Installing Replacement instance of Linux Lite

[les1949]

I would like to replace the existing Linux Lite with a new installation on my Dell Inspiron 1501. I need to replace the existing Broadcom driver because of intermittent WiFi connection and have been experiencing problems With the Synaptic Package Manager. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Les

[shaggytwodope]

Could you explain what the issue is with synaptic (the error, screen shot etc), and how are you trying to install said driver.

[Jerry]

Use Menu > Settings > Install Drivers to 'deactivate' the driver rather than Synaptic.

[les1949]

I appreciate your suggestion of using "Use Menu > Settings > Install Drivers" but that is exactly what I have been doing and after a search for drivers it comes up with a Broad com 802.11 that I then choose to activate and after download screen and installing drivers I get a screen that I have no control of. If the courser wasn't moving when I moved the mouse I would think that the whole computer was locked up. I have waited as long as 30 min for the computer to finish with no effect. I can't even move the courser to the bottom of the page to try and find a menu tab and have to turn the computer of with the power button. Cut and paste or screenshot is not an option.

It was suggested that I start over with a new installation that I am willing to try if I could get some more help.

Thanks.
Les

[Jerry]

Can you please do Create System Report off the System menu and attach it to your next post. Thank you.

[les1949]

I hope this is what you wanted.

Thanks for the help,
Les

[attachment deleted by admin, more than 25 days old]

[Jerry]

Did you install this package - bcmwl-kernel-source because we do not ship Linux Lite with that software.

[N4RPS]

Hello!

I also had this issue. Team LL CAN'T bundle it in, but I've ran into a LiveCD distro or two that do anyway. (Don't ask me which one{s}; I've tried so MANY recently).

Broadcom's refusal to allow this to be included in the Linux kernel DOES create a REAL catch-22, doesn't it? Fortunately, I also have a USB WiFi stick that DOES have a driver included in the kernel.

If you don't (please, correct me if I'm wrong), after you uninstall your current one, you'll have to download the .deb (and any dependencies not already in the kernel) from another 'Net-ready machine, copy it to a CD or flash drive, and install it from there with GDebi or another .deb installer...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[les1949]

Rob I don't know what you want me to do. Uninstall my current one? One what? Are you talking about a driver? And how do I do that? Download the .deb ........? I am lost and it doesn't sound like fun to try and figure all this out.
Can you or anyone else tell me how to remove Linux Lite from this computer? Then maybe I can try it again, hopefully with better results. Don’t you think that would be easier?
Thanks for trying to help
Les

[N4RPS]

Hello!

Sorry for the confusion.

If you just want to wipe the whole OS and start over from scratch, just boot off the LiveCD and use the partition editor to reformat the partition that LL was on before.

If you just want to uninstall the old driver, go to a terminal (on the bottom bar, or CTRL-ALT-T), and type:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get remove bcmwl-kernel-source
.deb files are used by Debian Linux (Debian begat Ubuntu, which begat LL) to install programs.

Here's a further explanation:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fileextensions/f/deb-file.htm

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[les1949]

I'm thinking that I have really messed things up good now and I don't know how to fix it. I now only have a computer with two lines.

Error: no such partition.   
grub rescue>

What do I do now? It was an old computer anyway but I can't use it for anything now.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Les

[gold_finger]

If you can remember, can you describe some of the things you were doing with computer last time it worked?

Were you trying to change/adjust anything?

Did you add any new hard drives to computer and/or change the position of the one LL is on?

Were you exploring the root file system?  (eg. Opening files to see what's in them, etc.?)


Sounds like grub is not pointed at right place for /boot files.  (Not hard to fix if that is the problem.)  Boot up with a live version of LL, then open a terminal and paste back output of these two commands:

Code: [Select]

sudo blkid

Code: [Select]

sudo fdisk -l

[les1949]

I really wish that I understood what this would do and how I can do it but I don't. I would like to install a new version of Linux lite and I don't know what to do since my computer doesn't seem to work any more.

Les

[gold_finger]

Forget about running those commands.  Let's take an easier approach.

Problem:  Computer no longer boots -- grub bootloader doesn't seem to work anymore.

Solutions:

• Try to repair grub bootloader and if that was the only problem then good chance system will work again.
• If that doesn't work, just re-install Linux Lite.

Try to repair grub first.
*  Boot up computer using the live DVD/USB that you originally used to install with.
*  Once it is running, open Firefox and go to this site:  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair.
*  Follow the instructions for the "2nd option : install Boot-Repair in Ubuntu"
*  You will need to open a terminal (Menu -> Accessories -> Terminal), then copy/paste the commands shown into it and hit enter after each one.
*  That will install and start the Boot-Repair utility.
*  Follow rest of instructions, then reboot computer to see if it worked.


If that did not solve problem, then next easiest thing to do is re-install Linux Lite.
*  Boot up computer using the live DVD/USB that you originally used to install with.
*  If you have anything on the hard drive that you need to save (documents, pics, etc.), connect a USB to the computer, open the file manager and navigate to /home/les (or whatever your username is) and copy the files to the USB.  Then close the file manager.  Unplug the USB you just copied things to.
*  Double-click the "Install" icon on desktop to start the installation procedure.
*  When you get to part where it asks how you want to install, pick the option that basically says it will erase what's there and use the whole disk.
*  It will automatically get rid of the old one and replace it with new installation and new partitions.

That's it.


P.s.  If you did click on the hard drive to copy files to your USB, there is a possibility the installer may complain that the drive is mounted and it won't install.  (Don't know if that will happen or not -- just trying to cover the possibility that it might.)  If that happens, look on your desktop for drive icons.  Right-click them and choose "Unmount" if that choice is available.  If "Unmount" choice is not available, that means that particular drive/partition is not mounted -- so don't worry about it and right-click any others you see until you find the one(s) that do show the choice.  Once that is done, you can try running installer again.

If you can't get that to work for some reason, just shutdown and boot back up again with your live DVD/USB and go directly to installation.  Should work without any problems.

[les1949]

Thank you for your help I now have Linux Lite installed and working fine. I do need some help getting the wireless part to work though. Should I start a new post or could you please help me from here.

Thanks,
Les