Get somewhat new laptop for uni start of this year

...

use archlinux not cancerbuntu

why, user.

Just fucking use Tails (Debian Stretch).
Go to tails.boum.org
Download .iso
Plug in 4gb+ USB stick
Open terminal
sudo dd if=/location/of/.iso of=/location/of/disk bs=16m && sync
Eject USB stick and power off machine
Power on machine using force-boot hotkey
Select the new UEFI partition
Start Tails

If no UEFI, do the same with Qubes, using legacy boot.

If you have used the non-free drivers the problem lies here.
The corporations don't care about how the OS is designed, if their drivers aren't made to be replaced simply then it can fuck up the whole OS.
After a three years in the free software world I have completely abandoned the goal to make non-free software work with free software because it strangely always backfired me.

I suggest that you backup everything and reinstall everything.
Make a least some hardware verification.
Do a memtest86+ to check the memory (don't worry if a few MB aren't checked, it's because the intel ME and Video RAM allocates itself a few MB of space).
memtest.org/

Then check the HDD.
Use a livecd/usb to boot your PC.
Then execute the software "badblocks".
This is to see if the surface of the platter of the HDD isn't damaged.
You need to specify physical size of the block-size tho.
So execute the command
"sudo hdparm -I /dev/sda | grep -i physical" and you'll get the physical (or logical it can be both sometimes).
Now that you have the block size oyu can execute "badblocks" here's the command:
"sudo badblocks -vw -b 4096 /dev/sda "
the "4096" is the block-size that you need to replace and "/dev/sda" is the harddrive that you want to do.
Note: badblocks will rewrite the entire HDD every piece of data will be destroyed to make the test.

Once done use "smartmontools" or "gsmartcontrol" to check the HDD.
If "smartmontools" or "gsmartcontrol" sees that your HDD has errors you need to change your hdd immediately.
Please also check manually the SMART which can be read via "smartmontools" or "gsmartcontrol" the auto diagnostic isn't completely accurate.
Please read this section the SMART is pretty enigmatic the first time you read it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.
When you buy a HDD remember to always read the datasheets and never go over of the Temperature usage of the HDD.

If your wifi absolutely needs non free driver and it still fucks up your configuration seek to by a new one at thinkpenguin:
thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usb
I really recommend to stop using non-free drivers has a whole.

Good luck.

DO NOT DO THIS
this guy is trying to troll you into destroying your hdd.

It's not like it's wasn't specified.
Read the man page, the options that was posted aren't the ones to produces errors.

stop it. what you are doing is illegal. badblocks physically destroys the hdd. not just the data on it, but the actual hdd.
hiding something like this in an otherwise good and informative post is really fucking awful. like come on dude.

No
No
no
Listen m8 you are wasting my time with your disinformation so please STFU and be productive.

Using gnu/linux is your own choice. I'll just skip your ignorant normie/newfag reee and address the problem.
Before you upgrade, always run --list-upgradable to be aware what you are upgrading in case it fucks up.
Also, if LVM is enabled, you can make a snapshot and revert to it if anything breaks (literally RTFM).
I cannot help you if I don't know what exactly was upgraded.
Are you using floss drivers?
If the kernel was upgraded, you can boot with the old version from grub. There should be an Advanced Options menu option.
Based on what you've described, it seems that the display driver hasn't been installed correctly. What you can do is reinstall all the drivers.

Yet another "I'm stupid and it's all Linux's fault" thread. If you're asking for help it should be in the sticky. If you're just whining it should be in /faggot/.

install gentoo
lol

Yes, Linux is shit in those regards, or rather it's not a given for software to work on all the hardware in the world, Microsoft pours a shitton of money into this.
It's the worst with Laptops, it takes at least a day to get your shit working and you can be sure that at least one thing won't work as it should. There are a few exceptions like Thinkpads without dGPUs but that's the only ones i know where Linux runs out of the box.

It's bullshit and only a few retards on taiwanese drawing competition forums even care about this sort of thing. Every professional in the field uses Linux and has accepted that he has to designate time for system maintenance each month, everyone else uses Windows or Mac and doesn't give a shit about even one of the upsides Linux has. Desktop Linux only has very few applications

So really, there's not exactly a big incentive to improve things. Everyone around already knows how to do things, and everyone else doesn't want to learn it in the first place.

haha welcome to Linux.
Enjoy your stay.

You'll have to run the install process a few more times until the bugs stop.
Read the dmesg, journalctl, and any logs you can find.
Write down every singe command you run.

I'm running full disk encrypted Arch Linux on my only machine, a laptop, for nearly 3 years straight through college.
It's hard to tell where foolhardy crosses into sadistic.

This entire thread is why OP is right.

...

Mac is a device.
Linux is a kernel.
Windows in malware.

Learn the differences.

You should check for laptops with compatible hardware instead of buying random crap you retard

...

...

Why did you dual boot it? You had a fresh computer, You could have just installed a good OS right away and removed the tumor efficiently.

Don't do this. Use the update manager included with the system. *buntu delegates system management to some fine GUI tools, so use them. Reinstall your OS, and do your updating the right way.

Or alternatively, use apt full-upgrade, which resolves the dependencies and removes conflicting packages. Check out the man files on aptitude, apt-get, and apt.

Sounds like a kernel update gone wrong. IIRC Ubuntu doesn't uninstall the kernel when you update it in case you need to roll it back. Try that.

Traitor! How dare you slander the OS of the people!

Indeed, I don't want to see any nagative linux posts in here either. Either praise our glorious OS, or get out.

lol

Yes, it's right that OP doesn't has a clue what he is doing while he thinks that he does. And now he complains that it is all Linux fault.

...

You're at uni. This is where you might have an opportunity to put anti-discrimination policy to your advantage. GNU/Linux users are a minority. Forcing proprietary software on students discriminates against students who use free software out of ethical responsibility and it violates our moral principles.

Apologies, I didn't actually read OP's message before responding. I incorrectly assumed OP was whining about uni forcing him to use proprietary software.

OP was whining about having to use logic and reasoning skills while attending university. Must be an american university.

install gentoo