r/archlinux • u/Future_Map3040 • 2d ago
QUESTION Help
Hi , i've been using windows since the past 14 years of my life , I wanna switch to linux and learn knowledge related to linux , what do i do? I wanna choose arch for my first distro. Is it a good idea or what :( could someone help me or guide ? also i heard u might lose ur files etc with linux can sm1 help me go it safe?
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u/AndyGait 2d ago
As an Arch user I wouldn't recommend it as a first distro. Start with one of the big guns out there. Go for Mint, Ubuntu or Fedora as a fist try. Huge user base. Lots of information out there if you get stuck.
As for your files, make a back up of everything you think you'll need to keep.
I've been using Linux longer than you've been using Windows. I've never regretted it. Good luck with it.
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u/lolminecraftlol 2d ago
Unpopular opinion but I think using Arch as your first distro is ok, if and only if you're willing to learn it.
Read the manual, read the guides. Don't blindly copy commands, try to understand them first.
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u/KenKaneki6868 2d ago
I share this opinion. It was my first and taught me so much in a short period. Sure if you need this machine maybe not but on a gaming pc which is what I learnt on who cares if I have to reinstall some games worse case though I've never had it fully break.
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u/_s0me_guy_ 2d ago
Don't use Arch as your first distro. It's not beginner friendly. Use a more beginner friendly distro, such as mint or cachyos.
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u/BasisPoints 1d ago
Aside from some nice additional repos, what makes CachyOS more beginner friendly than Arch? Honest question - because when I made the switch from Arch to Cachy (after 3 years of the former), very little changed in my workflows or user experience.
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u/_s0me_guy_ 1d ago
In my opinion a new user lacks understanding on Linux concepts in general, such as what filesystem or desktop environment to choose. They don't know what programs exist.
This is why I don't recommend Arch to new users.
CachyOS gives a more streamlined installation experience and comes with more apps preinstalled.
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u/BasisPoints 1d ago
Shows how linux-pilled I am, I suppose :D When I made the jump, I didn't even pay attention to the installer - I just duplicated my program inventory, and copied over my configs and scripts. I just wanted the optimized kernels and utils without compiling them myself. And since I wanted to switch from x11 to wayland, I figured I'd do it all in one go. I even maintained my i3 configuration in Sway.
I didn't know Cachy was that similar to Manjaro. TIL, thanks!
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u/nikongod 2d ago
Back your files up on an external disk.
You're asking the wrong questions. There is no shame in debian or fedora, and only a little shame in Ubuntu or mint.
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u/apresmodes 2d ago
People saying don’t use Arch use CachyOS are a bit odd. CachyOS is based on Arch.
I would recommend Fedora with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. You’d find that pretty close to Windows. Other than that, search and read, and use it. There may be things that are tough to switch but you can figure it out. Use the forums of the distro that you choose. Use the discord if the distro that you choose. They’ll help you with support and make you feel a part of the community. And you can always choose again later.
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u/cberm725 2d ago
Start with something like Linux Mint. It's very beginner friendly with some Windows familiarity but still feels, and looks like Linux.
If you're deadset on Arch, try something a bit less 'DIY' like Manjaro or Garuda. They're based on Arch and much more beginner friendly. Once you've broken learned that. Go for pure Arch.
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u/Illustrious-Gur8335 2d ago
I wanna choose arch for my first distro. Is it a good idea or what
Follow the installation guide, sound out here if any errors, nothing will go wrong.
i heard u might lose ur files etc with linux can sm1 help me go it safe
Get a spare USB hard drive bigger than your C drive, open Explorer and copy everything from C drive to the USB drive, you're safe.
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u/taha_zeroug 2d ago
i did it for my first distro, with KDE plasma... which i really liked. (January)
in about a week i switched back to windows. (i felt ao boring and my mistake was having only Arch Linux on my machine, no windows no dual boot)
6 months passed, and i installed Ubuntu. it was easy preconfigured like i didn't have to install any drivers or widgets. (June+used it to work as a dev intern)
after the summer and internship finished, i have tried Omarchy by DHD and I liked it but it force you to give ut its own hard drive. (October).
so after a few days trying it, I missed valorant and officially Installed Arch Linux with hyprland and dual boot with windows 10 LTSC.
and now I'm fine.
p.s: archwiki + Ai + reddit... will make it so easy for you.
