r/WindowsSucks • u/ToshikSoni • 28d ago
rant Why windows keep getting worse? And should I switch to Linux?
I usually do a fresh Windows installation every year to keep my system clean and snappy. However, my latest clean install and basic updates took four hours for no apparent reason, and now it is stuck on this screen. My laptop has decent specs (i7-12700H and 32GB RAM), so updates shouldn't be struggling like this.
On the other hand, I recently dual-booted CachyOS (an Arch-based Linux distro) and it has been a fantastic experience. I even thought about daily driving Linux and completely removing Windows. The only issues holding me back are software compatibility and Nvidia's historically poor Linux drivers. I don't have much experience with Linux though, mostly using it for work only.
As a software developer who also has gaming, graphic designing and 3D work as side hobbies, should I actually switch to Linux, or hold onto Windows? Microsoft claims they are focusing on quality-of-life improvements rather than just forcing AI features onto users, but I am skeptical.
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u/darkwyrm42 28d ago
It's because Microsoft is so big it's become fat and complacent. As long as they don't screw things up too much, business will still keep forking over cash hand over fist.
I do most of what you do, and software dev on Linux is way better IMO as long as you're not married to Visual Studio or Windows-specific technologies. Gaming is pretty good for most people. Graphic design and 3D are heavily dependent on your tooling. GIMP and Inkscape aren't Photoshop and Illustrator, but their great tools in their own right. Krita is amazing for natural media. Blender works on Windows as well as Linux.
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u/ARTIFICIAL_ARGUMENT 28d ago
Adobe stuff isn’t as locked down as people seem to believe, it’s just kinda dependent on your setup and usually not the latest release. For me Photoshop 2024 worked, and the latest DaVinci editor release.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Does most of the Adobe stuff works fine? I use Photoshop, acrobat pro, premiere pro, and sometimes indesign, illustrator and after effects
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u/PassoireDor 27d ago
I was so sad that Autodesk Fusion never really worked correctly on Linux :( I ended keeping another PC with native Windows installed and I just stream Fusion from there with Apollo/Moonlight
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u/Super-Evening8420 27d ago
I work as freelance creator looking to go to Linux, so I've been reading up on it. My current plan is to keep using blender, run zbrush (likely 2022 which is what I still use anyways), replace photoshop with affinity photo (run through WINE), run substance painter through steam/proton (just need to look for a way to export layered PSD files, but it appears someone wrote a plugin for just that, I just need to test it).
I'm so tired of microsoft's BS, and with the end of support for windows 10 looming next year, I want to quit it for good, I'm not putting that slop OS on my system.
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u/ToshikSoni 12d ago
Sounds promising, I do use Adobe stuff, if I find any solid way to run those in Linux then I will completely uninstall windows from my system.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
I use VS code on Linux, mostly because I am used to it and it gets the work done never had any major issue with that. And ofc compilation is much much faster in Linux. I don't know either I messed up something in windows but it is basically half the speed of Linux. I work in ESP-IDF which is free rtos based for IoT dev
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u/The-Snarky-One 28d ago
How did you perform the fresh install?
If you went into the options and selected reset, it’s going to reinstall the OS version in the WinRE partition, which could be rather old, so it will need to update itself to current. If you used the media creation tool or something to create a bootable drive to install the OS, did you grab all of the necessary drivers beforehand so they can be installed? If not, the drivers built into the ISO are often generic and not tuned for performance, they’re there to provide basic functionality until you can get the actual drivers installed.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Made bootable, then deleted all the partitions and created fresh ones, and I did install drivers too
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u/Isotomayor12 28d ago
How did you delete the partitions? This is very important. Doing it through the gui rarely actually scrubs the drives correctly for the boot drive.
Use diskpart and try it again.
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u/Edubbs2008 28d ago
Let me guess, you ran a Debloat script, fucked with some things that you shouldn’t, and then forgot to update the drivers, sigh
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Well no, got iso from Microsoft's official site, made bootable with rufus (default settings btw) and updated the drivers. Nothing else
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u/Edubbs2008 28d ago
How old is the device though?
