Linux Lite Forums

Software - Support => Installing Linux Lite => Topic started by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 04:47:21 AM

Title: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 04:47:21 AM
I'm not sure if I've done something wrong, but I have noticed a couple of odd things recently...
Somewhere along the line, as I have been adding new items, I noticed yesterday that my Menu layout had changed from the original one - some extra things show and some have disappeared.

One extra one is "Help" and if I click it, my screen goes to the Screensaver.
The other one is "About Xfce" and if I click that, I am taken back to my Login screen.

I thought I'd been really careful to progress slowly, but obviously I've done something stupid and I have no idea where I have gone wrong. I sort of think it might have been something to do with changing to "English UK" language in Language Support and Regional Formats, but I'm not certain of that.

Anyway, if I wanted to revert to the original Program from the USB I made, how would I do this, please?
My laptop is currently dual boot between Windows XP Pro and Linux Lite, so I wondered if I could start over again and be more careful - but I don't want to have to reinstall Windows or encounter MBR problems.
If  there is a simple way of just overwriting my current Linux installation with the original from my USB, could someone help, please?

   
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Jerry on March 13, 2014, 05:48:30 AM
You can simply reinstall and choose the right options during the install eg.language etc and you won't mess up your mbr and you won't have to install windows. Just do exactly as you did the first time, only choose the right options this time :)
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 05:59:47 AM
Hi Valtam
Thank you for your advice, sorry for being thick - you mean boot from USB, then choose "install alongside windows" as though I didn't have Linux already installed?
Originally, I thought I had chosen all the right options - I was careful to update things one item at a time rather than do too much at once.
I just had this nagging feeling that choosing "English UK" as my preferred setting was the cause of the problems - is there any reason that this  might be the culprit, or am I being paranoid?
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 13, 2014, 01:59:15 PM
I just had this nagging feeling that choosing "English UK" as my preferred setting was the cause of the problems - is there any reason that this  might be the culprit, or am I being paranoid?
Hard to tell if that was problem or not.  May have been something else that recently installed/updated.  I'm not on Linux Lite machine right now so not sure what log files are there, but maybe one of them may provide clues as to what may have caused problem.  If you want to try searching for possible causes before resorting to re-install, maybe you could post the output from one or more log files to a pastebin site for us to look at.

Navigate to your /var/log directory and open the "dpkg.log" file with a text editor.  Copy/Paste the contents of file into site like this:  http://pastebin.ca/ (http://pastebin.ca/).  It will return a url that you can be used to see what you've posted -- copy that link and post it back here to forum.  Look for any log file that may be related to saving info on "updates" and paste that one as well if it exists.

Tell us as specifically as you can remember "when" you first noticed the problem so we know approximately what time frame in the logs to look at.


Hi Valtam
Thank you for your advice, sorry for being thick - you mean boot from USB, then choose "install alongside windows" as though I didn't have Linux already installed?
No.  This time you will need to select "Something else" option which will bring you to a page showing partitions of the drive.  On that page you need to select the Linux Lite partition(s) and install over what's there.  So you need to know which partitions are which ahead of time.  (Backup/Copy any files you want to keep before re-installing.)

To find that out, boot into your already installed LL, open a terminal and enter this:
Code: [Select]
lsblk
The lines that show something under the "MOUNTPOINT" heading are your LL partitions.  If you did a standard install before, you will only see one for "/" and one for "SWAP".  If you later added some kind of data partition to share b/w LL and Windows, that may show as well but is NOT one that you should install over.  For example, here is output from machine I'm on right now:
Code: [Select]
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 298.1G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0    25G  0 part /
├─sda2   8:2    0     1K  0 part
└─sda3   8:3    0 223.1G  0 part /mnt/DATA
sdb      8:16   0 596.2G  0 disk
├─sdb1   8:17   0     9G  0 part [SWAP]
├─sdb2   8:18   0   230G  0 part
├─sdb3   8:19   0     1K  0 part
├─sdb5   8:21   0    40G  0 part /mnt/ISOs
├─sdb6   8:22   0    40G  0 part
└─sdb7   8:23   0   200G  0 part /mnt/VBoxHDs
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom 

The ones showing mount points under "/mnt" are data partitions I added -- they would NOT be replaced during a re-installation of the system.  (If you happen to have a USB stick or drive attached to computer when running lsblk command, that will probably show up with mount point under /media/yourusername -- ignore those during re-installation.)

Chances are you just have LL partitions for "/" (root) and "swap".  "Swap" you can leave as it is -- no need to change anything there.  After "Something else" selected in installer, on next page just click to highlight the partition that corresponds to your "/" partition, then click the "Change" button.  ("/" in my output above corresponds to /dev/sda1.)  Then, Use as = "Ext4 filesystem"; Mount point = "/"; Check box to format the partition; Size = same as it already is, don't change it.  Click "Save" or "Done" (can't remember off hand).  Lastly, near bottom of window, make sure /dev/sda is selected as "Device for bootloader installation".

