I've got 3 issues currently affecting my Zorin OS experience majorly, I've not done any significant customizations or changes to Zorin to make it act this way, I'm still unsure as to what is causing it to act this way but essentially:
On boot usually the NVIDIA Config should apply, as shown in the Startup Applications:
Name: NVIDIA X Server Settings
Command: sh -c '/usr/bin/nvidia-settings --load-config-only'
Comment: Configure NVIDIA X Server Settings
Now I've no idea what configuration it's applying but it's wrong since when I then launch NVIDIA Settings it applies the correct settings and then I may close NVIDIA Settings. I've tried updating my X Configuration Profile, and this leads into my 2nd issue. Whenever in the NVIDIA Settings Application I try to "Save to X Configuration File" it just DOESN'T, it asks me for my Password which I provide then it just errors out with "Unable to open X config file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' for writing."
So to attempt to fix that issue I've tried deleting xorg.conf and it still doesn't fix it so I've resorted to opening the terminal and just sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf and pasting the info from the NVIDIA Settings Show Preview and hoping that works.
Now my third issue is probably just NVIDIA tbh, all of this is probably caused by NVIDIA but I don't want to change anything at this moment till I've heard from others for potential resolutions that could fix these sudden issues rather than breaking my system and having to perform a clean install.
Anyway my third issue is throughout the day I have to consistently keep launching NVIDIA Settings for it to reapply the settings I set and saved in it to the xorg.conf file and the .nvidia-settings-rc file. And it's like at random times when like some things that I set in NVIDIA Settings get reverted, like not everything gets reverted, so my monitor stays at the right Resolution and HZ etc. But stuff like the color correction gets reverted so I have to relaunch it and I can see the change happen straight to my monitor so then I proceed with my day and just keep relaunching NVIDIA Settings each time it happens till the time I shut down and log off for the day.
Am I correct in thinking you are using a desktop? Are all cables secure/no breakages? Age of graphics card? Age of monitor? From personal experience I have always had issues with using nVidia on any GNU/Linux. I get a much better experience using nouveau drivers. Sadly graphics cards like us don't last forever. I was most upset when my 256 Mb nvidia FX-9xxx died.
You wrote that You worked on the Xorg config File. Do You have choose as Your Dispay Manager Xorg? Should You have forgot to change that it doesn't work. Zorin by default runs with Wayland. Maybe You should control that. Go to the Login Screen and click on Your Profile so that the Password Field appears. When the Password Field is appeared, You should see in the bottom right Corner a Gear Icon. Click on it. There You should see 2 Options:
Zorin Desktop (that is the Wayland Option)
Zorin Desktop on Xorg
The current used Mode is marked by a Dot at the Beginning.
Hey there, thanks for your reply, I've tried multiple different cables, My main monitor is a HP Monitor 144hz with G-Sync so I use a Display Port Cable for it, but I have tried HDMI Cables with still no fix. The graphics card isn't outdated as such, whilst it is Generations Old, it still does get NVIDIA Driver Updates (at least in Windows) I duel boot, so I have both Windows and Zorin OS but Zorin OS is the Main Boot Device, and in Windows the NVIDIA Graphics work just fine, but I don't like Windows as it is very resource intensive and I prefer my privacy above all things. I don't think I've ever tried the Nouveau Drivers since I always hear bad stuff about it, especially for gaming which I do, I play games such as Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2, Rise Of The Tomb Raider etc.
But yeah sadly NVIDIA Drivers are very poor on Linux still to this day which is such a shame, I can't wait to upgrade to full AMD in around a year or so but until then I'm stuck with this. It's not terrible, just a minor hiccup tbh which I wish would go away but sadly as all things on Linux, unlike Windows, making things go away easy is easier said then done sadly
Yes I did check that, it is definitely Xorg, although that now does make me wonder since people are constantly saying that Wayland is getting better, would Wayland be a better option do you think? I mean I don't mind testing, that's mainly why I have both Linux and Windows is so I can test and test, fix and fix and then when I finally come full circle to actually using Linux 100% full time and getting rid of Windows 100% I'll at least have a lot of knowledge and know what I want and how to execute exactly what I want under Linux rather than having to rely on Windows sometimes.
In Case of Nvidia and Wayland tehre are coming some Changes that will make - or should make - a way much better Nvidia/Wayland Experience. The Problem is, that it is no Option for You here on Zorin because we have here a LTS based Distro. So, the changes would come in the Future.
So, You could test if You Graphics Card run with Wayland, sure. When it doesn't run good, you can change back to Xorg. When I understand that from Your Comments here right, You use the Nvidia Proprietary Drivers, right? Which Version do You use? As far as I know (I don't have Nivida) there are different Versions.
Yes, I have a Dual-Boot System, too. Win10 and Zorin. And it will not get Win11. So, Win 10 stays until October 2025 when the Support ends and then I must have the right Distro for me.
