How do I remove Windows while keeping my Linux installation?

If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to just run a virtual machine like VMware. This way, you can experiment with all sorts of distributions without messing with either your Windows or Linux setups!

It's really helpful to back up your important files first, just in case. Get into the habit of saving crucial config files to Google Drive or an external drive. This way, when you reinstall, it'll save you loads of time. For instance, I keep my configurations for terminal environments and personal docs backed up, so I can jump into a new installation without worrying about losing anything. It's all about making your transitions smoother.

Check out DistroSea for some live images you can try right in your browser. If you prefer to run it directly, you can put it on a USB and boot from there without any installation. But if you’re ready to overwrite your Windows partition with a new Linux install, remember to choose just that partition during the setup. You’ll likely need to update your GRUB afterward to remove any Windows entries, so keep that in mind!

First off, don’t format the drive or partition that holds your Linux Mint. You can safely remove Windows without touching your Linux setup! Just be careful about which partitions you delete during the installation process of the new distro.

If you’re planning to keep jumping between distros, consider setting up a separate home partition. This way, your data can stay intact across different installations. It makes distro hopping so much easier without data loss! But just make sure you handle the bootloader correctly when you delete the Windows partitions.