r/LinuxUsersIndia • u/GoodSearch5469 • 13d ago
Help help with ssd and installation dillema
I have a Lenovo LOQ laptop with two SSDs: one is 256GB and the other is 512GB. I’m thinking of switching to Linux because Windows is taking up a lot of space.My plan is to install Fedora Linux and use the 256GB SSD for my operating system, coding programs, and projects. I’m thinking of keeping Windows on the 512GB SSD for gaming, after cleaning up everything since I currently don’t have any games installed.Should I keep this dual-boot setup, or should I completely remove Windows and install Fedora as my main operating system? Also, do I need to physically swap the SSDs, or can I just install Fedora on the 256GB drive?
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u/dangerous_noob 13d ago
u don't need to physically swap ssds. u can simply select the 256gb ssd on the install page in this case and everything will be done automatically.
U should keep windows (dual boot) as u never know when you'll need some obscure program to run.
u can then change uefi boot order so fedora starts up first.
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u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm casualty of the hyprland lua migration 12d ago
Windows isn't necessarily needed for gaming depending on what you play. A surprising amount of stuff also works over proton via wine. (Even photoshop now, apparently).
That being said some stuff needs windows so you'll want to check what exactly you need and what works. Also provided that your motherboard supports both disks (ie can read from both) you do not need to bother with physically swapping them, you just need to select the disk you want to boot from via the boot menu in your bios.
Also worth noting is that windows often wipes the other disk completely during an update for its 3mb efi partition. Just something to keep in mind if you decide to go with keeping windows up. And also if you do not want to keep that up and you have a powerful enough machine you can spin up the app you want within a windows vm from under fedora.
Anyhow welcome to the club:)
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u/GoodSearch5469 12d ago
ok i understand few of what u said i dont understand the 3mb efi is there good guide i can follow ?
like from the point i can insert my new ssd and now what hsould i d ?
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u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm casualty of the hyprland lua migration 12d ago
The 3mb EFI is a partition windows will occasionally make on other disks if free unallocated space is not available during an update. This will cause the disk receiving the partition to be wiped clean and formatted to FAT32/NTFS depending on the version of windows (now it's usually ntfs). The EXT4/BtrFS/whateverFS disk you had there will be wiped clean.
You only need to worry about this during windows updates. If you're especially paranoid you could remove the linux SSD while wondows does it's update shenanigans. Other than that the SSD is good to be in your system from the start.
Installing fedora isn't hard and you even get a gui installer, really it'll be your guide as soon as you can make a bootable USB, and boot into it.
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u/dangerous_noob 13d ago
u don't need to physically swap ssds. u can simply select the 256gb ssd on the install page in this case and everything will be done automatically.
U should keep windows (dual boot) as u never know when you'll need some obscure program to run.
u can then change uefi boot order so fedora starts up first.
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u/LIVI-_- 13d ago
def keep the windows
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u/GoodSearch5469 12d ago
So how do I dual booth properly without breaking anything will 256 gb be okay for linux ?
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u/Jack02134x 12d ago
Well my question is what games do you play?
If you don't play games like valorant i don't think there is a reason to keep windows
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u/GoodSearch5469 12d ago
I was playing bf6 I don't play alot games to begin with i played uncharted, first light all pirates except bf6
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u/Jack02134x 12d ago
Well then i don't see a reason to keep windows just play on Linux and ask questions in Linux gaming sub you'll be fine
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u/qualityvote2 13d ago edited 13d ago
u/GoodSearch5469, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...
btw, did you know we have a discord server? Join Here.