Installing multiple distros to try with all having access to my files/documents/pics etc.

[bruce2025]

I have an old Windows 10 (circa 2010) desktop machine not compatible with Windows 11 and I am going to make it a Linux machine. It's fully capable of running every live distro I've tried. While I still have a recent laptop with Win 11 ultimate goal is to see if it is possible for me to completely leave Windows and go fully Linux.

I have Ventoy installed on a USB stick so I can try different distros in a live environment. All of the distros I have tried live recognized all my hardware and I couldn't see any issues at all. But I want to go ahead and actually fully install a few that appeal to me so I can truly see what they are like installed, customized, with all the apps installed I need, and then used in production over time to see if they fully meet everything I need. While I may want to continue to try distros, right now I think the goal is to ultimately pick one as my go to after I've had a chance to use them all for a couple months.

I've done a bit of research so far and think I know enough to be dangerous. Here is what I am thinking based on what I've found so far. Looking for either validation or correction/better ideas.

The desktop machine has a 240GB SSD, and a 1TB hard drive. Windows 10 is on the SSD, and all my files/documents on the HD. If it matters it has legacy BIOS and not UEFI. I want to set up my Linux box the same, with the OS on the SSD for performance, and files/documents on the HD. I am thinking of partitioning the SSD with 4 or 5 partitions where the distros would be installed. Each distro will have its own /home within its install, as I've read that trying to share between distros causes issues. Instead I want to use the 1TB hard drive for all my documents, pictures, videos, personal files etc. and create a Symlink to that HD within each distro's file system so that regardless of which distro I am running, I have access to all the same documents/pics etc. and changes made to files while in one distro will be saved to the HD and be there when I run a different distro.

Here are my questions:
1. Am I on the right track or is something else a better approach?
2. The 1TB HD currently has all my files/pics etc. but in an NTFS partition where Win 10 via OneDrive stores all my docs/pics/videos etc. (synced with the OneDrive on my Win 11 laptop which is currently my day-to-day machine). While I'm ok reformatting that HD for Linux and copying all the files over via USB is there perhaps a way to just Symlink to the HD as it currently is since all the files are already there? (I know this creates sync issues with my laptop which is a whole other discussion for another post I guess)
3. Should I decide on one "permanent" distro could I then reclaim the other partitions on the SSD into the partition of my chosen permanent distro w/o breaking that install, or is ~40GB sufficient for a long term distro and just not worry about reclaiming the space?

Thanks so much in advance for any feedback.

 

[Brickwizard]

this is what i would do

HDD1 is clean, hdd1 has files i want to keep HDD1 is the one i want to run Linux on
HDD2 has windows, all/ most of my files and folders I want to keep

1] save anything I want to keep from Hdd1 to Hdd2 [can be done using move to or by drag and drop]
2] decide which distributions I want to go further with and make sure you install it to HDD1 [or whichever drive you have chosen]

Windows will not be able to read your Linux drive, but you can open read/copy/amend Windows files from Linux by opening "computer" selecting the drive containing windows, right click and open, you will get a mass of folders look for the one you want and open

I still have a folder on my main system, labled saved from Windows XP which I refer to on odd occasions [no OS just the folder]

 

[theLegionWithin]

howdy - lots of good resources on this site, I made the same switch myself last year.

purchase a new 1+ TB SSD for your critical data and copy everything to that. disconnect it and set it aside. this is your backup drive.

wipe/reformat both 240GB SSD & the 1TB HDD (ext4 or whatever filesystem floats your boat). disconnect the HDD and install whatever distro you want on the SSD. config it then eventually reconnect the HDD (if you still want to use it, I personally wouldnt recommend using a spinner disk that old). copy back your saved files but dont use the backup drive - keep it in a safe place (not connected to the computer)

 

[wizardfromoz]

G'day @bruce2025 and welcome to linux.org

Gotta few questions for you -

1. If it matters it has legacy BIOS and not UEFI.

   Are you sure? Windows 10 usually requires the presence of an ESP (EFI System Partition), although there were ways of installing it under Legacy, I believe.
   1. Open the Start Menu and search for "System Information".
   2. Click on System Information or press Enter.
   3. This tool provides a comprehensive overview of your hardware, system components, and software environment, including BIOS/UEFI version, motherboard revision, drivers, and running processes. (RAM is important).

