Swapping from windows to Linux on a work machine

I want to expunge windows from my machine and replace it with a linux based OS but I can’t just go ahead and do it - I need some help.

First of all I need to work … I use Cinema 4D and the Adobe Creative Cloud apps so I’m going to need to run these apps on linux. I’ve enough system resources to run some virtual machines so my plan is to do that … install linux and run windows on a virtual machine but I need to know …

  • will running those apps in a virtual machine have any effect on the apps updating themselves or my licensing servers?
  • Can this all be done quickly [less than a day downtime] in a stable and safe fashion?
  • Can virtual machines be copied and backed up?

Secondly I need to game.

  • Can games be played on a windows virtual machine?

My system is comprised of a B350 Tomahawk, Ryzen1700X and 32GB ram. Any and all help greatly appreciate folks. Thanks and have a nice day!

Pretty much right there forget it, natively at least. But you’re already thinking about VMs, so that’s something.

Well, the “easiest” way would be to just use the existing Windows install and pop it into a VM. That “should” work without much issues. Licenses “should” carry over (since they are account bound anyway), and you’re good to go.
Otherwise you can just use a clean Windows install and install it all from scratch, then migrate the licenses yourself.
If they are not carried over automatically or in case you need to migrate yourself, you’d need to ask the companies for specifics (just don’t mention it’s a VM since they won’t support that I’m 99% sure, it’s “a new PC” :wink: ).

That depends on the definition of “quick”, but if you know what you’re doing and you’re prepared, this can be done in a few hours tops.

Yes, including incremental backups. Specifics depend on the Backup software though.

Yes, but read on.

So, Cinema 4D, and the Adobe Creative Cloud all use GPU acceleration, and that requires an actual GPU in the System. So what you’d need is a GPU Passthrough scenario. In case you’re already wondering what that’s about, this might not be the right thing for a work computer, but anyway…
With GPU Passthrough you also need a GPU on the Host, or else you can’t use it. And a second monitor that pops into the passed through GPU (or Looking Glass). So you effectively need 2 GPUs (either 2 discrete GPUs~~, or iGPU + discrete~~).

So yes, all of what you want is possible, but it seems a lot of work for a work computer.


One Question I’m wondering though: If you already know you’ll need to continue using Windows, why not just stay with Windows in the First Place? Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool you’re thinking about the switch, but for a work computer that needs to “just work”, doing the whole Linux-VM-Passthrough thing is kind of a lot of time for fiddling where you could do actual work.

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I have to agree with this. If it’s a work computer personal stuff shouldn’t be on there. You have 0 to worry about.

Installing Linux on a work computer to keep using Windows seems like a disservice to yourself.

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Well, because recently a windows update completely f***ed me up. I know I’ll still have to update a virtual windows but at least if an update fails it won’t completely destroy my machine. For whatever reason, during an update restart the temp OS the update process creates got corrupted and my system drive [having been locked by the temp OS] left inaccessible. I used a couple of different partition managers - spent two days trying in vain to save my old system but in the end had to kiss it goodbye anyway.

I’m right in the middle of an important project as well and just as my client gave me a big push this shit happened, leaving me having to explain the situation and looking like I’m making excuses and shit. If I didn’t have to keep using it I’d be done with it already but at the very least I can stick the damned thing in it’s own sandbox [of sorts] and prevent it from completely fucking my machine whenever it feels like it.

I appreciate you guys trying to save my the bother but I really want to do this … it’s not just a work machine - although it is primarily a working machine it serves as my own personal rig as well. I game on it, I communicate with it and I use it to do my accounting and so on.

Basically … I’m looking for a way to control windows and keep that bitch under MY thumb, instead of me being under IT’S thumb. And what … looks like I’m going to need another GPU, is that right? I’ve heard Wendell talking lots about GPU passthrough and iommu groupings on linux - I’ve no first-hand experience but I’m no stranger to the command line so I’m confident I’ll get things to work in the end - I just can’t afford to be down for more than a day right now.

That being said I can leave the upgrade until after I’m done with this project. I think I’ll do that and spend the intervening time just preparing for it, gathering up as much info as I can and maybe get out and buy another GPU.

