(superseeded) Linuxcnc on Linux Mint 19.3 quick and easy installation

You might be able to turn off secure boot in the BIOS.

Or it might be impossible to install any Linux on that motherboard.

There might be an answer here: askubuntu.com/questions/1069433/upgrade-...6-04-to-18-04-failed

OK, I am a complete non-linux noob. I downloaded the Mint 19.2 and put it on a DVD. It installed great. I then followed your instructions above and downloaded the Header and Image files for the 4.16.12-rt5-kona-rt_amd64.deb. I then installed the gdebi installer and used it to install both packages. I made sure that I have the grub customizer and I restart. The computer won't load and tells me tat I need to load the kernel first. I double checked and the 4.16 ...RT is the thing it is trying to load.
Note: once I load Mint and reboot it offers a UEFI modification page or something. I do not click or press a key to go into it, should I? I don't really care about which version of Linux I install, I just want to get the LinuxCNC loaded and working. Any help is appreciated.

Yeah UEFI and it's many, many f@k-ups!
Try disabling UEFI if possible or at least check the boot options as there should be one with UEFI and one without it for the drive (HDD or SSD). Most probably you will have to go through the install again, but in some cases it work without reinstalling it.

Disabled UEFI and I am in!! Thanks so much. Now, on to more learning.

Just thinking aloud.......

Could a so called “meta package” be built so installing kernel and linuxcnc be installed by one package ?