Hey everyone! With Windows 10 support coming to an end soon, I'm considering making the jump to Linux on my old PC. It's a solid machine I built myself about 10 years ago, equipped with an i7 processor and two 1080 Ti graphics cards in SLI. I still need to do some programming with Visual Studio and Unity, and I also use Blender and Krita a lot, but I've heard that Linux might not support these tools as well as Windows does. Gaming and running Steam is another concern of mine.
I have two hard drives and an SSD with around 4-5 terabytes of backup data on one drive that I'd really prefer to keep, which includes old textures, 3D models, Unity projects, and other backups. I'll replace anything else I need without a problem.
So, is it really worth switching to Linux?
Another thing to note is that this setup has no WiFi, only an Ethernet connection. I've often encountered weird issues that require convoluted fixes, so I want to make sure that the transition won't be too complicated. If the new OS doesn't interact well with my backup data, I could always keep my larger backup drive on my old Windows 8 backup PC to avoid any risks. Any advice would really help!
4 Answers
You can absolutely run Linux while accessing your personal files on your other drives. Just make sure to back up your important data first! Once you install Linux on your SSD, you'll still be able to access the Windows partitions on your larger drive without issues, so you can keep everything organized. Just take the time to make a full backup before you start the installation process, just in case.
If you're hesitant about switching, you might want to consider just sticking with Windows 11. There's a way to customize a Debloated ISO to meet your needs without the bloat. But if you're still leaning toward Linux, I recommend checking out some resources like Bazzite for gaming support and ProtonDB to see game compatibility. You can also use Ventoy to create a bootable USB stick and try different distros without fully committing right away. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials for installing Linux as well, so don’t feel overwhelmed! Oh, and for dual-booting, there are specific instructions available too!
Don't be surprised by the learning curve when switching to Linux. Once you get used to it, it could be incredibly rewarding! Your current backups will be accessible, but you'll need to get familiar with some Linux basics as it's not just a plug-and-play situation from Windows. If you enjoy making games and are enthusiastic about computers, I think you'll find it worth the effort in the long run!
I expected it would be a bit of a challenge. Once I get some more free time, I'll dive into it. I'm currently busy with my Unity projects, but I want to gather all the necessary info now so I'm prepared when I start the transition.
To switch to Linux, the general steps are straightforward: download an installer ISO, boot your PC from it, erase the existing system, install Linux, and you're good to go! Just back up everything first, and then you can decide whether you want to keep the Windows partition or not. Many Linux distros, like Ubuntu, offer great compatibility with the software you're already using. Steam is also fully supported, and once installed, you'll find that a lot of popular games run just fine.
Sounds manageable! I'm glad to hear Steam has good support as well as Blender—those were my major concerns. I might miss Visual Studio since it's such a great tool, but maybe I can find an alternative that works well enough. Thanks for the clarity!
Yeah, but for new users, I'd suggest starting with something more beginner-friendly like Linux Mint or Fedora instead of Bazzite. It's a great point that Bazzite is more tailored for gaming, but it can lock you out of system modifications!