Q4OS Forum

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Took me a while to figure how to dual boot Q4OS on an ACER laptop, but i did it!

To put things into perspective...

ACER was always noisy (the fan) when i acquired it a few months ago.

It was a deal (regretted ever since on account of the noisy fan).

Then, yesterday, decided to dual boot with Q4OS.

Took quite a while to get all the options right.

Then, lo and behold, no more noisy fan at startup (with Q4OS) !!!

- - -

Now, if can only figure out how to have Q4OS show up at boot instead of having to hold F12...

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,772

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Thanks for that report, what Q4OS version,. KDE or Trinity ?

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

KDE 5.7

Never thought switching to Linux could be so helpful.

Although a virus on Windows 11 side could explain the issue.
It shouldn't be my case as the laptop was new and barely used except for system updates.
Maybe a conflict of programs?

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,772

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Now, if can only figure out how to have Q4OS show up at boot instead of having to hold F12...

Try to setup EFI boot order in BIOS to set the default boot entry to Q4OS.
Did you use Q4OS for Windows installer ?

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Check your bios and power settings in Win11 as you shouldnt be having fan issues of that nature. To be honest there tends to be cooling and fan issues more often in Linux versus Windows.  What model Acer are you using?

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

An ACER A315

https://www.acer.com/us-en/laptops/aspi … .KJZAA.001

What should i be looking for in BIOS setting?

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Look in your bios for fan control settings, which may be listed under other titles like hardware monitoring and adjust the fan speed.
There may also be something similar to Speedstep that will force your laptop to not run the cpu at full speed till its really needed.
Your using a Ryzen 5 7520u so I assume they must have settings to adjust the power settings. In Win11 you should be running in power saver mode which will help quite abit.  The Ryzen 5 7520u is an APU so the graphics are included on the cpu which tends to run a bit hotter.

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Couldn't find anything related to hardware monitoring or fan control settings in BIOS.

Finding "power save mode" in Win 11 settings was mission impossible!

Could only find :
-best power efficiency;
-balanced;
-best performance.

Had "balanced" checked off previously, so trying "best power efficiency" now.

Update:
-best power efficiency seems to have considerably improved the situation, yay!

Two heads are better than one!

Btw, still plan on booting with Q4OS.

Last edited by danielson (2025-03-14 15:34)

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

You did good as given your cpu running in power efficiency mode is the best choice. I run Win11 and Q4OS as well but I dont dual boot.

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Did however encounter a "small" problem...

Keypad seems inoperative on Q4OS.

Had been mostly using a "pen" (fingerprintless on screen) so failed to notice this before.

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

The entire keyboard doesnt work or just the keypad?  Is numberlock on/off?

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Meant to say "touchpad", sorry!

Wanted to correct but was busy with yard work.

Last edited by danielson (2025-03-14 22:53)

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Go to system settings-hardware-input devices-touchpad    make sure touchpad is enabled. You might want to uncheck disable while typing.

Also check touchpad is enabled by FN key + F7.

In bios there should be a touchpad section where you can set it to basic or advanced, Id use the advanced option.

Last edited by crosscourt (2025-03-14 23:55)

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Fn + F6 or F7 doesn't work.

It's not in bios either.

Was thinking maybe a recent Windows update had something to do with this.

Wanted to reset the whole system, but it won't do it 'cause it says its on battery (even if plugged in). Ha!

What a laptop!

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Im confused as you said in post 10 that this was happening on Q4OS, not Win11(win11 update would have no bearing on Q4OS).

Did you go to settings-hardware-input devices-touchpad and check settings as I mentioned above in post 13.

You could try installing the Synaptics touchpad driver from the Synaptic package manager and see if that helps in Q4OS.

Last edited by crosscourt (2025-03-15 16:51)

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

@crosscourt - my apologies for any confusion.

Have checked both sides (Q4OS and Win11) - both show touchpad enabled.

Have disabled and re-enabled many times - no change.

Touchpad was working before, just preferred using pen stick.
Which explains why i didn't notice when it stopped working.

Solution?
What should i be looking for under Synaptic?
Fresh install or simply physical breakage?
Didn't take a hammer to make it work...

Last edited by danielson (2025-03-15 19:59)

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Under Synaptic look for Synaptics Touchpad driver and try installing it to see if it may help Q4OS. Im assuming its working in Win11.
If its not working in Win11 as well, you may have a hardware issue but Acer may have drivers available for it for Win11 on their website.

Are you sure the Touchpad is enabled in Q4OS and make sure the box that says disable while typing isnt checked.

Last edited by crosscourt (2025-03-16 00:26)

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Did find as you said, "Synaptic Touchpad", installed it, but not change.

Tried finding ACER driver on Windows side, to no avail.

Then tried to re-install Windows 11, but that was too complicated.

So, decided to give KDE Neon's latest a try and wiped the whole drive for it!

Installed Synaptic Touchpad, still no change.
Even with "disable while typing" checked off.

Must be a mechanical problem.

Think i'll be happy with the pen and finger.
Never liked touchpads anyhow.

Btw, if this can be of consolations to you...

This fresh install of KDE Neon Plasma 6.3.2 only uses 1.23Gs, CPU humming very close to 0 and has only 75 items on active task list.

Last edited by danielson (2025-03-16 02:44)

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Im actually typing on KDE Neon as I respond to you. Ive been using KDE Neon for years as I like using the newer KDE versions.  Neon hasnt always been the best experience but recently its gotten quite good.

You might want to contact Acer directly to see if they can help.

Last edited by crosscourt (2025-03-16 03:06)

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Appreciate all your time and effort to help me out here Crosscourt!

Was probably time to make the final leap, and dump Windows.

Have another laptop, an ASUS one with MX on it.
Will check and see if touchpad still works on that one.
Don't think it has touch screen like the ACER one.

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

danielson

Member

From: AR - U.S.A.

Registered: 2018-08-29

Posts: 206

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Touchpad issue resolved!!!

Fn key to the left on keyboard had no impact on any of the F keys (sounds like bad word) at the top.

Decided to try the "alt gr" one to the right of space bar.

Instead of F6 or F7 combo as per recommendations, it works with F10 !!!

Tested at least 3 times now, just to make sure i wasn't dreaming!

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DELL Optiplex 7060 - 8G RAM.

crosscourt

Member

From: Wash DC

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 2,201

Website

Re: Kudos to Q4OS for impeccable installation on an ACER laptop!

Glad you got it solved!

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Q4OS Aquarius 5.x KDE   Dell Inspiron 3670, Dell Latitude 5450