Not with ZFS and their for TrueNAS. A hardware raid card is not suitable at all. Even if you set it to jbod mode. It shut actually be flashed to IT mode if that is possible with that card.
What I suggest. Dont look at hardening yet. Only do so if you feel like your ready to touch the Internal workings of the OS. I do suggest using full disk encryption if this is a laptop.
Saving your files in your home folder just like how you did on windows is fine. Nothing wrong their.
Personally I would familiar your self with the terminal. It is not scary at all. sudo apt install program is how I would install software on mint (or any Debian based system).
Oh and above all. Use the system and try to do your normal task. See what you run in to and ask help where needed. We are here to help you along the way if needed.
Hikvision with a local NVR. And if your scared because their Chinese (like everything else almost these days....) Put it all in a clan without internet access.
A untrusted profile. Shady apps cracked apps etc. This profile also is not allowed to run in the background.
Then my finance profile. Has my banking apps and such.
A testing profile. Used to test backups of grapheneos and such.
A work profile. Dont need that to run in the background either. But is useful to stay in touch over the weekends.
And a private profile.
This way I can still use all my apps. While not requiring google play in all my profiles. Also being able to disable certain things for profiles is super useful. Running in the background, allowed to make/receive calls to name a few
Id argue MCU has gone downhill hard since Stan Lee is no longer with us.