Migration from Windows to Linux

Ted Roche tedroche at tedroche.com
Thu Oct 28 09:40:01 EDT 2004


David:

Welcome aboard. I'm sure you will enjoy the ride!

As others have said, what you ask requires a broad and deep answer. 
Here's my short formula for a simple and successful migration:

1. Get a second machine, new, used, whatever you can afford. Newer, 
faster, more diskspace and ram is better. Over time, you'll use this 
machine more and more, and finally turn the other machine off. However, 
anywhere along the way, you've got the backup of the original machine, 
and the option of wiping the Linux machine and starting over. I 
strongly recommend this technique over a dual-boot situation, as you'll 
find you're always in the wrong OS.

2. Select a distribution and install it.

3. Identify a function you do you want to move to Linux.

4. Find matching Free/OpenSourceSoftware and read up on its ability to 
migrate your data (most support this, if not, try another).

For example, the Mozilla Thunderbird mail reader is supposed to import 
Outlook Express mailboxes. Install it first on your Windows machine, 
import the files, verify it works (sometimes it takes a little 
experimentation and adjustment), and them move the resulting files to 
your new Linux machine. You'll find you should be able to do the same 
with office files, bookmarks, and many other file types.

5. Install, configure and migrate.

6. Repeat steps 3,4,5 until done.

There is rarely a one-size fits all solution. And one of the most 
bewildering things for neophyte FOSS users is the number and range of 
choices available. Want to do email? mutt, pine, Evolution, Thunderbird 
and Mozilla Mail are all popular. Browsing? Firefox, KHTML and dozens 
of others. Office automation? AbiWord, OpenOffice.org, ... You have 
choices. That means picking and choosing the best for your purposes. We 
do this all the time with cameras, stereos, cars, groceries, but many 
folks are a bit shaken at discovering there is just not one "best" 
option (except in the opinions of many here <g>)....

And the devil's in the details. Steps #2 and #5 sound simple enough, 
but each will require research, thought, and effort.

But post your questions here, and we'll answer what we can.

Ted Roche
Ted Roche & Associates, LLC
http://www.tedroche.com
On Oct 27, 2004, at 1:49 PM, David Ecklein wrote:

> I am new to GNHLUG.  And after years of bare acquaintence, still new 
> to Linux.  At this point I understand mainly its promise.
>  
> Many people new to Linux, yours truly included, first want to know how 
> to migrate Windows installations to Linux.  Whether OO or Linux email 
> handling may be superior or inferior to their M$ equivalents (in 
> performance or cost) seems irrelevent to the migration question, once 
> the decision is made for whatever reason.  These days it may be 
> security or stability, rather than performance or cost as I had 
> originally thought.
>  
> A question posed recently by "aahad1" on www.linuxgazette.com  - "Can 
> anyone suggest [me] some good reading for near perfect (if not 
> perfect) migration" - has not been answered there as yet.  I am 
> lifting my own question from this forum and asking it here; none of 
> the newbie primers handle it well, and it is usually met by some 
> know-it-all handwaving that does nothing to advance the questioner's 
> ability to migrate from Windows to Linux.  Nor does it build 
> confidence in taking this momentous step.  I hope to see and learn 
> something more constructive here on GNHLUG. 
>   
> For instance, one big problem is moving email accounts and settings 
> (where possible and relevant) from Win to Lin (and perhaps back 
> again).  Even doing this between two Win systems is non-trivial and 
> therefore some excellent utilities have become necessary (and 
> available) to aid the user.  Most of these compress the source system 
> email account into a file which is later expanded appropriately on the 
> target system.  The ideal would be a similar utility to assist Win-Lin 
> migration of email accounts.  There may be such utilities; does anyone 
> know?
>  
> There are many, many other issues in migration.  From listing 
> equivalent procedures and programs to suggesting appropriate means for 
> file conversions.  I have neither seen a helpful reference, nor even a 
> good website, dealing with the issues involved.  If such does not 
> exist, then for those who understand both worlds well and can write to 
> those who do not, without condescension and with a minimum of 
> acronymitis, there is an opportunity to generate a best seller or some 
> heavy internet traffic.  "Mad-dog" Hall's invaluable primer helped me 
> get Linux running a few years ago; perhaps he can write a sequel to 
> show me and the other "dummies" how to get our stuff off M$ and onto 
> the right system.
>  
> Maybe it's not possible or practical - or the dish has too many 
> flavors.  But maybe not, which is why I am asking.
>  
> Believe me, this is an important issue.  One which often keeps users 
> chained to Windows for their working system and Linux mainly as their 
> once-in-awhile educational playtoy.
>  
> Dave Ecklein
> Rumney NH (anyone up beyond Concord want to form a northern chapter?)
  
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