Double check your entries and then let installer finish installation.  That's it.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 02:32:25 PM
Hi gold_finger
I am just attempting a re-install (on the assumption that I've messed something up previously).
When I get to the "Use As" box, I am only offered "Ext4 journaling file system" not "Ext4 file system"
Is this the same thing, please?
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 03:48:18 PM
Update...I successfully managed a clean re-install and re-booted.
Theonly thing I then changed was the language to English UK in the Language Support screen, made the Regional format English UK, applied both changes systemwide and then re-booted.

As before, the Menu layout had changed somewhat and again when I click the "help" button, I get the Screensaver screen and when I click the "about Xfce" button, I am taken back to the Login screen.
I didn't make any other adjustments, not sure what to do now.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 04:04:36 PM
If it helps, this is the Log File straight after that one and only system change.
I'm sure it's something to do with my selection of "English UK" - when I was testing, I never altered this and didn't have any problems.

[attachment deleted by admin, more than 25 days old]
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 13, 2014, 04:29:18 PM
When I get to the "Use As" box, I am only offered "Ext4 journaling file system" not "Ext4 file system"
Is this the same thing, please?
Yes -- I was just going by memory, didn't remember exact wording of things.

Update...I successfully managed a clean re-install and re-booted.
Theonly thing I then changed was the language to English UK in the Language Support screen, made the Regional format English UK, applied both changes systemwide and then re-booted.

As before, the Menu layout had changed somewhat and again when I click the "help" button, I get the Screensaver screen and when I click the "about Xfce" button, I am taken back to the Login screen.
I didn't make any other adjustments, not sure what to do now.
Doesn't look like problem caused by anything you did.  Must be something misconfigured when selecting "English UK" by installer for some reason (bug perhaps).

Unless someone else knows the answer and posts back, I'll try installing LL 1.0.8 to VirtualBox and see if can repeat your problem and get lucky trying to figure out how to fix it.  (Long-shot, but maybe I'll get lucky.)  Might be a few hours -- can't get to that right now.

P.s.  Your log file didn't come through on post, but don't worry about posting it.  Problem was immediate with just your language selection -- so that must be the reason.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 13, 2014, 04:38:01 PM
I was sure I attached the log file, but sorry it didn't work...I'm in Windows at present, so I can't re-attach it :-)
But yes, that was the only change I made, so I was fairly sure it wasn't me who'd messed up the installation.
Anyway, thank you for looking at it - I think I'll just leave the installation as it is for the time being and not make any other changes in case I might lose them all if I have to re-install again.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 14, 2014, 12:52:46 AM
Finally got around to installing LL 1.0.8 into VirtualBox -- one version US English, another UK English.

Then I realized that ... stupid me ... I'm not sure which "buttons" you are referring to here:
As before, the Menu layout had changed somewhat and again when I click the "help" button, I get the Screensaver screen and when I click the "about Xfce" button, I am taken back to the Login screen.
I didn't make any other adjustments, not sure what to do now.

The "help" button I assume is the 2nd from the top when you click the main Menu button -- right?

For the life of me, I can't figure out where the "about xfce" button you're talking about is.  Can you walk me through exactly where you find that?  (I'm sure I'll want to bop myself in the head when you point it out.)
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Jerry on March 14, 2014, 12:57:44 AM
In all honesty I would just select US English, its English after all and you won't get any funky outcomes.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 14, 2014, 03:51:52 AM
gold_finger - Good morning, the "help" and "about xfce" buttons appeared just above "turn off computer" when I clicked on the "menu" button in the bottom left corner of my screen. Also some of the items in sections of the menu were either in different positions or not showing when compared to the "standard menu" I had using American English.
Meanwhile, I re-installed and left the language at U.S. and everything seems fine...but I will go back to UK English if you wish and show you the differences, I've done it 4 times now and it always produces the same result.
The only other left-field thing I can think of is that my Laptop is American, but with the keyboard set up in Windows for UK layout. 
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 14, 2014, 09:43:21 AM
the "help" and "about xfce" buttons appeared just above "turn off computer" when I clicked on the "menu" button in the bottom left corner of my screen. Also some of the items in sections of the menu were either in different positions or not showing when compared to the "standard menu" I had using American English

For some reason mine doesn't have those -- just "Switch Users", then "Lock Screen".  "Help Manual" is near top under "Run Program", but it works just fine.  Both US and UK VirtualBox setups have exact same listings under menu categories and in same order.  (Maybe "real" not "virtual" install acts differently -- I don't know.)

Let's just forget about it.  You've got it working now with "English US" and I can't seem to recreate problem.  Seems pointless to waste more time on it.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: N4RPS on March 14, 2014, 01:58:54 PM
Hello!

You can always selectively 'remap' certain keys, to cover circumstances like the pound and euro symbols...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 14, 2014, 02:49:42 PM
Ok...as everything seems to be working fine, I'll just be thankful for what I've got and not play with the language options.

