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 :-)

reddit_sux,

More important would be to have another device where you can go to internet to google or to download binaries for the time if you get stuck.

My first time I couldn’t connect to internet because I was missing firmware for the laptop. I had to use the computer at my work to troubleshoot it and download the necessary package to get it working. That took a lot of days.

Papanca,

Yes, that would not be a problem; i have a tablet, phone and i can borrow a laptop if needed.

Moobythegoldensock,

Sounds like you’re all prepared. I’d just bookmark Debian’s NVIDIA page as the drivers are proprietary and not included in the base install. Typically, you can install using the generic Nouveau driver and then switch to the proprietary driver after the install; however, should you run into problems such as a blank screen, google “Debian nomodeset” to get around the graphics driver.

teawrecks,

If you don’t have a secondary windows device, I recommend dual booting, or immediately setting up a windows VM. Beyond that, you’re over thinking it, and by that I mean, you’ll never think of everything. There will always be some little thing that you’ll have a dependency on windows for, and that’s why you have a secondary windows install handy.

ani, (edited )

You will find what you further need on the go, no need to get more ready than what you’ve already done.

nayminlwin,

You should make a detailed check list of things you do on windows. Down to every details as much as you can, so that there’s very little surprise when you switch to linux.

For example, if you use MS Office Excel and you tend to use specific formula or expect something specific when you export to PDF or print things out. So that you can test these out on Libre Calc to see if it works for you.

We tens to gloss over these tiny details when switching to linux and sometimes it makes or breaks adoption.

Will also work to just dual boot and trybto do everything in linux. Might be tedious at first. Try to resist booting into windowsif you’re stuck for a while.

Papanca,

Thanks, i already did that. Also, i don’t use MS Office, i use LibreOffice, so no surprises there :-)

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