Issues left:
With vanilla Zorin 18.1 the hdmi apparently driven by intel chip was working, but not the 2x DisplayPorts, now with the changes and nvidia drivers, the 2x DisplayPorts are working, but not anymore the hdmi one (it shows it's there in the screen config, 4 screens total) but the hdmi screen is actually off/no signal.
On top of that, all zorin redesigned apps like files, settings, have the text disappearing at any resizable size, and shows up only if go over the with the mouse, the side menu of settings/files if I go over one link, it shows all the links again but once I resize the windows all text disappear again. When click the resize full screen button on top right, all text shows. Go back to random window size, it disappear again. what can be done?
Process:
Clean system approach with activation of Nvidia card and 2x DP ports on dual card intel/nvidia systems for multiple monitors usage. End result use Zorin with up to 3 external monitors (2x DP + 1x HDMI). Zorin by default installs new systems (Nouveau for graphic card, Linux kernel 7 and Wayland) that do not allow proper nvidia card drivers to work.
The goal is to turn Wayland into X11, Linux kernel from current to v6.8 and nvidia drivers from Nouveau to Legacy
Create Usb Install Drive
Ventoy Usb > Add Zorin OS Iso > Add Nvidia Drivers Run File
Install Linux Kernel 6.8
This is the latest kernel version that supports the MacBook graphic card and drivers, the one installed by Zorin is too new and doesn't support legacy drivers
Do You want Feedback for Your Route or is this more an informal Post?
Only to add that: The current Kernel 6.8 Version ends with -138. And for switching to Wayland, You can do that on the Login Screen. You can change the Configuration File, yes. but You don't have to. Only mentioned as an Alternative.
Also, I would suggest to set the nouveau.modeset=0 after You have installed the Nvidia Driver. Only for the Case if something with the Nvidia Driver Installation shouldn't work right.
Hi there, I'm creating an ultimate guide for myself as reference if I refresh the distro again and anyone else bumping into this, and I have a couple of issues to sort out, as you can see above. The hdmi is not working anymore after the kernel downgrade and the new nvidia drivers, and I can see the text in zorin redesigned gnome apps flickering off, and back on if mouse is on hover. It's not really usable like this, so looking for pointers.
Regarding wayland to x11, I cannot see the cog in the login ui, it doesn't appear to me at all, all you get is the top right phone-like icons, and the input field.
Regarding nouveau modeset, I have to set it up apparently as the nvidia downloaded drivers need nouveau off to install, otherwise the dos like interface doesn't go further. The sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470 nvidia-dkms-470 don't work for me, and I have just tried to install them over the existing working nvidia legacy drivers NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-470.256.02.run , and now only the mac screen is working at 640x480, like there is no driver at all.
NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-470.256.02.run works once nouveau is disabled, x11 is on, and linux kernel 6.8 is set
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470 nvidia-dkms-470 don't work for me, it tells the warning at the shutdown that 580 drivers are not good, I need to download the 470 legacy, which I presume it refers to the run file.
Edit2: I have gone through a new process, this time using the latest kernel 6.8.0-138 and sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470. It now drives mac screen + 2 dp screens very well, hdmi screen is recognised in settings but no signal. The flickering issue with zorin redesigned apps is gone too.
What I have found out:
Kernel 6.8.0-138 is still maintained in 2026, so keep an eye for updates
Default kernels 6.17 and 7.0 in zorin can be deleted to free space, so 6.8 is default
Ubuntu repo nvidia-drivers-470 naturally redirects now to 580 drivers, they seems to have setup a redirect and got rid of the drivers in the repo, that's why it wasn't working initially. To make it work I had to add another repo from the graphics drivers canonical team ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa. This still anyway need a pin to 470 drivers, otherwise the apt install still gives you 580 drivers. So essentially you need both ppa and pin 470 drivers to get the correct list of packages to download.
(if you want the whole package with the utilities/gui)
In this case nvidia legacy .run is not needed anymore.
there is no need to add nouveau.modeset=0 in grub, the nvidia drivers blacklist the nouveau during the installation itself, the .run legacy file doesn't
It's best to install the drivers with only the kernel 6.8.0 in the system, and delete the default kernels for a clean install, otherwise you get errors because the installation is trying to compile the drivers also for the other unsupported kernels in the system, not only the active one.
if you installed the drivers with many kernels in the system, got the error and didnt recognised it, you can still delete the kernels and re-run the drivers install to complete in a clean way with no errors
do an autoremove autoclean in the end, as it saves further space and cleanup unnecessary stuff
State of things: currently mac screen + 2 dp 2560x1440 works fine, zorin works fine, only problem is the hdmi 1080p screen is recognised, but no signal passed. From research and observation, mac screen is on the intel chip, nvidia has both dp and hdmi linked to it.
Regarding the hdmi on zorin, the hdmi worked when connected to a modern 27" monitor 2560x1440, but now the 2 27" monitors are connected with DP ports with hdmi on a 15 years old samsung 37" tv 1080p that doesn't get signal.
This is the final config I'm trying to fix.
That said, the macbook prior to Zorin, it had the latest mac os available for the machine and it was driving all 4 screens without problems, mac screen, 2x DP monitors and 1x hdmi full hd samsung tv.
To me, it sounds like you installed the 470 nvidia driver from the Ubuntu repository instead of the PPA's. But the main thing is that it's working more or less now. I wouldn't touch it now.
The command to install the 470 driver from the PPA would be