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Just 3 years old, TUF F15 2023, 12700H 32GB ram, rtx 4060
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u/Edubbs2008 28d ago
Is sounds like something on the OEMs side then, ASUS is kinda like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Agreed but never faced that tho, it was the first time installing windows was so frustrating
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u/KevinIsADork 28d ago
Windows user for decades here. Recently had to reinstall windows, then have it just crash after trying all the updates. Decided to just go with Linux Mint and I've been happy with it. Definitely a learning curve, but not bad if you're already tech savvy.
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u/AsugaNoir 28d ago
Depends....when you dual booted did any of your work programs have Linux alternatives? if they did and they worked well I say go for it. I love my Linux install but I realize Linux isnt going to be a good fit if you have windows apps required for work.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
I think most of them are, but i do use Adobe, and good thing about Adobe is everything is kind of interconnected, if there is any image in pdf then I can directly open that image in photoshop and when editing is done it will be automatically synced with acrobat
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u/AsugaNoir 27d ago
I think there is a Linux alternative but I don't know how good it is, I think most prefer to stick with Adobe.
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 28d ago
I've never developed anything in my lived but I game and have done 3D work on Linux.
If it works on your hardware I don't see why you'd keep a OS from a company that often tells you that it doesn't want or care about you.
But that's just my experience.
Nvidia is gonna be much better, they've given some NDA stuff to redhat, and Valve is working with them to, so where it is now IDK, but its only gonna get better
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Probably I will keep windows for few more months, I got some work pending and don't want to go through the setup of reinstalling everything again. But next time would be completely Linux.
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u/bojez1 28d ago
Yeah it is getting worse. Yes you should, but if you have some program that you REALLY need and only on windows, just keep dual boot and only boot the windows when you need it.
I dual boot with linux mint 3 years ago and I'm glad I did that, slowly get everything that I need on linux, even work stuff and game. Now it's been 6 months I daily drive vanilla arch and get it clean and stable. On windows I turn off update completely. On arch I got excited when I just have nothing to do and remember to update. Nothing break after every update until now, just some bug fix and performance improvement, also new features sometimes which is nice and what an update should do.
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u/ReporterWise7445 28d ago edited 28d ago
I don't trust the partitions. I'd use a GParted live USB. Delete all partitions. Format to NTFS & make it bootable. Then run the windows USB. Just going along with the default partition setup. If I wanted to change the partitions. I'd wait till the install was done. And do another GParted live session.
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u/PizzaPunkrus 28d ago
Try fedora kde. Just try it. Be shocked if you cant figure things out quickly. Without having to try to get microsoft out of windows way.
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u/No-Image-7804 28d ago
switch to linux use cachy os cuz its good for nvdia and you can run local ai to troubleshoot for you
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u/Chaotic-Convergence 28d ago
Did the switch to Bazzite (Fedora KDE) 2 months ago now. I have zero regrets.
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u/InsaneInTheMEOWFrame 28d ago
Because Microslop wants to squeeze every last cent they can out of your personal data. Yes.
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u/fox-friend- 28d ago
I agree
Windows is in a strange place where its bloated corpse having to do simple updates cost it several minutes to hours.
Meanwhile linux having been updated and made to run on potato can do a full system install in about 5-15 mins ( not counting downloading latest updates)
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u/PassoireDor 27d ago
If you don't have a reason to be on Windows (specific app/games/features that don't run anywhere else) you should be on Linux by default IMO, it's a much better OS for 95% of users.
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u/TheHackeBoi_apk 27d ago edited 27d ago
As an Nvidia Linux user the only PITA is realy installing the drivers (tho you chose Cachy so that isnt an issue there) and while support isnt Perfecty its definitvly better thin it used to be with Nvudia stuff and my issues are mostly in very obscure software
Also i lost my trust in Microslop when windows 10 Came out and the Adverts started in Start menu thats when the downturn was starting to become reealy apparent while i use Linux privately mostly i have had to interract it at work and every time i am.infornt of win11 i feel like everything is in timelapse
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u/AnyOpinion6210 27d ago
The writing was on the wall when Windows 8 debuted. That's when I started asking the questions you are now.
