I've switched from Windows to Linux Mint about two months ago, and I'm really enjoying it. I've been tempted to explore Wayland, particularly by trying out Fedora with KDE. So, I have a few questions: Is it possible to install Fedora on the same drive alongside my existing Mint setup without harming it? And if I can do this, will I still be able to use most of the programs I've installed on Mint? Additionally, if I find that I don't like Fedora, is it easy to uninstall it and return to Mint? I'm looking for the smoothest way to go about this—should I just dive in or is it better to use a separate drive to ensure everything stays organized?
5 Answers
For sure, you can have multiple distros on the same drive! Though you'll need separate partitions for each one. Keep in mind that you can't use programs from Mint directly on Fedora due to differences in package management. If you're using something like btrfs, this could even get a bit easier since it allows for shared data across subvolumes. Just make sure to manage your bootloader wisely—systemd-boot is a good option if you're up for converting from GRUB.
Yes, you can absolutely install Fedora on the same drive without messing up your existing Mint installation. However, you won't be able to use the same applications since Mint is based on Debian and Fedora uses a different package system. If you decide you don’t like Fedora later, uninstalling it is generally straightforward—just delete its partition and extend Mint's partition into the freed space. As for booting, GRUB will let you switch between the two systems pretty easily, so definitely get familiar with it!
If you’re just looking to test it out, setting up a USB flash drive with persistence could be a great way to go. It allows you to try the live system with your changes saved, and if you don’t like it, you can just format the drive without affecting your hard drive setup. As for installing side by side, it's doable, but double-check the partitioning steps to avoid issues. Uninstalling can be a bit tricky, but as long as you format the correct partition, you’ll be fine.
Go for it! Just make some unallocated space on your drive, and during Fedore installation, you can set up your partitions. A good setup would be a 1GB EFI partition for boot, some swap space, and then use ext4 or btrfs for the root partition of Fedora. If you're ever confused, you can also switch between distros by changing the BIOS settings. Just remember that each distro manages its own software separately.
Totally possible! I've got a mini PC running both EndeavourOS and OpenMandriva. Just remember that each system will need its own space, so partitioning is key. After installing, make sure to run OS Prober in the terminal to update GRUB so you can see both operating systems when booting.

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