Okay, once everything is done and I now have a Linux Laptop sitting on my desk, then what?
Are all my Windows programs now useless? Or will they function as normal?
That is my main question............
“Okay, once everything is done and I now have a Linux Laptop sitting on my desk, then what?
Are all my Windows programs now useless? Or will they function as normal?
That is my main question............”
Yes, your Windows stuff will now no longer work on the Linux itself. And this is why I have always suggested making it dual boot “Alongside” in Linux terms. That way you have both.
At boot up it will give you a 30 second menu to choose booting Windows instead of Linux. If you ignore it then it will automatically boot into Linux as the primary OS. But there is a small one line code edit that will switch those to Windows booting as the primary instead if you like.
But if you wipe the whole drive and make it a strictly Linux machine then you will have to invest some time to find Linux replacement apps for your Windows apps. Fortunately the Mint will come loaded with all kinds of basic apps one will need. Example Libreoffice suite to replace MSOffice, image processing app, “time shift” to make restore points, Etc. It comes quite fully loaded with replacement apps.
Now a note on Dual booting. Something cool Linux will let you do when set up as dual boot. While in the Linux you can actually still go access the MS volumes and files. So it is just copy and paste or drag and drop to move files from the Windows folders into the Linux folders. And they are the same- Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Etc.