I’m finally planning to shift my primary PC to Linux in the coming week. I want to ensure all of my data from Windows be transferred to Linux, including my personal files and application data, even if there is no native support in Linux to access it.
For context, my setup has become untidy over the years; I have two partitions :C & :D and stored personal data in each partition, plus I have created directories of my own in several odd locations which I cannot recall but they also contain some critical files. I only have a single NVMe SSD installed that is almost out of space so I cannot dualboot, although I can make use of an external HDD during the transfer. I’ve already had some experience in Linux by installing it in another PC immediately after purchasing it.
Is there some way to automatically prepare all my data in Windows for transfer into Linux directly or in a backup drive accessible in Linux? Please don’t tell me I have to copy and paste all files by hand because given the criticality of the stored data I would rather stay in Windows than risking data loss.
Buy a new NVME and install whatever distro you’re looking at on that.
Then take our time and sort stuff out. Maybe move it all to the old D drive (which eill not be called D on Linux). Once your happy with that, perhaps format C and use it for backuos ? Assuming you mean two drives ?
If you can, the safest choice is to buy a new drive and install Linux there. If your PC has no space for it but an external drive and copy everything you wish to preserve from C via wiztree into the drive. Then disconnect and install Linux in your original drive.
Once installed, connect the external drive and copy everything important back.
You said C and D partitions but you didn’t mention 2 drives originally so I’m assuming you only have one. If you have two you would keep D untouched and then bridge data via the external drive.
I have created directories of my own in several odd locations which I cannot recall but they also contain some critical files.
O_o If those files are critical, they should be backed up in multiple locations. But if you cannot recall, are those files really critical? Regardless, one day a drive will fail and those files will be lost. Critical data should be backed up in multiple locations.
I only have a single NVMe SSD installed that is almost out of space so I cannot dualboot
How do you intend to switch to Linux without available disk space? It is possible to install and boot Linux from an external drive but performance will obviously suffer. But any way you get Linux running, if it’s on the same computer and if your Windows drives are not encrypted, you should have access to them from Linux. There is no need to copy them or move them if Linux is on another drive but on the same computer. Simply installing Linux will not risk the data, as long as you don’t format the wrong partition. You can leave it there and probably access it from Linux to do what you want with it.
I can make use of an external HDD during the transfer.
Why not backup the critical data on an external HDD?
Please don’t tell me I have to copy and paste all files by hand because given the criticality of the stored data I would rather stay in Windows than risking data loss.
Erm, how do you proceed when you change your computer with Windows? Do you use specialized software to “migrate” your data for you? And if you want an automatic way to do it, how would you ensure the automatic way did it correctly? If this is what stops you from migrating, maybe it’s preferable to keep things as they are for you?! Maybe try a live USB drive environment instead of installing?!
In any way, seeing your other replies, I can only strongly encourage you to make proper backups as this may one day save your critical data, and also facilitate any future PC or OS migration.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful or positive but if you made a mess and want to make sure you don’t lose anything, you may want to start by cleaning up, know what you have, where it is, and have it in multiple locations. Then you can start thinking about migrating without worrying about the data.
I guess I’ll start backing up my stuff like you told me. At least could you point me in the right direction by recommending a suitable backup solution that preferably is compatible in both Windows and Linux and is beginner friendly?
I’m afraid I’ve been using Linux for so long that I’m not very knowledgeable about backup software for Windows. But I’ve been using Duplicati for a single Windows computer for years, and it’s apparently also running on Linux. I never tried on Linux though, so don’t take my words for cash.
There’s also Duplicity, but it’s command line and will probably require installing the Windows Subsystem for Linux. There’s also Bacula but it’s mostly for businesses. This Wikipedia page may know more than me.
On Linux, Deja Dup acts as a graphical interface for Duplicity, is easy, and is the default for GNOME and Cinnamon. Compatible with Duplicity but as mentioned, it’s complicated for Windows.
However I think those are “too complicated” (I prefer raw files instead of archives) and for Linux I’ve been using rsync with a job scheduler (cron) for years. It’s technically not a backup solution in itself but many backup software, like those mentioned, use rsync in some form anyway. Unfortunately it does not work on Windows. My strategy is to use rsync to copy my important files to an older HDD, then the very important files are also sent on an online drive.
The TLDR would be to give Duplicati a try if you really want a backup solution that is cross platform and graphical. Otherwise, there’s nothing more certain than making copies yourself.
I guess I don’t need to remind you to be careful. Take your time. Try restoring to be sure it works. Good luck!
External hard drive.
given the criticality of the stored data I would rather stay in Windows than risking data loss.
That’s what a solid backup strategy is there for. Which has nothing to do with the OS, so get into it.
My only viable backup strategy for Windows so far is to use the File History option in the Control Panel to create incremental backups of my system. There are two issues with this approach with regard to using it for migration:
- Not all directories to be backed up are accounted for. I’ve set the backup so that only the most important files in the default directories are saved in case something happens to the system. I could consider manually including the missing entries if not for the second issue:
- The backups can only be read within the File History menu. The backups themselves are stored in a semi-gibberish manner so it is impractical for me to have it read in Linux, unless there is already a solution for it. Otherwise these backups force me to continue using Windows.
