Hey folks. I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with Linux for over 20 years. Usually, my attempts to use it are either thwarted by issues installing, issues booting, or general problems while using it… leading to “catastrophic failure” that I can’t fix without digging into hours of research and terminal commands.
Windows 11 (even 10) are rock solid for me, even as a very heavy multitasker. No crashes. No needing to reboot, unless I’m forced to with an update, and really no issues with any hardware or software I was running.
But with Linux, I just can’t believe how unstable it is, even when I do the absolute basic things.
I’m trying to learn why this is, and how I can prevent these issues from coming up. As I said, I’m committed to using Linux now (I’m done with American software), so I’m open to suggestions.
For context, I’m using a Framework laptop, which is fully (and officially) supports Fedora and Ubuntu. Since Fedora has American ties, I’ve settled with Ubuntu.
All things work as they should: fingerprint scanner, wifi, bluetooth, screen dimming, wake up from suspend, external drives, NAS shared folders, etc. I’ve even got VirtualBox running Windows 11 for the few paid software that I need to load up from time to time.
But I’m noticing issues that seemingly pop out of nowhere on the software/os end of things.
For example, after having no issues updating software, I get this an error: “something went wrong, but we’re not sure what it is.”
Then sometimes I’ll be using Firefox, I’ll open a new tab to type in a search term or URL, and the typing will “lag”, then the address bar will flicker like it’s reloading, and it doesn’t respond well to my mouse clicks. I have to close it out, then start over for it to resolve.
Then I’ll open a different app, sometimes it might open, sometimes it won’t.
Or an app will freeze for no obvious reason, and I’ll get a popup asking to wait or quit.
Another time I left my computer while I went out for a walk, came back, and it was like I just rebooted… all my work was gone, and it was starting fresh from the login screen.
I’m trying not to overload things, and I’m doing maybe 1/5th of what I’d normally be doing when running windows. But I don’t understand why it’s so unstable.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
FWIW, I’m not keen to switch away from Ubuntu, because I do still want official support if there’s ever a problem with getting hardware to work.
UPDATE: Wow, I did not expect to get so many responses! Amazing!
Per suggestions, I ran a memtest86 for over 3 hours and it was clean.
I installed Fedora 41 and am now setting it up. Seems good so far, and elevated permissions can be authorized with biometrics! This was not something I had to. Ubuntu, so awesome there!
Any specific tips for Fedora that I should know? Obviously, no more Snap packages now! 😂
UPDATE 2: Ok, Fedora seems waaaay more stable than Ubuntu (and Mint). No strangeness like before… but not everything works as easily. For example, getting a bridged network adapter to work in virtualbox was one-click easy on Ubuntu… not so much on Fedora (still trying to get it working). And Virtualbox didn’t even run my VM without more terminal hackery.
But the OS seems usable, and I’m still setting things up.
One thing I have noticed, however. When I search for how to fix or do something, nearly all websites and forums reference Debian/Ubuntu commands, so the fragmentation there is a little annoying
There’s a saying: “Don’t break Debian.” It’s considered among the most stable options, and that’s in part because of its extremely long test cycles (which can come with its own set of problems, on occasion).
I do find it curious that you’ve chosen to divest from even American FOSS projects. Like, Microsoft makes sense; they have no qualms about doing whatever they want with user data for profit, which inevitably goes towards billionaire machinations. But why draw that same line with FOSS?
I know some people are suspicious of fedora specifically because of its ties with IBM.
Honestly, not knowing enough about how linux distros are funded is part of it.
And the second part is more “If I’m going to commit, I might as well start off with something I can live with through whatever geopolitical wars we have to endure.” My preference is to remove as much American influence from my life as possible, including the OS and software I use.
This is the only reason why I’m moving away from Windows, because it’s served me well.
First of all, I’m not trying to tell you how you should live your life. My following commentary is well-intended and in the spirit of making informed decisions, of which I believe everyone has a fundamental right. At the end of the day, follow your conscience. It’s your life to live.
Spoiler, because I'm long-winded
Every distro is different. Some have zero financial investment and only volunteer labor. Some have community donations only. Some have funds from non-profit foundations or trusts with specific philanthropic qualifications. Some have corporate sponsors. Some have a mixture. Since you’ve narrowed things down to Ubuntu and Fedora, I recommend exploring where their money each comes from, how they use that money, what kind of governing bodies they have, etc. Though Canonical is based in London, for example, they have a reputation for being the Microsoft of the Linux world.
It’s simpler to just dismiss all projects with American ties, but FOSS is unique in its collaboration, and drawing a hard line will make life in the FOSS space difficult, if not impossible. On top of that, it’s very unlikely to have any effect towards boycotting the billionaires and politicians that make all our lives awful.
FOSS is unique in that it does best when everyone works together. This is antithetical to most governments, most corporations, and practically every billionaire. I get your desire to diminish American influence, and as an American myself who’s trying to do the same, I have to be careful that I don’t inadvertently harm the philanthropic efforts still happening in my own back yard.
To me, FOSS is a way to rebel against the kind of polemicizing and politicking happening across the globe, because working together without their approval is the last thing many of them want us to do.
Lastly, good luck with your transition! I hope you figure it out and love whatever you ultimately pick!
I really appreciate that. I really do.
Considering how the EU is now looking to make a distro… based on Fedora… I’m more comfortable with the idea.
And you are right, FOSS projects are a collaboration, and I think it’s worth for me to explore the best option for me, rather than what I feel might be the best option.
That said, I’m backing up my Home folder, I’ve got memtest loaded on a flash drive ready to run, and I’ll be prepping Fedora 41 to install once that’s all done :)
Good luck! I’ll be there with you, figuring things out. See you on the Arch Wiki 😉
Well, welcome to the Free side fellow traveller :-) I too ditched Windows for (different) political reasons 25 years ago, and haven’t looked back. You’ll love it here, 'cause if you don’t, you now have the power to change it 'til you do.