I want to install Ubuntu/Linux Mint but only Fedora works on my laptop
 

As the title says, I really want to install Ubuntu or Linux Mint, on my laptop, dual-booting it with my installed Windows 8 (for gaming purposes).

But the problem is, only Fedora or other Fedora-based distro is able to work and detected all my devices (except NVIDIA Optimus, not working on all distro), specifically my sound device.

As with the latest version of Ubuntu 13.10 and Linux Mint 16, it's able to detect my internal audio device but not my external audio jacks (for headphones / external speakers). Via sound settings, it only detected 1 audio device.

On Fedora 20, it detected 2 audio device. My internal audio device and external audio device (headphone jacks).

Why?

What I love about Ubuntu / LM is their software center. It's easy to find and install softwares via software center. I don't think Fedora has something like this, or not that I know off.

What I love about Fedora is its responsiveness. On my laptop, even via livedvd mode, Fedora's performance is superb. It's too damn fast, very responsive. But it lacks software center, where I can search or browse and install software.

If I install Fedora 20, everything works out of the box, except NVIDIA Optimus. No problem on sound, both internal and external, but no software center.

If I install Ubuntu/LM, only internal speakers work but I can't plugged in a headphone on output jack as no sound can be heard when a headphone is plugged in. But, it does have software center.

What should I do? What's with Fedora 20 that's able to detect my external output jack while it's not detected on both Ubuntu and Linux Mint?

I've been able to install Ubuntu 12.04 on the same laptop 2 years ago with the same problem. Although, I was able to find a solution that fixed the problem.
But the same solution (ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2103638&p=12471215#post12471215) doesn't work anymore on Ubuntu 13.10 and LM16, and I don't want to stick with 12.04.

On F20, presuming gnome, click on activities and start typing "software" (no quotes).
See what pops up.

Stick with fedora, you will learn more

I was able to make my external output jack works on Linux Mint 16 with only 1 solution:
- plug in the headphone/external speaker during boot up.

If headphone/external speaker is plugged in during boot up, headphone works be default. Removing headphone, makes internal speakers work.

But, if I booted up LM16 without headphone/external speaker plugged in, internal speakers work by default. But upon plugging in headphone/external speaker, no sound is coming out from the output jack.

I wonder why. What if later on, I booted up LM16 without headphones plugged in and would want to listen to headphones later, then I'll have to reboot linux to make headphones work..

Are there any workaround regarding this situation? Make output jacks work even if no device is plugged in during boot up.

Agreed!-;)

I thought Fedora 20 came with a Software Center:-
Gnome Software Center
http://linuxlibrary.org/fedora-20-de...ftware-center/
http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/..._Software.html

Installing Bumblebee for Nvidia Optimus Support-
http://bumblebee-project.org/

If you don't have sound in Ubuntu it might be because the mixer columns are not turned up all the way.
Sometimes by default they are muted. I had that issue with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS-
To solve that open the terminal and type:alsamixer
{mm} at the bottom of the columns means muted: {oo} is unmuted:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuEEEHcHxEE

Fedora does indeed have a software repository that you can access via GUI software, I dont remember the name of it as I havent used Fedora in a while, but i loved the OS when i was using it. Anyway, you dont need the GUI softare for this. It is very easy to install software on Fedora. "yum install" and "rpm -ivh" is the commands you will mainly use to install packages.
Look at http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?res...age-management and look for Fedora and you will see on the simple chart simple commands for searching for, installing, updating and removing software. Its easy, just try it.