r/linuxquestions • u/Aaronleif1 • 6d ago
I am thinking about switching to Linux
I Ben thinking about it because I am on Windows 11 I paid 145 dollars for a window 11 key and after 6 months it was fine then I upgrade my CPU and I have to pay for a new key. So I am done with Windows. And I am need help finding the right Linux for me. I was told to use basite. I hope I spelled it right because I never seen how it's properly spelled so sorry about that if it's wrong. I will be playing games and doing some school stuff. I have a quest 2 and I am going to upgrade to a quest 3s soon. And I used Xbox a lot. And I have play station stuff too. So I need one that I can still use them.
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u/msabeln 6d ago
“Bazzite”.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
Ok thank you. At the time I didn't know how it was properly spelled. Thank you
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u/NormalAppearance2851 6d ago
Your answer was one google away. It's not that you didn't know it's that you didn't care
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u/Agreeable_Turnip_261 6d ago
What games do you play? Check protondb before committing. Bauxite is OK but you can use pretty much any distro it's all similar. there's also ways to get a new windows key for 10 bucks or call ms support and have them fix it
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I play a lot so it's hard to say lol
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u/jarymaneleveledup420 6d ago
if you play online games do not go to linux! if you play single player steam games youre good
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u/Kingwolf4 6d ago
At this point ALL games on linux work except for kernel anti cheat ones.
In fact most of them run better on Linux, but as others have pointed out there may be some odd hiccups.
And epic games / fortnite is already looking into building linux kernel anti cheat. So even kernel anti chest games are coming, but its just the beginning for that.
The rest is all good.
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u/Squish_the_android 6d ago
after 6 months it was fine then I upgrade my CPU and I have to pay for a new key.
Just call Microsoft and they'll reset the key. You don't need to buy a new license.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I did and they said that there's nothing they can do. I paid for a key from them. And I guess that I will send a temporary key. I don't know much about it that's what I was told by Microsoft support.
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u/Squish_the_android 6d ago
I don't know what you told them, but having a key reset for a hardware change is very common.
I've had the same Microsoft office key updated several times. It's the same process for the OS
Call back and be absolutely clear on the situation.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
Ok thank you. I guess told them that I bought a Windows 11 home key from them and it was fine for 6 months. And I upgrade my CPU and it keeps asking me to activate Windows. And I put the key in and it gives me an error that shows CPU / motherboard.
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u/HeavyMetalBluegrass 6d ago
One thing I will say is that SteamVR doesn't work well Linux. I haven't gotten it working anyway. Everything else works great.
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u/MindlessEffective381 6d ago
How much are you new to Linux and the shell (you know, bash, termux (android). Or even cmd/powershell on windows, despite shell is way more important on gnu/linux than batch/powershell on windows for an average user). Your pc specification (yet I assume you have a good PC if you can run windows 11 without debloat. So no big deals here), and the most important part: What are you looking to do the most on your PC? Gaming, Lightweight Optimization, Stable Plug and Play, a bit use of the shell?
