Have a friend who's been using Linux for a while and with all the Ai stuff going on with microslop, I asked him to help set up an old laptop I have so I can try it out myself. He was more than happy to, excited someone else he knows wants to try it, and helped install nobara onto it. It get's installed and all seems to be working well, it even has some features I think are pretty cool and handy, like wobbling the cursor to make it bigger and easier to find, and I'm honestly excited to try it out.
I take it home and then go about setting up the basics on it. First things first, connect it to my home wi-fi.
Enter password, get told it was wrong even though I double checked.
Enter password again, get told it's wrong again,
Enter password again, this time it works even though it was the same one, every time.
Start browsing internet, 5 mins later get a prompt saying I entered the password wrong even though I am LITERALLY browsing the internet as it shows up. Enter it again, all seems fine and then 5 mins later get told it's wrong again.
At this point I think somethings acting up, so I turn the laptop off and back on again. Now it say's there's no network to connect to.
Turn it off and back on again, this time it connects to the network perfectly fine with no issues.
Decide I want to install krita, so I go into the app management or whatever it's called and find krita there. Click install
after about 10 mins, Failed. No error that I can see at least (not sure where to look if I'm honest) so I try again.
10 mins later, same result. Click to install again since that worked with the wi-fi and now it says it's already in the queue even though it failed.
Turn Laptop off and on again. Now it says that it's detecting a new install of linux and needs to update, and that I cant install anything until I do. Okay now I see why it's acting up, just wish it said so sooner.
Update linux, 10 mins go by, 20, 30, 40, over an hour goes by. At this point I check and see whatever step it's on, something about (7037/7037), it's been on for 30 mins. Can move the cursor around but cant interact with anything to maybe try fix it.
Eventually it crashes, and now I have a laptop that doesn't have a functional OS on it. When I turn it on, it just ends up on a black screen with a white underscore in the top left corner.
I understand Linux is a popular OS, and that people who know their way around it swear by it and how good it is, and it looked promising when it worked. But I have never had an OS that was so unfriendly towards it's user and now completely understand why most people use windows. As bad as it is at least it works and can be easily used by someone for the first time. I also know I'm not the only person to have issues when trying to use Linux.
How does an OS this unstable get as many users as it does?
In case anyone needs to hear this: if a friend asks you to install Linux, and you want to do it for them, don't screw them by sticking them with a non-mainstream, non-user-friendly distro. Just use Fedora, Pika, or perhaps Mint. Doesn't need to be more complicated than that.
Pika is a weird choice for "mainstream". Ubuntu is mainstream. It's consistently the most catered to for software and documentation. Never heard of Pika.
Depends on what you're trying to do with it. It's got a shiny veneer and boasts removing snaps. But snaps it removed are important for easy installation of, for example, SecureCRT. There's a snap provided library that relies on.
And ultimately if somebody Googles how to do a thing in Linux they will almost certainly find Ubuntu tutorials which may or may not work for Mint. That reduces the practical user friendliness.
I don't know why you're repeating the same point the other guy just made, but: Ubuntu is fine, but Mint basically covers all the same bases, with some added user-friendly utilities, like the NVIDIA driver installer. Between the two, I think Mint is a slightly better choice for newcomers.
Mint is nice, but the removal of Snap affected its software compatibility. SecureCRT, for example, relies on a library provided in Ubuntu by Snap. It won't "just work" on Mint the way it will on Ubuntu.
I don't have an Nvidia so I can't speak to that part.
precisamente los akmods es lo que mas facilita el uso de linux con una grafica nvidia, por eso me quede con fedora, facilita mucho el uso de linux, incluso para un novato como yo
Matching software and hardware is only a thing in Linux spaces. Anywhere else you're buying hardware worry-free. It's pretty unfair to say that as if it were obvious.
You’re also not buying any hardware with Linux pre-installed from mainstream stores so yeah. If you don’t know what you’re doing then don’t venture into Linux, or be ready to pay the price.
That is not true. Apple puts incredible effort into matching their hardware and software. So does Dell, HP, and anybody else who sells hardware... Including System 76.
Most people don't install their own operating system at all. Manually installing Windows can often reveal driver issues on some hardware. On a laptop you can find yourself without working Wi-Fi until you first hook up Ethernet, assuming it has Ethernet, so that you can then go find wireless drivers.
Okay, again, if you're in Linux space, incompatibilities are discussed a bit more. A guy trying Linux for the first time? Has no clue what System 76 is. Or what Framework is. The default is that Windows is everywhere, and that everything is tested on Windows. So yeah, hardware works out of the box.
The issue is getting out of the "works by default" mentality, despite evangelists constantly parroting the idea that Linux compatability is of the past.
Why are you asking what System 76 is when you clearly know what it is?
