Edge ISO available for Linux Mint 20.3

This is a quick announcement to let you know an “Edge” ISO image is now available for Linux Mint 20.3.

This image is made for people whose hardware is too new to boot the 5.4 LTS kernel included in Linux Mint 20.3. It ships with kernel 5.13.0-25 instead.

For information on Edge ISO images visit https://linuxmint-user-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/edge.html.

38 comments

  1. Great! Thanks. 馃檪

    You might want to reconsider the kernel policy for the third dot edition of a Mint series, though…. A 5.4 kernel by default for 20.3, makes Mint appear unfit for modern hardware to the casual observer.

    While a “hidden” Edge iso made great sense for 20.1 and perhaps even for 20.2, that might not be the case for 20.3.

    For the rest: nothing but praise. You’re doing a fine job!

    1. Actually, 5.13.0-23 didn’t event boot on recent hardware. There was a huge regression fixed in -25 which led to kernel panics: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1956519.

      The risk is greater with HWE, especially on a newly supported series like this one. Having an EDGE ISO allows us to stick with LTS on stable releases where risks of critical regressions like this one are less frequent and less likely.

    1. In Update Manager open the View>Linux kernels menu. From there you can install the same 5.13 kernel.

    2. I installed the regular 20.3 Cinnamon edition, and then installed the 5.16 kernel. Works nice. 馃檪

  2. Hi,
    there is a one issue (or bug) I would like to report, 20.3 cinnamon 5.4. LTS kernel.

    How to reproduce:
    Switch the machine to suspend, leave it for some time in suspend mode. Awake it from suspend (press any key) and turn it off immediately, and here comes the problem: the machine will not turn off. It will turn off desktop and will go to shut down black screen with green round mint logo in the middle but it will stay there indefinite, process will not end and the machine will not off.
    Only solution in that state is to manually restart the machine (press restart button).

    Is there a possibilty to mend that?
    thanks

    1. Me too. 74 years old non techie, like Slim Pickins riding the bomb down. It says “Feed me! Feed Me!”
      At first there was nothing, and then the nothing began to breathe.

  3. Still struggling to get my computer to boot with a 6700XT, it will only boot using compatibility mode using the Mint 20.3 Edge ISO.
    Is it a linux-firmware issue?
    From reading a few online posts, the 5.13 kernel should support the 6700XT.

    1. Not sure if this will solve your problem, but it did correct it for my 6800xt since release. Go to the AMD page and install the ubuntu driver for your card, and it should resolve your issue.

  4. Maybe it should be better to have a link and a reference of the EDGE version in the download page of the “normal” version or at the download menu on top of the webpage, so the user don’t have to dig in the “all versions” page in order to find the EDGE version.

  5. Hi! Thanks for the great software you do. One question: Is there any other difference between the Edge version and the normal one besides the kernel version? will it be possible to upgrade to later releases if you install the Edge?

    I recently head this issue in a new machine with Comet Lake + Asus B560M, I could make it work booting with safe mode and then switching the kernel, but this Edge version is a great idea

  6. It’s like you folks read my mind. The 5.13 kernel was only way to get my Alienware to play nice with Mint. Thanks =)

  7. Predictably, 5.13 crashes with snowy graphics on my 4700U like all 5.13 versions so far. 5.13 is a regression from 5.11 where things did work, but 5.11 goes out of support.
    For impacted users: boot with nomodeset or use the recovery mode. After installation, boot into the installed version (also with nomodeset), then “sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04d” which gets you the 5.14 OEM kernel. Reboot with that kernel, then “sudo dconf write /com/linuxmint/updates/allow-kernel-type-selection true”. In the Update Manager, delete the 5.13 kernel and select the dropdown kernel type box to OEM. That keeps the Update Manager from suggesting useless 5.13 updates.

  8. 5.4 works great. July is coming soon! There will be a new version. I think on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy / 2022-04-21. Sincerely, R.

  9. Hello,
    I downloaded & successfully compiled Kernel 5.16 from source and installed it on Linux Mint 20.3. Its running beautifully, smooth & fast. No glitches not a single error. Smooth as silk!!

  10. I got various PC and laptops and Edge works more fluently than Firefox playing 4k videos.
    Edge plays 4k video one step above Firefox.

  11. I have got an issue in Edge.
    When adding bookmaks they go ok when bookmark panel is attached to window, but when it is floating they do not appear until next restart. At the same time, when right clicking on a bookmark when floating, they dissapear but the list commands keep remaining, but clicking on one command does nothing when I make bookmarks appear again. When attached to window, no problem.

  12. Hi.
    Linix Mint Una Cinnamon works fine in a RKM miniPC, energy wasting 8 to 20 watts .
    It works fine. Even youtube videos 1080p go fluently in Edge and Firefox.
    I had Windows 10 on it but I deleted it because it was too much slooooow. LMint goes fine. Thanks.

    System: Kernel: 5.4.0-96-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
    Machine: Type: Desktop System: RKM product: MK36S v: 0.38 Mobo: RKM model: Cherry Trail CR UEFI: American Megatrends v: 5.011 date: 08/19/2016
    CPU: Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Atom x5-Z8300 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Airmont rev: 3
    L2 cache: 1024 KiB
    flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11520
    Speed: 1841 MHz min/max: 480/1840 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1841 2: 1840 3: 602 4: 584
    Graphics: Device-1: Intel Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx Integrated Graphics
    driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:22b0
    Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
    resolution: 1920×1080~75Hz
    OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics (CHV) v: 4.6 Mesa 21.0.3 compat-v: 3.0
    direct render: Yes

  13. Dear Clem:
    For me the 5.13 kernels are a disaster (Ryzen 7 4800H). I think we need 5.11 (worked well) or 5.14, 5.15 or 16. Anything but 5.13. For me 5.16 worked like a charm.