How powerful would the less powerful GPU have to be? I’ve already got an RX460 in there. Thanks for your help guys.

hey, linux also fucks itself up from time to time

I’d advise against moving towards linux since you need Adobe stuff

are you really sure? it’s gon be a hell of a hassle

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I want to get into Linux as well. It’s been on my mind for some time now - ever since I’d heard about that Qubes OS. I want to control my own machine and that’s about more than just ‘work’ - it’s the principle of it. I can understand why MS forcefully updates windows - there are so many idiots using it what other option do they have? So I have to ask myself “am I one of those idiots?” and I hope not :slight_smile:

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Well OK that is one reason. But there are alternatives, like mirroring the drive after each “big” update, while having the Work data off the machine (or on another drive), which should be done either way.
But if you’re set on it, I won’t keep you. Do what you gotta do.

Since it is really just to display a 2D image of what has already been rendered, it can be the cheapest thing you find. People did it with GT730s just fine.

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Is it really that hard to get Adobe software working smoothly on Linux? I really only NEED to use Cinema 4D but would LIKE to be able to use CC. I can get away with using GIMP and … does DaVinci Resolve work well on Linux?

Natively? Yes, because it’s constantly changing.
WINE has issues with years old software as it is, constant change doesn’t make it any easier (not to mention I don’t know if the licence even works properly in WINE).

Would mean a lot of getting used to new software though… GIMP is very different from Photoshop, and it doesn’t support everything either. I haven’t checked it in a while but from what I know it still has issues with certain color spaces…

It was developed primarily with Linux in mind so… yes.

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@Athelius, I’m not a graybeard myself, and spend most of my time on Windows computers, so we are in similar situation. And if I may give you an advice it would be something like: don’t be hasty and take your time. If you are looking for a quick fix, Linux aint gonna make it for ya. Ideally - sacrifice second machine for testing Linux, and then sell it, if you are tight on budget. That way you wont bork your main machine. And you WILL face issues if you are going with your decision. Straight from my "Linux Experience"®. I’m happy right now thou. Wish you luck and a pair.

Also as @anon85095355 mentioned - Adobe will give you a hard time.

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Also TIL the Cinema 4D renderer is available as a command line Linux utility…

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I have ran Adobe CS6 in a VM for years, CC should run as well if you dedicate the right hardware to the VM. Cinema 4D can also run in a VM as well. I’m lso not talking about Virtual Box, A QEMU passthrough system should work fine.

Absolutely

It’s doable, Yes

A pass through set up will handle all these together. Although a second GPU will be needed, to pass through to the VM.

I saw a Youtuber “Muta” recently build a MacOS/ Win 10/ Linux Pass through system for productivity. Pretty cool.

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Oh also forgot to mention regarding the gaming aspect:

WINE/Proton runs games pretty well these days, so you wouldn’t necessarily have to virtualise those. However you’d also need a suitable GPU in the Host for this, because you can’t (easily) swap one GPU from Host to VM and back. It’s doable, but depends on the GPU and the driver and a lot of headache soo… yeah. Just so you know.

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This guy is hilarious and he seems to have had exactly the same issues with windows as myself! Cheers for that - I’ll watch the rest during lunch.

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I was happy to watch someone outside of our Level1Techs world try this and feel so liberated after doing it. Years ago, I was very dependent on AbletonLive, Cinema4D & Adobe for years. Now we can virtualize everything and nothing matters anymore. Linux runs all the VM’s and also your desktop if you want. :upside_down_face:

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What if I install CC on the virtual machine and then stop the software from updating itself? If the software changing all the time doesn’t do well on Linux then why not just stopping it from changing/updating once it’s stable? Might that work a little better?

*my mistake … you were talking about running the apps natively. My bad. But what about installing them natively and preventing them from updating once they’re stable?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I know you can’t really “stop” CC from updating itself because it is software as a service. If you stop it, the license will just run out.

Either way, that’s not really what I meant. What I meant is that WINE takes time to catch up to new stuff, it hasn’t even for a lot of old stuff yet. It just so happens that money is poured into DXVK/D9VK for games, but that doesn’t translate 1:1 into work applications. I don’t know if GPU acceleration works at all in WINE, because that’s not DirectX based, but OpenCL or CUDA.

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You can freezu updates but me mentioning how in a post is against forum rules lol.

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Yeah, well, we all know there are ways around that. I don’t care at this point.

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Well there are ways for everything, I was strictly speaking from a license standpoint :stuck_out_tongue:

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