RIP I guess, I like Zorin OS a lot and so if possible I wouldn't really want to move from it. As far as I know there's no easy Distro, there's Distros that make Linux easy for the users in some cases but each distro is specifically designed for individual things. Like Zorin here targets just users that want to play games, still be able to use some Windows Apps with Wine, and browse the web and be productive. That's Zorin's Standpoint at least from my point of View. Where as Arch Linux for example are for those that want to do whatever they can with their machine, push the limits, see where the boundary is. They like being on the bleeding edge and know exactly what to do. Or at least I hope. But Arch doesn't appeal to me because I don't care much about like fully customising my OS or having multiple DE's installed. I just want a basic Operating System that looks good, works with my Google Pixel 8 Pro and Zorin is exactly that. At least from the amount of research that I did. I tried Linux Mint, but it just didn't appeal to me. I tried Ubuntu but it's just too weird for me, the way the apps are in an Android-Like Grid menu rather than a simple Windows-Style Layout. So Zorin for the moment is the best for me. I would switch to KDE however KDE and NVIDIA Drivers still have a LONG way to go, as it's a very bumpy ride, and they consistently break and then get fixed only to break again.
Yep that's right I use the NVIDIA Proprietary Drivers.
These are all the options I have:
The one I'm currently using is: NVIDIA driver metapackage from nvidia-driver-545 (proprietary)
I really hope the NVIDIA Drivers do improve but NVIDIA really hasn't done good by anyone for Drivers on Linux at the moment. Like I said though once I move to full AMD, Linux should be a breeze from there! I don't mind losing RTX or whatever because I don't really play intensive games that require like major graphics use anyways, most games I play like I said is Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, Tomb Raider etc.
Yeah Dual-Booting is awesome, but I don't think I'd ever main Windows after my move to Linux. Windows just keeps digging a bigger hole for themselves. If they released the Source Code for Windows 7 and the latest NT Kernel's I'm pretty sure Windows 7 could live and win again, but Microsoft started spiralling out of control when they released Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, but then managed to only narrowly redeem themselves with Windows 10. At least Windows 10 in the early days. Windows 10 now is just a bloat-fested OS with not much longer left till it's EOL. Which is a shame tbh since there's a lot of people that can just barely run Windows 10, let alone Windows 11. So once that EOL comes, hopefully users will consider Linux, but I understand if they wish to stay with Windows as Linux is something new and with the word Distro's being involved, people are consistently frightened with what Distro to choose and with many on the internet going, you need to find out for yourself, it's not very helpful, and then you've got others that are like "Oh try this, do that, this works" it's really unhelpful. I watch SomeOrdinaryGamers on YouTube, he made a Linux Guide and like as helpful as it is for beginners, it's not helpful enough. He only specified like oh here's how to get the Drivers, here update your system. You can install stuff from the Package Manager or the built in software store. Like it's great in that regard but it's severely unhelpful when issues aren't mentioned. Like Steam where there's a major bug that still plagues many to this day, the fake full-screen issue. Where Steam enacts as if it's full-screen but it isn't, so you can't drag the windows anywhere etc, I've encountered that issue many times and it only seems to be the GNOME DE that can fix it easily with just a simple ALT + ENTER. Also those guides aren't helpful when like if troubleshooting is needed you simply told to go to the forums and figure it out yourself which is great, I think 100% that should fix you problem. But not if the information dates back 3 or 5 or 10 years ago . That's enough ranting from me lol, sorry about that, but basically Linux at the moment still has quite a way to go and hopefully we'll get there at some point and bring up that Linux Market Share!
Wayland favours more AMD Graphics than nvidia. I am still anti-Wayland as IBM is trying to force it through in the same way that Red Hat (now part of IBM) forced systemd and pulseaudio on all the other major distributions. Red Hat also had a long term goal of removing GNU's /etc which would have prevented me blacklisting other audio sources to get my SoundBlaster working. Wayland is not being looked at objectively, but passive acceptance by those who don't know that they actually want to kill off GNU/Linux. For clarity, GNU is the OS, Linux is the kernel.
The problem is is that if you ignore GNU, you are ignoring Richard Stallman's contribution. I find it interesting that Amiga OS has a lot of GNU folders in Workbench. As has been stated elsewhere, "No GNU, no Linux"! You need to remember that hardware is manufactured with that other OS in mind. I have an Asus motherboard to, but if I chose Windows Boot Manager in UEFI settings, GNU/Linux will not run. I use CSM to run EFI and Legacy but am aware not all boards have this. If you want a machine that caters for GNU/Linux then you need to look at purchasing dedicated Linux hardware as referred to in the Unofficial Manuals I authored for Zorin 15 and 17 Core.
What you also need to remember is that if hardware manufacturers were to create a GNU/Linux mainboard, M$ and other interested parties might withdraw support in providing their products. A case in point was the MMX debacle. Shortly after 486 based machines were replaced with Pentium Processors, within a short space of time MMX came out after punters had ordered grey machines with Pentium processors. Mainstream consumer media lambasted the providers of grey machines for not informing their customers. Only PC Plus magazine found out the reason why. Intel had instructed producers of grey machines not to let the public know of the impending release of MMX processors ... if they had Intel would no longer supply processors to grey manufacturers of Desktops.
