Three days into using Zorin

[NeutraleNull]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share my journey getting along with Zorin so far.
Currently, I’m using the 17.3 free version as I’d like to wait for version 18 to drop before having to buy two licenses in a year.

Installation and everything went pretty smoothly. First, I installed Zorin on an external USB drive (with an NVMe drive in it) and booted it up. Worked out pretty well. Nvidia drivers were also there from the start. The store feels nice too.
The UI feels good and responsive.

First things I did, in no particular order:

• Got the MS fonts
• Enabled fractional scaling
• Tried fiddling around with font anti-aliasing because on my laptop screen the fonts don’t look very good compared to Windows. It all feels a bit blurry. But switching to subpixel and turning it off looks even worse. On my Samsung Odyssey OLED screen, it does look surprisingly good—compared to Windows, where I had to tweak ClearType to handle the different pixel layout in OLED screens.
• Worst part so far: Out of the box, the performance of my Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is very limited because the Nvidia 4070 MAX-Q is capped at 55 watts. Lenovo also does some strange VBIOS stuff, and the toggle doesn’t work. Old guides suggest using a shell command to set Nvidia cards to a higher TDP, but this does NOT work anymore with newer drivers. There’s a new tool in the Nvidia driver called "nvidia-powerd" that can be launched from the shell to enable the card to dynamically boost-up to 105 watts in my case. Sadly, this is still far below the 150 watts it can reach on Windows, and it severely degrades game performance.
• I tried fiddling with getting the different power modes to work for the Legion 5 Pro. I found the GitHub repo "LenovoLegionLinux" and followed the instructions to add a module to the kernel. It does allow me to change the power modes now, but I’m not sure if it’s actually doing anything or just cosmeti - at least the color indicator for the mode works. Fan curves, unfortunately, aren’t editable for this model. I saw a Linux kernel mailing list post about adding Legion power modes into the kernel by default. I hope this gets included in version 18, because this has been a real bummer so far.
• Installing Steam and Proton works pretty well so far. All the games worked fine, and I even managed to get it working using game files on my second SSD that’s still using NTFS. I just had to create a symbolic link for Proton.
• Installed my favorite IDE, Rider, for development. I noticed the store version is outdated, and Rider prompted me to upgrade but couldn’t due to permission issues. I need to dig into that—but not right now.
• Installed the .NET SDK via the store. However, Rider wasn’t able to detect it, and I had to install it from another source again?
• Stumbled into troubles when getting involved with python packages and remembered why i dislike it so much because fixing outdated python package errors is the worst

All in all, I’m very surprised how natural this feels for me as a Windows user. Most of the key commands are the same, and switching between apps feels super natural. The speed of the OS is in my eyes far superior to windows 11. It makes me very happy to see not having 12-18 gb being used while idling.
On the other hand, there’s still a lot of tinkering involved to get things working. For web browsing and simple office work, the out-of-the-box experience is perfect. However, when it comes to gaming and development, you definitely need some knowledge about how Linux works and how to use the shell.

Looking forward for version 18 and invest some money

[Ponce-De-Leon]

@NeutraleNull

• Enabled fractional scaling
• Tried fiddling around with font anti-aliasing because on my laptop screen the fonts don’t look very good compared to Windows. It all feels a bit blurry. But switching to subpixel and turning it off looks even worse. On my Samsung Odyssey OLED screen, it does look surprisingly good—compared to Windows, where I had to tweak ClearType to handle the different pixel layout in OLED screens.

I would suggest to try it with disabled Fractional Scaling if possible.

@NeutraleNull

Worst part so far: Out of the box, the performance of my Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is very limited because the Nvidia 4070 MAX-Q is capped at 55 watts. Lenovo also does some strange VBIOS stuff, and the toggle doesn’t work. Old guides suggest using a shell command to set Nvidia cards to a higher TDP, but this does NOT work anymore with newer drivers. There’s a new tool in the Nvidia driver called "nvidia-powerd" that can be launched from the shell to enable the card to dynamically boost-up to 105 watts in my case. Sadly, this is still far below the 150 watts it can reach on Windows, and it severely degrades game performance.

You could try it with LACT:

GitHub - ilya-zlobintsev/LACT: Linux GPU Configuration And Monitoring Tool

It is a Setup Tool for Graphics Cards and You can adjust Power Settings. Maybe it works.

