Can you reuse SSD/HDD?

Deerpig

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May 23, 2014
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I have all the parts required to start using my new gaming PC, (including a 120gb SSD) other than an operating system. I'm planning on buying Windows 7/8 for ease of use for gaming, but I can't buy it for a few months. I've heard a lot of good things about Linux, and since it's free I wondered if I could install Linux on my SSD (mainly to test that everything is working), use it for a few months until I get Windows, then completely wipe the SSD and start fresh with Windows. Would this work?
 
Solution
As long as the OS is updated to provide sufficient hardware support (drivers) yes it would work.
Any Linux distro in mind? Ubuntu seems to be a favourite for a more newbie friendly GUI
-Windows in not a necessity, just the recommended to make full use of certain well publicised features

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop


When you receive your windows discs, just reformat and install over the linux distro (after backing up data you want to keep) just like you would with a fresh OS install
As long as the OS is updated to provide sufficient hardware support (drivers) yes it would work.
Any Linux distro in mind? Ubuntu seems to be a favourite for a more newbie friendly GUI
-Windows in not a necessity, just the recommended to make full use of certain well publicised features

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop


When you receive your windows discs, just reformat and install over the linux distro (after backing up data you want to keep) just like you would with a fresh OS install
 
Solution
Yes the gaming experience meant for windows OS on a linux may be uncofortable/awkard/non-compatible/"list of adjectives"
But there is an app called Wine which will allow you to install windows applications (windows emulator,) though i cannot comment on how well these would work with the games you may be trying. I have heard the Steam engine works on Wine but not experienced linux gaming myself so cannot comment further

Personal experience
- while i was waiting for my Win8.1 disc to arrive, I used a bootable Linux OS on a usb flash drive to toy with before receiving win8.1 and installing to internal SSD
-Have had an old built pc formatted to run on Ubuntu alone but for office/web browsing use only. (cannot comment on gaming limitations)
 

Deerpig

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Thank you all for your answers, you've been most helpful. I'll look into ubuntu. I'm not expecting a good gaming experience while using Linux, but I'd rather be using Linux during these months then having a lifeless machine in my room. Does the Windows CD/CDs that I would be buying do the reformatting by itself? Or is that more a manual thing?
 

SortNVF

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Mar 3, 2015
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why not run a beta win 10 and buy that once it comes out, wich should be late this year.
You get to skip cost and agony with vista 2 (aka win 8.1) and most likely itll be working reasonably well allready.
 

Deerpig

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May 23, 2014
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The reason I'm not going with beta Windows 10, is I don't know if all my games would be supported by it, and this is after all a gaming computer.
 

SortNVF

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so your going with linux not really able to play your games instead of free win 10 that may not run all your games.

I dont like Win8 sure, but thats not really the issue here, OP says he wont buy an OS for a few months either way, So its a free alternative (not counting actual piracy) that leaves us with win 10 or linux based.
 

USAFRet

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Win 10 almost certainly supports and runs far more games than Linux.