2.

All of the distros I have tried live recognized all my hardware and I couldn't see any issues at all.

Maybe you can list those?

3.

But I want to go ahead and actually fully install a few that appeal to me so I can truly see what they are like installed, customized, with all the apps installed I need,

Is that the same as 2., or if not, let us know, and perhaps, briefly, why?

In answer to some of your questions -

1.

ultimate goal is to see if it is possible for me to completely leave Windows and go fully Linux.

You likely can. I went exclusively Linux in September 2014, from Windows 7 ... never looked back. I am 68 in a few weeks.

2.

Should I decide on one "permanent" distro could I then reclaim the other partitions on the SSD into the partition of my chosen permanent distro w/o breaking that install, ...

Yes, certainly. You can ask about that when the time comes, start a new thread at that time and link to this if you like.

3.

...is ~40GB sufficient for a long term distro and just not worry about reclaiming the space?

It is, easily, for me, in nearly all cases.

I run around 70 distros on this rig, based on a Dell Inspiron laptop 2019. My usual root partition is 20 GiB. I store all my Home stuff elsewhere, as you are talking about.

Cheers and

Avagudweegend

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[bruce2025]

howdy - lots of good resources on this site, I made the same switch myself last year.

purchase a new 1+ TB SSD for your critical data and copy everything to that. disconnect it and set it aside. this is your backup drive.

wipe/reformat both 240GB SSD & the 1TB HDD (ext4 or whatever filesystem floats your boat). disconnect the HDD and install whatever distro you want on the SSD. config it then eventually reconnect the HDD (if you still want to use it, I personally wouldnt recommend using a spinner disk that old). copy back your saved files but dont use the backup drive - keep it in a safe place (not connected to the computer)

Thanks for the response.

I'm not concerned about critical data backup as my production machine is a 2 year old laptop with Win 11. I currently am an O365 Family subscriber and get 1TB OneDrive per user so all my files/documents/pics etc. are synced/backed up to OneDrive (I know not really a true backup solution). So I also use iDrive and everything is also backed up there. The old desktop Win 10 machine used to be my production machine until I got the laptop, so it too syncs to the same OneDrive, all the same files/documents etc.

Bottom line, there's nothing on the old machine either the SSD or the HDD that I don't already have backed up safely elsewhere (except for the Win 10 install itself) so I could wipe/reformat both the SSD and HDD and not lose anything. While I get it about the "spinner disk" I'm not looking to spend any $$$ right now to update this old machine. That HDD will only be used to store the same files/documents that are safely backed up elsewhere.

Is there a reason to disconnect the HDD while installing the multiple distros on the SSD? I do want to be able to multiple boot distros from the SSD.

 

[bruce2025]

G'day @bruce2025 and welcome to linux.org

Gotta few questions for you -


2.

Maybe you can list those?

3.

Is that the same as 2., or if not, let us know, and perhaps, briefly, why?

In answer to some of your questions -

1.


You likely can. I went exclusively Linux in September 2014, from Windows 7 ... never looked back. I am 68 in a few weeks.

2.


Yes, certainly. You can ask about that when the time comes, start a new thread at that time and link to this if you like.

3.


It is, easily, for me, in nearly all cases.

I run around 70 distros on this rig, based on a Dell Inspiron laptop 2019. My usual root partition is 20 GiB. I store all my Home stuff elsewhere, as you are talking about.