  14. How funny… While Windows 10 was a nightmare running on a RKM MK36S Cherry Trail CR date: 08/19/2016 Quad Core model: Intel Atom x5-Z8300 (W11 impossible), then LMint makes it run with 3.5 to 9 watts of energy while on the web or using office programms. (Just 7-9 watts playing youtube 480 and 720p60 videos). 1080p60 stops a little every 3 seconds.
    It takes 3.5 watts while writting this here. Great.

  15. Good news! After installing Mint 20.2 on my brand spanking new Dell Latitude last summer, I’ve been running the Ubuntu ‘linux-oem-20.04b’ kernel for my video to run properly.

  16. When I install a new version of the generic Linux Kernel I get the following message:
    Installing packages:
    ======================================================================
    Preparing to install Linux ‘5.15.15’
    libc6_found: 2.31
    libc6_minimum: 2.34

    To me this means that the installer is looking for version 2.34 of libc6, at the minimum, and LM 20.3 is running version 2.31. Could this be one of the reasons for LM having boot issues with newer hardware and kernels? I am not well versed enough to know but it looks like a potential problem to me…

    1. Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, the same problem is happening on Ubuntu 21.04 and 21.10
      The temporary solution is to not install the Headers and manually add the missing drivers in my case i915 drivers for my Intel 11th integrated video
      I was happy to see that the Daily Build of Ubuntu 22.04 updated to libc6 2.34 or higher and I had no problems installing Kernel 5.16 complete and without any errors

  17. I have recently been using linux mint and I am finding it really good ps. in version 21 there will be some more effects in cinnamon like compiz? how is gnome doing with its extensions?

  18. Am running Mint 20.2 Edge (5.13) Cinnamon 5.0.7 in a business environment on a couple of custom boxes (AMD 64 core Threadrippers, 256GB ram, 8TB internal ssd arrays, 10GB lan, water cooling, etc) with each box hosting about a dozen virtual desktops. Won’t boot 5.4, but 5.13 works fine. Considering upgrade to 20.3 Edge. Can I do a simple in-place “package/APT” upgrade and end up with 20.3 Edge, or will it downgrade kernel to 5.4 and fail on reboot? As long as it doesn’t delete existing 5.13 and just changes default, I can intercept in grub menu, manually boot to 5.13, edit grub to reset default and reboot again. But also wondering if other packages have been upgraded in Edge to newer version along with the kernel itself. Don’t want to end up in a regression nightmare and have to hunt down and fix a long list of issues. In that case would rather do a fresh install or more likely just wait for Mint 21 (Ubu 22.04 LTS is expecting 5.15 so won’t need Edge anymore for this hardware) and do it then. Thoughts or suggestions?

    1. Hi Mark,

      20.2 and 20.3 are both based on Ubuntu 20.04 and they both ship with kernel 5.4 LTS. The main differences between is 20.2 and 20.3 are the versions of Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce, Xapp, mint tools they provide. In terms of kernels, no matter what 20.x release you’re on, you have access to LTS (5.4) or HWE (currently 5.13). When you use an EDGE ISO you get straight to the HWE kernel, that’s all.

      I hope this helps. If you started with 20.2 EDGE, then you were on 20.04 in terms of package base, 20.2 in terms of Cinnamon/Xapp/Mint, and HWE in terms of kernels… moving to 20.3 you’d still be on HWE in terms of kernels (i.e. no change… 5.13), still 20.04 in terms of package base, but you’d get the latest Cinnamon/XApp/Mint tools.

    2. Basically 20.x means 20.04 in terms of package base, EDGE means HWE kernel instead of LTS, and the point release in 20.x relates to the versions we push on Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce, Xapp, Mint tools and system improvements.

  19. Hola amigos de Linux Mint, cuan agradecido estoy de estar usando la versi贸n 20.3 de Linux Mint!. Es simplemente genial, y en mi PC ha funcionado de manera excelente. Realmente han hecho un gran trabajo. Tengo un hardware de gama media, y con esta versi贸n de Mint es una maravilla. Pero una actualizaci贸n del Kernel a una versi贸n que ofrezca m谩s compatibilidad de hardware creo que vendr铆a muy bien. He explorado muchas distros de linux, algunas con un escritorio tan hermoso como UbuntuDDE, pero la sencillez, funcionalidad y compatibilidad de Mint es excelente. Tambi茅n quiero destacar el excelente manejo de tonos que han hecho en el tema oscuro. Espero que sus pr贸ximas ediciones sean tan buenas como esta!

  20. Why is there no “edge” release for MATE 20.3 ??? Unfortunately the iso would NOT even properly boot on my laptop (Lenovo Legion 5). Other distros like Ubuntu MATE, Manjaro MATE or XERXOS boot fine.

    A little bit disapointing 馃檨

  21. I just bought a new laptop with windows 11, installing Linux Mint.20.3 next to it would work. But I prefer to use LMDE 5, which is also on my older laptop. But the problem is that I only have wifi on that new thing has a Realtek RTL8821CE-M 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1×1) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 combo it’s not possible to make changes online afterwards. An LMDE 5 edge version would be great.

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