This PC is basically my life, I use it for work (freelance business), entertainment, and to self host a server so I’m hesitant. I have a handful of questions for now while I look into it more:

  1. I’d prefer not to dual boo, but it might be the safest way to start? If I dual boot, get used to Linux and (hopefully) get everything I need working, can I then go from dual boot to erasing the Windows partition and recombining so I then only have Linux installed and can keep the work and programs I already installed on Linux?

  2. I do voiceover work, music production, and digital art/photography. Anyone else here do all this and what programs would you recommened to replace Audition, Photoshop, and Cubase?

–2.1. Regarding music production, has anyone successfully used vst files from Windows on Linux?

  1. The drives for my server are NTFS. Does anyone have experience with this format on Linux (I use Emby)?

  2. My bread and butter right now is voice acting so I NEED everything to play nice. I’ve read there might be some issues with drivers for my hardware, namely Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 and Behringer UV1. Anyone have any experience with this?

EDIT: Wow that’s a lot of responses. I’d like to respond to each but I’m a bit overwhelmed with all the info haha. I think I’m gonna grab an old external USB drive and live boot from there and test things out. Thanks to everyone, I’ve got a tonne to mull over now. Appreciate it!

  • @[email protected]
    1•16 hours ago

    You could acquire a pretty cheap PC for Linux it runs on a potato. Try an electrical scrap heap nearby that you can fossick from or a friend with an old, unused system in storage (even a cheap $20 retro PC from your local marketplace?) to acquire an old retro system. You might not even need a new screen depending what connections your existing screens/TV has and if you could use a cheap adapter and cable from the thrift store.

    Linux runs on basically any retro PC and laptop excluding some annoying wifi chips that need planning before the install if you don’t have ethernet. Some really old tech may also require specific distributions that still offer support too.

    Machines with a 32bit CPU you will want to confirm beforehand if your chosen distribution still offers a supported 32bit install image and retro PC’s with obscure expansion cards that perhaps were never supported. This is likely moving into vintage collectors territory though and you would have to be pretty lucky now to find a machine like that super cheap and working.