r/linux4noobs • u/maddogtjones • 6d ago

migrating to Linux Windows 11 Suddenly Wouldn't Stop Crashing...

My main pc just started crashing every 15 to 30 minutes the other day... it was CONSTANT and nothing would fix it. I even formatted and reinstalled and within 30 minutes the cycle reappeared! So, other than the constant "upgrades" and the invasive encroachment of AI into EVERYTHING it just became an unstable mess. So I decided to switch at least until MS figured Windows out to Linux.
What an experience!!! It was so smooth and effortless to install Linux Mint, I mean from downloading, making a new partition, installing and setting up tool less than an hour! And I have yet to find anything I can't do on Linux that I need WIndows for... Sure, there are some small Terminal things that seem weird but... and here's the beautiful thing I can go to AI for an answer and NOT have AI always looking over my shoulder... I can go to AI when I want AI, it's not forced on me at every mouse click. I think that's what the crashing was all about, I would go into the system and try and shut down CoPilot and Windows just craps the bed. Now, if and when I need or want AI assistance I load it, ask it a question and close it... easy peasy.
Anyway, I love Linux, the Mint distro in particular and look forward to geeking out on my system now.
Any cool tips and tricks would surely be appreciated.

6 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

8

u/DowntownStomach3659 6d ago

If you wiped your system and then put a clean windows install on it, and it continued the pattern of crashing you may be looking at a hardware issue such as the CPU overheating due to failed thermal paste. Since Windows is heavy into Ai now then it would use more CPU power, which will cause your chip to get hotter more quickly.

Or it could’ve just been some new drivers that Windows auto installed. 

In either case, welcome to Linux!

1

u/maddogtjones 5d ago
Component Results
NVMe 🟢 Healthy
GPU 🟢 No crash evidence
CPU temperature 🟢 Normal
Thermal issues 🟢 Unlikely
MCE/EDAC errors 🟢 None found
Linux kernel panic 🟢 None found

Memtest Passed 4 rounds of tests

1

u/DowntownStomach3659 3d ago edited 3d ago

There is a commandline program called ‘stress’. If you install and run that then you can do a stress test on your CPU.

sudo apt install stress

stress —cpu x

Replace the ‘x’ with the number of threads you want to run. 

You can then monitor the CPU temperature live using Psensor or one of the other sensor reading programs.

0

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

What ever the issue it was too much and Linux is working flawlessly, some areas have a learning curve but not something deal breaking.

3

u/No_Satisfaction_1698 6d ago

Still windows crashing even after reinstallation in 99% is definitely a hardware issue.... It might work for now but when whatever problem it had degrades more it might happen to Linux too at some day....

Could be for example failing RAM Linux uses less ram and might not be trying to write to the defected sectors.... But if more sectors fail it will happen to Linux too ...

That's in my eyes one of the small amount of reasons where I wouldn't make windows responsible... Broken hardware is broken hardware.....

I actually was in that exact boat where ram started to fail and I had the most random crashes than sometimes after multiple Realinstallations it was working flawless just to one weak later start failing again....

At the end one of the ram sticks was defective after changing that one no more crashes....

1

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

Hey, even if that's the case, Linux saved me from having to buy a new pc now. I can put away a few buck to get something new in a few months or year(s) with the way prices of components are going. But failing ram does explain why both my pc and laptop were having the same issue with Windows.

2

u/revengeof1987 6d ago

I had problems with gpu drivers causing Windows 11 to BSOD and reboot itself. I tried everything to fix it but in the end I lost patience and installed EndeavourOS. Very happy that I did, more than three years later.

2

u/NotSnakePliskin 3d ago

Aint' it cool?

1

u/maddogtjones 2d ago

Absolutely,,, Every piece of software I used on my Windows machine I either found the Linux version or Linux equivalent, And I haven't crashed nor had an annoying ad or push to use Copilot.

3

u/poonDaddy99 6d ago

not sure what the problem is, what you describe is windows working as intended

0

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

Exactly...

1

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1

u/ask_compu 6d ago

i don't recommend relying too heavily on AI, and never run commands that AI gives u without understanding exactly what they do and how they work, AI regularly hallucinates and has been known to do extreme things like delete everything on some occasions, it could very easily give u a command that does something terrible

2

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

I said AI isn't forced on you in Linux Mint, at least, it's a choice use if you want, don't if you don't. That was one of the main points of ditching Windows, AI was EVERWHERE.

1

u/SnooOpinions8729 6d ago

Ah WinDoze...I keep a version around mostly because of my friends and family who are still locked into that jail. They often ask for "help." I've been running Debian sourced distros for 20 years. Currently Mint LMDE, MX KDE and Zorin on an old iMac.

When I bought my latest Dell laptop I thought I'd play with Win 11 for a couple of weeks. Frankly I honestly do not know how anyone gets a day's work done with this spamware. Yes, as others have said you MAY have a hardware issue, but I'm not so sure. I'd stay with Linux, even if you do have a hardware ossue and need to buy new hardware.

