Noob question: what to arrange before switching to linux

EDIT: I am thrilled with so many awesome responses! I’m taking notes and looking into all the recommendations. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to help me out (and many others, i’m sure), i’m glad i asked!

Hi,

I’m getting ready to switch to Linux. I’m looking for a kind of checklist of what to do beforehand. When i search online, there is a lot of advice on which distribution to choose and how to set it up, which i already know, but my question is the step before. I made a list of which programs i currently use (almost all have a linux variant or i can use them in the browser) and i am making screenshots of their settings. I have basically everything important backupped, both on my ProtonDrive and on a private server in the house. Is there anything else i need to prepare before switching? I wouldn’t want to overlook something.

(I already have the distribution and am trying it out, but my plan is to actually install debian and without dual boot. Also, many, many years ago i already used debian but then i had the luxury of someone who basically arranged everything for me)

Currently, i run windows 10 with Nvidia GeForce. I already am in the process of degoogling and de-microsofting so to speak, so i don’t use google drive or onedrive, or MS Office anymore (nor a lot of other things).

Apologies if this is not appropriate for this community. Have a great day :-)

JoeBidet,
@JoeBidet@lemmy.ml avatar

As many people mentioned backups before, I would only add this: Maybe check -in your favourite search engine- if the very same model of computer that you use doesn’t have know quirks (hardware needing some tweaking, not being fully recognized, etc.) with gnu/linux, like for instance searching “$model linux” or “$model $distro” (with the distros you plan on trying, etc.

Also maybe if you connect only via Wifi, check that wifi chip for compatibility first, and maybe get as a backup a USB wifi dongle that is know to work on gnu/linux… juuuust in case ;)

Papanca,

Good points, hadn’t even thought about this, particularly the Wifi!

random65837,

Don’t complicate something simple, back up (your) user level stuff, and switch. That easy.

Not sure what landed you on Debian, but at least run Testing/Unstable. (“Unstable” on Debian isn’t unstable). Absent that, you’ll be real behind on basically everything.

I ran Debian on servers for years, and even in the case of servers its just too damn behind the times. If you start force upgrading things so that’s not an issue, then you’re basically running Ubuntu. I think I read in replies you’re going with KDE? May seriously want to consider Kubuntu. While I dumped Ubuntu for desktops years ago (still run Ubuntu Server) and went to Arch based desktop distros, for a newer Linux User, Ubuntu based distros are going to have the least amount of headache attached.

Endorkend,
@Endorkend@kbin.social avatar

If you plan on using something like Gentoo, building Gentoo and running it in a VM a couple times tends to be a smart play.

I've been using Gentoo for ages, as I'm a stickler for stripping down everything to its bare minimum and even I tend to first have a couple runs at building and running it on new hardware, from within a VM.

Going in knowing the intimate details of the hardware you use is always going to be a big plus.

Kjatten,

If you dont know what to do, then dual boot it with Linux

d3Xt3r, (edited )

deleted_by_author

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    hunter2, (edited )

    I read that a lot, but my RTX4080 works quite well on linux. I’m running gnome with wayland on openSUSE tumbleweed. According to lemmy and reddit, that should be a disaster combination.

    Papanca,

    I have heard both sides; some people complained of issues with nvidia on linux, others said; nope, no problem whatsoever.

    killthefish,

    I used to have problems and visual glitches with text in flatpaks (like VS code, or Spotify, the text would be bugged), but as of the latest drivers that is fixed.

    From my experience on Fedora, my advice is that after a new kernel installs, don’t restart immediately, give it a minute or two to build the nvidia drivers for that kernel. If you are signing them for secure boot i guess the recommended wait is 5 minutes.

    kuadhual,

    It should be fine with gnome and Wayland.

    But, if you use KDE Plasma and Wayland, don’t install Nvidia proprietary driver.

    I have to get back to KDE Plasma 5 and XOrg until Plasma 6 is released.

    rehydrate5503,

    I read this a lot as well, and I think for a time this was true, but in my experience with a 1070 and 1080ti, Ubuntu and Fedora worked fine with minor tinkering, pop_os and nobara work out of the box. Currently on nobara, and most apps and games work just as well if not a little better than on Windows. A mate of mine runs nobara with a 3080 and no issues there either.

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