Hey everyone! I've been exploring Linux for a few months now, and I'm looking to start dual-booting it alongside Windows. However, I'm not entirely sure where to begin. I've found a lot of guides but they don't seem to really help me out. I'm hoping someone can point me to a simple and clear guide that covers the basics of Linux. I'm also on the fence about which distro to go with. I want something that's user-friendly, customizable, great for gaming (especially since I have an NVIDIA graphics card), and maybe a bit unconventional in terms of UI design – you know, something different from Windows or macOS. Additionally, since I'm only looking to dual-boot for now, I'd like to know the easiest way to migrate only my essential files to Linux without fully switching over. Any thoughts? Thanks!
2 Answers
If you're looking for a good starting point, I recommend checking out Ubuntu, especially the flavors like Cinnamon or Kubuntu. They work great if you have solid hardware. However, to really grasp how Linux works, you might want to experiment with lightweight distros like Linux Mint or Debian first. Getting hands-on experience with a terminal-based system, like a Debian server on a Raspberry Pi, can also be super educational. It's a bit like switching from Apple to Android; you'll find more freedom but will need to learn some things along the way. If you decide to go with Kubuntu, install Steam for gaming, and don’t forget to grab your NVIDIA drivers using the terminal command: `sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall`. Good luck!
Play around with different distros! There are over 1,100 out there. Websites like Distrosea.com let you explore them or you can try them out in a virtual machine. Find a desktop environment that you enjoy, experiment for a while, and after a bit of testing, you could install it on your main PC. SSDs are pretty affordable now, so if it doesn’t work out, you can always revert to your old drive. Just dive in and see what clicks for you!
Kubuntu is indeed KDE on Ubuntu, and I think it's a solid choice! Definitely give it a shot.