Thanks to everyone for the help, I'll try not to come back soon!
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: N4RPS on March 15, 2014, 02:49:13 AM
Hello!

Come back as often as you feel like you need to. There are a bunch of folks here who are more than happy to help.

From what I understand, LL is a relatively new concept. It is amazing that it has progressed as far as it has in such a short time. After all, Ubuntu itself is close to ten years old and is funded by deep pockets, and Debian is considerably older than that (close to twenty?).

As LL progresses, and enhancements and other more pressing matters are taken care of, if enough additional people with the necessary skills should join the development team, then perhaps some of the smaller issues can be revisited, but of course, the push is always forward.

If I ever get deep enough into Linux to create my own LiveCD, I'd probably take the things I like out of a number of different distros and call it 'Mishmash' - which, of course, would probably prove itself to be an unmitigated DISASTER!

73 DE N4RPS
Rob
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 16, 2014, 09:47:34 AM
I'm back again!  :) Just a final request before this thread becomes too long...

I am currently dual booting between Linux Lite and Windows XP Pro SP3  - when I decide to ditch Windows and use only Linux, could you provide simple instructions on the best way to do this, please?

As a footnote, I'm really pleased with Linux Lite and can't really see a reason not to change permanently.
I'm comfortable with most of the "program-equivalents" available in Linux - although the only one I will miss badly is Firetrust's MailWasher Pro. (I spoke with them and there is a Linux (or cross-platform) version being developed and I hope at some point in the future that I'll be able to incorporate it into my Lite installation).
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 16, 2014, 04:10:56 PM
I am currently dual booting between Linux Lite and Windows XP Pro SP3  - when I decide to ditch Windows and use only Linux, could you provide simple instructions on the best way to do this, please?

Getting rid of Windows is easy -- just delete the Windows partitions on the disk.  That's all.  (GParted would be the best program to use for that.)  After it's gone, you just need to run one command in the terminal to get rid of it's boot entry in the grub menu:
Code: [Select]
sudo update-grub
What you choose to do with the free space after that is another story.  There's no "best" answer for that because everyone has their own preferences for how they setup their system.  You could merge the space into your current LinuxLite partition to create one large one.  You could create a separate partition for storing data files only.  You could install other linux distros and duel/triple-boot, etc.

Best thing to do is decide how you want to use the space, then ask question here if need guidance to accomplish that whenever you're ready.
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: N4RPS on March 17, 2014, 08:24:06 PM
Hello!

I use GPartEd to handle anything dealing with partitions - including moving or 'growing' a Linux partition to replace a deleted Windows one...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 18, 2014, 09:15:33 AM
Thanks Rob - the first step is to delete just the Windows part of the disk, I assume? I don't touch the Linux part or the Swap File?
Once Windows has gone, I just want Linux to use the whole disk, so do I just "grow" the Linux partition that appears in the first position and stretch it up adjacent to the Swap File at the end of the disk?
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: N4RPS on March 18, 2014, 04:34:26 PM
Hello!

You're welcome. Happy to help.

Of course, you will need to boot to a Live CD, and run GParted from there. It won't let you change anything on a partition that's currently in use.

If you want to preserve your current Linux partition and its contents, you DEFINITELY *DON'T* want to delete or remove it. The swap file can be altered as you see fit, as nothing is ever permanently stored there. (I've seen 2-4 GB mentioned as a recommended swap file size, but I use 2 X however  much RAM I have installed as a general rule of thumb).

This also goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Before changing ANYTHING, if you can, back up what you now have, so you can restore it if something goes haywire. I use Redo Backup to do this, as it copies the entire drive in its current state.

Afterward, if you want to completely obliterate your Windows install, then yes, you delete that partition with GParted and leave it unallocated. You then click on your Linux partition, select 'Resize/Move', and specify what size you want to become and/or move it to where you want it to be. Growing a Linux partition is pretty quick, but moving one can take a while, depending on how big it is.

(Attention others: If any of this is incorrect, then by all means, say so)...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 18, 2014, 05:32:57 PM
Sounds fine to me N4RPS.

Couple side notes:
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 18, 2014, 06:44:43 PM
Thanks guys...I will study what you've both said for a couple of days before I attempt it and come back if I have any dopey questions before I actually do it!
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: N4RPS on March 19, 2014, 12:05:33 AM
Hello!

Thanks for covering my back on that. I definitely DID forget about having to turn off the swap file, even though, now that I recall, I've had to do that before a time or few myself...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: gold_finger on March 19, 2014, 01:53:28 PM
Thanks guys...I will study what you've both said for a couple of days before I attempt it and come back if I have any dopey questions before I actually do it!

Here is a GParted tutorial that will give you a better idea of how it works than just our descriptions:  http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gparted.html (http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gparted.html)
Title: Re: A couple of problems encountered...
Post by: Peter B on March 20, 2014, 03:39:56 AM
Thank you for that, i will read up on it before I dive in...