[SOLVED] After Cinnamon lock-up can’t access one particular program

paxolin · 05-14-2018, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Ok. That appears to be ok. Is there any particular reason that you are running Mint 18.2 and not 18.3?

I would suggest updating those 34 packages that were listed before, but perhaps it would be a good idea for you first to install TimeShift and back up your system, and also to back up your data using whatever method is decided upon. Your call. Do you have an external hard disk to which you can back up your data?

OK, that gives me lots of questions I need to ask.
I would have no idea about Mint 18.3, I rely on Update Manager telling me these things, being non-technical. I didn't even know there was 18.3?

How do I install Timeshift and importantly, is it automatic in whatever it does?

Backup my system: I said that I have a Seagate backup drive, Do I backup ALL my Mint files? In the screenshot there are folders under "My Computer" do I somehow copy all of those to the Seagate drive? Is there a straightforward & very easy to use program for this, or is copy & paste the way to do it?

When I right click on My Computer, or any of the folders it doesn't bring up "Properties" for me to see how much data is there. How do I find that out, in order to know if I have enough backup capacity?

hydrurga · 05-15-2018, 02:09 AM

In that case, I recommend that you upgrade to Mint 18.3 (the latest version of Mint that came out in November 2017). In saying that, Mint 19 will be out within the next month or so, but it could well be that the only way you can upgrade to that new version in-situ will be from Mint 18.3 anyway, so it is worth doing.

According to that graphic that you posted, you don't appear to have a great deal of space left on your Seagate drive to backup your system and data beforehand. What is that Data device you have plugged in?

If you could paste the output from the following two commands, with both of those devices plugged in, then that would be useful.

Code:

lsblk -af

df -h | grep "^/dev"

paxolin · 05-15-2018, 04:38 AM

This is what terminal reports:

Code:

~ $ lsblk -af
NAME   FSTYPE LABEL              UUID                                 MOUNTPOINT
sda                                                                   
├─sda1 ntfs   PQSERVICE          5694E45B94E43EDD                     
├─sda2 ntfs   Gateway            306224F96224C586                     
├─sda3                                                                
├─sda5 ntfs   Data               B03AFBF43AFBB606                     /media/wat
├─sda6 ext4                      fc8ebdee-1c9b-4c3f-979d-6c83f11d534d /
└─sda7 swap                      1e6c4cf2-5e03-49b0-9d23-ffe3b8ea8681 [SWAP]
sdb                                                                   
└─sdb1 ntfs   Seagate Backup Plus Drive
                                 322CA9632CA922B9                     /media/wat
sr0                                                                   
loop0                                                                 
loop1                                                                 
loop2                                                                 
loop3                                                                 
loop4                                                                 
loop5                                                                 
loop6                                                                 
loop7

Code:

 ~ $ df -h | grep "^/dev"
/dev/sda6        63G   27G   33G  46% /
/dev/sda5       476G  336G  140G  71% /media/watt/Data
/dev/sdb1       1.9T  1.5T  341G  82% /media/watt/Seagate Backup Plus Drive

How do you know I don't have much space on Seagate just from the graphic? It's a 2TB drive with 360Gb free.

The Data device is my hard disk, partitioned between Gateway for Win 7 64 bit and Data to store data. Properties shows Data is 510GB with 150Gb free.
I can see the code above show similar numbers.

If you suggest I upgrade to Mint 18.3, how do I do that - or am I jumping ahead too much asking that right now?

hydrurga · 05-15-2018, 06:26 AM

Thanks. I was just going by the shading on the device in the image.

Here are the instructions regarding updating to 18.3:

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3462

paxolin · 05-15-2018, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Thanks. I was just going by the shading on the device in the image.

Here are the instructions regarding updating to 18.3:

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3462

I did the first part which installed Timeshift. However, when I ran it as instructed it asked me to select "Rsync" or "Btrfs". I just haven't a clue what that means? The text below it explaining what it is means nothing to me, way beyond my understanding. Which do I select?

edit: Also I see after that it says: "If you installed Cinnamon spices (applets, desklets, extensions, themes), upgrade them from the System Settings"
I wouldn't know what I might have installed. I just use it!

hydrurga · 05-15-2018, 08:55 AM

Here are instructions on installing TimeShift:

https://linuxmint-installation-guide...timeshift.html

For the moment, I wouldn't set up any automatic snapshots until you decide on a longer-term plan of where to store them. It would be advisable however to create a manual snapshot before you upgrade.