[NeutraleNull]

Sadly i need to use fractional scaling: 100% is far to small and 200% is waaaay to big. I am currently at 125% on my laptop. Using 100% on my main screen is perfect, so that is why the font looks so much better?

I am already using LACT but mainly to monitor the power consumption of the GPU. It allows to do some overclocking but not altering the TDP power target.

[StarTreker]

Great feedback report...

I too suggest disabling fractional scaling, although I understand why you are using however. I have a 55" 4K TV & a 32" 4K monitor, I run my setup at 200% without FS.

Additionally, you can setup your font sizes in Zorin appearance as well.

Regarding your GPU power governor, thats an easy solution you may not be aware of. First, make sure you have installed and are using your Nvidia GPU driver.

"Additional drivers" tab in "Software & Updates"

Make sure to use your "Proprietary" Nvidia driver. Restart your PC after installation is completed.

When at login screen, click on your name, then a "cog" appears on screen. Make sure you choose "Xorg." Doing this alone fixes many issues on Linux.

Now, load up "Nvidia X Server Settings."

Now, click on Prime Profiles please...

Click on "Nvidia (Performance Mode)" This tells the computer you want to only use your performance GPU hardware.

Now, I want you to take a look at the "PowerMizer" please...

Here is where you can unleash the full firepower, from your ultimate gaming battle-station. Down at the bottom you will see "PowerMizer Settings." Set your "Preferred Mode" to Maximum Performance.

When I'm not gaming, I run in Auto mode to reduce power usage, & let GPU run cooler. When gaming, I run max performance.

The CPU however, is always auto scaling from the BIOS settings. In most cases this is good enough, but in some games can cause lag, requiring manual scaling. Use "CPU Power Frequency" to scale your CPU manually.

I used to recommend CPU Power manager, (Iv'e used it for years) however, folks on OS 17 reported the extension no longer working, due to lack of modern day support. And to be honest, its half broken for me now, I can only use it as a lock/unlock governor command. I have to use CPU Frequency Settings to set the actual speed.

Regarding cooling, as amazing as my notebook's internal cooling setup is, its never as good as a liquid cooled Desktop setup.

To help keep thermals in check, when I really push my notebook hard, I use an Afmat blower cooler pad. Its the best cooling pad you can get for a notebook. Its got 2 blower fans, which are dust filtered in the back.

It uses a gasket seal to prevent air leakage out the sides, forcing the air up into the bottom notebook vents. Its got 3 fan speeds, plus a few lighting modes. It also can can be razed to angle your notebook.

BTW, this cooler produces more air speed if you connect it to a USB power brick or power bar, instead of plugging into notebook directly.

Alright, thats all I can think of right now to help you, hope my post was useful.

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[NeutraleNull]

Heyho thanks for the response!

Unfortunately Nvidia seems to treat laptops differently.
With my Zorin installation nvidia drivers were installed out of the box.

However in my Nvidia configuration panel there is zero things i could possible edit:

[NeutraleNull]

oh nvmd i was stupid. Yeah when switching to Xorg everything changes! I am gonna try things out now. Are there huge difference between Xorg and the default settings (i guess it is wayland? I don't really know anything about GUI server stuff in linux).

[StarTreker]

Xorg & Wayland are display managers, & Xorg have been the standard for decades. Wayland, is a newer implementation that is being pushed before its ready. It is said that some modern hardware, works better on Wayland, when requiring specific features that require it.

Having said that, for the majority of us, we still need to use Xorg, cause Wayland is so not ready for prime time. Its usually our recommendation on the Zorin forum, to stick with Xorg as much as possible. Better living when your not suffering a migraine from display manager induced frustration.

The most important thing, is that you are learning. I believe, that when knowledge is shared, everyone benefits.

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[Aravisian]

@StarTreker

Xorg & Wayland are display managers

Display Protocols.
Gnome's "Mutter" is a display manager.

@StarTreker

Wayland, is a newer implementation

Newer, at 17 years old...

[Ponce-De-Leon]

@NeutraleNull

It allows to do some overclocking but not altering the TDP power target.

So, you don't have something like that:

@NeutraleNull

Are there huge difference between Xorg and the default settings (i guess it is wayland? I don't really know anything about GUI server stuff in linux).

