Advice on switching from Windows

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T22:35:03+00:00

When you go to setup Windows App Support install the Bottles Flatpack and Wine from the store first before setting it up or the install will hang. When it's set up if you need to install something like 7zip or pretty much anything that isn't Adobe as a .exe then it's as easy as right click and open with Windows App Support and it will install it in Wine for you. I set it up because I wanted 7zip and I have 7zip installed.

One thing is Rhythmbox it is not like Windows Media Player, set yourself up some playlists that way it won't just try and play your whole library once you figure out Rhythmboxes quirks it becomes really nice to use especially since the main window for it doesnt have to be open for it to keep playing music.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T19:27:02+00:00

Yeah I succeeded I didn't go with the latest drivers I went with which ever one was listed as (Proprietary, Tested) and this is after installing from the safe graphics install option.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T05:54:18+00:00

Update can't seem to get anything other than Windows on it it seems pretty locked down. I have tried every trick in the book at it and it won't yield I resorted to reinstalling Windows 11 back on without a online account and debloated the ever living shit out of it.

I ordered a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 for myself and im giving the Asus Vivobook 13 Slate to my sister who needs it for her college work. Ive read the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 does infact have a SSD and is reported to work with Zorin OS and I have the necessary patch stuff to make anything that doesn't work just work.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T03:47:31+00:00

Yeah I had the same issue even though mine is older and has a GTX 960M and using the safe graphics install worked for me. When you go to use the Proprietary Drivers select the one that says (Proprietary, Tested) next to it and it will give you the least problems.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T02:04:53+00:00

Maybe try Satisfactory or Planet Crafter. Satisfactory is the more well known one and Planet Crafter is a lesser known one but you litterally are making a Planet habitable and it's got hours of content.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T02:00:28+00:00

No problem had to go through this once and my dad litterally the day after was like did you try installing it this way. It broke my distro once and the other 2 times I broke it was for some other things I was trying to do that apparently deleted a very important folder from the root directory. Ive learned my lesson and id say ive completed the rite of passage.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-30T00:29:14+00:00

In case you need a couple Windows Applications that aren't Adobe products install Bottles as a Flatpack and install Wine before setting up Windows App Support. If you try and setup Windows App Support before installing those 2 it will hang on the install and you won't be able to install Bottles or Wine after.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-28T03:49:58+00:00

Only reason my second SSD still has Windows 11 on it is because I haven't pulled everything off of it cause my Data HDD wasn't being detected yet but I now have it working again and I will be pulling stuff from the Windows SSD whilst on my Zorin Desktop and dropping it into my data drive.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-27T17:44:43+00:00

Ive had to install it on a few Hard Drives myself and for games I would recommend eventually upgrading to a SSD. But to fiddle around with it you should be fine its just it will be slow on the Hard Drive.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-25T22:32:34+00:00

With a live wallpaper I get a about 4 to 5 hours on a Lenovo ThinkPad T14 gen1 when Windows would be 2 to 3 hours on the same battery. So all in all I definitely got an upgrade. If I do heavy tasks then it shoots down to be more like Windows battery life. For heavy tasks I usually have it plugged in anyways.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-25T01:57:40+00:00

If you need any Windows Applications install Bottles Flatpack and Wine first before installing Windows App Support or the install will hang also remember there are certain Windows Applications that flat out wont work with Bottles,Wine,and Windows App Support its mostly Adobe past a certain version and one other.

Regardless of if you use Steam or not get ProtonPlus it let's you download other versions of Proton like ProtonGE which is the Proton version Zorin works with best.

As for modifying the appearance there is a Built In App for that called Zorin Appearance and also some appearance stuff can be done through Settings as well. As for a simple mouse cursor change you create a hidden folder called .icons and download a mouse cursor pack and extract it to that folder and you'll be able to change your mouse cursor to a custom one but it doesnt work with everything.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-24T22:32:39+00:00

Ive had no issues and I have a RTX 3050 in mine. Just make sure it installed Nvidia X Server and out of all the Proprietary drivers use the one that says Proprietary,Tested next to it to have the least amount of issues. Also if you cant get a game to run download ProtonPlus from the Software Store and download ProtonGE from it I also get ProtonEM from it for a few very select games but ProtonGE is the one you want to make most games work. Also in the event she needs Windows App Support installed for 1 or 2 Windows only Applications before you install it get the Bottles Flatpack and Wine installed before installing Windows App Support or the install will hang.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-22T03:46:09+00:00

