[Newbie] Does an RTX 3070 and I7-12700k work with MX-Linux? And other qeustions [Solved]

[Noax]

Hello world,

I am brand new to the linux world and researched quite a bit so that I want MX Linux to be my first.
So I looked around and found out that the kernel should have "most" drivers for hardware already implemented. Also I should be able to make an usb stick with rufus and an MX-Linux iso file to test it before completely switching to linux.
But I want to asked you: Is it possible on an website to look at the hardware configurations that simply works stable on linux? And does my hardware here work?

Another qeustion: Before I commit I will read the manual and FAQ´s but I want to ask this because I simply must...: I started to really hate windows so I will work a lot to get my ass into linux but how is it for an inexperienced linux user like myself can I get an
-simple OS with the ability to play atleast "some" games (Steam/Proton.db I know of it)
-simple to maintain (updates)
-stable
-Configurable enough so that I can play around with windows exclusive software?

It will take a lot of time for me to get accoustomed to linux I think... It seems like possible that my backed up data (mp4´s and so on) will be readible (NTFS) under linux and I have much much more research to do before I think I have an "good" configured linux on my pc´s but I think that will be worth it. My goal is to be completely independent from Microsoft. I am also willing to restrict my gaming experience for it... it shouldnt hurt "to much" I hope...

Sorry for this first wall-of-text like message and I hope I am in the right thread... and thank you for any answers whatsoever in advance.

Have a nice evening/morning

Sincerely,
Noax

EDIT: I also have DDR5 ram in the above mentioned config... does it work?

[CharlesV]

Welcome In!

So.. the short version. Yes, the RTX and i7-12700K will work. ( I run an RTX 2060 and i7-14700K , twin large nvme's and DDR5 ram and it runs awesome!)

The long version... motherboard, cards / controllers will *ALL* affect how / what will run.. so ... liveUSB up and test it out!

Using ntfs drives is not preferred and can lead to some issues. But.. typically you can install to a different drive, then copy over what you need / want, reformat that ntfs to an ext4 and then put your data back and all will be good.

I strongly suggest that you create a machine, bring it all up the way you want it. Check out the tutorials etc and learn how MX works, get comfortable with linux too.. and as yo do this you will learn how to make it all work for you. Backing up, which applications, etc etc.

[Noax]

Thanks for this really quick answer.

So in reference with ntfs: Can I, because I intend to "clean install" MX Linux, completely format my 3 drives (2 x 1TB 970 Evo+ nvme from Samsung + 2TB HDD) in ext4 then put the needed "plugins" in my system and copy all of my data from the external NTFS HDD to my internal drives then formatted in ext4?

[j2mcgreg]

I suggest that you boot into a live session of MX, go to MX Tools --> Quick System Info, run this utility, click on Copy For Forum at the bottom and then paste the results here in your thread. Once we have that information available, we will be in a better position to answer your questions.

[Noax]

Yes, when I am on my other Pc I will do that (currently sleeping in my other apartment because of work) - thank you for your answer.

But my qeustion in post 3 is a more "general" one. I am currently researching ways to become my many TB of data safe and functioning on an ext4 ("best" file system for flexibility - as I researched) from an an NTFS HDD. And I seem like to not understand it very well. Is it so easy like installing (or is it preinstalled?) Ntfs-3g and plug the HDD in and copy all over and be happy with my videos and other data? Can I reliably copy data from my work PC (it will stay on Windows for the unforseeable future) to my Linux systems?

Essenially I want to know can I get data from NTFS <--> to ext4.

[CharlesV]

Yes, when I am on my other Pc I will do that (currently sleeping in my other apartment because of work) - thank you for your answer.

But my qeustion in post 3 is a more "general" one. I am currently researching ways to become my many TB of data safe and functioning on an ext4 ("best" file system for flexibility - as I researched) from an an NTFS HDD. And I seem like to not understand it very well. Is it so easy like installing (or is it preinstalled?) Ntfs-3g and plug the HDD in and copy all over and be happy with my videos and other data? Can I reliably copy data from my work PC (it will stay on Windows for the unforseeable future) to my Linux systems?

Essenially I want to know can I get data from NTFS <--> to ext4?

If you are going to continue accessing the drive from windows too, then you may want to keep it in ntfs. This is where having a shared area might be good. Connected to windows, shared to your 'network' and pick up data from it via network shares.

Locally, Linux can access the ntfs drive, but it will be better to have it in ext4. Windows, obviously prefers ntfs. The question is what your really after for the external drive? Backups? data sharing?

And if both windows and linux are going to access it.. then personally I would setup a samba share on the linux side and get data from that share ... from windows. (especially if your primary computer will be the linux. And or you want to change to linux.)

[MXRobo]

Essenially I want to know can I get data from NTFS <--> to ext4?

Per: https://overflow.freedit.eu/exchange/un ... s-can-work
Essentially, Yes.