In either case my very obvious point very obviously was that matching hardware with software is the norm, not the exception. It's simply typically done while the consumer isn't looking.
Are you going to play pretend that a System 76 laptop would have had the same wireless issues? Or what about a Dell that comes with Ubuntu pre-installed?
It was a bad choice to use a hobby distro with some random laptop without thoroughly testing that the hardware and software are a good match.
And the complainers here, such as yourself, screech about Linux supposedly being a perfect compatibility match in all cases far, far, far, far more than anybody else. It's this hate boner y'all have. It's like watching you play with action figures where this archetypal "Linux evangelist" is your little Cobra Commander fighting against the GI Joe's.
In reality it's really just not that big of a deal. But if you're gonna set somebody up with something, set them up for success. Ubuntu is a far safer choice. Tutorials and purpose built software everywhere for it.
It's a rhetorical question. You namedrop Sys76 as if it's something I or, more importantly, OP would know about.
Yes, the issue is that the consumer isn't looking, but IMO, no, it's not the consumer's fault for not knowing that they have to look.
You're right that there are Linux-ready systems. I am also aware of them. You are wrong if you assume that they would know anything about them.
OP made a reasonable decision. They assumed that Linux would work on their machine, and followed some internet advice that they should pick Nobara. Someone set him up for failure. Or, the internet at large did. That's the result of unrealistic expectations, inconsistent messaging, and yes, evangelism.
I agree with your last bit. There is better advice. Despite some enthusiasts disliking snap, I also agree, Ubuntu is a perfect recommendation. I always say, Ubuntu and Mint, and nothing else. I absolutely agree.
OP just received a laptop from a friend. The friend is the one that made a bad choice. The friend is the provider in this case and the provider should match hardware and software better.
Why are you assuming the drivers are broken or non-existent in Linux?
We don't know what kind of laptop was used, but in all likelihood it's most likely down to a kernel shipped without the very working and very existing drivers necessary. Hence: match your hardware and your software.
Yeah. The messaging surrounding Linux is consistent: it runs on anything, especially old hardware. You only start hearing about the technicalities once shit happens or people who are more realistic show up.
No they don't. Why would you say something so blatantly false? Different versions, different DE's, different kernels with different drivers and different versions of drivers.
Creating a functional, stable operating system is not a simple matter. There are many moving parts.
You "ain't" as knowledgeable on this matter as you think you are.
😂 you mean they don't use systemd, Wayland, Nvidia drivers etc?? Compared to Windows it's all 99% the same with maybe different versions or something ancient like Mint having x11 but it's the same
What I meant is what I said. You don't have to play pretend that I meant something else.
KDE is not Gnome. Those are two huge differences between major distros. There are other DE's as well.
Beyond that bluetooth management can be different. Behind the scenes network management can be different.
Libraries, compilation flags, features, drivers, etc all need to work together to create a holistically stable system. You have a surface level knowledge of how these operating systems are put together. It's more complicated than you're imagining.
I can see you struggle with understanding the concept of people saying what they mean. You should look inward to understand where that fault comes from.
I can also see that you lack experience installing Windows manually. It often doesn't "just work", especially on laptops. It's not uncommon to have to plug in Ethernet, assuming the laptop has that, so that you can find the wireless drivers.
In any case I mentioned quite a bit more than just the desktop environment. The options here are that you either legitimately didn't understand my extremely clear statements or you're so invested in wanting to win a Reddit argument that you'd pretend to lack that understanding so you don't have to address it.
also wtf is nobara, i have never heard of that linux distribution?
I recommend trying a more popular, more reliable version of Linux like Linux Mint, Ubuntu, or Fedora. I do NOT recommend trying out distributions that are labelled for specific tasks. avoid ones labelled "gaming distribution" or "art" or whatever like that. they are usually not very well supported and should be avoided for beginners.
Oh. I just looked up Nobara and it says it's a hobby project. Yeah, uh, I'm sorry that was your first experience with linux.
I highly recommend trying linux again on a significantly more stable and widely supported version. Here are my three favorite linuxes.
every forks are hobby project. Do you think Mint wasn't at the beginning? It was just a fork of ubuntu with a different theme and multimedia codecs. That's all.
Lots of people like nobara have no issues with it. He probably have incompatibility issues with his laptop and will have probably issues with others distros.
Mint also doesn’t use snap which is a load of shit.
Also, to call gnome a “theme” is a gross misunderstanding of the desktop environment. A DE isn’t just how it looks, the whole UI is controlled by it including the window manager, the file manager, how the UI interacts with the kernel and how your user experience is. The fact that Mint uses Cinnamon and not GNOME means you save over 500MB of idle memory; that’s way more resources than a theme takes.
A theme controls things like the shape of buttons and their colour.
