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September 14th, 2025 23:59
Requesting assistance from Anne
Latitude 5410 (i5-10th gen)), 16 Gb, NVMe
Dear Anne,
Seems like Y2K all over again > where's my batteries ?
On the serious side, since you appear to be one of the more knowledgable Linux users, I come to you with some outright rookie questions. I currently have set up a dual boot of 10 and Zorin 17.3 on a 17-year-old laptop (Inspiron). Trying to make my mistakes on a throw-a-way unit.
Question 1: Is there a go-to tutorial/site that will get me on a solid start ?
2. At this time is it important to have your machine certified ? My Dell driver list shows Ubuntu (18.04.3 LTS) as well as 10, 11 available but only 10 and 11 actually are populated. Can I assune that I can get the appropriate linux drivers for my machine via the cloud/repositories ?
3. Since Zorin is a 'subset' -excuse my French- of Ubuntu, would what's relevant to Ubuntu be relevant to Zorin, ie drivers, etc ?
4. Presently I want to get started on linux and thus Zorin. 6 months down I want the most secure, stable, and user-friendly package you can suggest. I'm guessing you'll state Debian 13 which is Ubuntu's 'big brother' in the hierarchy.
btw, I've heard that linux users deplore newbies; I hope that's not the case, Appreciate any scaps. Bill
anne_droid
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September 15th, 2025 10:54
Hi
Well I know less than nothing about Zorin, avoid Ubuntu directly, and do FAVOUR Debian when in a bit of a bind, but day-to-day I use Linux Mint.
Mint does use deb and ubuntu repositories so there is some common ground.
There are 2 rules to choosing a Linx Distro, find one that has good community support primarily, and rule 2 is use what your personal tastes and likes suit you.
They may both point to the same distro, or you install and run two while you sort out a preference.
Currently I am betwixt and between storage devices, removed my 500 GB NVMe and fitted a P310 2 TB in it's place and slowly, thru the week, I expect to be able to help in a more positive way, as I rebuild/transfer stuff.
Bear in mind I aint clever, I use Perplexity.ai a lot as it gives answers with references as to where they were found, so I can check the veracity of the 'supplier'.
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To get a full hardware list in Zorin Linux, use graphical tools or command line utilities such as HardInfo, lshw, inxi, or hwinfo. These commands and applications will display details for all major system components, including CPU, memory, graphics, disks, networking, and more.
Graphical Tools
HardInfo: Install with
sudo apt install hardinfoand launch from the menu to view a full list of hardware plus benchmarking tools.GNOME Settings: Some details may also appear in the system settings (under "About" or "Details"), but less comprehensive than command line or HardInfo outputs.
Command Line Tools
inxi: Run
inxi -Fxzfor a summary of CPU, graphics, audio, network, drives, partitions, and sensors.lshw: Use
sudo lshwfor full details, orsudo lshw -shortfor an overview; add-htmlfor a browsable HTML report.hwinfo: Type
sudo hwinfo --shortfor a summarized hardware listing.lsblk: Lists block devices (like disks and partitions) with
lsblk.lsusb & lspci: Run
lsusbandlspcifor details about USB and PCI devices.However I suggest you consult the clever people, and a well formed question, with system details, will get a respectful answer I believe.
https://forum.zorin.com/t/some-questions-about-the-community/21683
(edited)
Maxd1
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September 15th, 2025 13:55
Thankyou both for your replies. Thanks Anne for the command list and utilities. I will look at Mint (Cinnamon ?) down the line. Its popularity speaks for itself. Community is primary - gotcha.
btw, I avoid ai of any FLAVOUR -just goes against the grain, personally. Your mileage may differ. ta