GWinToLin

Your guide to making the switch

GWinToLin is a tool to make the often-bumpy transition to Go from Windows To Linux smoother. Linux is a completely different system than Windows. When you switch to Linux, even on the same computer, it's like having a totally new computer.

The Problem

When you install Linux, you have to reformat your system drive, which has a few downsides:

1. 1. Formatting is irrevocable - you can't easily "switch back".
2. 2. Formatting erases all your data. All of it. Your pictures, your documents, school papers - all gone.
3. 3. You can "back up" your files first, but it's usually a confusing mess.
4. 4. You lose all your user accounts, bookmarks etc.

How GWinToLin Helps

GWinToLin is designed to minimize or even eliminate some of these downsides. GWinToLin backs up your ENTIRE system drive to an external USB drive that you provide. This means:

1. 1. We can restore most of your Windows data to your Linux environment. We read your backup and restore your pictures, videos, documents, downloads, etc.
2. 2. We can re-create your user accounts. (You'll have to re-enter the passwords since Windows doesn't keep them in a compatible format.)
3. 3. You can even "switch back". We save the *entire* system drive, and if the Linux migration didn't work for you, you can "go back" by using GWinToLin to restore your complete Windows installation and every file in it.
4. 4. Anything we can't restore is saved on the system drive backup.

Wait ... MOST of my data?

Linux is a different system than Windows, so some things just don't translate well or at all. It's a bit like trying to translate jokes from one language to another:

What do you get when the Pope falls out of an airplane?

Mashed Potatoes!

Apologies to Catholics everywhere - but this joke actually makes sense in Spanish, where "Pope" and "Potatoes" sound the same.

So, what can't GWinToLin bring over?

1. 1. Online accounts. You'll have to log in to each again. This includes email accounts.
2. 2. Windows programs. Many have equivalents on Linux, and many of these we'll install for you. EG: Microsoft Office -> Libre Office. But there are some that just don't.
3. 3. Network Integration. Are you working as part of a home or office network? You (or your IT staff) will have to reconnect these accounts.
4. 4. Windows settings - many of which have no Linux equivalent.
5. 5. Anything else that we have not forseen.

We'll do our best to let you know of anything we just can't bring over. We also offer consulting service to aid in the transition. Anything we learn while consulting may be used to make GWinToLin even better.

What do I need?

1. 1. Windows 10 is supported, with support for Windows 7 coming soon.
2. 2. Ethernet cable plugged into an Internet connection with an ethernet cable. (Wifi is fine once Linux is loaded, but it has to boot from an ethernet cable)
3. 3. USB thumb drive to boot from. Just about any one will do, but anything you use will be erased in the process. If you have data on it, GWinToLin can back it up for you first.
4. 4. An external drive (USB) that has more free space than the size of your system Drive. You can use the GWinToLin Windows program to see exactly how big your system drive is.

We proudly offer a "starter pack" through an Amazon referral link. To make sure you get the right one, GWinToLin will refer you after your system has been checked out.

What Happens After I Switch?

Now, you have a computer running Linux! You can surf the net, write documents, whatever it is you do on your computer.

Do you need help?

1. 1. We have a free community board to help you find answers.
2. 2. There are active communities at Reddit, such as Linux Noobs and General Linux discussion and Discussion about AlmaLinux
3. 3. We offer consulting service to help with thorny issues that need to be solved immediately if possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why "GWinToLin"? GWinToLin is a Windows To Linux tool - thus "WinToLin". I have a lovely grand-daughter named "Gwendolyn" so it just seemed right.

What is it written in? Enterprise Administration uses a plethora of languages, and GWinToLin is no exception! Some of the languages used to construct this include:

1. 1. Bash
2. 2. Power Shell
3. 3. Batch (.cmd)
4. 4. iPXE
5. 5. Javascript & JSON
6. 6. PHP
7. 7. PostgreSQL
8. 8. HTML

What is this "SelfTQ" user account? GWinToLin creates a special account called "SelfTQ". If you want us to help on your computer, login with this to give us permission to access your computer.

This allows us to provide support for you easily, while ensuring the privacy of your computer and the data on it. We can't access your system without this permission.

We also provide a very simple way to opt-out completely, and remove these hooks whenever you like.

Will GWinToLin work on every Windows computer? To provide the safest possible experience, we specifically avoid situations where we aren't certain that we can ensure the safety of your data. Some situations are just best handled with a qualified consultant.

Some situations we try to detect and avoid:

1. 1. Systems with more than one permanent drive. This includes RAID, secondary drives, iSCSI, and so on. (It should safely ignore Network Drives)
2. 2. If you simply mount a Windows Network Share (SMB) that won't be a problem, but we also won't set that up again for you automatically. For now, we can help you in situations like this with our consulting.
3. 3. Windows on ARM. Our system is 64-bit X86 only for now. We may add support for ARM in the future.

This may change as GWinToLin matures, stay tuned!

What guarantee do you offer about the safety of my data? We tried our best! It's a free service, so you can have your money back. ;)

Switching from Windows to Linux is a big deal. If you have data on your computer you can't live without, BACKUP YOUR DATA FIRST. Perhaps after more testing, we'll offer a paid service that offers a guarantee.

The GWinToLin software will try to backup your data automatically, but we can't forsee every possible situation, so despite our best efforts, we do not offer any kind of guarantee, warranty, or binding assurance that your data will not be lost. By using GWinToLin, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.