OK. So, a while ago, I posted about how I tested Zorin 16.3 Core on my PC hardware, and was surprised to see that X11 worked flawlessly. Zorin 16.3 comes with the 5.15 kernel. My question is, what would happen if I switched to 5.15 in Zorin 17? Would the kernel still get updated whenever Zorin releases an updated kernel (for example, like the upcoming 6.11 kernel slated for release the next month or so)? Is all this even advisable? I checked, and the 5.15 kernel will remain supported until April 2027 (by Ubuntu). Do you think the 5.15 kernel will fix the issues I have on X11? I use an AMD Radeon 6600 RX card. Thanks.
I would start on the 5.18 kernel first and test that. If no good, try 5.15.
You can lock the kernel version in even if you receive kernel upgrades:
It is perfectly fine to do so. What matters with kernel number versions is the newness of your hardware. If your hardware predates the kernel version (Is older than that kernel) It is likely fully supported by that kernel.
When you install the Kernel out of the Repo, you should get Updates through the Repo's. These Updates come from Ubuntu, too. Like for the up-to-date Kernel's from them.
You would have to search in Synaptic for the 5.15 generic Kernel and install the Components.
There I would say: Could be but don't have to. Because there would be the Point if it is really a Kernel Issue or the Implementation in the Desktop Environment. But at least You could try it.
But there would be the Question if 5.18 still gets Updates. 5.15 is a LTS Kernel. So, it get's.
The important part is whether it is working for the hardware in question.
Yes, updates to the kernel can be good. But if you are going for using what works... Use what works.
This is... GnuLinux, after-all.
But to use the Kernel without Security Updates is risky and not the best Idea I think.
Update/Solution:
Thanks to everyone for replying/commenting. So I downgraded the kernel to 5.15 LTS. Unbelievably, it did not resolve the flickering issue in X11. This leads me to believe it is a GNOME issue. Don't know what other explanation there could be. 5.15 worked perfectly in Zorin OS 16.3 (I wish I'd started with Zorin on version 16; that version seems to have received much acclaim), but not so with Zorin OS 17.2.
I don't know. For sure, I thought that downgrading the kernel to 5.15 would work, but it was a "no go." So what I've done since was go back to the current kernel (6.8), switch back to Wayland, and download the Camera flatpak as a substitute for the APT version (since it doesn't work right on Zorin 17) and will use that instead of OBS Studio. I'd prefer to have all .DEB files on my Zorin install, but it looks like that won't happen until Zorin 18 comes out. Again, thanks to all.
I know you've marked it solved as of now, but if you genuinely believe it to be a Gnome issue, you could always try to install a different DE such as XFCE and give that a shot.
If you're perfectly happy otherwise however, feel free to ignore this.
Thanks, but I like how my desktop looks. Appreciate it, though.
With the Zorin Lite Desktop, You would have the Zorin Look but with xfce instead of Gnome.
Hmm. Out of curiosity, I am downloading Zorin Lite right now. But wouldn't the dependence on XFCE as a DE eliminate much of the "pizzazz" that makes Zorin ... Zorin? I'll install Zorin Lite on VirtualBox, though, and give it a try. Will be my first time ever. Be interesting to play around with, at least.
Update: Tried Zorin 17 "Lite" in VirtualBox. Not my cup of tea.