I think it is possible but you have to ask someone like @Aravisian who is more knowledgeable for such matters.
If you are looking at speed, I might suggest you to have a look at MXLinux. It uses XFCE desktop and because of the absence of systemD, it works very efficiently.
I would love to try the MX Linux xfce especially because MX Linux plasma was easier to setup but I am wondering how easy is it to find and install software. This is my sister's laptop and she is one of these people who have no patience to learn about computers. I find Zorin and Mint is like Microsoft Windows and is therefore more familiar and easier to use.
While I learn about Linux from digging at these issues to try to fix them, my visit at my sister is over in 2 days so I will have to reinstall the MX Linux Plasma and settle for the slower boot time.
Hope I don't discover any other hiccups on the reinstall.
Thanks for your help. Learning how to install deb packages was the best part of this exercise.
~$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb
[sudo] password for iamwhoiam:
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64.
(Reading database ... 205894 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64_5.10.24-1~mx19+1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 (5.10.24-1~mx19+1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-5.10.0-5mx-amd64-unsigned.
Preparing to unpack linux-image-5.10.0-5mx-amd64-unsigned_5.10.24-1~mx19+1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-image-5.10.0-5mx-amd64-unsigned (5.10.24-1~mx19+1) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64:
linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 depends on linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-common (= 5.10.24-1~mx19+1); however:
Package linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-common is not installed.
linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 depends on linux-kbuild-5.10 (>= 5.10.24-1~mx19+1); however:
Package linux-kbuild-5.10 is not installed.
linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 depends on gcc-8; however:
Package gcc-8 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64 (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up linux-image-5.10.0-5mx-amd64-unsigned (5.10.24-1~mx19+1) ...
I: /boot/vmlinuz.old is now a symlink to vmlinuz-5.8.0-49-generic
I: /boot/vmlinuz is now a symlink to vmlinuz-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
I: /boot/initrd.img is now a symlink to initrd.img-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_gpu_info.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_ta.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_sos.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_ta.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_sos.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_ta.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_asd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_sos.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_ta.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_asd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_sos.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/renoir_ta.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_rlc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_mec2.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_mec.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_me.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_pfp.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_ce.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_sdma1.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_sdma.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi10_mes.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/oland_uvd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/pitcairn_uvd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/verde_uvd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/tahiti_uvd.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_vcn.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_vcn.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_vcn.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_vcn.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_smc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_smc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_smc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/arcturus_smc.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navi12_dmcu.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/navy_flounder_dmcub.bin for module amdgpu
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/sienna_cichlid_dmcub.bin for module amdgpu
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub:
Sourcing file /etc/default/grub' Sourcing file /etc/default/grub.d/init-select.cfg'
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /usr/share/grub/themes/zorin/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.8.0-49-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.8.0-49-generic
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings
done
Errors were encountered while processing:
linux-headers-5.10.0-5mx-amd64
I made a silly mistake. I am not sure I want to apologize for it because I found answers to questions I didn't expect to get answered by way of this topic.
My mistake was that I didn't realize Zorin 16 was released a few weeks ago so I was still using a Zorin 16 beta USB I created some time ago.
I just started installing the Zorin 16 core and the WiFi adapter was detected right from the start.
This mistake was the most clarifying training session for me since I switched to Linux a few months ago, so thanks for that.
Hope I don't have any more issues with this laptop for now.
So i wasn't wrong... worried i didn't have my facts straight about 16... though even in beta this driver was there. I remember installing this driver in 15.3 lite, but 16 had it integrated (kernel 5.8).