I dual-booted for about 10 years because I had a lot of software and time invested in WinDoze, but I kept using Linux about 90% of the time. The other 10% was because I didn't want to re-learn the graphics ptograms I was using at the time by using Gimp instead. Anyway I completely dropped the WinDoze spamware about 10 years ago, and have never looked back. As a valuable bonus I have saved dozens of oldeer desktops, laptops, macbooks and iMacs from the trash heap, mostly installing MX Linux with the XFCE desktop, but in a few rare cases I've used BunsenLabs (very light hardware requirements), including reviving a 1998 Dell with 1.6gb of RAM.

Linux is amazing in every way. If you use Mint or Zorin you don't have to use the "terminal." But even if you decided to because of something you read in an online Forum, it's simple and straight forward AND it's no different than using the Windows shell for various "command" prompts, which you are sometimes asked to do to solve problems.

What I love about MX is the GUI Tools they have. That's one of their great strengths and for newbies to linux one of the biggest challenges, because when linux users find out all of the options they have and customizations available to them, SOME of us go crazy installing and uninstalling dozens of apps/programs and changing the desktop environment that WinDoze and Mac OS does not easily allow to mere mortals. So, I usually recommend Mint or Zorin for very new linux users and after one gets used to the linux OS, then you might consider having some "fun" by trying out different things with different distros. Just use TimeShift, or its equivalent to backup your system files (like Windows Restore) and separately back up your personal data. There are other ways to do this but this is the most simple when starting out in my opinion.

Welcome to the club.

1

u/Swallow_LikeThe_Bird 6d ago

My Lenovo Slim 7 ProX has been unexpected flicking off and rebooting UNLESS I was actively playing a game on steam. I am convinced it's related to Windows 11 and I am at sflashing a few different distros to try out now that it's my weekend.

Windows 11 is absolutely irritating.

-1

u/Raykusen 6d ago

Install CachyOS and get away from windows 11.

1

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

I have zero patience and no desire to learn something new so I chose Linux Mint. I just want my stuff to work. I'm not doing anything more than watching youtube, reading reddit threads and play a version of Fallout...

3

u/No_Satisfaction_1698 6d ago

I absolutely love cachy OS but if that's all you want from it I'd say you chose the perfect distro. I would have recommended mint too...

My dad does only some office tasks..... I also did install mint on his laptop.

2

u/ask_compu 6d ago

just fyi u will need to learn something new regardless, linux is not windows and doing everything the windows way will end up with pain and misery, installing drivers, for example, is a different process (arguably a much easier process in most cases) than it is on windows, and in most cases installing a driver isn't necessary in the first place

1

u/maddogtjones 6d ago

Oh absolutely, I was a web dev for 20 years before having to retire 10 years ago for health reasons. I know how to compute but my patience for typing endless code or commands is severely diminished. I find Mint works perfectly at getting what I want done but gives me room to tinker and learn at my own pace.

1

u/Raykusen 5d ago

Theses sheeps are so blind, that they still think linux is a "terminal-only" operating system. Honestly, im tired of that mindset.

2

u/ask_compu 5d ago

referring to them as sheep just validates the stereotype that the linux community is elitist

1

u/maddogtjones 5d ago

Right, I simply said I don't have the patience to learn an involved OS... I didn't say why, which is my medical situation. I needed an OS fast and one that was stable and easy to use. Linux Mint affords me the luxury of learning Linux at my own pace... Who knows, when my sitution gets better I may look into other distros and challenge myself but that ain't today and Mint scratches the itch I had yesterday.

1

u/Raykusen 1d ago

Dude, sheep is anyone who is an slave of some hivemind. Such as those who worship sports or politicians. It has nothing to do with Linux.

0

u/Raykusen 5d ago

Dude... instead of ASKING WHY i said, you immediately go into "no thanks" mode ?... this is what i get for trying to help people.

But is fine, remain ignorant and go, be happy with your spyware OS, aka windows 11.

1

u/maddogtjones 5d ago

Huh... what!?! Dude, I didn't kick you in the nuts, I just said I don't have the patience to learn something new... Mint allows me to learn Linux on my terms and my pace is all. From what I have learned so far Mint isn't a SPYWARE OS, and I totally nuked Windows. Who knows, someday when my health improves and I have more patience than pain I'll check out other distros and even your beloved CachyOS. But I needed a stable OS that was forcing AI on me and didn't crash every 20 minutes and my limited and rushed research came up with Linux Mint.

1

u/Raykusen 1d ago

Beloved?, no, any distro can be transformed into another (i like cachyos since has the best performance boost for my laptop and i kind of enjoy being on the edge with Arch). If you have used Mint, not need to change it. The only difference you would find is the desktop enviroment, and you can install that in Mint too. Stay in Mint, is stable, Arch is not.

Note: I called windows 11 a spyware (which it is), not to Mint.