How to switch from Windows to Linux, including reasons to switch, applications, distros, testing, installation and broader migration.
The other ExplainingComputers episodes I’ve referred to in this video are as follows:
Running Windows Programs on Linux:
Ventoy: Multi-boot USB Drive Tool:
Linux Mint 22 (2024 review):
Zorin OS 17 (2024 review):
Ubuntu 24.04 (2024 review):
Linux Mint: Tips & Tricks:
Linux Tips for MS Office Users:
Linux Survival Guide #3: GPU Drivers & Printing:
And all of my Linux videos are listed and linked here:
DOWNLOAD LINKS
Linux Mint:
Zorin OS:
Ubuntu:
Balena Etcher (tool to write Linux ISO image to USB drive):
BOOTING FROM A USB DRIVE
Exactly how you boot from a USB drive does I’m afraid depend on your particular computer. Often a boot menu can be accessed by pressing a particular key when you power-on, which may be F12, F11, F10 or Esc. And if you can bring up such a menu, you can simply select the USB drive.
Alternatively, you can enter the BIOS/UEFI, again by pressing an appropriate key, which is commonly F2, Delete or Esc. Once in the BIOS you can hopefully find a setting that will change the boot order to have USB first, so that your computer will always first try to boot from an inserted USB drive. However, to work, this may also require you to disable a feature called “Secure Boot”, which you may then have turn on again to allow Windows to boot on your PC (it depends on the version). However, once in the BIOS, there is often an “Exit” or similar menu (usually on the end on the right) that offers a “boot override” facility. And this allows you to select to boot from a USB drive without having to make any BIOS changes. So here you would select your inserted USB drive, and your computer would then happily boot from it.
Sadly, UEFI/BIOS settings and USB boot configurations are just not standardized, so I cannot give you a definitive set of instructions here! But I do provide more guidance in my video on “PC BIOS Settings”:
More videos on computing and related topics can be found at:
Chapters:
00:00 Titles & Intro
00:42 Why switch?
01:51 Applications
04:25 Distros
05:43 Testing
14:24 Installation
17:30 Migration
19:05 Linux Success
#Linux #Switch #Tutorial #Windows #explainingcomputers
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Thank you Chris,
I have tried a few times to use Ubuntu in a dual boot situation.
I really like the look of Zoran.
First step: software engineer degree rwquired, learn 15488 commands in terminal, learn assembly, C, then even think about doing somethinhg
Perhaps doing a video on the Systemd controversy along with the pros and cons of using a distro that uses Systemd vs the pros and cons of a distro that doesn't use Systemd.
so I use arch BTW
Excellent video. Thanks.
4:27 More important than choosing the distro is choosing the desktop enviorement. I personally like Gnome, but some people like KDE or Cinnamon. Another mistake is recomending Windows users to use desktop enviroments that kimda mimics the flow of Windows but they fail in convincing this new user, Gnome is something different and much better to multitasking, it just need some time to get used to it.
UBUNTU sounds like an OS for African Cannibals 😂
i love your video's. People who watch your videos can definitely install a Linux distro afterwards. Good explanation and clear.
I am wondering how secure are these Linux OSes once Windows 10 get deprecated.
If my Steam games would all run on Lunix I would switch today.
Noobs should use KDE Plasma. It has the most features, settings, it has the most logical layout, they didn't change stuff just for the sake of change, it's closest to Windows. Noobs should use Debian with KDE Plasma or Kubuntu. Noone should use Arch-based distros, they break, always.
Here is another reason: You tried a Chromebook and you like the simplicity of it (no need to run anti-virus programs, and no need to do any software 'maintenance' on it), and while it does have support for some Linux APPS, you would prefer to run a bit more full-fledged programs than just simple apps. If you are one of these people, then Linux Mint might just be for you.
You may as well throw your PC in the garbage. With Linux it will be useless.
Looking more and more like if you want a free of tracking and spying operating system you may need to switch. Soon as a person can play old games off DVD on it the sooner majority of us will switch.
I am going down the path that Chris described and I find that the Linux world is like Windows 3 running on top of DOS. There is a shiny interface and a lot of programs you can run. But sooner or later you have to go to the command line to do something and that is where migration becomes challenging. Also, there is the Geek culture mindset to overcome. So many of the forums aren't friendly to newbies like me. I am an old dog and I am trying to learn the new tricks in Linux. My goal is to be off Windows by the end of this year so I have plenty or time to learn.
