The good thing with linux is that when it gets corrupt, reinstallation is a breeze. However if you have data that you dont want to delete it can get tricky. I like to use my Linux systems with a seperate hard drive or seperate partition that is not part of the Linux partition build to store my data in and this way when I reinstall a Linux OS or upgrade to the next version, it stomps on top of the prior install, but my data is still safe in this 4th partition or on a different hard drive which is even safer as long as you pay attention to what drive the installation is going to.
I'd suggest reinstalling Mint after first backing up any important data first to USB thumb drive or external hard drive etc. Then just be more careful to make sure that the system is shut down properly and that if its on for long periods of time in which you might walk away, be sure to plug it into the wall power so that the battery will not run out on it and cause it to shutdown improperly.
As far as the feature you mention. If its the one that I think you are referring to, it has been a part of most Linux Desktops for many years and is among multiple distros where you can switch desktops where it shows 4 quadrants.
If its not this feature but another feature, maybe you just need to use a different flavor of Mint. It comes in a variety of flavors. I like Mint and am running Version 16, and have been using Mint since version 5 "Elyssa" KDE which I burned to DVD. Around version 13 I tried Cinnamon and liked that, however I have gone back to KDE, although 64-bit vs 32-bit that I was running prior.
I tried Ubuntu and Fedora through the years, but the last Ubuntu that I liked was 9.04 and for Fedora I tried version 20 recently and didnt like it making the jump from Fedora 17 to 20. In the end I always find my way back to Mint
What make/model laptop do you have and how much memory etc?