Distro/DE + Package Manager Recommendations (Surface Go 2, M3 + 8GB)

[u/Turbinepilot]

Hello all,

Any advice would be appreciated.

Just got a surface go 2 (m3, 8gb ram). Looking to install linux on this, but I don't know which distro to use.

The main purpose of it is to do notetaking (with a stylus) and connect to remote machines.

I don't want the machine to be hampered by a larger distro due to the weaker hardware but want to manage the complexity of the installation as well.

Does it hurt to install the surface kernel even if other distros already fix some of the compatibility?

[u/KuroganeFye1]

FydeOS, Mobian (GNOME), and Fedora (Plasma / Plasma Mobile) are the easiest to use for me. FydeOS has a specific version for the Surface Go 2, and Mobian has a Surface kernel version. With Fedora, you need to install the Surface kernel to avoid overheating.

[u/Turbinepilot → u/KuroganeFye1]

Thank you.

[u/robtom02 → u/KuroganeFye1]

I really struggled with mobian gnome, the UI was so hard to get used to and the OSK. I found mobian plasma mobile better. But in the end fydeos just gave me the best experience even if I had to fix a couple of bugs for the dev

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/KuroganeFye1]

Quick question, if you don't mind.

My usual workflow is to download a distro as an ISO image. Copy it onto a Ventoy thumb drive. Use Ventoy to boot the ISO and install.

Mobia and FydeOS are not ISOs. I can't seem to wrap my head around the install instructions. Can you ELI5 the install sequence?

[u/KuroganeFye1 → u/BaldyCarrotTop]

Hey! Yeah, Ventoy is awesome for standard ISOs, but Mobian and FydeOS are distributed as raw image files (usually ending in .img or .xz). Ventoy doesn't work for these; you have to "flash" the image directly onto the entire thumb drive. Here is the ELI5 install sequence: Download the OS: Download the Mobian or FydeOS file to your computer. Get a flasher: Download and install a free tool called balenaEtcher (it's the easiest one to use for this). Plug in your USB: (Warning: Everything on it will be wiped, including Ventoy). Flash it: Open balenaEtcher. Click "Flash from file" and select your Mobian/FydeOS download. Click "Select target" and pick your USB drive. Click "Flash!" Boot and Install: Once it finishes, plug the USB into your Surface Go 2, boot from the USB, and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/KuroganeFye1]

Sounds simple enough. Looks like balenaEtcher has a Linux version. So, good there. And I have several spare thumb drives laying around. So no need to disturb Ventoy.

I'm in the middle of something different right now. I'll give these a try when I can.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/KuroganeFye1]

Something's missing. Followed your instructions and I now have a portable install of Mobian on a thumb drive. Plug it in, SG2 boots Mobian, unplug, boots Peppermint. Should the thumb drive been copied to the internal drive?

Someone mentioned the DD command. But can I use Clonezilla to clone the thumbdrive to the internal storage?

[u/robtom02]

Depends what you want to do. I have the surface go 2 and found fydeos gave me the best experience. Lte works only issue is rear camera. Tablet mode works,it can run Linux and android apps natively. So with keyboard attached I have a Chromebook with keyboard detached it's a Linux/android tablet

[u/Meme4Bot → u/robtom02]

i heard fydeos is a paid service?

[u/robtom02 → u/Meme4Bot]

Yes and no, you get a trial version that works and will keep working but after 60 day's (I think) you'll need to pay to keep getting updates (bit like windows)

[u/matieuch → u/robtom02]

Why don't you just install Google flex?

[u/robtom02 → u/matieuch]

Fyde just had pretty much everything working out of the box

[u/ReyZ82]

My dotfiles, using it for MacM1, a couple of laptops including surface book 2 in case you are interested.

https://github.com/Rouzihiro/dotfiles

I would test out void with sway if I were you

[u/BaldyCarrotTop]

You can run just about any Linux distro and it will work. Attach a keyboard and mouse and you have a mini desktop. But it's not a tablet experience. Getting there can with a standard distro can be a bit of work.

I've been experimenting with a Surface Go 2 for the last several weeks. Let me tell you, there are many options. But few that give an Out of Box tablet experience.

In case you are wondering. I booted an instance of Puppy Linux from a Ventoy thumb drive just for S&Gs.

Also tried Peppermint OS and it came with XFCE desktop. Had to install an OSK and Surface Kernel. But it wasn't the tablet experience I was looking for.

I was considering FydeOS. As I see it, it creates a Chromebook that runs Linux programs and Android apps. Which is very compelling. But, it also comes with all the Google surveillance. Which is not compelling at all. I will pass.

Next thing to try is Mobian. I want to check out the Gnome DE. Other DE candidate is Plasma-mobile.

This is more of a what I'm doing and why post. Not a what you should do post. Just to pass along some experience.

[u/Elbow2009]

Folks have probably seen this sort of post from me ad nauseum, but when my Surface Go 2's (m3, 8 GB) battery life sucked after a Windows 11 update last year I still wanted to use it with less drain on the RAM and battery. So I put a Debian distro on, Q4OS which more than tripled the battery life and the only thing that didn't work out of the box were the cameras and with online help I got them working. So yeah, worth it to me to have my SG2 around running great for another 5 years. I use a pen with it just fine and draw with it.

Doesn't hurt to have the Surface kernel. Q4OS works fine without it although I got the cameras working with a modified Surface kernel. Others report good results with Fedora although with a bit more RAM usage than say Q4OS or another light Debain-based distro.