After years of thinking, I finally switched to Linux after Windows erased all my data
Posted by Marks12520@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 59 comments
This whole thing happened two days ago. So, I was already thinking about switching to Linux, so I used the windows partition manager to shrink the windows partition and use that free space for Linux. My initial plan was to install Linux, mount my C: drive and start moving save files and program data. However, when I got into Linux my C: drive wouldn't mount, not even with ntfs-3g.
I thought: "Maybe windows left something open on the drive and I can't mount it, let me try logging into windows and shutting it down to close everything". I rebooted my pc and windows wouldn't launch, it was missing some EFI files. This wasn't everything, though, as Windows had fucking erased my whole C: drive, changing it's filesystem from NTFS to RAW, or that's what chkdsk said when I tried to recover windows.
I ended up having to download one of those file recovery ISOs, and spend hours recovering my documents, pictures and save files. After this, I don't trust windows anymore. I've been a couple of days on Linux trying to get my modded games to work, and just now I got everything working perfectly.
Fuck windows, I'm never going back
dotnetmonke@reddit
So you used a tool without understanding how it works? Linux ain’t gonna treat you any better.
Also, always use a secondary drive and a backup for stuff you want to save, for situations precisely like this.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I've partitioned a disk tons of times, and I've never lost any data, but this time windows just decided to fuck itself up when I had already dualbooted in that drive a few times without nothing breaking
dotnetmonke@reddit
There isn't a drive manager on the planet that I'd trust with keeping my files intact through a partition shrink. Move files off, wipe and repartition as desired, then move the files you need back.
Snirlavi5@reddit
Completely agree. You can do tones of damage in Linux, perhaps more so. Windows did not just erase your data. There are plenty of reasons to move from windows but I'm wouldn't blame it for everything that goes wrong with my machine.
tav_stuff@reddit
This is a very Windows issue though. I’ve had the same experience. When I do this with any pair of operating systems I have no issues, but the moment Windows is involved, all my data gets wiped
koensch57@reddit
playing with a firearm, not knowing where the trigger is and where the bullet comes out.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Again, this is a windows tool, I'd expect it to work correctly. I've partitioned that same drive tons of times to try out linux, and nothing ever happened. Yeah, I know I should've backed up stuff and that this could happen, but you can't really blame me for it when there's not anything else I could've done
koensch57@reddit
my advise would be: rather than messing around with backups, place an other/spare/new/recycled SSD in your computer and do as you please.
when you are happy with the result, copy the files from you old SSD to your new one.
When you screwed up, you can alwas fall back to the original SSD.
Cost you only a spare extra SSD, to buy cost you little money, or recycle it from an old PC.
RealSharpNinja@reddit
Linux killed your data by turning off Secure Boot.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I've turned secure boot off multiple times, I don't see how that'd mess with my data
RealSharpNinja@reddit
It clears your bitlocker keys.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I've always had that disabled
dadarkgtprince@reddit
Self induced pain. Welcome to the Linux world, but you did this to yourself by playing with your partitions.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
But "playing with my partitions" is like the only way to install Linux, how else could I have done it?
dadarkgtprince@reddit
Windows 11 is bad at sharing the same disk, and users often make mistakes when installing Linux. Best practice has become using a separate drive for dual booting.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Yes, I know I should've installed it in my games drive where almost everything can be downloaded back anyways but well thankfully the files are still technically there so everything turned out alright at the end
dbojan76@reddit
I disagree. He used windows disk manager to shrink partitions, which should be safe.
OrganicNectarine@reddit
First sane response I see on the unbelievable victim blaming here... Next post someone will claim Windows update isn't at fault for killing all of the data on my sisters surface pro because she updated the device 🤦♂️
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Yeah, that's what I'm saying
Ohz85@reddit
You know what, you just teached me to not mess with all of this process before watching hours of tutorials and pages of explainations. You made a lesson to us all, thank you.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Bro I've installed Linux at least ten times, this is the first time this happened 😭
Ohz85@reddit
Im sorry :( :(
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Nah don't worry thankfully all my data can be recovered, I copied the important stuff but the damaged partition is still there in case I ever need something
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Atopos2025@reddit
Lol blaming this on windows is ridiculous.
You know, if you hadn't repartitioned your drive, none of this would have happened. Windows didn't do that, you did.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
If windows provides a tool to partition my drive, I'd expect it to at least work properly, of course it was window's fault. Plus, how would I install linux without partitioning a drive first
Atopos2025@reddit
There's all sorts of tools you can use in this world, but you have to know how to use them. Again, that was your bad, not windows.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I mean, what did I do wrong by clicking "shrink partition"? How did I use that wrong?
