Going Linux all the way on my hybrid-card laptop

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by Mrkvonic, Nov 10, 2022.

  1. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    If Linux be your jam, you will like today's article. We have a long, thorough review of my experiment and attempt to use only Linux on a previously dual-boot laptop with hybrid Intel and Nvidia graphics and 4K screen, with Kubuntu 22.04 LTS as the operating system choice, covering LVM + encryption setup, look and feel, customization, UHD display scaling, graphics drivers configuration with PRIME, native and Steam Proton gaming, default and extra applications, WINE software, hardware support, performance, responsiveness, some small problems, and more. Enjoy.

    https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/lenovo-ideapad-y50-linux-only.html


    Cheers,
    Mrk
     
  2. Joxx

    Joxx Registered Member

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    Thanks.
    It's a noble path, the one that leads from Microsoft to Linux.
     
  3. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    A good article but I can't bring myself to use KDE.
     
  4. Stupendous Man

    Stupendous Man Registered Member

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    Why is that? Do you like an other DE better? Is there something in KDE that's a showstopper to you?
    I use Kubuntu and I like it very much. I'm still on 20.04, I'll install 22.04 when I find the time, probably some weeks from now, or in the next couple of months.
     
  5. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    It looks like a more cartoonish version of Windows 95. I prefer Cinnamon or even the default Ubuntu to KDE.
     
  6. Stupendous Man

    Stupendous Man Registered Member

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    Cartoonish. :) It never felt that way to me.
    Anyhow, it's good there's a DE for everyone.
     
  7. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Everyone has their own taste. I felt the same about Windows XP. It is good that everyone has options. :)
     
  8. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    You can try the Plastik window decorations and gray color scheme. Might give you the right look?
    Mrk
     
  9. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    So true.

    Personally I still have Windows for yearly tax report. I need to test whether tax software works under Wine or bite the bullet and use web-version*.

    *I don't have much against webapps in general, but that particular is bad.
     
  10. Palancar

    Palancar Registered Member

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    I had the same issue years ago because if THEY see Linux their software/website will stop and you will get booted. For me I found a very simple solution. Don't laugh but for me it was this easy. I use TaxAct and simply mask my system using an extension that reports a fake windows/Chrome client through the browser. I know you mentioned this above but I wanted to make sure others reading here know it works perfectly. It is so crazy that they would flag and stop a linux user instead of taking our money in the process. I like how TaxAct stores my stuff, which of course I totally backup everything on my end as well. I would take this solution over Wine any day of the week. Been running slick as hell for many years now. So my vote is bite the bullet and go "web". Its a great solution and runs as slick as the drive installed version. They have all your information in either case so security is pretty much unchanged if you think about it.

    I will do anything within reason to never use Windows again!!
     
  11. Stupendous Man

    Stupendous Man Registered Member

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    @Mrkvonic,
    Coming from Windows early 2020, I always counted myself lucky not to long for Windows software on Kubuntu. I found good (or fairly good) alternatives for anything I needed.
    However, I can imagine this is different for others, and one might need to use Wine to run some Windows programs.
    Seeing your articles involving the use of Wine, I think of Bottles and wonder if that might be an alternative to Wine if one thinks using Wine may be hard or complicated.
     
  12. sdmod

    sdmod Shadow Defender Expert

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    I've been using Linux Mint for about a year or so. I found it the first real Linux system that I could use because of it's start menu and usability away from the command line. I was very happy with it and installed it on a pc. I generally liked it and used it every day but was baffled at times by the software and system updates which are constant.
    I successfully upgraded to newer versions of Mint a couple of times and it seemed stable with only a couple of times I needed Time*** backups (forget what it is called) to get out of bad situations. A few days ago after a software update of Fiefox browser, the whole system suddenly started to glitch and I ended up getting myself into a mess and realising suddenly that I knew very little about the system at all apart from the frontage (GUI). I ended up in a situation when I was at 'grub repair' black screen. Subsequent to that I have been unable to use the computer for anything as nothing will install Linux or windows even after I'd 'wiped' the drive and I still seem to be getting this grub repair prompt. Everything usable is gone now along with my data software that I was using and settings. I looked up about the grub fix on the internet but it's all command line stuff.
    I have Linux Mint on a laptop which is still usable but I am now scared to use it and feel quite foolish.
    My main system (Windows) is still functioning and I have another laptop with Windows installed but which I use for running Tails ( a linux OS that runs from CD) which keeps me up to date with websites that require these new systems before allowing entry.
    Tails is great. It is very usable but I don't save anything, I just use it to go to Internet.
    The 'crash' experience has knocked my confidence.
    I'd love a completely modular system where am not wondering. Is this going to work? Is this going to install and not wreck my system.
    I've come to realize that I know almost nothing about the Windows or Linux systems and I'm not likely to learn more at my time of life.
    I was getting to love Mint and had the latest version with all updates and some nice programs but even though I have multiple laptops and PCs with various operating system I feel 'gutted' and useless. We get used to living a life where we are dependant on these technologies which at times feel familiar bur when the 'rug' is pulled. it's a horrible feeling and quite shocking..
    I've experienced these sorts of things a lot in the past but as you get older you can lose your abilty to shrug it off and bounce back.
    I love anything basic and utilitarian in nature as regards Operating systems and software.
    A lot of it these days seems to be marching along to the drum in a never ending upgrade and I don't really like it. It's interesting but I require something very dependable and stable for peace of mind.
    This is not really a technical post but just an attempt at a description of how these things effect me.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2022
  13. Stupendous Man

    Stupendous Man Registered Member

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    Hi sdmod,
    I can imagine how you must feel.
    I hope there's someone who knows if there are easy fixes for grub issues.
    I'm sorry that I'm not able to help, I don't use dual boot and I know nothing about grub, let alone how to fix it.
    If there's an issue regarding root files, I restore a Clonezilla image. I had that about three times over the past two years. In those cases, when opening Discover software centre I saw several lines of error notes, uh oh!, and when rebooting the system, there was an error that could only be fixed by running a manual check, maybe fsck, I forgot. Instead I restored a Clonezilla image.
    If there would ever be an issue regarding my personal files, I would use a backup.
    But fixing grub issues, I'm sorry, I hope someone else knows if there's an easy way to do that.
     
  14. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    @sdmod, yup, one gets to the point where it's about no time to waste doing pointless things over and over when you simply expect things to simply work. Alas, software is still totally wild west, there are almost no standards, and no proper engineering practices.
    Mrk
     
  15. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    I guess at this point you want to wipe SSH/HDD.

    fdisk (for MBR) or gdisk (for GPT) should do the job*, but if it is too complicated then simple dd command should do the job.
    https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/dd.1.html

    Look at if (input file) and of (output file). For input file you should use /dev/zero. For output file you must find a file that is representing a hard drive/SSD. It is better to physically disconnect all drives/SD card that you don't want to wipe before that just in case ;)

    dd command is a bit "raw". Thanks to it is is very simple to operate.

    *create a new empty GUID partition table (GPT) by o command in gdisk

    Tha's why Debian is my system :)
     
  16. Palancar

    Palancar Registered Member

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    I decided to leave this battle with grub and Windows/LInux years ago. Many here may shrug but my solution, which NEVER creates issues over the long run: I move /boot (starts linux OS) off the SSD drive and onto a USB. When I want to mount Debian I simply insert the USB and it mounts great. My computer selects USB over SSD in bios/UEFI start priority. Backups and restores using Macrium 8+ all work perfectly too. This way ALL systems mount independent of each other and their mounting/grubs don't see each other. NO battles means I sleep well at night!!
     
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