Looking for a fresh Linux installation to upgrade your PC?
Looking for a fresh Linux installation to upgrade your PC?
It relies on the specific variations between the systems. It's feasible (even probable) that it will function properly without changes, though you might retain unnecessary components such as outdated drivers or unsuitable ones.
Yes, it mostly "just works", but there is a chance your upgrade goes belly up. The driver for your current GPU may not support a new GPU, which will leave you without a video signal to your monitor. Unlike Win-OS, on Linux the rest of the system will work, so you could log in remotely, provided you've enabled that option by installing the openssh-server package from the repositories beforehand. Also install the aptitude package, this is a text-based GUI for package management so you can use it remotely to uninstall the failed driver and install the new one.
The kernel includes many built-in drivers. A quick reboot can load the right one, which doesn’t matter if you’re turning it off for an upgrade. I’ve experienced Wi-Fi issues on Linux from the start, but at least a video display always works no matter the hardware I’ve used over the past year and a half. I’d try the upgrade but first capture your settings and app list. Once that’s done, reinstalling the OS becomes manageable since most required components are already there and the rest can be handled with package managers.
Most other operating systems don't offer this level of open-source update support. What really stands out is the proprietary GPU drivers Linux doesn't include in its core kernel, even though those under the GPL are usually available for redistribution. The latest and Radeon drivers are present, but especially for nVidia cards, it's widely believed they're not as good as the binary blob drivers nVidia provides.
Certainly. It should function as intended whether switching between NVIDIA and AMD, or between NVIDIA and AMD. The latest driver for the same chipset will still be available.
You have a fair chance Linux will load a video driver, even if just VESA What you also need to realise is that especially nVidia (again) is moving support for older cards away from the main driver and into legacy driver packages. It's generally not a problem, if you know which driver you need (legacy or current) for your card. AMD is doing the same, but in my perception less aggressively.
It could actually work, though there are some challenges that might arise. It’s mainly a clean install, which is the best approach. I spent just a few hours setting it up and will likely be more efficient then. Thanks to everyone for their feedback—I really value your input!