I'm new to Linux and I recently tried Ubuntu on my aunt's old notebook. I loved its interface and smooth performance. Now, I'm considering installing a Linux distro on my own PC, but I'm worried about keeping my files safe, as I have a ton of data on my main drive. I'm also concerned about how user-friendly it will be compared to Windows. I'm just starting my IT studies in college and I know using Linux is important for my learning, especially when it comes to getting comfortable with coding and the terminal. I also play a lot of games, including 'The Last of Us Part 1' and 'Minecraft Bedwars', and I have around 1.5TB of offline games stored. Is it possible to dual boot, and if so, which Linux distribution should I start with?
4 Answers
You mentioned you're worried about where to store your data—how much data are we talking about, really? You might not need to change your main drive at all. If you're happy with Ubuntu, you may not even need to switch distros, but if you're looking for something more user-friendly, I recommend Linux Mint. It's geared toward new users and tends to have fewer issues with gaming. Just remember to back up your data before making any changes to your PC!
I personally recommend starting with Linux Mint instead of Ubuntu. Mint is more beginner-friendly and doesn't rely on Ubuntu's Snap architecture. I even created a guide for newbies which covers everything from choosing a distro to gaming on Linux. Dual booting can make your transition smoother, so you always have Windows to fall back on if needed. You can even check game compatibility on ProtonDB if you like gaming on Linux!
You can definitely use the same pen drive you used for your aunt's laptop! I'd suggest starting with a solid backup of your current system first to avoid losing anything important. Once you're backed up, consider trying a dual boot setup—it allows you the flexibility of using both Windows and Linux simultaneously without losing access to your files.
Regarding dual booting, make sure you have enough space for Linux on your hard drive. You might need to shrink some partitions or even get a new drive. Also, don't forget to backup everything beforehand—you don't want to lose any of your files while setting everything up!
That sounds great, but which Linux distro should he actually use?