Fedora Asahi Remix 44: A Comprehensive Q&A for Apple Silicon Macs

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 has officially arrived, bringing Fedora Linux 44 to Apple Silicon Macs. This collaborative release between the Fedora Asahi Special Interest Group and the Asahi Linux project offers multiple desktop variants, enhanced package management, and streamlined setup processes. Below, we answer common questions about this milestone release.

What is Fedora Asahi Remix 44 and what are its key highlights?

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 is the latest version of Fedora Linux optimized for Apple Silicon Macs. Developed in close partnership with the Fedora Asahi SIG and the Asahi Linux project, it incorporates all improvements from Fedora Linux 44. A significant change is the retirement of vendored Mesa and virglrenderer packages – users are automatically transitioned to the upstream versions from Fedora’s repositories. The release also introduces a new setup wizard, Plasma Setup, replacing the older Calamares approach, and switches the default login manager to Plasma Login Manager (new installations only).

Fedora Asahi Remix 44: A Comprehensive Q&A for Apple Silicon Macs — Source: fedoramagazine.org

What desktop environments are offered in this release?

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 provides multiple desktop choices. The flagship is KDE Plasma 6.6, featuring the latest Fedora KDE Plasma Desktop 44 enhancements. For those preferring GNOME, a variant with GNOME 50 is available. Both match the desktop experiences found in standard Fedora Linux. Additionally, a Fedora Server variant caters to server workloads and headless deployments, while a Minimal image allows building a custom environment from scratch.

How do I install Fedora Asahi Remix 44?

Installation is straightforward by following the official installation guide. The process has been refined with the new Plasma Setup wizard, which provides a Plasma-native experience for user account creation and system configuration. This replaces the previous Calamares-based wizard. Note that the Plasma Login Manager is now the default greeter and session manager for new installs, replacing SDDM. Upgrading from earlier versions does not alter your existing configuration.

How can users of Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43 upgrade?

Existing systems running Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43 can upgrade using the standard Fedora process. Use KDE’s Plasma Discover or the DNF System Upgrade command. Unfortunately, upgrades via GNOME’s Software application are not supported. If you need step-by-step instructions, refer to the upgrade process documentation.

What changes were made to Mesa and virglrenderer packages?

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 retires the previously vendored Mesa and virglrenderer packages. Instead, users are automatically transitioned to the upstream versions provided by the standard Fedora repositories. This change simplifies maintenance and ensures better compatibility with the broader Fedora ecosystem. If you manually adjusted these packages, the transition will still occur automatically during the update.

Where can I report issues or get support for Fedora Asahi Remix 44?

For Remix-specific issues, please report them in the issue tracker. Community support is available via the Discourse forum and the Matrix room. The Fedora Asahi team actively monitors these channels to help with installation, configuration, and troubleshooting.

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