Rigamortus2005@reddit
Shrinking isn't always safe because there could be files across the boundary. You should have backed up anything important first.
centenary@reddit
Files beyond the new partition size are moved within the new partition size
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I thought so, but the partition was 1TB and I shrinked it to 600GB when the space used was a bit less than 500GB counting the pagefile and all hidden files, so I don't know why it wouldn't work properly, I already made sure to leave a lot of space just in case
Rigamortus2005@reddit
Don't blame windows for this fam.
iamapizza@reddit
Yeah, much as I like Linux, this one was on OP.
Big_Wave9732@reddit
Yea, side effects from trying to get the two to play nice on the same drive is a common tale around these parts. It'll happen again. Microsoft will push an update or something that will change the way that a system partition operates or something else, and then you'll be back in the help forums trying to figure out WTF.
But in the meantime you're still better off. The way Windows is headed it will be a for-rent subscription model soon so it's best to get out now while you still can.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
The thing is I didn't even intend to use both at the same time, just install windows, move everything from C: to the new partition and delete windows. At least everything turned out okay, but I sure had a stressful day
Big_Wave9732@reddit
That's by design. Microsoft doesn't want it to be easy to install "alternative" operating systems on computers. They have heavily influenced adoption of things like the TPM chip, EFI partitions, etc in order to throw hurdles in the way of would be switchers.
Things like what happened to you are by design.
Audience-Electrical@reddit
To be fair to Windows, I've run into this problem a lot. Both ways.
I had a dual boot with a shared games partition for Steam, and would run into issues with both:
- Accessing Windows NTFS from Linux might break Windows
- Accessing Linux EXT4 from Windows might break Linux
Both of these issues were easily resolved after some Googling, no data loss, but in general I'd say those two are not quite bullet-proof interoperability-wise, at least not without some tinkering.
microcephale@reddit
It's not windows that erased your drive, it's you with a tool that you trusted to do very risky operations with zero backup first. Don't really see how you can blame the OS that barely ran your tool of choice
ludonarrator@reddit
Looks like you fucked up the OG Linux installation. In any case, this is one of the reasons it's not recommended to have both OSs on the same disk.
devouur@reddit
I keep both on the same disk. I just create a second efi partition for Linux that way the original windows one is never touched.
ludonarrator@reddit
Pretty sure that relies on the bootloader being capable of loading EFI binaries from multiple locations, but yeah it's an option, though not one I'd suggest to someone trying Linux for the first time.
IdeaReceiver@reddit
Are there risks to that other than fucking up your boot positions? I've had my windows and Linux on the same drive for a couple years now, figured I'd I such with Linux I'd invest in a separate drive later. But obviously with SSD prices being what they are I'm such here for a while.
When I was using Windows more often I let it update by accident once and had to manually reinstall grub to the borked boot partition, but other than booting a live ISO once I haven't seen a problem.
Am I being safe or ignorant? Cheers
Audience-Electrical@reddit
Riskier than not doing it at all.
Sure you can have multiple OS share a disk, with many partitions, and maybe you'll never run into a problem... but separate is safer.
ludonarrator@reddit
If you're capable of reinstalling a broken / wiped grub I think you're good with Windows and Linux sharing a disk.
HalcyonRedo@reddit
This isn't your blog.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
This is a public forum, so I made a post and didn't break any rules. Go whine somewhere else
HalcyonRedo@reddit
Comfortable_Relief62@reddit
Any chance you happen to be the nation of France?
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Uh no, I'm from Spain
By-Pit@reddit
I almost lost all my data with Linux too, I had a backup by luck.
The system was updating and I shutdown the system normally, no warnings, boot up and it's all gone, system not recognized, unrecoverable.
crashorbit@reddit
Welcome to Linux land. I hope you like it here.
For what it's worth, you have my sympathy that you found yourself with a broken windows partition.
If you find your self migrating between OS's again it's always a good idea to do some kind of backup of critical stuff first. That's a lesson I seem to teach myself over and over again. :-)
PerfectEnthusiasm2@reddit
umm, you resized a partition without backing it up first?
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
I mean, I've done it so many times and nothing ever happened
PerfectEnthusiasm2@reddit
n+1 is always where the risk lies
itastesok@reddit
Famous last words.
LtBigAF@reddit
The NTFS driver is hacky, reverse engineered from MSFT code, and barely works. It WILL corrupt your data. Do not rely on it for critical information. Back up your files and move your files via an external drive in windows first.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Nah, the partition was corrupted before I even used the ntfs driver
StrangeUglyBird@reddit
Good luck.
And while you are at it, start a backup plan.
Marks12520@reddit (OP)
Yeah, now I realize I should