Hm, I see, I never thought about it like that, I always thought about it as just because Linux is like the most known term for Linux, you only hear some people say one or the other, I got used to saying Linux rather than GNU/Linux because it just sounded better and also others were saying it that way. Also I've never heard of Amiga OS, I might look at that, I like testing Operating Systems and seeing what they're like so that's going to be cool to see the GNU Folders! Also yeah true not all boards have CSM and also true about the Hardware Manufacturers perspective, Microsoft does give them a lot of money to include stuff like those types of naming schemes for Secure Boot or just even including the words Microsoft and Windows in their BIOS's / UEFI's. Also I hear you loud and clear, like if you want a device that specifically caters to GNU/Linux then you should definitely look into purchasing Dedicated Linux Hardware since that would make more sense and Linux is designed to run perfectly on them. However I think it would be nice for Linux to work on any hardware, and in all fairness Linux already does work extremely well on any if not all hardware, it's just certain manufacturers that make it significantly difficult for their users to switch from say Windows to GNU/Linux. NVIDIA for example is one of those companies that makes it hard for people to switch from Windows to GNU/Linux.
Also yikes Intel, that sounds bad. But yeah it is sad tbh. But I guess I've learnt something new, calling Linux GNU/Linux is better because now it incorporates the work that Richard Stallman did. So thank you for that
I wouldn't say that in a common Way. Distro's like Zorin or Mint are for a common Use Case. Arch is more for ... Individualists, haha! Then You have for example Nobara Linux with a Gaming Focus. So, you have System for a more ... advanced Usage, yes. But I wouldn't say that this is the Mayority of them.
Did You tried the 535?
And Nvidia is in a Improvement Process. The Key Word here is: Explicit Sync. That is a ... fancy new Stuff that should make Nvidia Cards run way better with Wayland. And here is the Point: This Explicit Sync lands in Wayland AND in the upcomig Nvidia Driver 555. so, You need both. The Nvidia Driver shouldn't be the Problem.
But the Wayland Part is because that you will only have in the up-to-date Gnome and KDE Desktop's. On KDE it will come with Plasma 6.1 in June, if I'm not wrong. On Gnome I'm not sure if it is now integrated in Gnome 46 or if it will come. So, there is Progress.
If You want try it, You could use KDE Neon when the Plasma Update and Nvidia Driver is out. It is a Distro from KDE with an Ubuntu 22 LTS and her up-to-date Plasma Desktop. So, they permanently update the Desktop - similar to Linux Mint with her Cinnamon Desktop. But the Point is: You must like the KDE Plasma Desktop.
I think this is more a Thing of the specific Mainboard Model and maybe the Manufacturer. I use a Gigabyte Aorus B450i. And with all the Linux Systems that I have used in the Past with it I had never Problems with that. So, I don't think that you need dedicated Linux Hardware.
Yeah that's true, you put it way better then I did lol, but yeah Arch is not for me, It's too much and unless I'm ready for it which I probably won't ever be I won't ever be using it or other distros that make it easier to install and use such as Manjaro, Endeavour OS etc.
I have not but I'm willing to try anything so I'll give that a try for sure.
See this is the thing right here, I absolutely adore the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment, I'd use that over GNOME if I could but sadly every KDE Plasma install on any OS whether that be Fedora, KDE Neon, or just any KDE pretty much, have all let me down, well not let me down exactly they're perfect, what isn't is NVIDIA. Everything feels like 60hz when my monitor is 144hz, and I've tried changing the usual settings in the NVIDIA Settings that normally fixes the issue and it doesn't so it's either a KDE issue or a me issue. People constantly go on about the Compositor potentially breaking the NVIDIA Driver or smth like that but I don't want to go anywhere near or change the Compositor just in case it breaks the install and I have to reinstall once again lol.
Yesss Gigabyte, I've heard amazing things about them, I want to move away from ASUS since tbh I don't think they're bad, they work but after seeing what Steve from Gamers Nexus went through with warranty and whatnot it's just not for me.
So, You have that in Wayland and Xorg Mode? I would suggest that you wait until this whole Explicit Sync Thing is ready in Wayland and Nvidia and then try it with KDE again. If that is really true that it runs way better, maybe that will help You, too.
Yes, I've read about this Story; it sounded pretty bad. I think too that the ASUS Boards itself are not bad. But I think they are a bit overpriced - because there stands ASUS on them. Only my personal Impression.
I used in the Past only Gigabyte Boards and they were good for me. But I never had High End Parts to use. So ... I had more simple Machines. The current AM5 Boards unfortunately pretty expensive. So, I must see how I built in the Future.
Oh I wouldn't know since I've only ever used X11, Wayland for me has always been bad, whenever I go over 100HZ there's a black bar that appears at the top of the screen for no reason. I'm still not sure what it is or if there's a fix for it but X11 works fine for me.
Oh no I completely agree with you, they are good boards, they work, and just get the job done, but truth is, so do other Board Manufacturers and at least those other ones too get the job done sometimes even better and at a cheaper cost in some cases.
Fair enough I mean yeah a lot of stuff at the moment high-end wise is expensive and it makes me think, if I actually go full high-end would it even be worth it, maybe in the short run but idk about the long run, like will they hold up to the value that I spent on them at least. Always so many questions for me lol.
