Zorin Refuses to Suspend and Sometimes Freezes

My desktop computer refuses to suspend. When I suspend the system, the screen goes blank and the machine "shuts down" as though it's suspending. Then it immediately turns back on. Im not sure why it does this. I tried disabling secure boot. I do have a nvidia graphics card and I am running the latest proprietary driver. I also tried an older driver. It all behaves the same.

I'm new here, so Im not sure how to provide you a system snap shot of my hardware. Can anyone tell me how to get a system snap shot?

Additionally, if my computer screen shut off and the machine idles for about 15 minutes, tapping the keyboard and mouse does not bring it back on.

I can still exchange this machine at best buy, so I'm thinking about exchanging it for one with nothing but amd graphics and doing away with nvidia. Seem nvidia is very problematic for linux.

I added my system specs in a response below.

Enter into terminal

sudo apt update

sudo apt install screenfetch

Enter your password when asked...

Once that has finished installing, then just type...

screenfetch

Now take a screenshot, and post that here on the forum.

Mine for example...


Thank you, here is my screenfetch.

@greenwood Do you use Wayland or Xorg? Wayland is used by default, but Xorg is recommended for Nvidia cards, as these often do not work well with Wayland. You can change this by logging out and then clicking on your user name when logging in. A cogwheel will appear on the screen. Click on it and you can switch to Xorg.
Also deactivate fast boot in your UEFI/BIOS.
If you have a dual boot with Windows, you should also deactivate the quick start in Windows (at power options) so that the computer shuts down completely.
If none of this helps, you could try a newer kernel or also an upgrade to Zorin 17 with the Zorin upgrader.

1 Like

Welcome to the Forum!

Beneath the the Wayland/Xorg Thing what @Forpli already explained:

What Tool did You use to create the bootable USB Stick?
Is Your BIOS in UEFI or Legacy Mode?
Your Processor seems to be a newer one. Maybe it could be neccessary to try it with a newer Kernel.

I'm back — and this privacy/open-source journey has not been an easy one.

I'm pretty tech-savvy, but let me be honest: switching to open source is not cheap, easy, or always better. While open source has improved a lot, it still doesn't match the seamless experience of most proprietary software. That’s one of the biggest reasons it took me so long to make the switch.

As a former Apple user, the transition was tough. Apple packages everything into one polished and easy-to-use system, and finding open-source alternatives that could compete took a lot of effort. In the end, I had to buy a new phone and a new computer. Ironically, I now pay more for various privacy-focused cloud services than I ever did for iCloud.

So why make the switch? Privacy. With AI growing fast, personal data being sold constantly, and increasing control from both big tech and governments, the future seriously worries me. What seems harmless today might not be in the future. I didn’t want my most sensitive data in the hands of corporations that don't have my best interests at heart.

Here’s what I ended up with:

  • Computer: ZorinOS
  • Phone: Pixel with GrapheneOS

I tested a bunch of Linux distros before settling on ZorinOS. I tried Pop!_OS (it froze too often), Linux Mint (no Snap support and looked outdated), Ubuntu (very basic and lacked Flatpak support), and a few others I can’t even remember. ZorinOS had the best mix of looks and usability. I did leave it for a bit due to audio and reboot issues, but those were hardware-related. After exchanging computers multiple times at Best Buy, I finally got a business-class machine that just worked — except for the suspend feature, which still doesn't work properly. I’ve just accepted that for now.

Hardware compatibility was another major issue. Finding a graphics card that could run my LG 5K2K ultrawide monitor was harder than expected. Many newer GPUs and chipsets don’t play well with Linux unless you’re using the absolute newest kernel, which most long-term support distros don’t include by default. I had to double-check every spec to make sure it would work with Linux.

App replacements were also tricky. I really tried to make NextCloud and OwnCloud work as iCloud replacements, but they were slow, hard to set up, and frequently broke. Syncing files, calendars, tasks, and notes was unreliable. I gave up on those.

Here’s what I ended up using instead:

  • Apple Photos -> Ente
  • Apple Reminders -> Tasks.org
  • Apple Notes -> Joplin
  • iCloud Drive -> MEGA
  • Apple Mail -> ProtonMail
  • Apple Passwords -> Bitwarden
  • Apple Maps -> Magic Earth
  • YouTube Premium -> NewPipe (the only one that actually saved me money)
  • Apple News -> Just using the AP News website
  • iMessage -> Signal (got a few friends and family on board)
  • Apple Weather -> Breezy Weather
  • App Store -> F-Droid and Aurora Store

One last major area where open source still falls short: TV and streaming. Kodi was the closest thing I could find, but it was limited when sticking to fully legal content. A lot of the content on Kodi is pirated, and that’s not what I’m here for. I’m switching for privacy, not to pirate stuff. Most other open-source TV setups rely on FireTV or Android TV, which are proprietary and full of tracking.

In the end, I went with old-school DirecTV. No internet connection, just a satellite dish and DVR. Surprisingly, it’s a better viewing experience than Apple TV. I don’t have to jump between apps, log in repeatedly, or deal with constant ads. I just turn on the TV, go to my recordings, and everything’s there. I even get to skip all the ads (with recordings). When I want to zone out, I can just channel surf (ads are still there though).

So yeah — that’s my open-source journey. If privacy weren’t such a growing concern, I probably wouldn’t have made the switch. Open source is finally getting good enough to replace proprietary software, but it's still a rough path. That said, if privacy matters to you, it’s worth the struggle.

Hope this helps someone out there considering the switch.

2 Likes

I see the above post is also duplicated here: My Opensource / Privacy Journey

I guess that is the text from your above post that relates to this thread.

Yes, I posted both places. Some of the info relates to my original post.