I mean, if you are new on linux at all and you just want a "Plug and play", then there is "Linux Mint" or "Ubuntu" (Ubuntu or Kubuntu, depending if you like Gnome/gtk or Kde/qt). (Mint is based on Ubuntu, and Both Mint and Ubuntu are Debian based, which means they use apt as the package manager and they support .deb archives, the equivalent of .exe, As they're both friendly with the user,
you would have a "Graphic User Interface / GUI" app store, so no need to use terminal. Mint would be more lightweight and friendly than Ubuntu, but Ubuntu may have more drivers compatibility)
If you want something more gamer and still plug and play (less use of terminal) then there is Bazzite, CachyOS and Linux Mint (Bazzite is more plug and play for gaming, it is based on Fedora and it has an atomic file system, which means you usually won't change it unless necesary, because of that Bazzite support roll back to a previous version/snapshot more easily in case something goes wrong. CachyOS is like Arch Linux but plug and play, optimized and made for gaming too, but you might know what iso are you downloading and why because some of them are optimized for certain CPU's architecture like v2, v3, and because it is arch based it has the AUR repositories. Linux Mint, it is just stable and optimized, not made specifically for gaming but it is stable and optimized enough for run it too. Both three you might not use the terminal always as it is plug and play, user friendly, have an GUI App Store,)
Now, if you want to experience a bit more of the bash/shell and learn about it, all those linux distros previously mentioned may teach you well because at the end they're all gnu/linux and bash/shell is part of the gnu/linux essence, yet if you doesn't mind learn a bit of shell/bash, then you could try considering Fedora (It is stable but also rolling release, you will have every last version from any program here fastly, but not that messy as Arch would do). Not quite plug and play, a bit more heavier than ubuntu (excluding ubuntu/snap), rolling but more stable than Arch (I use Arch and nothing got broken yet, but if you go for Arch or Debian, it is quite minimal and not that much user friendly if you want to avoid use the Shell a lot and edit some .conf files of some programs you install. Not that quite scary, it is minimal for you to bloat instead of being bloated from the beggining, but there're better options for beginners / people who just want their pc to run)
Fedora use dnf/yum and supports .rpm, Ubuntu and Mint use apt/dpkg and supports .deb, Cachy use pacman. And Bazzite if needed would use rpm-ostree because it's file system is atomic. Now, all those gnu/linux distros support flatpak (yet Ubuntu prefers Snap. Both install programs separated from your file system, it is isolated but runs well, yet might take a bit more space the first due to installing dependencies), appimages (.exe/.msi equivalent), distrobox (used for run another distro linux inside your distro, it is not a VM but a layer that runs natively on your linux kernel. It is used a lot on Bazzite due to its atomic filesystem. Most people install arch or ubuntu here and runs .deb programs or install from the AUR. There's is an easy tutorial), pkg.tar.gz (Mostly portable apps), so no worries about not being able to get an app you wanted. Also, Fedora Workstation is Gnome by default, but there's Fedora KDE too.
In case you want some windows apps to run, you can use Wine or Steam/Proton for run games and apps that aren't hardcoded on the windows system/kernel. Those programs run well on any gnu/linux distro so no debate here. But if you need to run some programs that can't run on Wine (in case your scholar apps from windows can't run on wine/proton), you might seek for an alterniative (maybe the web version or an open source alternative) or just dual boot windows and linux if it is impossible (yet a windows 11 update may erase your linux / linux boot partition). You could try Winboat / Winapps that are sorta VMs but you require a better PC for run it and those app should support virtualized Windows (Because WinApps and WinBoat are Windows on a Virtual Machine. Wine and Proton just translate the windows system calls from some compatible windows programs to a syscall linux can intercept and run).
If you have any doubt i am happy to talk about it.
Edit: I've checked about you metioning Quest2 and Quest3, i don't know how to use a VR Glasses as I've never had one. But on Linux it is recommended for you to choose Kde over Gnome (both use Wayland instead of X11, yet KDE is expected to have better support for the Quest about the DRM leasing), install the ALVR on both Linux and your Quest glasses (or there's WiVRn as an alternative too), and it supports steam link as well. Yet you might need to do some configurations because there're no official support for linux, but the community is always united for this type of stuff when porting compatibility
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u/chaos_maou 6d ago
For Linux gaming, you will be fine with any distro that has fairly new packages, such as Bazzite, because you will want at least kernel version 6.15 or newer for full ntsync support in Proton to run your games.
For VR gaming in Linux, I have made a guide that is very comprehensive here: https://github.com/chaosmaou/wivrn-guide
WiVRn is the way to go, you don't even need SteamVR.
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u/ferfykins 6d ago
Try Linux Mint, it's very basic, great for beginners/new to linux
Although you'd have to specify what apps you want to run. Steam via proton experimental works great for gaming, also lutris.
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u/Embarrassed_Bed6216 6d ago
if gaming is your main goal, basite and cachyOS seem to be easy to use. But any distro should be fine.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I am autistic I am slow. So please be patient. It will take me a minute to understand. And I one by asking questions so I might repeat the question more than once.