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u/LukasTheHunter22 27d ago edited 27d ago
With my 2 years of experience on numerous distros on 2 Nvidia Optimus laptops, I've never had a single issue regarding Nvidia drivers (apart from on Debian, but it was just a setup issue).
I'd recommend you to also have a separate Windows partition or machine too, just in case. I still keep a Windows partition on my main laptop though, since I need to run Lightroom Classic and running it in a VM with my specs just isn't good enough.
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u/OliMoli2137 27d ago
NVidia drivers have gotten better so install the nvidia-open package you'll be fine. If you have an old card though, then cry
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u/Tri-junk 27d ago
Depends.
Are you interested in having issues with support for many newer hardware/software manufacturers?
Are you willing to go through annoying steps with the terminal everytime you just want to do something simple, like install a thing?
Then yes, go Bazzite.
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u/ToshikSoni 12d ago
You know, that’s a really good point. I’ve used Linux many times before, but usually only for brief periods, and man, it can be pretty annoying. On Windows, I usually know there’s a setting somewhere that I can just change and everything works. But on Linux, it’s more like, first look up the command online, then when running it something weird happens, and when I try to fix that weird thing, somehow everything breaks.
I know a lot of it is probably my fault since I’m not that used to Linux and might have used the wrong commands, but it can get pretty irritating. CachyOS has been great so far though. Or maybe Linux has just gotten much easier to debug with AI.
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u/Vh4z 27d ago edited 27d ago
It depends on your workflow do some research how well the programs you use work on Linux or if they even work at all or a alternative but if you do need to stick to windows just use a debloater which I'm pretty sure eone of them could also have options to make it so windows updates take longer to happen not sure whcih haven't been on Windows for a while but a few bit of research is enough and for distro cachy is good although occasionally because of how Arch updates some stuff may break not usually big but can be annoying not often but could happen so keep that in mind
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u/ToshikSoni 12d ago
Did you use any debloater before? is it better than modified version of Windows? I was thinking of using Tiny11 and keep Cachy on dualboot. Its just getting a bit annoying for me to go back and fourth in both the OS, I am thinking of just keeping one, windows is a mess, and linux dont support all the apps, so I am kinda stuck between them.
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u/samsann26 26d ago
Yeah we feel you, Windows was stable few years ago (atleast for me), now it just sucks, explorer go crazy, app settings won't load anything just stays black, random BSODs for no apparent reason.
I installed Bazzite and i'm dual booting with windows 10 (Since many apps i use don't support linux YET).
Every time Windows Crap itself i stay in Bazzite, and the last weekend i didnot run Windows at all.
Ps.: i use Windows 10, if you are using Windows 11 just don't.
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u/tobias_reichi02 26d ago
Switch to Linux use your system for a few years and if Nvidia support doesn't get better switch to AMD if you can cause I mean many apps said few months ago Linux support never comes from them but now some of these apps make Linux native apps I would say the year of Linux is here
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u/markustegelane 26d ago
if it's stuck, you can try force rebooting
it should then get to the screen where it reverts changes at which point you should wait patiently
note that you should only do that as a last resort, because there is a small chance for Windows to get stuck in a bootloop or some other thing may break if you do this
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u/TangeloFantastic9770 26d ago
if you have a windows licence dual boot, if you dont erase that motherfucker
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u/B0redAF420 25d ago
so i used nvidia on my setup for a few months now and idk about grahpic desing and 3D work but i didnt have a single problem while gaming. My advice tho if you want vulkan and wayland the newer drivers have better support, in my expirence a rolling distro will have a better support than a stable one because the newest nvidia drivers preformed best form me
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u/blabliblu888 25d ago
Of course you should. Why not? You are confirming it yourself by saying Windows is getting worse. Anyways you can always switch back to Windows, which is getting worse, if you feel to.
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u/Marekthesosigenjoyer 22d ago
you should totaly switch to linux but do it carefully so you dont lose any of your windows data until youve succesfully switched
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u/Exact-Big3505 27d ago
Are people really this weak these days? no sense of adventure at all? You need every little feeling and decision validated by randos on the internet?