Here on Zorin 17, You don't have any bigger Benefits because the Wayland Implementation in the used Gnome 43 Base isn't too far. When Zorin 18 comes with a more modern up-to-date Desktop Base, it could offer a better Experience depending what Version will be used.

So, when You are on Zorin 17 and use an Nvidia Card, switch to Xorg. Makes less Problems.

[zenzen]

@NeutraleNull

However, when it comes to gaming and development, you definitely need some knowledge about how Linux works and how to use the shell.

Good review.

In regards to this last statement using the shell, keep in mind that the shell is just another tool and learning how to use it, even for simple tasks, can go a very long way. In all my time using Windows I only ever used the command line a few times, following tutorials and guides I found online... looking back, I wish I had taken the bait and learn more about it as I did with Linux.

@NeutraleNull

• Installed my favorite IDE, Rider, for development. I noticed the store version is outdated, and Rider prompted me to upgrade but couldn’t due to permission issues. I need to dig into that—but not right now.
• Installed the .NET SDK via the store. However, Rider wasn’t able to detect it, and I had to install it from another source again?

In Linux, there are different package formats that you can choose from to install software, although not all software is distributed in all formats. They all have their own advantages and disadvantages, and these are not always very intuitive to figure out.

This can sometimes confuse and overwhelm people new to Linux, especially since everyone thinks their package format is the best and should only be used for everything, leading to this type of situation:

Based on that error you're describing, you most likely installed Rider as a Flatpak. This is a containerized format that is isolated from the rest of the file system, and is common to run into issues that involve accessing files at various locations. Programs that have an internal update mechanism tend to run into issues because they can't modify the files they need in order to apply the update.

You can work around this by explicitly granting additional permissions, installing another program called "Flatseal". You would have to figure out which permissions you need to assign to Rider for it to work, although I'm guessing granting "Filesystem → All system files" would work.

For reference, here's another thread to illustrate another issue caused by Flatpak, and how it was solved by granting additional permissions.
And please don't get me wrong, using Flatpak also has its advantages, but if you're new to Linux you need to be aware that this can introduce issues for even basic things that you'd expect to work right out of the box.

For me personally, I've been using PyCharm and IntelliJ for the past few months but I've downloaded the versions from the website directly to avoid any issues with Flatpaks. Here's how I do it:

1. Visit the product website and download the Linux version.

   

   They only offer a .tar.gz file which is a compressed archive, similar to .zip files, containing all the files needed to run it. This is a bit unfortunate because this method involves some work to get it set up correctly, but it will work all the same.

2. Notice that the download page has a link to verify the SHA-256 checksum; you should definitely check every file that you download. This can be done easily through a single shell command:

   

   By default, the Downloads folder is used for all downloaded files. I'm here specifying the full path to the downloaded file, using the shortcut ~ which represents my user's home directory.

   If the signatures do not match, it's not safe to use the file. Here you should reach out to JetBrains to let them know of this since it's a security issue they need to address.

3. You can now extract the contents of this archive by right-click → Extract Here. This will create a folder, which also happens to contain another folder within it, that contains a text file with further instructions. The first step says:

   Unpack the JetBrains Rider distribution archive that you downloaded
   where you wish to install the program. We will refer to this
   location as your {installation home}.

   This location can be anywhere you like, even the Downloads directory if you want to keep things simple. I personally like to keep my Downloads directory empty so that I can easily keep track of which files have I downloaded recently, and deal with them as I go.

   For software installed from .tar.gz files (also called "tarballs") I create a dedicated directory to keep things more organized, and I'd recommend you do this as well. Again, you can choose anywhere you like, but I like to use ~/.local/src for this:

   

   From this screenshot you can see that I run a few commands to get all this done. First, I create the directory with mkdir, and I move (mv) the folder that was extracted (the inner-most one) into this new location. I change directory (cd) into this new location and list (ls) all the files to confirm that I successfully moved the JetBrains folder as I expected. Then, following the instructions from the installation text earlier I run the script inside the "bin" directory. This is masked by the window but I typed ./bin/rider.sh.

   You can absolutely do all of this using the regular file manager but then it would've taken a lot more screenshots for me to show this If you go with this approach remember that files starting with a period, like .local in my example, are automatically hidden. Go in the preferences menu on the file manager to show them:

   

[NeutraleNull]

@Aravisian

Newer, at 17 years old...