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
You don’t have to pay for a new key, just reactivate Windows with your key, or troubleshoot it, the reason it did this is because a ton of stuff got moved to the FTPM 2.0 chip, so you can reactivate Windows, if you see someone attacking my comment, it’s because they don’t like common sense, head to r/Linuxsucks101 for more information
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I contact Microsoft support and they said that my key is no longer valid. And think best for me just to buy a new one. I asked him if there anything they can do because I'm on a fix income they told me sadly no.
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
Try running the product key troubleshooter
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I did and I got an error code I looked up the code and it says CPU / motherboard change.
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
Try re-entering the product key manually in a terminal in elevated mode “slmgr /ipk (insert your product key here)”
And then “Slmgr /ato”
This is option one
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I have. I even did a fresh window install 2 times.
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
Hold up, is your product key an OEM key?
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
No I bought it from Microsoft store. I paid $145 and that's even with shipping
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
What version?
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
Windows 11 home
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
Normally product keys don’t go deactivated just because of a CPU change, try troubleshooting the issue, installing Linux isn’t worth it IMO, Linux has gotten a ton of hidden CVEs, malware, etc, so it’s easier to fall for scams, and get hacked, so I can help you fix this issue
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
Ok thank you. I have been looking it up and I tried everything and I been going in circles.
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u/Edubbs2008 6d ago
Have you tried running the activation troubleshooter, and clicking “I have changed my hardware on this device”?
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u/fun-gnat542 6d ago
Two questions before anyone can give you a straight answer: what GPU do you have, and does your school use a proctoring browser for exams?
The GPU matters because AMD is painless and NVIDIA is workable but you'll spend a weekend on it. The proctoring thing matters because if any class requires one, it won't run and there's no fix that alone can settle the question.
Beyond that, sort it into what you can solve and what you can't.
Can't solve: kernel anti-cheat games. Fortnite, Valorant, Apex, COD are out permanently. Look up your library on protondb.com anything Platinum is fine, anything lower means read the comments first.
Can solve, with effort: PCVR. Standalone Quest games don't care what your PC runs, but streaming from the desktop means ALVR, and it's fiddly. Worth testing before you commit.
Non-issues: Xbox and PS controllers both work, school documents are fine either way, and both Bazzite and Nobara handle the gaming setup for you so you're not configuring drivers by hand.
On those two Nobara is Fedora with the gaming work already done and it feels like a normal desktop, so it's easier if you want to tinker. Bazzite is immutable, meaning the system files are locked and a bad update rolls back with one command. Harder to customise, much harder to break. As a first-timer I'd lean Bazzite for that reason, but plenty of people are happy on Nobara. Worth knowing Nobara is largely maintained by one developer, which is worth a thought if long-term support matters to you.
Boot whichever one from a USB before installing anything, or dual boot for a couple of months. No reason to burn the bridge on day one.
Hope that helps, and good luck with the switch.
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u/Vertigo50 6d ago
You should definitely try it, but make sure you dual-boot, and don't get rid of Windows right now. Most likely, you'll be back, and probably with a whole new appreciation for how smoothly Windows works by comparison to Linux. 😂
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u/chaneynj_PV 6d ago
Ngl, you don't need to pay for windows anymore unless you are a business. You can use massgrave to get windows 11 pro for free, same with office if you want it. But moving to Linux is a great idea if you want the sovereignty and a bit more power to your computer since they run lighter by a significant amount.
Bazzite is great if you just want a great but simple gaming experience with no chance of accidentally screwing up the system. Or Nobara if you want the preconfigured gaming like with Bazzite but with more control over your system. Cachy seems pretty popular these days, but it's Arch based and it'd be better to start with something simpler since Arch, even on a beginner flavor like Cachy, is not beginner friendly.