Cheers and

Avagudweegend

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80GHz, 2801 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 5.11, 1/28/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.6
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode Legacy
BaseBoard Manufacturer MSI
BaseBoard Product IONA
BaseBoard Version 1.0

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 7.96 GB
Available Physical Memory 4.06 GB
Total Virtual Memory 9.21 GB

Don't see an EFI partition on the SSD

2. The distros I've tried in Live environment from Ventoy multiboot USB stick. Idea was to eliminate those that I didn't want to do a full install with.
-Mint Cinnamon
-Mint Xfce
-Kubuntu
-Xubuntu
-Ubuntu
-Fedora KDE Plasma 42
-Zorin_OS (Core)

3. Call me vain but I have realized so far in this short experimenting how much the look and feel of the DE is a priority to me. I really really like the KDE Plasma DE. Therefore leaning toward working with these for a while fully installed:
-Kubuntu
-Fedora
-Zorin_OS (Core)
-Ubuntu
I'm going to give Mint Cinnamon a place at the table as well. I actually installed that to the spinner HDD three weeks ago and have been playing with it. Actually got Thunderbird working syncing to my gmail and hotmail/outlook accounts, my Outlook calendar and Reminders as well (using some things I had to download and install, forget exactly what they are called). I was really happy with everything then I saw the KDE Plasma DE and Cinnamon kinda wasn't as attractive anymore (I know I'm vain). But it does run kinda slow from the HDD and that's why I want to get these distros installed on the SSD so I can see how they will really be.

As far as leaving Windows completely, I think LibreOffice can replace O365, Thunderbird can replace Outlook/calendars/reminders. There are two main things I'm not sure about:
1. Quicken Classic Premiere - heavy long time Quicken user with database going back to early 90's. I know there are ways with Wine or VMs to run Windows apps, but I haven't experimented yet as I want to get these distros installed on the SSD before I try it. But this is a dealbreaker. I'll keep my laptop with a working Windows install just for this (but it would be nice to wipe that laptop and go Linux as well and be completely done with MS!)
2. OneDrive equivalent - I really do like the way it integrates with the file manager system, plus I can keep multiple machines having access to the same files fully synced. I'm only paying $90 for the O365 family (workplace discount deal, was $69 before MS added that CoPilot crap and no way for workplace discount to go back to that price, I tried). 1TB per user storage for $90/yr I haven't found anything out there so far that won't cost more, e.g. Dropbox has Linux app but would cost more. I know some about NextCloud but I do want automatic sync/backups off site. iDrive has a Cloud drive but it's only available in the Windows app. Their Linux app is fairly new and Cloud drive is not on the roadmap.

Sorry for rambling.

 

[Brickwizard]

Is there a reason to disconnect the HDD while installing the multiple distros on the SSD?

the only reason I see for this , is so you do not accidentally install to the wrong drive,[ something i have never botherd to do

 

[osprey]

I am thinking of partitioning the SSD with 4 or 5 partitions where the distros would be installed. Each distro will have its own /home within its install, as I've read that trying to share between distros causes issues. Instead I want to use the 1TB hard drive for all my documents, pictures, videos, personal files etc. and create a Symlink to that HD within each distro's file system so that regardless of which distro I am running, I have access to all the same documents/pics etc. and changes made to files while in one distro will be saved to the HD and be there when I run a different distro.
....
3. Should I decide on one "permanent" distro could I then reclaim the other partitions on the SSD into the partition of my chosen permanent distro w/o breaking that install, or is ~40GB sufficient for a long term distro and just not worry about reclaiming the space?

Thanks so much in advance for any feedback.

If you are planning to "reclaim" partitions from distros that you have installed, but later wish to uninstall, then you might consider a filesystem management facility like LVM or btrfs, both of which are able to re-arrange partitions on existing systems without having to re-install to alter partition sizes. They both involve a bit of overhead, and a learning curve, but may be worth looking into for the project that you have proposed.

 

[wizardfromoz]

BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 5.11, 1/28/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.6
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode Legacy
BaseBoard Manufacturer MSI
BaseBoard Product IONA
BaseBoard Version 1.0

That information appears to indicate that the motherboard has UEFI support available to it, but you may need to upgrade (flash) the BIOS if you now how to do that.

You could look through the current setup to see if there is a reference to Secure Boot, and a switch for Legacy to UEFI, and then again after (if) you flash the BIOS.

If possible to enable UEFI mode, I would be formatting the target drive to UEFI/GPT, you would appreciate the benefits in installing multiple distros.

HTH

Wizard