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Field Notes from a Real Migration

WINDOWS → LINUX

Everything I had to figure out the hard way — distro choice, hardware quirks, software replacements, and development setup — all documented so you don't have to.

35 Guides
10 Sections
Real HW Verified
Free Always
Start Here → First Boot Checklist

New to Linux? Start Here.

1

Choose your distro — How to choose among Ubuntu-based starting points without treating any one distro as the default answer.

2

First boot checklist — The exact steps to run after installation before anything else.

3

Package management basics — apt, snap, flatpak, .deb: which one to use and when.

All Sections

Before You Start
Choosing a distro, hardware requirements, installation, and what to expect.
4 guides
Initial Setup
First boot checklist, filesystem hierarchy, DNS, and display server.
4 guides
Hardware
Fan control, power management, fingerprint login, and hardware-specific tuning where needed.
2 guides
Cloud Storage
Dropbox custom directory and Google Drive multi-account setup.
2 guides
Software Installation
Package managers, browsers, keyboards, clipboard tools, LaTeX, and more.
9 guides
Desktop Customization
Icon themes — install, uninstall, and avoid the pitfalls.
1 guide
Development
Stata 19, VS Code-compatible editors, Zed, and cross-platform do-files.
5 guides
Backup & Recovery
Timeshift full system backup to an external drive.
1 guide
Troubleshooting
Common issues, log analysis, and APT repository problems.
3 guides
Appendix
Terminal cheatsheet, glossary, onboarding path, and deep reference guides.
4 guides

Recently Updated

Software Installation
Clipboard Manager on Ubuntu-Based Linux
Install and choose a clipboard history manager on Ubuntu 24.04-based distros: Windows 11 Clipboard History for a Windows-like workflow, CopyQ for power users, and CrossPaste for cross-device sync.
Before You Start
Installing an Ubuntu-Based Linux Distro
A practical installer walkthrough for Ubuntu 24.04-based distros: dual boot, full-disk install, manual partitioning, EFI safety checks, and first-boot handoff.
Hardware
Fingerprint Login Setup
Set up fingerprint login on Ubuntu 24.04-based distros, verify scanner support, enable PAM authentication, and fix common fprintd power-state issues.
Initial Setup
DNS Configuration on Ubuntu-Based Linux
Change, verify, prioritize, and reset DNS settings on Ubuntu 24.04-based desktops and servers using nmcli, Netplan, and systemd-resolved.
Software Installation
BitTorrent Client Setup
Install qBittorrent on an Ubuntu-based distro and configure it for private trackers — including proper port forwarding and tracker-friendly settings.
Software Installation
Browser Setup
Install Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave on an Ubuntu-based distro. Migrate bookmarks and extensions from Windows. Fix DPI scaling issues.

Featured Guides

Appendix · Featured
Linux Mastery Guide — Complete Reference
19-section Linux reference covering terminal mastery, app replacements, security, gaming, scripting, customization, and emergency recovery — the technical deep-dive companion to Linux Treasure Hunt.
Single-page reference
Appendix · Featured
Linux Treasure Hunt — 90-Day Onboarding Path
Gamified 90-day journey from Windows refugee to Linux native — a paced onboarding path with weekly missions, habits, and survival checkpoints.
90-day onboarding path
Platform: The guides were tested on Zorin OS 18.1 Pro (Ubuntu 24.04 Noble base) on a Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2, but the instructions are written for Ubuntu 24.04-based distros unless a guide explicitly says otherwise.