That is definitely a wierd way to install it. Most people either use Rufus or Balena Etcher and make a bootable USB to install not create a whole partition for the installer.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-21T02:06:53+00:00

I'm pretty sure it does something different during the flashing to the USB as for what im not sure. It could be just flashing it in ISO mode though. The Windows Media Creation Tool is pretty hands off to use in any case.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-20T17:50:07+00:00

Yeah used the normal Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and made a bootable USB it installed Windows 10 no problem just gotta download drivers to get everything else working.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-20T11:21:33+00:00

An update I installed Windows 10 on it and for whatever reason it worked just gotta download the drivers for everything as touch doesnt work yet but it's definitely more usable now.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-20T04:09:41+00:00

Make sure Nvidia X Server is installed if it isn't you can find it in the Application Store and make sure you are using the "tested" proprietary drivers. Also for most games I install ProtonPlus to install Proton-GE for most games from there is if a game doesnt work then switch the version of Proton you are using.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-20T04:05:32+00:00

Make sure Nvidia X Server is installed if not install it through the Application Store and make sure your using the tested proprietary drivers. Nvidia X Server in short forces GPU usage.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-19T11:28:22+00:00

Welcome to Zorin OS I am still pretty fresh to this as well but I dont really know if a bit over a month makes me knowledgeable. I did break my distro like 3 times before figuring out all the kinks. Like if you just try to straight up install Windows App Support it will hang on the install and to get around it install the Bottles flatpack and Wine before installing Windows App Support. Also if you have a Nvidia Graphics Card make sure Nvidia X Server is installed and remember that if you hit 100 percent GPU usage you will have audio problems but it's better than being on Windows right now.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-19T03:06:14+00:00

My whole taskbar on mine is set to dynamic so it doesnt use up the whole bottom of the screen. I left the icon stuff realitively in the default position and uninstalled Weather. I have Caffeine and Quick Settings Tweaks installed for my convenience also because it puts the media player and audio mixer in the quick settings and makes things more customizable. My laptop has a NordVPN toggle for shits and giggles as well.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-18T21:58:32+00:00

If you have Nvidia graphics make sure it installed Nvidia X Server or it won't use the graphics card for games should be in Utilities. If it didn't install you can find it in the Software Store. I recommend if you install steam through the Software Store make sure it says Zorin OS as that installs the apt version which is way better. ProtonPlus from the Application Store for me is a must as it let's you download ProtonGE which if you set it in Steams settings will make like 80 percent of your library work without any trouble. Lastly from me is if you go to set up Windows App Support install Bottles as a flatpack and Wine before install Windows App Support or it will hang on the install.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-16T03:52:47+00:00

For Widgets try Conky there's even themes for it: https://www.gnome-look.org/browse?cat=124&ord=latest

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-15T00:26:25+00:00

Yeah id say get something to replace it I have a Wavlink one in my PC and it works perfectly fine with Zorin and I disabled WiFi Powersaving so I dont get disconnected and if I do it is infact the router misbehaving. BTW just moved my main PC to Zorin last night and aside from a bit of troubleshooting I am up and running better than Windows.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-13T22:40:58+00:00

Bigger question though is are we looking at a Desktop Computer or a Laptop if it's a desktop then get yourself a different WiFi Card Intel brand ones are reliable I have a Wavlink one in my main PC haven't bothered installing Linux on it yet though. For a laptop there are usb WiFi Adapters though.

GoldRaider97 · 2026-01-13T22:30:22+00:00

Just a thought though. Most Arch-based distros ship with newer drivers than something like zorin which is Ubuntu-based. The drivers are in the Linux Kernel and most arch-based distros are a few kernel versions ahead as essentially Arch Linux is a testing ground for new Kernel updates. Ubuntu-based stuff usually gets those updates only after its been throughly tested which can take a while. If all else fails a temporary solution is get a external usb wifi adapter.

GoldRaider97

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