Have a laptop on which I have Windows because of school (worked with Hyper-V there) and would like to continue with Linux now that I use it for university. However, I still have some memories, primarily texts in odt format or pictures in png / jp (e) g, which I would like to keep. Can I install Linux there without deleting it? Or do I have to make a second partition because Linux is on it, then move all personal things over to Linux and then resize the Linux partition?
First test whether and which document types are also recognized by other operating systems, e.g. Is jpg for images across systems.
but with text it gets difficult. It will probably come down to you having to convert that.
I would create a temporary partition in which the personal data / documents are stored.
Then delete the Windoof partition and format it with ext4 (or ext3, if you prefer) and install Linux.
You can leave the contents of the temporary partition there or move them to the Linux partition. You can then delete the Temp partition and add the freed space to the Linux partition.
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With "Gparted" you can do it all in an hour.
Don't you have an external hard drive? If so, I would drag your data onto this and then install Linux. So you still have your data available.
As you said, you could also create a second partition and install Linux there in dual boot. So you have your data as well and if Linux should have compatibility problems with any programs, you still have Windows for it.
I can also refer back to Fanclub75 for now, but I would otherwise simply advise you to create a dual boot system and simply shrink the Windows partition to the maximum minimum.
The easiest way and with very little effort you can do it with the distro "Zorin OS", which I use myself every day.
But also works with any other Ubuntu Based Distro!
Hard drives are wearing parts. And most of the time it is easy to switch even in your notebook yourself.
my recommendation:
just build in another hard drive or SSD with linux, then you can take your time and copy your data from the windows hard drive. All you need is a USB adapter. They are available for very little money. My tip: take an external 2½ "housing.
if you don't get along with linux so easily or whatever, you can reinstall the windows ssd in the device at any time and continue as if nothing had happened.
