A couple of things... 1) Take a backup of your data before making any changes. Note and obtain all the software installed so you can put it back in case something goes wrong. To include that Windows 7 install software. 2) Configure Linux/Windows to dual boot. Then you can switch back and forth until you are comfortable with Kubuntu. Here is a guide, not mine, but its well done -> https://fossbytes.com/install-ubuntu-20-04-with-windows-10-dual-boot/ 2.5) To go a step further, I would buy a new hard drive (an SSD for speed) for that Linux install. It keeps the OS's and your data separate and simplifies the process. You will be able to read your windows disk from Linux, so moving the data later is much easier (assuming Windows is not encrypted). I made this move many years ago and have not looked back. Good luck.
I used to do the dual boot thing, but I don't bother anymore. As I noted below, I just have a copy of Windows in a virtual machine using Virtualbox. That way I can run Windows in Linux, and can easily transfer data between the two systems with both being "live."
I don't see the need for a dual-boot machine and the required rebooting to go from one OS to the other, nowadays. There used to be a big performance issue, but I don't see that anymore on the laptop I have -- it may still be an issue on laptops with minimal resources.
The idea of dual booting is to make the transition smoother. That way KurtP can flip back and forth and not be trapped and frustrated while learning Linux. Once he is comfortable with Linux, the dual boot can be removed.
I strongly suggest sticking with a main stream Linux distrobution and not a niche one. Choosing a long term support version at that. Some people just want the computer to work and not have to "muck" with it. KDE Neon's focus is on "Bleeding Edge" software and that can/often causes problems. It would be a great distro for later adoption when/if KurtP leans how Linux works.
Just another flavor of Linux. I changed to Linux Mint several years ago and it's not all that different to me since I was already using Firefox and Thunderbird in XP. Just remember that he used groups are your friend. Chances are any problem you run into has already been figured out by someone else, and the answer will be there in the user forums.
If you like KDE, consider KDE neon. It is also debian-based, and I've found that its support for KDE is a little nicer. The thing to remember is that Linux isn't any harder to use than Windows -- it's just different. What amazes me when I talk to people making the transition is that they have spent 30 years working with Windows and *still* can't use it well, but get incredibly frustrated when they don't have complete system admin level command of linux in two hours.
The most important thing for me, really, is that there is so much great open source software for linux now. I used to always make a dual boot machine because there was always some software on Windows that I needed. That is no longer the case. I don't know what your interests are, but for everything I do, there's a great piece of free software for linux. Except for financial software. I started using Quicken in 1990, and have 30 years of financial data on it, and I haven't found a linux package that will import it all seamlessly.
My solution is to buy a cheap OEM windows disk on ebay and install it as a virtual machine using virtualbox. That way on those rare occasions that I need to run something like Quicken, I just open a window that has Windows running in it, and tool along.
Unfamiliar with Kubuntu, but last year I put ChaletOS (based on Xubuntu) on a Satellite L305D and have been satisfied. It has a "Win7" look and feel to the desktop. (Hope that doesn't muddy the water)
I will give one piece of advice -- on any updates or application installs, use the command line.
A couple of things...
ReplyDelete1) Take a backup of your data before making any changes. Note and obtain all the software installed so you can put it back in case something goes wrong. To include that Windows 7 install software.
2) Configure Linux/Windows to dual boot. Then you can switch back and forth until you are comfortable with Kubuntu. Here is a guide, not mine, but its well done -> https://fossbytes.com/install-ubuntu-20-04-with-windows-10-dual-boot/
2.5) To go a step further, I would buy a new hard drive (an SSD for speed) for that Linux install. It keeps the OS's and your data separate and simplifies the process. You will be able to read your windows disk from Linux, so moving the data later is much easier (assuming Windows is not encrypted). I made this move many years ago and have not looked back. Good luck.
I used to do the dual boot thing, but I don't bother anymore. As I noted below, I just have a copy of Windows in a virtual machine using Virtualbox. That way I can run Windows in Linux, and can easily transfer data between the two systems with both being "live."
DeleteI don't see the need for a dual-boot machine and the required rebooting to go from one OS to the other, nowadays. There used to be a big performance issue, but I don't see that anymore on the laptop I have -- it may still be an issue on laptops with minimal resources.
The idea of dual booting is to make the transition smoother. That way KurtP can flip back and forth and not be trapped and frustrated while learning Linux. Once he is comfortable with Linux, the dual boot can be removed.
DeleteI strongly suggest sticking with a main stream Linux distrobution and not a niche one. Choosing a long term support version at that. Some people just want the computer to work and not have to "muck" with it. KDE Neon's focus is on "Bleeding Edge" software and that can/often causes problems. It would be a great distro for later adoption when/if KurtP leans how Linux works.
Just another flavor of Linux. I changed to Linux Mint several years ago and it's not all that different to me since I was already using Firefox and Thunderbird in XP. Just remember that he used groups are your friend. Chances are any problem you run into has already been figured out by someone else, and the answer will be there in the user forums.
ReplyDeleteIf you like KDE, consider KDE neon. It is also debian-based, and I've found that its support for KDE is a little nicer. The thing to remember is that Linux isn't any harder to use than Windows -- it's just different. What amazes me when I talk to people making the transition is that they have spent 30 years working with Windows and *still* can't use it well, but get incredibly frustrated when they don't have complete system admin level command of linux in two hours.
ReplyDeleteThe most important thing for me, really, is that there is so much great open source software for linux now. I used to always make a dual boot machine because there was always some software on Windows that I needed. That is no longer the case. I don't know what your interests are, but for everything I do, there's a great piece of free software for linux. Except for financial software. I started using Quicken in 1990, and have 30 years of financial data on it, and I haven't found a linux package that will import it all seamlessly.
My solution is to buy a cheap OEM windows disk on ebay and install it as a virtual machine using virtualbox. That way on those rare occasions that I need to run something like Quicken, I just open a window that has Windows running in it, and tool along.
Unfamiliar with Kubuntu, but last year I put ChaletOS (based on Xubuntu) on a Satellite L305D and have been satisfied. It has a "Win7" look and feel to the desktop.
ReplyDelete(Hope that doesn't muddy the water)
I will give one piece of advice -- on any updates or application installs, use the command line.
Welcome to the Dark Side. You'll like it here; we have cookies.
ReplyDeleteI've been on Mint 19.3 for about 16 months and Bill Gates can go fuck himself.
When I first made the Great Leap, I stumbled across this guy on YouTube and he was a big help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0AFuhVSvEk
And unlike going to Microsnot's Tech Support going to Fossbytes gets you actual answers.