Linux/Ubuntu question

[PeteXXX]

I have a spare Desktop PC, purchased with W7 and updated to W10. I have a full backup saved so am not concerned about files and photos on it.
How do I go about a total reboot and installation of Linux, Ubuntu or any non Windows operating systems.
I can save a copy of Linux etc to a memory stick or disk from my laptop to install but believe that Windows will not allow Format C to run from the command prompt as a security measure.

Whats the process to dump Windows, please?

 

[ColinJ]

If you are running Linux from the memory stick then Windows wouldn't be running so it wouldn't have any say in what happened to the hard drive, would it!

Surely you can just reformat the C: drive from Linux?

 

[the snail]

Just run the installer, you'll have options for formatting/deleting/resizing partitions. If you want rid of windows, you can play around as you like!

 

[DCBassman]

When you install any flavour of Linux, you will come to a point where it asks you how you want to arrange the drive. The choice will be dual boot with Windows, or other ways of installing only Linux. All of these other ways will erase Windows, no need to do it twice.

 

[DCBassman]

Beaten by @the snail !

 

[ianbarton]

I would suggest when you format the drive you put the home directory in a separate partition. Home contains all your own files e.g. /home/ian has all my own files. Makes backing up and moving to a new computer much simpler. By default, you should get /boot (all the files required to load Linux and /root which contains all the operating system files. Some installers put home in root (/root/home), which makes backup and moving your files elsewhere more tricky.

 

[PeteXXX]

Thanks, folks.. I'll give it a go soon.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Personally I would leave it as a dual boot unless you have access to another Windows machine I have 3 machines all running Linux but I always keep one of them as dual boot just in case I come across that Windows only program I need to use.

 

[ianbarton]

Thanks, folks.. I'll give it a go soon.

Just to add, you don't need a huge partition for /root. Something around 20GByte should be fine. The boot partition is usually about 60 Mbyte. Its size is usually determined by the installer.

 

[PeteXXX]

Personally I would leave it as a dual boot unless you have access to another Windows machine I have 3 machines all running Linux but I always keep one of them as dual boot just in case I come across that Windows only program I need to use.

I have another PC and my laptop, both running W10 so the one I want to use for Linux is surplus to requirements.

 

[PeteXXX]

I've just installed Linux Mint Cinnamon as a dual boot on my Toshiba Satellite laptop.
Two issues, presently.
The touch pad doesn't work. Not a great problem as I usually use a wireless mouse anyway. I have checked the settings for mouse/touch pad and they are set correctly.

Second issue. Ethernet is fine but I can't connect wirelessly. (there was no problem with Windows connecting) I've tried a Belkin Dongle thingie to no avail. It's quite a few years old, so maybe that's not helping.
I thought something within Linux would scan for available networks. Am I missing something easy?

 

[ianbarton]

Second issue. Ethernet is fine but I can't connect wirelessly. (there was no problem with Windows connecting) I've tried a Belkin Dongle thingie to no avail. It's quite a few years old, so maybe that's not helping.
I thought something within Linux would scan for available networks. Am I missing something easy?

It's probably the wireless chipset. Have a look at:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-find-wireless-driver-chipset/
Broadcom chips used to have all sorts of problems on Linux because the drivers were proprietary.

 

[PeteXXX]

It's probably the wireless chipset. Have a look at:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-find-wireless-driver-chipset/
Broadcom chips used to have all sorts of problems on Linux because the drivers were proprietary.

I'll check what chipset I have installed at present. The router is a Vodafone WiFi hub

 

[mpemburn]

While I haven’t installed Linux on a (former) Windows machine, I’ve done several virtual machines on Mac. Ubuntu 21 is a significant step up! The only down-side from my perspective is that some of the tools I depend on as a software developer are not made for Linux. There are alternatives, but they take getting used to.

 

[ianbarton]

I'll check what chipset I have installed at present. The router is a Vodafone WiFi hub

The router shouldn't matter as long as you can connect to it. As a rule of thumb if you want to use Linux stick with an Intel motherboard and graphics. They all have Linux drivers from Intel. Other chipsets work, but often don't work straight out of the box.