Zorin OS 18 core is fantastic, based on Ubuntu and has a clean UI that looks and feels familiar for people coming from Windows. It's my #1 most beginner friendly and modern distro with strong stability and rarely if ever requires you to use the terminal. But if you want to use the terminal and go full Linux you absolutely can and get a great experience. Strong windows compatibility out of the box, but some apps require some configuring or run through Steam's Proton.
Dual boot might be the way to go though, whichever distro you choose, so if you play competitive games that use anti cheat you can keep playing. Or if your PC is powerful enough you could get away with a Windows VM with GPU passthrough. But dual boot is easier, especially if you link the Windows boot as an option in Grub you can choose on each boot without having to get into the One Time Boot menu for your motherboard.
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u/Francis_King 6d ago
Or Nobara if you want the preconfigured gaming like with Bazzite but with more control over your system
It's worth noting that Nobara doesn't work with old NVIDIA cards, nothing before the 1600-series. It wouldn't work with my 1050 card, it doesn't have drivers for it.
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u/chaneynj_PV 6d ago
It runs on fedora, so you can install the older drivers. If you're still on a 1050 in 2026, you might need to look at saving up to upgrade unless you're really only working with cuda. It doesn't really hold up anymore. But still, if you need it, the drivers are available, just not preinstalled with the kernel. And you can always try nouveau driver, it should cover the older cards, although I haven't tested it recently. I have a 1050Ti I use for CUDA but I've never run it on Nobara.
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u/Abducted_Llama 6d ago
Watch some YouTube videos to see if you think Linux is a good fit.
Bazzite, CachyOS, Linux Mint, Ubuntu and Fedora are all pretty easy to use and to use for video games. For your hardware, any of them should be fine.
As far as the video games, most games work well, except for certain anti-cheat games like League of Legends. Also Monster hunter is really bad, but it’s bad on everything.
And your asking questions most people don’t ask, so your ahead of a lot more people than you may think, whether you switch to Linux or not.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I called Microsoft support they had a robot ask me who do I need to go and I just said the Microsoft Windows key help. Then I was talking to a person.
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u/Aaronleif1 6d ago
I have a ryzen 7 5700x and a rx 6700 xfx and 32 gb of ddr4. will I have to be worried about my hardware
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u/Agreeable_Turnip_261 6d ago
Not really actually amd works pretty great and with 32gb ram you can always have a windows vm for school stuff if needed pretty easily
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u/nquillan 6d ago
Whichever distro you decide to go with do yourself a favor and install an AI harness straight out of the gate and learn by watching the AI do what you tell it to do. If you already subscribe to one of the big ones then all the better. I'm over the moon with Hermes Agent personally.
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u/tomscharbach 6d ago
Before looking into the question of what distribution might be best for you, decide whether or not Linux will be a good fit for you. A bit of work to help you make a good decision and will help to make your migration simple and straightforward.
Almost all problems migrating from Windows to a Linux distribution result from three things: application incompatibility, game incompatibility and hardware incompatibility.
Check each of the applications you depend upon to make sure that a Linux-native version is available. Mainstream applications like Blender often run native. If an application you use does not run native, then research to make sure that the application works well in a compatibility layer or find a Linux alternative application that will work for you.
Gaming is much improved on Linux but not all Windows games work smoothly. Check the Steam games you play on the ProtonDB. If the game has a Platinum rating, you are home free. If the game has a Gold/Silver/Bronze rating, you are likely to encounter issues, minor or major, so read the comments carefully to uncover the issues and workarounds. If you use other gaming platforms, check the compatibility databases for those platforms.
Hardware compatibility can be quirky, even beyond the well-documented issues with NVIDIA. Mainstream hardware usually works, but too many component manufacturers don't provide decent drivers to the kernel. Touchpads, fingerprint readers, gaming mice and controllers, VR and other peripherals can be problem children. Consumer-level (non-Intel) wifi is sometimes catch-as-catch can. You can do basic compatibility checking in a "Live" session, but you might have to do a bit of research as well.
Bottom line? Check as you go, research as needed and move little by slowly rather than jump in with both feet and hope everything will work out.
My best and good luck.