Hi everyone! I know im not good with technology. I brought a surface pro 8, 3 years ago. I obviously understand that was a mistake and i should have listened to programmer cousin. Its gonna be slighty difficult to install linux on it.

I’ve researched several youtube videos, but i was wondering if anyone had any tips?Obviously the attachable keyboard has to work and i want the touch screen to work. The surface appealed to me when i brought for those features.

With all the privacy concerns of windows, i want to commit to switching my operating system! Thank you everyone for their help with all my privacy questions. Ive been getting into foss and learning kotlin.

  • chaoticnumber@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    12·
    2 days ago

    Yes, I have a surface pro5, I have been installing iterations of linux on this thing for the better part of 3 years now. Custom kernels, drivers, a pain, a real pain.

    Until i came across aurora. Holy shit, I installed it and poof, all the efort of custom kernels, matching drivers just evaporated, I know I sound like one of those nuts that found a distro that he thinks is good, but I swear for the surface pro, this distro works excellently and I have tried ALL OF THEM.

    Just know that you are saying goodbye to your cameras. Below I have linked the aurora ISO, the aurora install guide for surface and the linux-surface initiative, in case you strike out with aurora. Best of luck and if you have questions feel free to PM me.

    https://dl.getaurora.dev/aurora-dx-hwe-latest.iso

    https://docs.getaurora.dev/guides/surface-install-guide/

    https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface

    • pandorabox@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      2 hours ago

      Thanks so much! Ill check it out. Ive heard people say aurora is prettt good. Im gonna put mint on my old high school laptop and maybe aurora on the surface!

  • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    2 days ago

    Are you familiar with the Linux Surface Project? You’ll find feature matrix and installation guide links.

    I’ve been running Linux Mint on a Surface 4 Laptop for well over a year and after initial configuration it works very well. The installation guide at that site made it fairly easy to get working.

  • besselj@lemmy.ca
    2·
    2 days ago

    Join the OpenRT discord server. The link can be found on their gitbook website. I believe they have some channels for Linux on the Surface 2

    Edit: nvm, not sure about the surface 8, but maybe ppl there can still help

  • JC1@lemmy.ca
    2·
    2 days ago

    I have a surface go 3 and a surface pro 7. I installed Arch on both and also enabled secure boot. Installing Arch works, but wifi on the installation drive doesn’t work. I plug in a usb hub with Ethernet and I’m fine after. Enabling secure boot is harder, but it can work.