I've been doing some research and learning that Linux has a different file structure compared to Windows. Instead of assigning separate drive letters for each external storage device, it seems like everything is organized under a single file hierarchy.
I'm planning to install Linux on my laptop's 128GB SSD and use additional 1TB external HDD and SSD for storage. My main concern is about how I'll be able to access the existing files on those external drives after formatting the SSD and installing Linux. Can I mount those drives where I want them in the file system? Will they automatically appear in my home directory, or is there a specific way I need to set that up?
Additionally, any tips or insights for someone migrating to Linux for the first time—especially about CachyOS with the KDE Plasma desktop—would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
All storage devices consist of partitions, and depending on the format (like EXFAT or NTFS), Linux can read/write to them without any hassle. However, for your main Linux installation, it's generally recommended to use a more Linux-friendly partition type like ext4.
When you connect your external drives after installation, most desktop environments will offer to mount them for you, creating directories in your home folder, like `/home/user/mnt/yourfiles`. Just remember to back up any important data before making major changes, as data loss is possible during installation or partitioning.
When you install Linux, you can mount your external drives in any directory you choose. For instance, if you create a folder like `/home/windowshdd`, you can mount your HDD there, and it will display all the files just like they appeared on Windows. Some Linux distributions might auto-mount them at boot, too, so checking or editing your `/etc/fstab` can help set that up if you want them to mount automatically.
You're right that Linux doesn't use drive letters like Windows. Instead, it utilizes mount points, which are simply directories in the file structure. After formatting your SSD and installing Linux, your external drives won't automatically show up in `/home`, but you can choose where to mount them. For example, you could create `/media/ESD1` and `/media/ESD2` and mount them there. If they’re NTFS formatted, Linux will handle them fine, but ext4 is usually recommended for better compatibility.
Definitely check the commands `lsblk` and `blkid` to help identify your drives. This will make it easier to set things up in your `/etc/fstab` file.