I mainly use Windows for everyday tasks and gaming. I tried installing Linux on my 500 GB hard drive, but I ran into hardware problems: some distributions had no working internet connection, and another was stuck at 800×600 resolution. I don't want to install Linux on my 120 GB SSD because I'm worried about damaging my current setup. My PC has a 4th-generation Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM, integrated graphics, a 120 GB SSD, and a 500 GB hard drive. Should I switch fully to Linux, keep Windows, or try another approach first?
3 Answers
I wouldn’t completely abandon Windows right away, especially since gaming is one of your main uses. Dual-booting is a safer transition: keep Windows available for games or tasks that are difficult in Linux, and use Linux for everything else while you learn it. You can also install Linux on the hard drive or use a separate test drive instead of touching the SSD. Also, your processor includes integrated graphics, so you do have a GPU even though there isn’t a separate graphics card. A lighter desktop environment may help if the default one gives you display problems.
You can test Linux without installing it by booting a live USB. That lets you try several distributions and check whether the internet, display resolution, sound, and other hardware work before changing your drives. If everything works, you can then decide whether to install it on the hard drive or set up a dual-boot system.
Your hardware is old enough that most mainstream Linux distributions should support it, but the exact network and graphics devices still matter. Since you’ve already tried several distributions, I’d try a well-supported option such as Debian or Fedora and carefully check the installer and hardware-detection steps. Linux is very usable, but you should expect some troubleshooting when drivers or display settings don’t work automatically.
I tried Zorin, Fedora, and Mint, but none of them detected my internet connection. Pop!_OS connected successfully, although the resolution stayed locked at 800×600.