I have no idea regarding the spices because I use MATE rather than Cinnamon. However, if you look in System Settings (perhaps "Spices" etc.) and look for an update button or similar, you might be able to update them through that. I'm not sure that this step is crucial however, especially if you haven't actually installed any spices outside the ones supplied by default.

paxolin · 05-15-2018, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Here are instructions on installing TimeShift:

https://linuxmint-installation-guide...timeshift.html

For the moment, I wouldn't set up any automatic snapshots until you decide on a longer-term plan of where to store them. It would be advisable however to create a manual snapshot before you upgrade.

I have no idea regarding the spices because I use MATE rather than Cinnamon. However, if you look in System Settings (perhaps "Spices" etc.) and look for an update button or similar, you might be able to update them through that. I'm not sure that this step is crucial however, especially if you haven't actually installed any spices outside the ones supplied by default.

OK, thanks. I left it at Rsync and then it went onto estimate the size of the backup, I think it said.
I had already created a folder on the Seagate backup drive, but when I went to it, I was told it doesn't have a Linux partition?
I'm guessing that means I have to save it somewhere on Mint then? I had assumed the idea was to put it somewhere safe in case I couldn't access Mint? Or have I missed something obvious?
edit: attached image

hydrurga · 05-15-2018, 02:23 PM

Ideally you want to create an ext4 partition somewhere to back up your Linux system and home directory data files.

However, that means that you will probably have to make some space for an ext4 partition on your main drive or your external hard drive, or obtain a separate hard drive or USB stick and create an ext4 partition on that.

Personally, I have a separate ext4 partition on my main drive for TimeShift snapshots, and also an ext4 partition on my external hard drive for my Linux home directory backups and my manual partition images (I use Macrium Reflect for this). Does that make sense at all?

Actually, that is an alternative approach, to use Macrium Reflect to make an image of your Linux partitions. That image can be stored in an NTFS filesystem i.e. your external hard drive, and can be restored if things go awry with the upgrade.

paxolin · 05-15-2018, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Ideally you want to create an ext4 partition somewhere to back up your Linux system and home directory data files.

However, that means that you will probably have to make some space for an ext4 partition on your main drive or your external hard drive, or obtain a separate hard drive or USB stick and create an ext4 partition on that.

Personally, I have a separate ext4 partition on my main drive for TimeShift snapshots, and also an ext4 partition on my external hard drive for my Linux home directory backups and my manual partition images (I use Macrium Reflect for this). Does that make sense at all?

Actually, that is an alternative approach, to use Macrium Reflect to make an image of your Linux partitions. That image can be stored in an NTFS filesystem i.e. your external hard drive, and can be restored if things go awry with the upgrade.

I'm afraid none of it makes much sense to me. I know that windows uses NTFS and Linux ext4, and that's about all I understand.

You mention Macrium Reflect, does that mean to use it instead of Timeshift? You probably remember I'm not keen on using terminal to do anything - especially formatting, so if I could store the image(?) on NTFS, I'd be happier.

I still don't know how much space I would need for Timeshift/ Macrium Reflect image anyway?

hydrurga · 05-16-2018, 06:01 AM

This is what makes me slightly cautious, the fact that you're not comfortable with all this.

Can I confirm that you still have a dual boot Windows/Linux system? If so, we'll do things the Macrium Reflect way. Reflect will compress the system image so it's difficult to tell how much space it will use but you appear to have easily enough space on your external hard drive to store it.

paxolin · 05-16-2018, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

This is what makes me slightly cautious, the fact that you're not comfortable with all this.

Can I confirm that you still have a dual boot Windows/Linux system? If so, we'll do things the Macrium Reflect way. Reflect will compress the system image so it's difficult to tell how much space it will use but you appear to have easily enough space on your external hard drive to store it.

Yes, I still have dual boot Windows/Linux.

hydrurga · 05-16-2018, 07:27 AM

In that case, boot up into Windows and install Macrium Reflect Free (https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree).

Once you've done that, get back to me.

paxolin · 05-16-2018, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

In that case, boot up into Windows and install Macrium Reflect Free (https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree).

Once you've done that, get back to me.

That's installed. I'm still in Windows. FYI here's a screenshot attached:

hydrurga · 05-16-2018, 08:19 AM

Great. That screenshot is very useful for me in giving you the following instructions - many thanks for posting it.

Ok, first click on the two little checkboxes under the hard disk icons so that all the ticks disappear. Then click on the checkbox on your Linux partition (the ext one).

Then click on "Image selected disks on this computer" (top left).

Paste a screenshot of the window that opens as a result.

paxolin · 05-16-2018, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

Great. That screenshot is very useful for me in giving you the following instructions - many thanks for posting it.

Ok, first click on the two little checkboxes under the hard disk icons so that all the ticks disappear. Then click on the checkbox on your Linux partition (the ext one).

Then click on "Image selected disks on this computer" (top left).

Paste a screenshot of the window that opens as a result.

That's done, this is what's popped up: