I'm pondering whether to set up a virtual machine (VM) or dual boot on my spare PC, which has decent specifications: an Intel i5-12400F, GTX 1070, and 32GB of RAM. As an electrical engineering student, I'm looking to use Linux primarily for electronic and software development, as well as learning more about computer systems and using various Linux-specific tools. My concern with dual booting is the potential risk of messing up my current OS or wiping my drives if I make mistakes. On the other hand, while a VM seems safer with features like snapshots, I'm worried that I won't get the full Linux experience or performance I need. What do you think would work best for me: using a VM or going for dual boot? Also, which Linux distribution should I choose? If I opt for dual booting, is there software that can help me manage the spare PC from my main Windows setup?
4 Answers
Starting with a VM is easier to manage. However, having a full installation on its own drive will give you a richer experience. My suggestion? Download a few different distros and try them out in a VirtualBox. Once you find one you really like, go for a full install on its own drive. If you're worried about messing up your main OS, just make sure you have a good backup plan in place.
What if I need access to hardware like my GPU for certain applications?
While VMs are convenient for trying out various distros, they can struggle with hardware access. Your specs are good, so a VM should work fine, especially if you start with something like Linux Mint. Just remember, always have backups since mistakes can happen when installing.
If possible, I'd recommend using a second drive for dual booting. Windows tends to interfere with Linux partitions eventually. For your distro, Fedora is a great choice. It offers a variety of desktop environments and even some "immutable" versions that are almost impossible to break. But keep in mind, this might affect performance a bit. Maybe start with a few desktop environments on a VM, and then proceed to a clean dual boot setup with the one you like best—KDE and GNOME are solid places to start.
Absolutely! You can definitely configure your drives that way when setting up dual boot.
I’ve heard some good things about Ubuntu too. If I dual boot, can I keep my Windows OS and backup drives only visible in Windows while dedicating that old spare drive just for Linux?
In your case, I'd say a full install will provide the best experience, especially with your hardware. Using VirtualBox to test distros is a great idea. If you’re looking for something specific, invest time in finding the one that fits your workflow and personal preferences the best.
Good point! If you require direct hardware access, you might need to stick with dual booting or have a way to switch disks.