I remember having heared a similar conversation that Wayland isn't ready yet in 2018

@Ponce-De-Leon

So, you don't have something like that:

Nope i don't. I think that is because you are on an older nvidia driver version guessing by your screenshots? I think they removed it. However it could very well be lenovo locking down this on the legion pro5 as the pro7 has more "overclocking" features and branding.

@Ponce-De-Leon

So, when You are on Zorin 17 and use an Nvidia Card, switch to Xorg. Makes less Problems.

Xorg seems to work pretty good. However after rebooting it looks like only big OLED screen is used as a monitor and the laptop screen went dark until i disconnect it from the laptop. Cannot see the laptop screen on the Displays configuration in either zorin or nvidia.

@zenzen

n regards to this last statement using the shell, keep in mind that the shell is just another tool and learning how to use it, even for simple tasks, can go a very long way. In all my time using Windows I only ever used the command line a few times, following tutorials and guides I found online... looking back, I wish I had taken the bait and learn more about it as I did with Linux.

Well i am not completely new to the linux world as i work with servers all the time and WSL on windows.
Yet i did not have to fiddle around with multiple package managers and always used apt-get

@zenzen

Based on that error you're describing, you most likely installed Rider as a Flatpak. This is a containerized format that is isolated from the rest of the file system, and is common to run into issues that involve accessing files at various locations. Programs that have an internal update mechanism tend to run into issues because they can't modify the files they need in order to apply the update.

Yes exactly as i was thinking this is the recommended zorin way of getting all the packages via flatpack form the store. I am fine with getting it the way i used to do too. Was just a bit suprised a bit by having possible multiple installations of the same stuff.
I will look into the permission thingy but most likely reinstall just from the usual way.

[Ponce-De-Leon]

@NeutraleNull

Nope i don't.

Hmm ... You could try GreenWithEnvy instead. You can find it in the Software Store.

@NeutraleNull

However after rebooting it looks like only big OLED screen is used as a monitor and the laptop screen went dark until i disconnect it from the laptop. Cannot see the laptop screen on the Displays configuration in either zorin or nvidia.

Can You make a Screenshot of the Settings?

[StarTreker]

For reference, you can find GreenWithEnvy in the software store..

And this is what it looks like on my end. Wish I could change the white background, but as it is with many Flatpaks, their lockdown from the system.

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[zenzen]

@NeutraleNull

Yet i did not have to fiddle around with multiple package managers and always used apt-get

Most of these alternative package formats are aimed mostly at desktop usage, though some are also used on servers as well. The traditional native packages are mainly used for servers since there's no need to add unnecessary software and complexity; in the case of WSL I would put that in the server category since it's a headless set up.

@NeutraleNull

Yes exactly as i was thinking this is the recommended zorin way of getting all the packages via flatpack form the store. I am fine with getting it the way i used to do too. Was just a bit suprised a bit by having possible multiple installations of the same stuff.

It's confusing even for experienced folks... one of the main sources of issues that you'll find around this forum is precisely with the default use of this package format. It's all about pros & cons

[Ponce-De-Leon]

@StarTreker

And this is what it looks like on my end. Wish I could change the white background, but as it is with many Flatpaks, their lockdown from the system.

Do You have Your System set to Dark Mode? Is the Toggle for it in the Quick Settings active?

[StarTreker]

@Ponce-De-Leon

Do You have Your System set to Dark Mode?

Yes, I always run dark mode, my eyes cant take white backgrounds on 1000 nits. Lol

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[Ponce-De-Leon]

And the Toggle is on:

[NeutraleNull]

Just found something very good: GitHub - GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom: Compatibility tool for Steam Play based on Wine and additional components
This proton version works sooo much better for me. Currently i am playing broken arrow and struggeld with performance a lot. This instantly gained me 100% more fps and is now almost on par with my windows performance. Gonna take a look at other games soon.

[swarfendor437]

Well StarTreker was accurate - like your response to "When is Zorin adapting Wayland?" thread!

[Zorro]

Zorin is one of the few distros besides Ubuntu that offers snap packages by default. I know that many people avoid snaps and some packages are indeed quite wonky, but the JetBrains IDE snaps have always worked like a charm for me and I'd never go back to downloading tarballs.