Hey everyone! I’m thinking about building a new AMD PC and switching to Linux since my current setup is pretty outdated. I’ve got a rough plan for how the drives will be set up:
– SSD1: For Nobara (my Linux distro)
– SSD2: For games and programs
– HDD: For mass storage
– SSD3: Dual-boot with Windows (mainly for VR gaming)
I have a few questions:
1. Since Linux is smaller and lighter than Windows, can I skip SSD2 and just use the SSD for the OS, or is it better to keep a separate drive for games and programs?
2. If I format SSD2 and the HDD for Linux, will Windows be able to see them, or will they be safe from Windows messing with them?
3. I’ve got an external HDD, but I’m not sure how it’s formatted. If it’s NTFS, will I still be able to transfer files easily, or is it just programs that have trouble running from a Windows-compatible file system?
5 Answers
I’d suggest installing Linux on an old laptop first to get familiar with it. Windows can be pretty intense with Linux and can easily mess up the boot loader. So, learning on a separate machine could save you a lot of headaches.
For me, I have different SSDs for my OS and games. I use a SATA SSD for the OS since it’s cheaper, but I recommend NVMe for games because some games can really stutter on a SATA drive. Also, programs from the repos are fine on the main drive since the structure differs. Compiled software might need special handling, though.
I think your setup is cool! Just a suggestion: keep SSD1 for Linux apps and SSD2 exclusively for games since they tend to take up space quickly. For the drive formats, try ext4 for the SSDs and NTFS for Windows. Definitely install Windows first with other drives unplugged, then work on Linux setup.
Linux can handle almost all Windows file systems like FAT, exFAT, and NTFS, but Windows can mess with Linux’s EFI partition. It’s fine to use one SSD for both OSes; just install Windows first and then set up partitions for Linux afterwards.
1. It really depends on how much space your games are taking up!
2. Windows can’t read or write Linux file systems, so if you disconnect the Windows drive before installing Linux, it won’t be able to access anything on the Linux drive, including the EFI partition. The reverse is true too.
3. Yes, you can totally transfer files from an NTFS disk to Linux without issues!
