Yes, we can create multiple accounts tailored to specific needs.
Yes, we can create multiple accounts tailored to specific needs.
Hi everyone! Last year I assembled a Ryzen Desktop just for flight simulating and some gaming (GTA, Tomb Raider, Apex). For my job as an audio engineer, I mostly rely on either a MacBook Pro or a Mac Mini, but at one point both needed replacement. While I’m fine with this setup, I’m curious if it’s feasible to shift these tasks to my Ryzen Desktop. It would save me the trouble of juggling multiple computers and the big expense. I’d prefer to invest that money in upgrading the desktop itself. My question is: how do you handle separating flight simulating and audio production across different user accounts? I’m thinking about creating a separate account for audio work, but I’m not sure how Windows manages it. Any thoughts?
You won't be able to fully separate them using just user accounts. The software should place temporary files and appdata in user-specific folders, though not every application follows this consistently. To ensure complete isolation, consider dual booting or running virtual machines with hardware passthrough if possible. Right now I host endeavourOS alongside a Windows 10 VM and a Fedora VM, both equipped with GPUs and other hardware. They run almost natively with only slight performance impact—the host OS uses one thread and about 512MB of RAM. Even latency-sensitive games like rhythm titles play smoothly on the guest system.
Windows rarely places apps in appdata unless you configure it yourself. The issue remains that regardless of installation location, all users can access the program via shortcuts created during installation, making it a challenge to remove those shortcuts from other users' desktops and start menus. Once cleared, the programs can be fully isolated. Generally, you can separate files across different user accounts because documents, desktop, and downloads are stored in individual user directories—this is perfectly acceptable. Honestly, you probably don’t need to run a second OS, which is a hassle since you’d have to maintain both. Setting up a VM just for this purpose is possible, especially on Linux, and it can effectively address most of your concerns if you really want to pursue this approach.
I generally don't think there is any point in doing any of this, since op controls both accounts there isn't much actual access control happening, and therefore no point in hiding the application behind a separate user. If it is a security concern (sensitive documents together with random documents). then user accounts don't do much about that and you would be better off implementing some form of encryption, proper access control, or VMs. If it is a professional concern (having work or professional applications alongside leisure applications). Depending on who owns the computer and has ultimate control over it, it either A) doesn't matter, B) Isn't going to stop the owner of the computer from knowing there are games (or whatever) on the PC. If it is a matter of self control (stop yourself from playing games during work). The incredibly minor hurdle of clicking switch accounts is unlikely to actually have any real effect. I don't think setting up VMs is really that difficult, if you can follow directions then you can do it in an afternoon. Really i must ask, what is the reason you want to create this artificial separation?
This could actually work as a viable choice. I already run an Intel NUC with Linux Mint hosting a HomeAssistant VM inside Virtualbox, so it wouldn’t be the first setup in my home. I lack direct experience with hardware installation, but this sounds like a good project for a cloudy day. The main aim is maintaining stability on both sides. The flight sim is quite demanding, requiring many small plugins and background processes that need careful tuning over days to function smoothly. After that, I usually delay updates for months to keep everything operational when needed. On the other hand, audio production tools often include numerous activation managers, license software, and other background utilities running quietly in the background. My intention is to isolate those completely so files wouldn’t clutter my system (since I’m the sole user), but organizing background tasks and app management remains a challenge. To be honest, I’ve considered it a lot—but thought it would be too complicated to get right. On the other hand, switching to a fresh Apple machine feels risky given I recently upgraded to similar performance for the sim.
The process of GPU passthrough can vary based on your approach. Keep this in mind if you decide this route: it may save you time. Using a single GPU can be tricky—it involves disconnecting it from the main kernel, which often causes issues and might not always be possible. If your IOMMU settings are incorrect, that could also hinder hardware passthrough. (For systems built on Arch) https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PCI_pas...h_via_OVMF There’s a lot of information on this page, mainly because the Arch wiki is detailed. Don’t feel overwhelmed if you’re new to setting up VMs; you’ve already done it before. My experience shows how it works: I run EndeavourOS (lightweight Arch Linux with XFCE) as the host OS. My main GPU connects via HDMI to the primary monitor, while the secondary one uses DisplayPort. When the system boots, only Virt-Manager/Libvirt and necessary packages are running. At that stage, my main GPU is idle, not linked to the kernel, effectively inactive. The host can’t use it. I then launch either a Windows guest, Fedora guest, or any other VM I have (including different OSes). The VM boots up, and the secondary monitors appear. Using evdevs, I can switch mouse and keyboard between host and guest with CTRL+L/R. Once the monitor input changes, the primary display shows the guest OS at 1440p, 144Hz. To switch guests, I shut down the current one—then the new one starts, and inputs appear as expected. After that, other monitors connect automatically. I use my audio out for speakers, which have a headphone jack, making sound setup straightforward. In summary, it’s manageable once you get the hang of it. Options like Proxmox exist for enterprise setups; they offer a web-based interface without a desktop UI. Automation is possible—like setting the host to start a preferred guest automatically. Sleep and power plans can cause minor issues, but they’re usually fixable. Overall, since I’ve used VMs now, I’ve encountered fewer problems, especially with Windows not recognizing bootloaders. It really depends on your setup and preferences.