I'm planning to ditch Windows for good and switch to Linux, but I've got some questions about backing up my data. I've heard a lot about the importance of backups, but is that only for my boot drive? I have two extra SATA drives in addition to my boot SSD. If all the important data I want to keep is stored on those other drives, will it still be safe when I make the switch?
3 Answers
Backing up is really about what you're comfortable with! You don't need to back up things from your extra drives if you're just using those for storage. If you're feeling unsure, consider physically disconnecting those drives during the installation. After that, you can plug them back in and they should be recognized without any issues.
When you're installing Linux, you'll need to format one of the partitions on your drives, which will erase whatever's on that partition. So make sure you choose the right drive! To be super cautious, you could unplug your extra SATA drives during the installation process. It's always better to back up anything you can't afford to lose, even if you're confident everything is in the right place.
Any data you wouldn't want to lose should always be backed up! Linux can easily read and write data on Windows formatted drives; it just won’t show up under the same drive letters. Just make sure before you install that everything you want to keep is safe. As long as you don’t touch those other drives during the installation, they should be just fine when you're done.
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