I'm switching from Zorin OS to Linux Mint and I want to clean out all the software I installed while distro hopping, but I still want to keep my personal files like pictures and documents. Is there an efficient way to do this?
3 Answers
If you didn't create separate partitions for your files when you set up Zorin, you'll definitely want to back up your personal data before wiping everything. If you have separate partitions, just wipe the system partition and leave your personal files intact. You can do this with a partition manager tool in your distro. Always good to have a backup before making any changes!
A solid approach would be to shrink your root partition and create a new one for your home files. You can copy your home directory contents to this new partition. When you install Mint, you can select custom partitioning, mount the new partition as your home directory, and avoid formatting it. Just remember to back everything up first!
It's best to back up your data first—an external drive (like a USB or hard drive) works well for this. After that, do a clean installation of Mint using the "use entire disk" option. Once Mint is set up, you can simply copy your files back onto your computer. Oh, and if you’re not following the 3-2-1 backup rule (three data copies, two backups, one offsite), you might want to start doing that.
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