mint (and probably Zorin OS), everything you see on the live boot (except the OS installer) should be there on the installed system as well.

If you encountered some issue that renders your system inoperable due to that Linux installation, you can simply use the live boot, which you said works well.

You've already received a ton of feedback, so I just to mention that if you ever find yourself without working WiFi, you can connect your cell phone to the computer and enable USB Tethering on the phone (Android and iOS). The computer will automatically detect this as a network connection, and use it, without the need for additional software. This works for Windows and Linux (and possibly macOS, I don't know).

If you have another spare USB stick you can put a Windows iso onto it (I assume you know how to do this if you have a Linux Mint usb) and so if your WiFi stops working then you can boot off of that, however, I have never had any WiFi issues on Linux personally so I don't think it's a huge issue, that's just me though. Linux Mint and Zorin OS are both pretty similar for beginners other than the look of them, so I'd just go with whichever you prefer the look of. I can't really say much about the app stores though.

I installed mint and zorin on virtual machines (theyre easy to set up in windows with virtualbox) and then just put them fullscreen and used em like my actual computer for a bit. Very useful for learning stuff without the commitment of a proper install.

Just gonna jump in and say that those are conflicting goals. „Just work“ means stick to big tech or pay someone to make it work. Nobody else has a motivation to make it work for you.

If you want to know what works best I say for laypeople its something ubuntu based like mint, ubuntu, pop_os.

You can absolutely go nuts with security and privacy but you will have to learn tons of shot before you‘re able to get this to work so dont bother for now.

Good luck though. :)

After installing mint, and you find a problem, just live boot mint again.

You can do a lot in live boot including mount your permanent copy even the kernel. Whatever is missing you can download put onto the installed hdd or usb storage, and then install.

Ask me how I know. Lol.

I don't know of an easier or more beginner friendly distro than zorin.

Man, you will have some pain as any change will cause. But I think you will like it. Have a second USB to be safe.

Nothing in live week ever be 100% guaranteed to work forever. You'll be fine, mostly.

1. Yes, Live Linux system and regular install are practically identical. It's the same software. Everything should work. There's reason to assume Wifi will suddenly break. (Actually, Live systems differ a lot from a traditional install, but you can assume that what worked on the live system will work later. It is the same software after all. Same kernel including all drivers.)

2. Keep this USB you have just booted from. This is the tool to recover if things should go south.

3. You can keep Windows, usually, when installing Linux. The process requires "shrinking the Windows partition" and a boot loader that can handle both. Pretty standard; the installer should guide you.

4. You can totally use a phone to google how to fix your Linux.

Have fun with Linux Mint. It's the Just works Linux.

Regarding Zorin OS or Mint. Which one do you like to look at the most? Have you watched reviews of them?

Zorin as well as Mint are a derivate of Ubuntu so it really comes down to look and feel. And in that case test them both out via Live Session from USB stick.

Oh and btw you can install and dual boot Linux next to Windows. That way you don't have to kill your windows installation. The Setup Process should guide you through the necessary steps.

Regarding RISC-V Vs x64 does it really matter what architecture your PC is running?

Ubuntu LTS is likely the easiest to live with for a layperson. It's got the stability, support and it's got the biggest body of information for how to do things and solve problems as well as the most users using it who can help. Ubuntu LTS derivatives would inherit a lot of that but not all. The changes made to turn Ubuntu into Kubuntu for example invalidate any info for Ubuntu related to GNOME. And so on.