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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Deleting Windows from dual boot Linux/Windows computer (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 weeks ago by Demonmariner@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I have a PC currently configured to dual boot Windows 10 and Linux Mint. I don't need Windows anymore, but Mint is working just fine and I'd rather avoid wiping the whole thing and starting over. Is there a safe way to just get rid of Windows?

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[–] HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

curious how you move all packages over

One can copy the system using a tar backup, fix the mount pointd by changing the volume label (which identifies the mount point), and do a dist upgrade then.

I guess that's the best way to do it on a server. But for desktop systems, I now think it is better to make a list of manually installed packages, and to re-install the packages that are still needed from that list. This has two advantages:

One gets rid of cruft and experimental installs that are no longer needed, which is really important in the long term.
Some systems (I a looking at you GNOME) can break in an ugly way if doing an upgrade instead of a re-install. Very bad behaviour, but it can happen. (And this might answer the question whether Debian is more stable than Arch: Yes, as long as you don't upgrade GNOME).

And one more thing I do for the dot files:

Say, my home folder is in /home/hvb . Then, I install Debian 12 and set /home/hvb/deb12 as my home folder (by editing /etc/passwd). I put my data in /home/hvb/Documents, /home/hvb/Photos/ and sym-link these folders into /home/hvb/deb12. When I upgrade, I first create a new folder /home/hvb/deb14, copy my dot files from deb12, and install a new root partition with my home set to /home/hvb/deb14. Then, I again link my data folders , documents and media such as /home/hvb/Documents into /home/hvb/deb14 . The reason I do this is that new versions of programs can upgrade the dot files to a new syntax or features, but when I switch back to boot Debian 12, the old versions can't necessarily read the newer-version config files (the changes are mostly promised to be backward-compatible but not forward-compatible).

All in all this is a very conservative approach but it works for me with running Debian now for about 15 years in a rather large desktop setup.

And the above also worked well for me with distro-hopping. Though nowadays, it is more recommended to install parallel dual-booted distros on another removable disk since such installs can also modify grub and EFI setup, early graphics drivers and so on, even if in theory dual-boot installs should be completely independent... but my experience is that is not any more always guaranteed.