Hi all, I’m planning to do a clean install of Linux Mint on my laptop and completely remove Windows. I have about 300GB of personal data on the system and only one SSD, so everything is currently stored on that single drive.

Here’s what I want to do:

  1. Back up all my data safely, without losing any metadata (timestamps, folder structure, etc.).
  2. Wipe Windows and do a clean install of Linux Mint.
  3. Restore my data with everything intact—timestamps, folder structure, and metadata.
  4. Be able to open or run file types that are only supported by Windows, like certain .exe, .msi, or specific file types.

I don’t have a second internal drive, so I’ll probably use an external hard drive or cloud storage.

What i want to know is:

1.What’s the best way to back up and restore my data safely while preserving all metadata?

2.What tools or methods should I use for backup and restore?

3.How can I access or use files that are only supported by Windows once I’ve switched to Linux? Are there workarounds or compatibility layers?

I’m fairly new to Linux, so beginner-friendly advice would be awesome.

Thanks in advance!

  • Colloidal@programming.devEnglish
    3·
    17 hours ago
    1. are you currently regularly backing up your data? If so, use that. In case everything goes tits up, you’ll need a Windows box to restore that (unless your tool can also work on Linux). Now, if you’re not using a backup tool yet, you can either choose one for Windows now or accept some metadata loss and carry on with #2 below.
    2. I’m assuming for this question you mean a tool to transfer data between your installs. Most data compressors will store creation and modification times and folder structure. Some can store owners, but that will be useless in your new Linux install. What other metadata are you talking about? Photography metadata (ISO, aperture, etc) stays in the file, not outside it on the filesystem. So if you’re satisfied with that, I’d recommend 7zip. Add your important files to an archive on an external hard drive.
    3. If you mean Windows partitions, don’t worry, those are fully supported in Linux. If you man individual files, it’s more complex to explain, but not a cause for worry. There’s nothing inherent in a file that ties it to a particular OS, with the exception of applications (executables). So what you have to look for is what Linux applications can handle the particular file type you’re interested. Failing that there’s Wine/Proton. You know the Steam Deck? It’s a Linux device running Windows games through Wine and Proton, which are compatibility layers. It’s no silver bullet, though, some apps don’t work well or at all.
    4. Bonus A: for backup on Linux, it’s hard to beat Borg. Vorta is a great GUI for it. Easy to set up, is remarkably fast, and compresses data really well.