The file content will be the same after copying from ext4 to NTFS.

But the permissions and ownership are often modified.

If the performance depends on permissions or ownership, there might be problems after copying.

There may be protection against executing programs from an external drive.

If you try to use the file in the other operative system (Windows), you cannot expect an executable file or symbolic link to work, but data files, for example documents, pictures and video clips can be expected to work.

And per: viewtopic.php?p=810542#p810542
Again permissions and/or ownership could be potential pitfalls, but not likely for data files - so I'd do it, and don't worry about it.

Also, with 2TB, you could create a small NTFS partition if needed that would be accessible by both windows and linux.
And/or a separate DATA partition, symlinked to you home folder; when installing choose something else, or separate partitions, whatever it reads.

Good Luck

[Noax]

So I reasearched a bit more and found out with rsync its possible to copy. But that should be slow and I have TB of data soo not very good... and I have red tons of forums with "format from ntfs to ext4 without data loss" many of them listed an software that you should buy to simply format it to ext4 (for example https://partedmagic.com/store/).

One last 2 forums in ubuntu (yes MX is debian based) said thats as easy as to mount the ntfs and copy all over to ext4.

Whats your opinion about it? Can I take my data with me (transfer with apropriate speed to an internal SDD/HDD) or should I consider buying software or can I say all of my windows data goodbye forever?
Its a bit late here I will now go to bed. Please excuse me for my selfishness. Thats really "work" for me to research all this kind of things. But thats what has to be done when Microsoft isnt the option any more hmm...

Good Night
---
Again thanks for your answer CharlesV.

So my plan is to have always an external HDD drive in NTFS because I will pick up data on it and I want to copy this data to my internal ext4 SSD/HDD´s. And that in an reliably way with apropriate speed. When I read that I should use network tools or so then I think of rsync? Its that what you mean? That should be really slow with big files (some files are more tzhen 10Gb´s big).

You wrote "Locally, Linux can access the ntfs drive, but it will be better to have it in ext4." and yes I will respect the preferred file system that linux need, nonetheless, as I said, I need an reliably way with apropriate speed to simply transfer files from NTFS to ext4. And possible from ext4 to NTFS. Is that possible?

[Noax]

Essenially I want to know can I get data from NTFS <--> to ext4?

Per: https://overflow.freedit.eu/exchange/un ... s-can-work
Essentially, Yes.

The file content will be the same after copying from ext4 to NTFS.

But the permissions and ownership are often modified.

If the performance depends on permissions or ownership, there might be problems after copying.

There may be protection against executing programs from an external drive.

If you try to use the file in the other operative system (Windows), you cannot expect an executable file or symbolic link to work, but data files, for example documents, pictures and video clips can be expected to work.

And per: viewtopic.php?p=810542#p810542
Again permissions and/or ownership could be potential pitfalls, but not likely for data files - so I'd do it, and don't worry about it.

Also, with 2TB, you could create a small NTFS partition if needed that would be accessible by both windows and linux.
And/or a separate DATA partition, symlinked to you home folder; when installing choose something else, or separate partitions, whatever it reads.

Good Luck

Also thanks for your answer. So I red the linked forum and I dont know yet what "symlinks" and others are but I gathered that it should be "fine" from ext4 to NTFS but is it also possible to copy from NTFS to ext4, for example an mp4, mkv or mpeg data and look these videos on linux or not? All these forums irritated me a bit... I think I should get a good night of sleep... Sorry.

It seems like its not as easy as "to mount the external NTFS, click on all the data I want, press strg+c and copy all over with strg+v". Is it?

[DukeComposed]

So I reasearched a bit more and found out with rsync its possible to copy. But that should be slow and I have TB of data soo not very good... and I have red tons of forums with "format from ntfs to ext4 without data loss" many of them listed an software that you should buy to simply format it to ext4

One last 2 forums in ubuntu (yes MX is debian based) said thats as easy as to mount the ntfs and copy all over to ext4.

You're falling into analysis paralysis and getting distracted by reading about rsync and partition managers.

Your external hard drive is just like any other storage device. And NTFS is just like any other file system. Yes, there are differences and they may be important later, but for now just think about NTFS as a way to store files on a disk. Another way to store files on a disk is FAT32. Windows understands both.

Can you copy files from a FAT32 external hard drive to a Windows machine running NTFS? Yes. There's no hand-wringing involved. You have a disk with files on it. You have another disk with files on it. You copy the files from one disk to the other. You don't have to get fancy with it.

OK. Why does that work? It works because your machine understands how to read and write files on an NTFS volume, and on a FAT32 volume. If you had an NTFS disk and an QMZPJFS disk it would be another story, but that's not the case here.

Copying data between A and B is purely a matter of asking if the machine understands how to read and write A and B.

You know MX Linux understands ext4. And you know MX Linux understands NTFS. Therefore, you can stop doing frivolous research on the matter and move on.