I understand the importance of backups and regularly practice doing so, even if not to the fullest extent. However this scenario is different, where I am actively migrating all my data to a different platform. I need to make sure no data is left behind in the process, including data that I normally don’t back up separately, like user configuration for applications or game saves.
What I am looking for is a program that readily makes my Windows data ready for migration to Linux by fetching the files from directories where user data and application data is stored and stores it in a platform-agnostic manner in some external location.
I understand the importance of backups and regularly practice doing so, even if not to the fullest extent.
File history is not a backup, and certainly not a backup strategy. If your data truly is critical, which given your lengthy post explaining how far you’re going towards not backing up your data, look at 3-2-1, then reassess how critical your data is. At a minimum, you should have an offline copy on another disk, and not just a volume shadow copy.
Despite the poor name, File History is actually a legitimate backup solution offered by Windows.
I’m stating that the vendor lock-in nature of this backup prevents me from directly importing this backup from Windows to Linux.
I think I have misued the word ‘critical’ in my comment. I wish to correct it by stating I simply have documents and photos important to me that I wish to preserve like any other person. It’s just that I am not in a financial situation to keep three separate copies of my data, excluding the hard drive I’m lending only for the migration.
I also want to state that I am not looking for a backup solution in this post. I simply wish to transfer my files from Windows to Linux and was hoping for a tool to automate the process of doing so.
We know you’re not looking for a backup solution. But at least I fucked up by being in the same situation as you a long time ago and it resulted in hours of agony over lost project files, personal photos and months of restoring access to hundreds of accouns. Trust me, you don’t want to go through that.
What happens with your data and backup if:
- your drive dies?
- someone breaks in and steals the pc?
- your house burns down?
How will file history help you get back those files?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup#3-2-1_Backup_Rule
The idea that a minimal backup solution should include 3 copies of the data, stored on 2 different types of storage media, and one copy should be kept offsite, in a remote location
I would personally buy a new ssd for Linux, and keep the original windows drive somewhere else for safe keeping. That’s what I did when I migrated
However, you can transfer the entire ssd content including files, partitions, boot stuff to another disk (e.g. your hdd) as long as that hdd is bigger than or the same size as your ssd. have a look at clonezilla for this. You can then read this hard drive’s contents from the new Linux install to copy over files you want.
You have critical data? What you need is a backup procedure. This is your first item to check off.
Once you can reliably backup and restore your critical data you will see that the os change will look a lot less scary.
The only backup solution Windows readily gives me is made in a manner that locks me in their ecosystem so I can’t really use it to migrate to Linux. Could you suggest a different solution perhaps?
Start with a portable hard drive which only has one job “store a copy of your critical data”.
- move the drive as infrequently as possible, especially when it’s turned on.
- only ever write to it when you do your periodic backup.
- only plug it in when you need to read from or write to it.
It’s a paranoid set of rules, but if this data is critical, this is a good idea. Even better is to have an additional copy of that data in cloud storage.
As far as operating system, you absolutely can use a Linux machine, but learning a new system risks you accidentally deleting data so be careful. Linux has ways of reading windows-formatted hard drives, so as much as I prefer Linux, I would say don’t try new things on the machine which hold critical data.
There are a million ways to back data up, many of them are as simple as “copy it to removable media”, and don’t require any clever operating system features at all.
What removable media you can use depends on the quantity of data, and how long you need the backup to last. Maybe DVDs, or USB drives. If the data is valuable enough, you can also pay for cloud storage and upload it
At some point, your SSD will fail. If you’re lucky, that is quite a while away. If you’re unlucky, that’s tomorrow. If your data is truly critical, at least copy it to a second drive, even if you don’t do a proper/full 3-2-1 backup.
Also, if you’re asking whether you can move data from one drive from an old file system to a new file system that replaces the old one on the same drive without copying data to a different drive - no.
So your issue sounds is one of disorganization rather than backup or migration.
Use something like WizTree or WinDirStat, which will help you visualize the data on your disk, and hopefully locate your critical files. You’ve got no choice other than to grind it out and get your shit organized.
Once done, migrate your newly organized files onto a new disk. Unless you want to play with weird drivers, I’d recommend you format the new disk as ExFat to maximize compatibility between Linux and Windows.
You’ve got no choice other than to grind it out and get your shit organized.
I didn’t want to believe it, but sadly it’s true. It’s going to take a long time for me to search for all my files, but if it’s the only right way to go, then so be it.
You have an external HDD, so just use it as a temporary shuttle for your files if you don’t have enough space on your SSD to make it all fit comfortably.
I have never used or cared about this W11. It has never seen the internet. I only keep it around for my keyboard’s RGB controller app if I ever need it. So I have no clue if this is everything or whatnot, but that is a screenshot of my access to the windows file system from within the file manager of Fedora. That is a dual boot partition. Fedora is particularly good at coexisting with a dual boot partition.