The only hindrance to people moving to Linux is that most people aren't computer savvy and purchase a pc with Windows preinstalled and have the attitude, it ain't broke don't fix it. I've been using Linux for 15 years and can't convince family members to switch despite the fact they only internet browse and check email.
And here we have some delicious food for the algorithm 😉
all I really need is a voice activated keyboard and I'd be fine. Bit like gboard on android.
Linux runs Microsoft Edge, I should know, I have Microsoft Edge running on my Debian system. Microsoft even have a DEB and RPM file available for download on the Microsoft Edge download page. It's been there for about a year now.
Consider calling the operating system "GNU+Linux"
The reasoning is that it is the combination of the GNU operating system started in the 1980's by Richard Stallman, and the Linux kernel, to form a complete GNU operating system distribution out of it. Including "Linux" in the "GNU+Linux" name at all is done to respect the kernel's importance to the system, but it is the GNU operating system, just using Linux as it's kernel. Linux itself is not an operating system, a kernel is a component of an operating system.
Arch, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, OpenSUSE, Slackware, etc. each are a distribution of the GNU operating system, using Linux as their kernel.
The GNU project hands out the software to make a GNU operating system, then people take that software and make a complete usable system distribution out of it, those are the distros. So they form a distribution of the GNU operating system with the use of Linux. A "GNU+Linux" distribution is therefore a specific kind of a GNU operating system. Each of those distributions I listed are both distributions of a GNU operating system and a GNU+Linux distribution. All GNU+Linux systems are GNU operating systems, but not all GNU operating systems are GNU+Linux. So of course the GNU project itself is not an operating system, the distributions made from their software are the ones that are.
Also even if in a modern GNU+Linux distro there is lot's of other software not from the GNU project, GNU remains the name because GNU is the origin and the foundation of the operating system. Started in the 80's by Richard Stallman, there is a continuous line of succession since then to the modern systems we have now. Modern distros are therefore descendants of GNU. The name is inherited. The only thing that should be called Linux in the system is the kernel. Also it's not just only about giving credit to the GNU project for starting it, no single name can give credit to all the software in the system, but since GNU is where it all started, that's the most appropriate choice for the name.
Does anyone know if msfs2020 will run on Linux?
I distro-hopped a bit while running a dual-boot system with Windows 11 and a Linux distro.
I tested tonnes of weird options quickly, but more in-depth I used Zorin OS, Fedora, and Ubuntu. Since I stuck with them I can confidently say all three are excellent and stable.
However I encountered by far the fewest issues using Zorin OS.
Often Ubuntu is recommended to new users who don't know what they want. I think that's a bad thing, as Ubuntu has many issues and little bugs getting in the way of a casual user who doesn't want to mess with the Terminal to get basics running.
I've had much smoother experiences with Zorin.
Even Fedora, despite the lesser software support, I found smoother. Because the only software options are community made ports (like flatpaks), and I find they seem to be tested and made for Fedora users.
I am now on Ubuntu exclusively, no dual-boot anymore. I use it just to avoid compatibility issues when I dip into software development work. But for regular users, gaming, and even tinkerers, Zorin is by far the best distro.
Pop OS is also okay, but has obstacles that I wouldn't want to give to new users. Also I use PopOS at work, and I find it to slightly get in the way of professional development.
At some moment on 2015 I switched to Linux mint because the laptop I had was struggling with windows, it was very slow, and I was ok with the new OS but my family when they needed to use my laptop to print or anything they were angry but it was my laptop and the only computer on the house, Linux mint it's very easy to use and a good alternative for old computers
nice presentation.
speech at each video end makes me having more and more goosebumps 😂
This is great stuff and hopefully encourages many more people to give Linux a try. For me, the fact that my PC is a family resource for other non technical users is a powerful reason not to switch. For me personally, I enjoy some gaming which could be problematic, plus I have Outlook 2010 set up with myriad folders and rules, which I'm not sure can be migrated to Tbird for example. Having said all that, I still dislike Windows intensely in its current form.
Very interesting video Chris, possibly the best one yet.