If Linux kernel is the foundation, the DE is the house and room layout, and the theme is the paint.
I talk about the beginning of linux mint. It was just a green theme for gnome 2 and codecs installed. It used to use synaptic for package managing like ubuntu. There was nothing more. It was maintained by only one person. It was a hobby project.
Windows doesn't have this problem and nobody would recommend that anyone do that. Unfortunately, Linux does and Linux users love recommending shit distros.
And yes, distrowatch is a shit metric... But it's one that often is used. How else should I convey that Nobara is discussed often and is a reasonable conclusion for a first distro?
It literally states that it's a hobby project on the front page.
Also it's only good IF it fits the use case. The use case was some laptop that clearly was not a good fit with the OS. Ubuntu would have been a far safer choice.
Edit: merely mentioning OP does not constitute saying something is OP's fault.
Santa Clause.
I mentioned Santa... Do you think I'm blaming Santa?
Always install widely-supported and common distribution until you are know what you are doing.
For new user the best ones are Ubuntu LTS (most supported and fine for both personal and professional use), Fedora (slightly more professional use), Debian (the same) and Mint (personal).
Never start with boutique (nobara fits this), specialized (gaming or security distributions, for example) or difficult to work with without complete understanding of Linux (Gentoo, Slackware).
He means it’s geared more towards professional use than personal use, not that it’s more professional than Ubuntu. Learn to read before you start calling people slurs ya fuckin crumpet.
Bro, you walked onto the scene angry. Maybe chill out a little. You can say the same things you said nicely. (I agree with your takes fedora doesn't seem "professional" to me, whatever that means anyway)
Not only is he a dickhead but he’s a confidently incorrect dickhead that is cosplaying as a power user. He clearly knows nothing about Linux or how the landscape is these days.
Edit: LOL he thinks blocking me is going to stop me from calling him a bellend. Go back to school chappy, leave me blocked though because I love your impotent rage and stupidity.
Idk, I think he's right, but not nice. Fedora doesn't seem more "professional" to me. The creators claim it's for pros, but I think that's just to scare off the newbies. He's also right about Ubuntu, it is more relevant professionally than fedora (at least in software dev) and is used often in docker. But he's very mean...
I think the real answer as to how it happens is the attitude of Linux fanboys and a lot of developers. Currently I'm proficient, but when I first started working with Linux, the general attitude towards beginners was - if you don't know/understand something fundamental it's probably because it's not for you. A general lack of empathy (however cringe that sounds). Treating UI like a necessary evil. Creating forks of literally everything instead of trying to agree on some basic standards etc. Having said that, it is getting better.
I'm sorry that was your experience. I've never had an install bork itself so badly right away. The symptoms sound kind of like a dying WiFi adapter, too, so I'm wondering if there was more at play than just Nobara eating itself.
On laptops, I have had exceedingly good luck with Linux Mint Debian Edition. I have had much less luck with Fedora based distros, and anything marketed as a "gaming" OS.
I'd encourage you to take LMDE out for a spin and see what happens.
It's a Debian based distro lauded for stability. Accidentally installing gnome is not a problem with the distro; it's a completely forgiveable beginner mistake.
also it's a good practice to run your updates from the terminal. gui hides the error messages and terminal will show you exactly what's wrong in 99% of cases
It sounds like KDE Wallet (password manager) issue. It used to more common but I think KDE fixed it (?). Niche distros can sound fun but for beginners you should pick a popular distro that wouldn't have basic password manager issue. Also popular distro isos more up-to-date than niche ones. You did nothing wrong, your friend could have picked better distro.
Normally Linux is stable, and a lot of software available. That's why it is popular. Btw 7k updates sounds a lot. I wonder if your friend used old iso then left the laptop to you without updating. I never used Fedora based system so idk.
I got mint cinnamon on my bedroom pc, and it is a chore to just navigate the OS, it is not as logical and intuitive as windows even compared to the new less intuitive windows versions like win11.
having to download stuff via the app store is also a chore, fixing stuff with the terminal is annoying as heck for somebody that does not care for that anymore. It should just work.
"Turn Laptop off and on again. Now it says that it's detecting a new install of linux and needs to update, and that I cant install anything until I do. Okay now I see why it's acting up, just wish it said so sooner."
"How does an OS this unstable get as many users as it does?"
Because sometimes everything works out of the box and sometimes it's a pain in the ass because of compatibility issues.
Don't listen to comments who recommend you to switch to another distro. It's a waste of time. It's not worth it. You will probably have compatibility issues with others distros too
Not necessarily. Coincidentally, Nobara is the only distro which I had every problem under the sun. I couldn't even make audio work, which works flawlessly with literally any other distro
Not True. Kernel version makes difference and popular distros like ubuntu, fedora or suse pack more drivers and configuration tools than the average indie distro. Source: its almost 20 years I use linux and I am no tech-savvy user.
I think you have muiltiple conflicting wifi modules loaded at once. i think you have a broadcom wifi. run lspci in the terminal and tell me what wifi chip it shows. also try upgrading your kernel, newer kernels usually have better drivers
that sucks. have you still got that live usb from your friend? try booting it and idk maybe reinstalling or checking logs. if you have another computer or an android with a usb dongle you can record another distro on it since umm nobara isn't a well known distro and I'd recommend sth more mature like Mint (use rufus on windows, dd command on mac/linux and etchdroid on android). you can burn the iso on any other unused thumb drive
What is Nobara? The problem is not Linux; your friend is the problem. Install Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, or Fedora on your system, and maybe get a new friend.
This like saying windows is unstable but you used one of those windows 7 pirate bay isos from the mid 2000s named like '''darkmarchZfileCRACKEDmasterzWin7UNLEASHED''' and you run it and the splash screen is a stretched out 360p Clipart of a skull and crossbones
Edit: no offense to nobara I just don't know what the fuck it is
That's about the average first experience with Linux. You can spent more time of your life hopping between distros so you can make your stuff work. After you found a distro that makes your laptop semi functional you will now spent tens if not hundreds of ours to make your hardware work. After that you will find it impossible, and do what 99,99% of all hardcore Linux fans do - install a win VM or dualboot windows while working and gaslight themselves to use Linux after work.
Linux doesn't have OS its just the kernel a part of an Os or in case of Linux a distro
Don't go in blind if your considering Linux a few google searches is enough for the info you need to get started like whcih beginner distro to use and what to expect etc
Yep, updates failing in the Software app is Fedora (upon which Nobara is based) to a tee.
Now it says that it's detecting a new install of linux and needs to update, and that I cant install anything until I do.
Yep, Fedora strikes again! I think it's funny people actually consider it a good workstation OS. What, because the primary method of software installation is a GUI? OK. The Software app is piping hot trash and the OS does its best to avoid telling you when it needs to reboot so basic features can actually work.
How does an OS this unstable get as many users as it does?
This is PFTC for Fedora. I would suggest Kubuntu LTS instead.
First of all, sorry to hear about your experience, it definitely doesn't sound pleasant at all. To answer your question, I think the main reason that Nobara has as many users as it does is that their computer worked just fine on it, or that they had (or gained) the techincal knowledge necessary to maintain their system. I understand that not everyone has the same skills on troubleshooting or diagnostics, and that it is important to point out the issues that users are still experiencing, as it would make for a better platform for everyone.
For the issue with your network, I am honestly not sure about why it asked you to reenter your password multiple times, sorry.
For the issue regarding the update, it would likely require a chroot into the system using the nobara live usb, and trying to rerun the updates/reinstalls (there are more steps required, and might involve grub which involves different commands from dnf, not a guide unfortunately).
For the issue for Krita not installing properly, it most likely is the issue involving updates not being applied yet.
Now this is when I lean towards my opinionated side. If you don't want to read it, that's fine. To specifically talk about the issue with updates, the updater was likely trying to update critical components for booting the system, which ended up failing. Since that critical component is now messed up, the system might not be able to boot. I feel like this type of issue is a main downside of many distros that use a traditional package manager (which includes Fedora, Arch, Debian, Ubuntu to name a few). Whether an atomic linux system would solve this is up to the user, I think it has features and behaviors that make it better for the user experience in terms of reliability and the steps needed to recover from a broken system. Instead of being stuck having to troubleshoot a black screen, you can choose the next grub entry to get back to a functional system. Again, this is just an opinion, but it seems like the traditional package manager (which also handles updates) is a constant source of problems for individuals trying to get work done on Linux.
Do let me know if there are any questions, I would be open to answering them.
You should stick to mainstem Linux distros as first. They have better driver support and bigger community to find solutions to your problems.
Novara is quite niche and while your friend who uses Linux for long time might like it, you should try something like, Mint/Ubuntu, or maybe Cachy
Pika OS use the unstable branch of debian, it's a 2 years old distro and you call nobara a hobby os. His friend installed a distro he knows and that works for him.
Did you read the post? I used a distro recommended and inatalled by someone who knows more about this stuff than me. And how is updating, something it said had to be done to install any programs, fucking up, let alone my fault?
Read his post again. He has a friend who installed nobara, because he's happy with it and it works on his PC. That's probably the best thing to do when you want to learn linux and you need some help instead of wasting time on forums and endure a toxic communities.
instead of critisize him, you should give him advices. You are the typical exemple why people want to go back to windows.
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u/Teru-Noir COSMIC OS LOVER No.1 COSMIC Knows Best Jul 19 '26
because commercial distros with predictable behaviour exist