Trying to get rid of Windows... Last bits

Operating Systems & Open Source Linux
1

I am trying to figure out how to get completely rid of Windows. I have 4 machines, 3 with different Linux distros and one with W10. My main PC, with Manjaro has a KVM with W10, but only for games that cannot run under Linux (multi/anti-cheat).

So, in order to remove Windows completely, I need to solve the following:

  1. Drivers and firmware updates.
    I have few devices that need firmware updates and/or using software to save profiles on them. These are (for now), SoundBlaster G6, X-Bows keyboard, Corsair and Logitech mice (both wireless).

  2. iTunes + iPhone
    I have couple of Apple devices and I don’t want to use iCloud, primarily for the cost and secondary for the time to backup them, which is way slower than backup locally via USB.
    Also I have a huge music library (former DJ) organized in dynamic playlists in iTunes. I do not consider “Apple Music” subscription a solution, nor Android, so only a Linux phone in the future.

On my own research, I found out the iTunes works under WINE, but only for music playing, no sync/backup.

I don’t know if a second KVM with passing through some devices will do the trick, but some of them are used in host, so I am not sure.

Any other solutions that I am not aware of?
Any suggestions?
Software to try?

2

May or may not work with your device, but it can configure a bunch of mice.

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3

How much space do you need?

It should be unnoticeable. iOS will backup data automatically as needed.

4

You can dynamically pass USB devices to a VM, so when you want to use them on the host, you can just send them back.

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5

I tried a similar approach for my VGA, to avoid having a second one (Host games + guest games), but it didn’t happen. Any good and updated guides?

6

We have a firmware updating tool in ubuntu and manjaro already that can be installed on anything (FWUpdate)

Rythmbox. Can even pull podcasts. Careful of duplicates, you’ll need to play with the autoplaylists.

Will pull info for you, even on yt converted tracks done in vlc.

Have fun not caring about windows anymore.

2 Likes