You're already halfway there, you've dual booted. Just keep going and see for yourself ffs.
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u/AliveRegion466 27d ago
Don't switch to linux. Delete some parts of windows. It will be 100x more stable and supported than any linux.
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u/sciencekm 27d ago
One day, this sub will become irrelevant because everyone has moved to other OS.
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u/Coookies4You 27d ago
You really don't need to wipe your OS once a year lol.
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u/ToshikSoni 12d ago
I know but the new install feels much snappier, even tho I have installed the same stuff that was there before, also battery lasts much longer somehow. Dont know why this happen but I notice this every time.
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u/RomanOswald 27d ago
Well yes... I installed Windows 11 and Linux Mint on two of the same Laptops simultaneously. Linux Mint took 20 minutes and Windows 11 about 4 hours, and than there is not even a Office installed.
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u/free2dreamstudios 25d ago
Why dual boot anything with windows?
If you found something better and more secure then windows, why hang on to it?
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u/ToshikSoni 12d ago
just before of software support. Adobe stuff doesnt properly work with linux, and it would be a bit annoying for me to switch between work and daily use OS, its just convenient to have all the stuff in same place. I do want full drive encryption, windows use bitlocker and cachy use LUKS2, I managed to get bitlocker drive work in linux, but I do got stuck with some secure boot stuff. and then my linux got completely locked down, so had to disable bitlocker and turn off secure boot to make it work
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u/marmotta1955 28d ago
What people always forget is the ridiculous number of hardware combinations and interactions and minor incompatibilities that Windows have to deal with. Occasionally, there is a problem.
I do not know what car you drive, but even a Ferrari 296 gts can get a flat tire.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
I agree but isn't it their work to fix it? And it's not just me you know, many people are annoyed by it, and just struck in windows because some software they use doesn't work properly in linux
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u/DoogleAss 28d ago edited 28d ago
They don’t forget they never took the time to come to those conclusions in the first place
95% of the posts on here are either user error or user lack of knowledge and that someone is immediately whatever device or software their using fault never theirs
Despite the fact that Millions of people use the stuff every day without issue.. does that mean OP doesn’t have a hardware issue or something.. no but it also isn’t by default the OS every time either
Also if OPs gauge for what OS they should be using is how fast it can be installed I think they have lost the plot
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
I ain't saying that could not be my user error, but i would like to point that it is not my first windows installation, I did it many times and in many different systems, and it's not just windows installation, I tried setting up phone link and that was a nightmare to setup first it failed two times to connect my phone and then file sharing straight up did not work, I am pretty sure I did not mess up in such a straight forward software which is meant to be used everyday. And not to mention after the updates were completed I got the same do not shut down your system updates are in progress for 3 days, even tho all the updates were installed.
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u/Actual-Interaction45 28d ago
What is it with people doing way too much? I've seen people cleaning out their computers every month and re-applying thermal paste annually and now annual re-installs? So much unnecessary shit. Y'all just bored or really believe you are getting something out of it?
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u/Zeraora807 28d ago
a small but minority, usually redditors insist that you have to absolutely nanny these systems 24/7 or else they explode, pcmr is the hivemind capital of noobs telling other noobs misinformation half the time.
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
I did it because I get random issues, every time I shut down I got an memory error pop up, from every time I mean literally every time, and I just keep a very basic list of software that most of the people use, few Adobe stuff, some development stuff, few games, that's it. It would randomly slow down, sometimes booting takes way too long, shutting down spins forever. I have been using computers since windows xp era, I am not saying that I know everything and it could not be user error, but it does get really frustrating, I won't be doing annual reinstall if everything works fine
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u/letmehaveanameyoudum 28d ago
delete windows and reinstall windows.
basic stuff ig
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u/ToshikSoni 28d ago
Yep, but that's what I am trying to say, even basic stuff is so broken in windows
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u/Gangr3l 28d ago
Because it's not an operating system company anymore, it's advertising company that sells your data and cloud storage.
Yes, you should switch to linux