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Before replacing Windows, create and verify an independent copy of every file you need, save the BitLocker recovery key, record Windows activation and recovery information, and test the exact computer with the Linux distribution’s live preview. Check storage mode, firmware settings, applications, and peripherals before selecting an erase option.
Ubuntu is used below as a concrete example. Its installer and hardware guidance are not universal rules for every distribution or PC, so consult the current instructions for the distribution and model you will actually use.
What should I back up before replacing Windows with Linux?
Back up to storage separate from the Windows disk you may erase. An external hard drive, USB flash drive, or cloud location can hold the copy; Microsoft lists these destinations in its recovery guidance (Microsoft recovery options). Ubuntu’s installation guide also warns users to back up before changing the disk (Ubuntu Desktop installation guide).
Make a normal file copy, not just a Windows transfer
Copy documents, photos, videos, Desktop and Downloads folders, project directories, local email archives, browser-export files, game saves, virtual machines, and anything stored outside the standard user folders. Include files on secondary internal volumes and removable media. This is a practical inventory rather than a guarantee that Windows stores every user file in one location.
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Windows Backup’s transfer feature is intended for setting up another Windows PC. Microsoft says it does not transfer installed applications, saved passwords or sign-in credentials, or files on BitLocker-encrypted drives (Microsoft’s transfer documentation). It therefore cannot serve as a complete Linux migration plan.
Verify the copy before touching partitions
Open representative files directly from the external disk or cloud account. Check the most important folders, compare approximate file counts or sizes, and confirm that large projects and archives are readable. Keep the backup disconnected while installing when practical. If the installer USB also contains personal files, move those files elsewhere first: creating installation media can erase that USB.
Do I need my BitLocker recovery key?
Yes, if BitLocker or Windows device encryption is enabled, preserve the recovery key before changing disks, firmware, or storage modes. Microsoft describes it as a 48-digit number and warns that Support cannot retrieve, provide, or recreate a lost key (Microsoft’s BitLocker recovery-key guidance).
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Save it somewhere you can reach from another device
Sign in to the Microsoft account, print the key, or store it in another safe location according to your organization’s policy. Do not leave the only copy on the Windows partition that may be erased. A work or school computer may have keys managed by organizational IT, so ask that administrator before proceeding.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Why the key matters for a Linux installation
For a complete replacement, the immediate purpose is preserving access to any encrypted data you still need. For dual boot or a possible return to Windows, it is also part of the recovery plan. Ubuntu says its installer cannot safely access an encrypted Windows installation for an alongside install while BitLocker is enabled. Its documented alternatives include disabling BitLocker or using a separate unencrypted disk; those choices have security and setup consequences and should be made only after the data and recovery key are protected.
Inventory software, accounts, and workflows
Write down every program and service you rely on, including subscriptions, browser profiles, password-manager access, two-factor authentication methods, local databases, special fonts, plug-ins, macros, and file formats. Confirm Linux support or a workable replacement with each software publisher before removing Windows. Do not assume that a Windows executable will run on Linux or that an alternative has identical features.
Cloud-synced files may be available after signing in rather than through Windows Backup’s transfer feature. Export data from applications that keep information locally, such as mail clients, accounting tools, creative applications, and development environments. Record license details and activation steps while the original software still runs.
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In Windows, note whether the installation is Home or Pro, its activation status, and the Microsoft account associated with the device. Microsoft says activation uses either a digital license or a 25-character product key, and describes a digital license as associated with the device’s hardware (Microsoft’s Windows activation guidance). A major hardware change can affect reactivation; a saved license is not a universal promise that Windows can be transferred to a different computer.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Create recovery media before erasing the disk
If you may return to Windows, identify the manufacturer’s recovery image or create recovery media before installation. Microsoft notes that OEM recovery media can include hardware-specific drivers and factory applications, which may provide better compatibility than a generic installation. Keep the media and its instructions separate from the Linux installation USB. Microsoft’s Windows reinstallation guidance explains the role of installation media and reiterates the need for a backup.
How do I know if my laptop works with Ubuntu?
Find the exact model on Ubuntu’s certified-hardware list before making changes. Canonical says certified devices have been tested and confirmed to work well with Ubuntu. If the model is not listed, that is not proof of failure; Ubuntu recommends trying the Desktop preview instead.
