Linux

Alongside many of the useful comments here, I'd like to add one great thing about installing Linux on a new computer: you can't accidentally anything on the new computer! There's presumably no data to be lost, you can even install Linux without ever booting into the Windows environment. If you don't have it connected to your network, there's nearly no risk; even if you do, that risk is minimal. I always feel a distinct comfort imaging a system that's never been used.

As for the how, others have covered it, but just identify your distribution of choice (Fedora and Linux Mint are great starters), download the ISO from their website, plug a thumb drive into any running system, and download a USB imaging tool. Balena Etcher is a popular one and the one I use, but many others are available and popular as well if you have a preference.

Installing linux is actually very easy and painless depending on your distro choice. What do you need your computer to do? Your choice of distro would depend on the answer to that question so we cant advise any further.

An excellent place to start is https://linuxjourney.com/ to get you started!

1. Download Mint
2. Download VirtualBox
3. Setup a Mint VM
4. Get used to it (this is a long step, you're free to try other distros, take your time)
5. Download Rufus, install a Linux ISO of your choice to the USB
6. Shrink Windows' partition
7. Turn off Secure Boot and RAID in your BIOS (steps vary by laptop/motherboard manufacterer)
8. Boot your USB (try booting it in EFI mode instead of BIOS mode first, if you can)
9. Follow the install instructions to install it alongside Windows

I gave what I think are the easiest and most beginner friendly instructions (Mint over Debian, Endeavour, Fedora or Ubuntu for example). Not all are the best suggestions (I suggested VirtualBox over QEMU and Rufus over Ventoy), I recommended you to go with your own preferences if you have any

If you run into any problems, this Lemmy community, the Ubuntu SO (also for non-Ubuntu questions, everyone is there) and the Mint Forums for Mint related questions are always there for you, don't be afraid to ask and "don't ask to ask" ;-)

Good luck!

I was hesitant for a long while and ended up installing Linux Mint on an old SSD I had laying around this way there was no commitment.

Now I'm realizing I haven't booted up my regular windows 10 drive ever since and am considering getting rid of it altogether.

On a side note I created a virtual machine on the Linux side that runs Windows 10 LTSC on it for a few other programs I sometimes need that would be very difficult or impossible to make work on Linux like Inventor, Office and Photoshop. It lives trapped in the box and isn't allowed to connect to the internet. If I need to download something for it I download it on Linux and drag and drop it into the box. It's like having a little pet Windows that you keep locked in a pen, so it works for you and only for you and it can't escape to go into your house to spy on you and shit bloatware all over your carpet.

Distro choice doesn’t matter. Alternately, just use Debian.

It’s hard to use a different computer and nothing will make that easier. If you’ve ever been plopped down in front of a Mac you probably already know this.

Pay attention during the install process and ask questions when you don’t understand something. Don’t be afraid to bail out if you’re worried about messing something up. Make a backup so you can’t lose anything when you do mess something up.

Dual booting is what you’ll do to start with, but windows updates tend to break the system that allows you to choose Linux or windows at boot time. The first time it happens you’ll have to figure out a way to fix it.

For me to give better recommendations or help than what other people are saying, I'd need more info, I can help you here, but id rather help you on a chat app, I'm available on matrix, signal and discord.

The extra info I'd need is stuff like whats the model of your PC, what do you use it for, what are your preferences, ect.