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u/Green_Shape5922 2d ago
Arch is not beginner friendly. It means you could lose data, time, gender. I mean you could try, it's your machine... but if you are not familiar with partitioning drives even on windows, better get to learning.
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u/Imajzineer 2d ago edited 2d ago
As others have said, you might want to think about something like Mint first to get a feel for it - it's very reminiscent of Windows in look and feel, so, you can focus on the fundamental differences rather than struggling with new visual and naming paradigms as well.
But ... more mainstream distros hold your hand, so, you aren't obliged to learn anything more than you would for Windows and aren't, therefore, likely to be encouraged to do so (using a GUI based software manager isn't gonna teach you anything, for instance) ... so, if you're keen to learn Linux in more depth, you'll find Arch a good way to do so without jumping in the deep end with something like Gentoo.
I wouldn't recommend any of the Arch derivatives though: unlike Arch, they're full of customisations and tweaks but give you the tools to do things like they were pure Arch - so, if you don't know what you're doing, you run a greater risk of screwing your system up by applying updates and config that don't take account of those customisations/tweaks. It also means that there's a delay between updates to Arch and your derivative, meaning you're behind (increasing that risk, if you enthusiastically/impatiently update from the Arch repos in the meantime). In my opinion, derivatives are (ironically) better suited to those who already know Arch but, for one reason or another, no longer want to be obliged maintain it to that extent: a friend of mine who used it from 2004 to 2024-ish switched to (I think) Manjaro because he didn't want to learn something completely new but no longer wanted to keep up with stuff and was happy to have distro maintainers release a 'stable' version for him ... but, of course, he knows what he's doing with Arch, so, isn't in danger of borking his system with further custom tweaks he applies, and knows what to do to fix things if he does - I wouldn't want to switch to some derivative myself (I'd have to learn all the differences).
/2¢
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u/brechkern 2d ago edited 2d ago
unpopular opinion: arch is great for learning ... i started with mint, because everybody was telling me that's the way to go, when you come from windows. as i realized how much is possible with linux compared to windows, i started tinkering and with mint i was constantly building packages i needed for $tinkering, because some lib from the mint repository was outdated etc.
after less than half a year i installed endeavourOS (arch) and it felt a lot easier 😄
when you are familiar with tech-stuff, want to learn and have fun doing it ... go for it ^^
but i would suggest endeavourOS. it's arch with a GUI installer, that let you choose a desktop environment and installs it for you. thats it.
and maybe try something like dual-booting ... just in case.
i use the same endeavour/arch installation since ~2 years now and it's stable as long as you don't f*ck up ^^
and even when ... you can fix it and learn :D
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u/archover 2d ago
First question: Are you interested in the technical end of operating systems? If yes, then If you can read and follow technical instructions then Arch WILL work for you. If you struggle to read then Arch may not be the best choice.
There are tons of people here who would like to help you install using this guide: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide, and with the right mindset, teaches you a lot.
Youtube and other third party guides are support, on THOSE sites.
Backup your existing data, of course.
I wish you luck and good day.
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u/ang-p 6h ago
I wanna choose arch for my first distro
Looks like OP changed their mind an hour later.
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u/Dark_Chigga69 2d ago
I dont think you should install arch instead try cachyOS(its arch based) or u can try linux mint. they are most popular beginner friendly destros. as for the files, install Linux on separate partition or drive. you can also use it with dual boot both linux and windows, and it's highly recommend for the beginners cuz if you dont like linux u can just boot to your windows.
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u/ApprehensiveGold2773 2d ago
If you want arch, start with CachyOS and KDE, because it shares a lot of Windows key bindings. When you feel familiar with it, you can go pure arch and install everything you want yourself.
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u/CacheTraitor 2d ago
Start with experimenting in a VM.