New user to Linux, have a few questions?

Question

So, I want to get Linux, thinking Linux Mint or Ubuntu. I will probably use it with dual boot so I can use Windows at the same time. I want to know if me GPU and CPU can be used for games, I know Linux has barley no games for it, but still, the ones it does have, will my GPU be able to run with Linux? Will I have to download a new driver? Assuming it will make a partition on my HDD, how big will it be? Will it interfere with Windows at all? Best answer to anyone who can answer these to the best way.

Answer 1

"barley no games"

This stuff about "Linux is no good for games" is so out-of-date it's not funny any longer. Linux has a huge selection of darn good games of its own, and most Steam games can run on Linux now. Until you have raced down a mountainside on your belly eating herrings as you go, you haven't lived (Extreme Tux Racer)

Answer 2

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You will need to be a little more specific here, what is the hardware? If it is Intel, then you will not need to install any new drivers as Intel produces decent open drivers. If it is ATI, the open driver may suffice for you, if not then you will generally need to install the proprietary driver. With Nvidia, you will need to install the proprietary driver.



At any rate, I know that Linux Mint will generally do this for you during install. I think Ubuntu will also. Thus you will not really need to worry about it.



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No. Linux Mint will do it for you.



If it were a distro like Debian, then you would have to download the source for the driver, manually configure it, compile it, then install it.



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It will generally let you decide that.



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For the most part no. To make sure that it doesn't, be sure to defrag your windows partition several times in a row to make sure that no important data gets lost.



There is a rare case where the Windows partition moves a couple of bytes rendering Windows unbootable, However, this is something which can be corrected http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/238687-50-boot-win7-mint-install

Answer 3

If it runs Windows, it will run Linux. Many Windows games work fine under linux, and Steam was made specifically to work with Ubuntu.



Will you have to download a driver? No, but you should just to be sure you have the latest video card driver.



The partition will be what you tell it to be, it will not do this automatically. You have to clear room on your hard drive for the linux partition, and you have to tell it how big you want it.



It will not interfere with Windows at all. I've ran linux and Windows on the same computer for many years, and Windows could not care less if there is linux on the computer.

Answer 4

If you where able to game in Windows then you should be okay. From what I've experienced both Nvidia and ATI cards work well. Right now as a Linux user I have a Steam account and have quite a bit of fun from the games available there. I would also recommend checking out Desura and what they have to offer for Linux games.



I don't dual-boot anymore but instead run a small install of Linux Mint with openbox or XFCE as the desktop for experimentation purposes but I have run Linux full time for a total of about 6 years. It works well as a productive workstation or as a server. And now they're just starting to get somewhere with gaming. Have fun!

Answer 5

the partitions can be manually created, or you can choose an automatic mode, either way, the size is your choice. i recommend you defrag the Windows partition to the right and use Windows tool to shrink to an appropriate size, then leave unallocated space. restart a coupls of times.



when you get to the installation wizard for ubuntu or mint, there should be a partitioning option of something like "install to free space".



as for drivers, i think the methods vary. you get open source drivers provided sometimes (always?), people often like to install the proprietory ones, which can be done through the drivers section of sources program, i am vague as things have changed over the system versions, and i personally dont need proprietory drivers. but that should get you going in the right direction.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedDrivers