Linux Mint 20.3

[SMG]

the 5.10 kernel is an LTS kernel supported until December 2026 .
https://www.kernel.org/releases.html

It is a mainline kernel. We do not recommend using mainline kernels for Linux Mint 20.3. We recommend using kernels maintained by Canonical (Ubuntu).

[Fossy]

5.10 is indeed an LTS kernel , which if I may draw your attention , will be the default kernel for the new LMDE 5 edition .
With all due respect , You are confusing LTS with Mainline / Stable & Distribution kernels .
Perhaps you are also confusing Linux Mint Forum with Cannonical forum ?

[DPM]

I always assumed those drivers would be there from the start and not added later.

I didn't even think of this way to understand "adding drivers", actually. If that's the case, then I could maybe use 5.14 OEM for the end user I mentioned.

The text of that webpage indicates the changes from the oem are rolled into the next HWE kernel and that has already been released yet 5.10-oem is still getting updates?

Yes, that's astonishing - the most recent update is from 2022-01-10 while 5.11 HWE appeared IIRC around July 2021. Given that this was not done the same way with 5.6 OEM, I suspected 5.10 being LTS at mainline (upstream) as underlying reason because that's the key difference between 5.6 and 5.10.

The amdgpu driver in general seems to be having assorted issues depending upon the specific GPU.

The strange thing is that 5.8 HWE and 5.11 HWE worked flawlessly (as does 5.10 OEM), so they broke something with 5.13 HWE and apparently fixed that in 5.14 OEM. Even the default 5.4 Mint kernel works better than 5.13 HWE with 4x00 graphics - 5.4 gets only software rendering, but at least it boots to the desktop.

I'm also wondering how to resolve that mess with the upcoming Mint 20.3 Edge ISO.

By the way : https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1925190

In the attached DpkgTerminalLog.txt is this: "You are running a kernel (version 5.10.0-1022-oem) and attempting to remove the same version." On the other hand, that user had "Uname: Linux 5.8.0-50-generic x86_64" so that the error message doesn't make much sense. In any case, that would be a problem rather with the package management than with the kernel itself.

[SMG]

5.10 is indeed an LTS kernel , which if I may draw your attention , will be the default kernel for the new LMDE 5 edition .
With all due respect , You are confusing LTS with Mainline / Stable & Distribution kernels .
Perhaps you are also confusing Linux Mint Forum with Cannonical forum ?

No, I am not confused. I was keeping this thread on topic. The topic of this thread, as per the title and the discussion in it, is Linux Mint 20.3. The kernels which apply to it are not the same kernels which apply to LMDE. I specifically stated, "We do not recommend using mainline kernels for Linux Mint 20.3," because I know LMDE is based on Debian and uses mainline LTS kernels.

[SMG]

Even the default 5.4 Mint kernel works better than 5.13 HWE with 4x00 graphics - 5.4 gets only software rendering, but at least it boots to the desktop.

Booting into software rendering mode to get a desktop can be done with the other kernels as well. Just boot with nomodeset or boot into Recovery Mode. Booting without the hardware driver installed is not something I would consider "works better". I consider it a problem because there is functionality which is lost when doing that.

[MurphCID]

Well l have no issues with the OEM kernels on my Mint laptops. They work great. 5.14 is stable and solid. I am waiting for 5.15 or 5.16 to come out.

[DPM]

Just boot with nomodeset or boot into Recovery Mode.

Confirmed, both ways work with 5.13 HWE and my laptop. Recovery seems easier to recommend for new users, so that could be an option for 20.3 Edge.

[Portreve]

Several days on, and I'm still very happy with 20.3.

[SMG]

Recovery seems easier to recommend for new users, so that could be an option for 20.3 Edge.

There is a video describing how to add nomodeset as a temporary one-time event in the Release Notes for Linux Mint 20.3 Cinnamon in the section on 'Solving freezes during the boot sequence'.

I'm not sure the issue you are seeing with the 5.13 kernel, but the 5.13-0.25 fixed boot issues seen by many with the 5.13.0-23. I do not know which version was planned for LM20.3 Edge and whether any of the recent issues might have changed the planned version.

Edited to remove my last comment. I found a link to a "snowy" screen problem with the 4000 series which came up in mid-December (which I had forgotten about). However, that person did not have the latest BIOS/UEFI so not sure if that might be a factor.

[ne0h]

Well l have no issues with the OEM kernels on my Mint laptops. They work great. 5.14 is stable and solid. I am waiting for 5.15 or 5.16 to come out.

I can confirm. I've been using it for a while, never had any problems and it works really well!

[Agentl074]

This was an idea, but I think I will just stick with what is available on Manager. This is what I brought up a couple of times, but as others pointed out, the OEM kernels may be fine -- or they may not....

[MurphCID]

This was an idea, but I think I will just stick with what is available on Manager. This is what I brought up a couple of times, but as others pointed out, the OEM kernels may be fine -- or they may not....

Works great for me, but I have newer hardware.

[MattJ86]

Works great for me and I got the most awful hardware on the forum.

[Bolle1961]

Looks like 20.3 edge is coming too / Zo te zien komt 20.3 edge er ook aan
https://community.linuxmint.com/iso

[greengnome]

On 20.3 now, that was the smoothest upgrade I ever experienced on any operating system. Yes, it was a small one as we are still on the same Ubuntu base, but still really nice.
I hope there will be a reliable & safe upgrade path to the next major version as well.

[Agentl074]

This was an idea, but I think I will just stick with what is available on Manager. This is what I brought up a couple of times, but as others pointed out, the OEM kernels may be fine -- or they may not....

Works great for me, but I have newer hardware.

Yep... my Ryzen 5500U powered laptop was in the same boat, but the 5.11 kernel in Update Manager works perfectly

Linux Mint 20.3 Cinnamon
Kernel 5.11.0.46
Asus M712U
Ryzen 5500U/Radeon IGPU

[Bolle1961]

Mint Cinnamon Edge is available
https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4273

[ne0h]

it would just be Mint with the 5.13 kernel right? which among other things can be easily installed by mint update if I'm not mistaken.

[JoeFootball]

it would just be Mint with the 5.13 kernel right?

I don't believe so.

"This image ships with newer components to be able to support the most modern hardware chipsets and devices. ... The Edge ISO image is not as stable as the other ISOs and may not support as many proprietary drivers. Only use it if you cannot boot or install with the other ISOs."

https://linuxmint-user-guide.readthedoc ... /edge.html

[SMG]

it would just be Mint with the 5.13 kernel right? which among other things can be easily installed by mint update if I'm not mistaken.

You are correct. That is how people who are installing MATE or Xfce can get "the Edge"; they update the kernel.