Yes, Linux can be plugged and played with easily.
Yes, Linux can be plugged and played with easily.
Hello! I’m transitioning from a laptop to a desktop setup. My second hard drive is a Linux (Ubuntu 20.04) installation containing crucial research files. I’m wondering if I can connect this drive directly to my new Ryzen PC without any adjustments. Would it work out of the box, or would I need to tweak settings? I’d prefer avoiding backups and reinstalling apps to save time. How might this affect my current FreeCAD work and CFD simulations? Thanks in advance!
There's no guarantee but it might work. If it boots you'll just need to install a bunch of new drivers. If it doesn't, well... unless you want to go insane trying to find the issue and fixing it with a chroot you'll have to install from scratch. Regardless if you have any important data you should make a backup as soon as possible, not just for this but in general.
I've transferred an arch setup from an old AMD APU laptop to a newer i5 4210u, then to an FX6300 desktop, and finally to my current Ryzen 3700X without issues. Be sure nothing was blacklisted that could affect the new system.
It could potentially help, though many have advised going with a fresh setup instead.
In the majority of situations the drivers are already included in the kernel. Even new versions should function properly allowing you to install custom drivers later. This applies to Windows as well, though Linux may differ depending on the kernel version—unless it's an outdated release like an ancient Ubuntu 20.04.
It will usually work without much fuss. All the controls are built into the kernel, so no additional software is needed. New graphics drivers may need a full reinstall when the card changes.
Simply installed the latest update and upgraded to version 20.04 before removing the old setup. Then transferred it into the new system, set it as the boot device, and you’ll be amazed at how smoothly it starts up. A few small adjustments may be needed based on your hardware—like whether you had an AMD GPU in the previous system or a Nvidia one in the new one—but most cases work perfectly, almost like magic.
Your current laptop runs an Intel CPU paired with a Nvidia GPU. The upcoming system will feature an AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 4750G APU, and you won’t be adding a GPU in the new build for at least a few months. It seems safe to proceed with an apt update before removal; it should still function properly.
The AMDGPU is integrated into the kernel, which means it should function perfectly without requiring driver adjustments.