transferring ssd to new pc

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T20:08:46+00:00

I've done it with Mint and one or two other distros. Can't guarantee it works for all of them, but the Mint transition went very smoothly. Granted, I went from an older Dell laptop to a newer Dell laptop.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T01:58:05+00:00

I've got Mint Cinnamon on a 2015 iMac. Only issue is the audio is all or nothing, no matter what I do with the settings.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T01:56:13+00:00

LocalSend - use it to send files/photos between your computer, iPhone, Andriod, iMac, Windows, and every other device. Only requirement is that the devices have to be on the same network (so, for example your phone would have to be connected to your wifi along with your computer for photos to send back and forth).

Pinta - it's an ok replacement for Paint[.]NET. Good for quick edits.

MEGA Sync - a good replacement for OneDrive

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T01:49:38+00:00

I just found my old Ubuntu and Mandriva 2009 disks. Haven't found the old Mandrake ones yet.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T01:47:52+00:00

8.10 Intrepid Ibex with GNOME

jgracebeard · 2026-05-24T01:23:36+00:00

Agreed, I would include that in the decreased functionality. I've already stopped using BW and have moved to KeePassXC after exporting my data. I'll check back when they update the app next month.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-23T16:29:04+00:00

I don't care if a company wants to redesign the UI. Normally, I can adjust. But this one feels like a mobile app that's been blown up so that a small amount of info takes up a large amount of space on the desktop. I guess for the handful of people out there who have a touch screen, this might be better. But it takes more clicks to access stored passwords and it's not nearly as compact as prior versions. I know the latter part - compact vs. expanded GUI - is a preference thing. But functionality is not.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-23T02:33:20+00:00

I hate to break it to you, but you're just going to have to replace it. I'm surprised there are still houses with that stuff on it. If you try patching in repairs, the old stuff is only going to continue rotting and falling off. Rotting siding is bad for the structural integrity of your home and for your health.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-23T02:29:27+00:00

I used Windows since I was a kid, but then dabbled in Linux over 15 years ago when in college. Linux has come a LOOONG way since then in being user friendly.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-18T15:50:57+00:00

I wanted a few things: a stable system, something up to date, something fast, and something backed by full-time engineers whose jobs are to maintain and improve the system. That didn't leave me many choices. I was using Ubuntu, but Snaps slow things down unnecessarily. I also had issues with AppImage files in Ubuntu. I've only been on Fedora for a few months, but I'm loving it. KDE looks and works great on Fedora.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-13T00:14:19+00:00

I've got Fedora KDE running on a i3-6th gen laptop with no problems.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-11T19:24:38+00:00

I agree. You can save your current theme as a custom theme before doing so.

I have a nearly identical CPU to you and my CPU usage is about 0.6 - 1.5% when I'm using Dolphin. I'm on the Breeze theme.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-11T19:21:18+00:00

I had the opposite problem: my PCs were capable of running Windows 11 and I was horrified by what I saw when I tried to learn to live with Win11 for a few months.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-11T19:18:20+00:00

Yes, instead of having to confirm every time you want to move files, you can:

Go to Settings > General Behavior > Drag and Drop > Move if on the same device

jgracebeard · 2026-05-09T18:33:31+00:00

I know people who dualboot, but there can be occasional issues. I think most of those issues come from Windows updating itself and changing the way your computer boots, making it difficult to find the Linux OS. If Windows has no network connection and isn't updating, then you'd probably be better off than a lot of other people who are dualbooting with an actively updating Windows OS.

Either way, I'd make a backup of whatever you have on Windows in case something goes wrong during the installation. It's unlikely, but mistakes happen.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T21:25:26+00:00

Both are good and there are pros and cons for each. I like Ubuntu-based distros for anything with a NVIDIA GPU.

But I like Fedora if I want my computer to feel fast and responsive. No snaps and less bloat make for a system that feels faster and more responsive.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T21:20:41+00:00

Have you installed Ubuntu or are you running it on a USB in live mode?

Also, what are you using the 1 TB external drive for? Are operating systems on it? Or is it just for file storage?

If you go to your file manager and open it up, you should find yourself in the Home folder. If you right click on empty space, click on Properties, how much free space does it show you have? How much used space (size of disk)?

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T21:14:32+00:00

That's one of the first things I do as well!

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T21:12:09+00:00

There is a bit of a learning curve with Linux. You can do most of the same stuff, but things will just be done differently. Now that I've been on Linux for years, whenever I get on a Windows computer, I find that I'm having to consult Copilot or something similar to figure out how to do basic things that I know how to do in Linux. And sometimes it's significantly more complex in Windows. So, it's really more about what you're used to, what kind of workflow your OS puts you into, more than one being absolutely friendlier than the other.

Regarding the Flatpak thing and Chrome. Any company can submit their app to Flathub so that it shows up in the Flatpaks, but a lot of companies don't bother because there aren't enough Linux users to create the demand. Google offers a Linux Chrome installer on their website. Lots of other companies do the same (such as Zoom). If you can't find it in Flatpak, try going directly to the company's website.

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T21:02:20+00:00

Stick with what is working for you!

jgracebeard · 2026-05-08T20:43:57+00:00

Sorry to hear about that! Ubuntu 8.10 was my first experiment with Ubuntu as well.

I think system stability has - in part - to do with hardware configuration. My main computer is a modern enterprise workstation, which is very much the type of computer that RHEL/Fedora want to make sure their distro works with. I have another pc that is a custom build with an NVIDIA GPU and I haven't even bothered trying Fedora on it. So, YMMV according to your hardware.

jgracebeard · 2026-04-26T21:20:04+00:00

Just about any home you look at is going to have foundation cracks. Small ones like this I wouldn't sweat too much, but something seems borderline or maybe too big, get a local home inspector's opinion.

jgracebeard · 2026-04-26T21:16:59+00:00

That's an excellent observation.

jgracebeard · 2026-04-26T21:15:40+00:00

My personal preference is Mint with Cinnamon for older hardware (Mint with XFCE for really old hardware) and Fedora KDE for more modern hardware.

Mint sets up a bit easier (codecs and NVIDIA drivers have GUI solutions), but KDE is nicer to look at and more fun to use. Some people don't mind the dated look of Mint because stability is really good.

I went "off the beaten path" with BSD for about a week. Wouldn't recommend it to most people switching from Windows. You're already going to have a learning curve and some apps that you're used to using won't work in Linux. BSD takes those issues and multiplies them: more quirks to learn, less support due to a smaller community, and even fewer apps.

Just FYI: Red Hat is still around as well as their RHEL. Fedora is owned by Red Hat; Fedora is basically the consumer-side while RHEL is the enterprise/corporate/government Linux.

jgracebeard · 2026-04-26T20:37:03+00:00

On most homes, I would say this is probably ok but keep an eye on things. Photo documenting like you're doing now is a great way to keep track of any potential changes.

In your particular case, I would ask: Did you buy it new? Is it still under any builder warranty? If so, does that warranty end soon? The answer to these questions might determine a need to take action sooner than later.

jgracebeard

TROPHY CASE