Installing Linux Tips and Tricks

[CKjones (1337)]

Hello everyone, today marks a momentous occasion for me. I have just purged windows 10 and 11 from all of my workstations! I have been wanting to do this for a while but I was concerned about compatibility with my graphics as well as the software I have paid a subscription to. Thankfully I was able to switch to Opensuse and Kali with minimal difficulty. If someone reading this wants to make the switch to. Here are a few tips:

1. Find a distro that is right for you. Choosing a Linux distro to fit your needs can be hard. Some work better on different types of hardware and architecture. A good tool to use that can help find a distro that is right for you is called https://distrochooser.de/

2. You should ALWAYS ALWAYS before an install completely backs up your data be it on the cloud or a physical HDD or USB drive. This article will dive deeper into the subject Backup and Restore in Windows

3. Before installing you should always make sure your discrete or integrated graphics are compatible with the Kernel. With this in mind before choosing a distribution you should check the system requirements and graphics compatibility for intel, AMD, or best case NVIDIA graphics cards. (I love NVIDIA)

4. Some Linux distros have very fast and unstable updates wile some offer slower safer updates. If you want to be on the bleeding edge you should get an os like Arch Linux or if you prefer a more stable experience you should use Debian or Ubuntu.

5. The Linux interface is very different from Mac os or Windows. Mostly because of the almost required use of the terminal for installing, updating, and troubleshooting. Before using Linux you should learn at the very least its simple commands.

I hope that this short guide has helped people that want to upgrade and I hope that your knowledge of the Linux Kernel has grown. If this artical has helped you or if you have something to add please comment down below. Have a great day!

-CKjones

[Kedislav (Ked)]

Hey! Pretty solid advice. I’ve yet to switch my desktop pc but I barely use it nowadays. I’ve been mainly running a customized Kali image with i3-gaps.

I would also add into your list of advice; Learn to Google correctly (also called google-fu). It will not only serve you for life, but damn, troubleshooting some random stuff can sometimes be near impossible if you don’t know how to ask the question you want to ask. The internet is full of useful stuff, from the more basic to the incredibly advanced. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Personally, the Linux (particularly the hacking) scene has treated me very well, in spite of my noobing sometimes.

Secondly; always remember to RTFM (Read The F-ing Manual). You will probably come across this a lot. It’s not because people are mean, but mainly because the answers to your questions can be simply resolved by taking a look at the manual and/or documentation. Simply run man <command name> from a terminal, or use a web manual interface, like Man7. Read this nifty link to understand how to read a manual page in case you’re lost!

Lastly; not everything is terminal based. Sure, Linux is meant to be terminal-centric, but it doesn’t have to be. Don’t let it scare you though, the command line interface (also called CLI) can accomplish many things, and it is invaluable in the sense that a single line can accomplish what would take a thousand or more clicks-and-drags. Plenty of guides and videos online to look at, as well as free courses.

Resharing the sentiment of good luck and have fun if you’re thinking of switching! And remember, you can always try and/or go back!