Test the hardware you actually need
Boot the live session and exercise the functions that would prevent daily use:
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- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wired networking, and airplane-mode controls
- Internal and external displays, graphics acceleration, brightness keys, and docking
- Speakers, headphone output, microphone, and webcam
- Keyboard, touchpad, touchscreen, function keys, and suspend/resume
- Fingerprint reader, printer, scanner, storage readers, and specialist USB or serial equipment
This checklist identifies what to test; it is not a promise that every component works on every model.
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Can I try Linux before installing it?
Yes. Create Ubuntu installation media, boot from it, and select the option to try the desktop without changing the internal disk. Canonical explicitly recommends the preview when a device is not on its certified list: “If you can’t see your device there, you can always just Try Ubuntu Desktop and check if everything works as expected” (Ubuntu’s Try Ubuntu Desktop guide).
Interpret a failed live test carefully
The preview uses open-source drivers only. Ubuntu says proprietary drivers, including some NVIDIA graphics drivers, may be missing from the preview and can be enabled during installation or later. A missing feature in the live session therefore requires investigation; it does not by itself prove that the installed system cannot support the hardware.
Check storage mode and firmware before installation
Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST)
Ubuntu states that its installer does not support Intel RST. On an affected machine, installation cannot proceed until RST is disabled; Ubuntu points to a Windows-to-AHCI reconfiguration procedure in its installation documentation. Storage-mode changes can make the existing Windows installation unbootable if performed incorrectly, so follow the procedure for the exact computer, keep the backup available, and confirm that the recovery key is accessible before changing anything.
Secure Boot
You do not automatically need to turn off Secure Boot. Ubuntu documents Secure Boot support and explains that third-party kernel modules can be signed with a Machine Owner Key (Ubuntu Secure Boot documentation). Depending on the hardware and modules required, setup may ask you to create a password that is needed after installation. Read the selected distribution’s current instructions before altering firmware settings.
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Will installing Linux erase Windows?
It depends on the installer choice. In Ubuntu, “Erase disk and install Ubuntu” is the single-operating-system path and replaces the existing installation. Treat it as destructive: do not select it until the independent backup, encryption key, application inventory, activation notes, and return path are complete.
Ubuntu also offers an alongside option that keeps Windows and its files when the disk layout and encryption permit it. Canonical states, “If your device currently has another operating system installed, you also have the options to install Ubuntu alongside that system.” However, BitLocker prevents Ubuntu’s installer from safely accessing the encrypted Windows installation for this path. Manual partitioning is intended for advanced users; layouts, UEFI settings, encryption, and installer behavior vary, so a generic partition recipe is unsafe.
| Decision point | Replace Windows | Keep Windows alongside Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Existing installation | Erase-and-install replaces it | Windows remains available when setup is compatible |
| Backup | Essential before selecting erase | Still essential before resizing or partitioning |
| BitLocker | Preserve needed data and the recovery key first | Ubuntu says encrypted Windows cannot be safely accessed by its alongside installer |
| Storage setup | Ubuntu calls erase-and-install the easiest single-OS option | Needs sufficient free space and a compatible disk configuration |
| Best fit | You have verified Linux workflows and want one operating system | You still need Windows applications or want a transition period |
This comparison describes Ubuntu’s documented choices; another distribution or computer may handle dual boot differently.
Installation media and Ubuntu-specific requirements
Ubuntu’s current Desktop guide lists at least 25 GB of storage and recommends an 8 GB-or-larger flash drive for installation media. These are requirements for the documented Ubuntu Desktop release, not general minimums for every Linux distribution. The flash drive is installer media, not a substitute for the separate backup drive.
Will my Windows programs work on Linux?
Some may have Linux editions, web versions, or compatibility options, but the available guidance does not establish support for any particular application. Check each publisher’s current requirements, export data while Windows is still running, and test critical workflows in a live environment or on a non-production machine. If a program, driver, plug-in, or peripheral is business-critical and has no confirmed Linux path, retaining Windows—on the same machine or another one—may be safer than an immediate erase.
A go/no-go check before selecting Erase disk
- Open important files from an independent backup and keep that copy disconnected.
- Confirm the BitLocker recovery key is readable from outside the disk being changed.
- Record Windows edition, activation information, accounts, application licenses, and recovery media.
- Boot the target distribution’s live preview and test the peripherals and workflows that matter.
- Check the exact model’s certification status, Intel RST/storage mode, firmware settings, and Secure Boot requirements.
- Choose erase, alongside, or a separate disk only after deciding how you will recover Windows if necessary.
Only after every item passes should you start the installer. If any item fails, stop and resolve that specific risk rather than relying on the Windows disk as your backup or assuming the installer can undo an erase.
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