Yes but switching distro you can fuck up some settings… Better to copy documents downloads etc but all the hidden directories I do it selectively

yup, but careful with hidden folder like .config and a few others

Being 55 and listening to FM radio (music, no talk), you are absolutely right.

If partitions are unmounted it’s normal it can not display info about them. Go into Thunar or whatever and double click the partition/volume devices to mount them?

Sure you can burn a CD, but I think I have nothing to play them anymore. My car (2020) does not have a CD player anymore. Nor my PC nor my laptop have one. I may have in my drawer an old BD reader DVD burner/reader with a SATA plug or something, I remember I plugged it on my laptop with a USB adapter yearsssss ago to rip my LOTR BD. It has been used 1 time in like 10 years.