I'm planning to switch from Windows 11 to Linux Mint and I have two hard drives: Drive A has the Windows operating system, and Drive B contains my personal games and photos. I know I need to wipe Drive A for the installation, but I want to make sure I don't lose anything stored on Drive B. I've heard that reformatting can erase everything, so is there a safe way to do this?
2 Answers
When you install Linux, you only need to format Drive A. As long as you don't touch Drive B during the installation process, all your files should stay safe. Just make sure to double-check that you select the correct drive during the setup!
You’ve got options! You can wipe Drive A and install Linux there while keeping your data on Drive B intact. If you're using Linux Mint, the installer usually helps you choose the correct drive. In the future, consider moving your data to an external drive or a network share to further protect it. Some people also suggest converting Drive B from NTFS to a Linux-friendly format like ext4 if you're worried about compatibility, especially for games. Just remember to back up anything important from Drive A before wiping it!
Thanks for the tips!
What if Drive B has different formats after the installation? Will I still be able to access my files?