Fixing Mint 22.3

[Scribe1]

Hi! As occasionally (about once per year) happens, my Mint install has become unstable, corrupted I think. While simply backing up my data and then doing a fresh install always works, I wonder if I've picked the most difficult solution to the problem. Is there a way to have Mint "look for corrupted files" and fix them?

(Added later) And this has been happening for years, and I have forgotten most occurrences and blamed the system problems on myself. I still might be the cause of the problems, but I doubt it. The OS usually doesn't crash when this happens, but certain online things stop working correctly (Thunderbird mail and Firefox), and file copy/move operations slow down a lot.

 

[bigkenny]

Hi! As occasionally (about once per year) happens, my Mint install has become unstable, corrupted I think. While simply backing up my data and then doing a fresh install always works, I wonder if I've picked the most difficult solution to the problem. Is there a way to have Mint "look for corrupted files" and fix them?

(Added later) And this has been happening for years, and I have forgotten most occurrences and blamed the system problems on myself. I still might be the cause of the problems, but I doubt it. The OS usually doesn't crash when this happens, but certain online things stop working correctly (Thunderbird mail and Firefox), and file copy/move operations slow down a lot.

Have you ever tried to do a full image back-up. I use True Image 2017. I make about 3 backups (or more) a week. If any problems just go back to the last saved backup and your ok again. This have saved my bacon many a time!

 

[MzQ1NjExN2]

Have you ever tried to do a full image back-up. I use True Image 2017. I make about 3 backups (or more) a week. If any problems just go back to the last saved backup and your ok again. This have saved my bacon many a time!

I've had similar issues with Mint where after a while it gets really slow and things like where it runs really slow on a faster computer and with no issues on a weaker computer. Never figured it out but never had it happen with distros such as Debian or MX Linux.

 

[Scribe1]

Thanks, folks, for your replies! I wiped it slick and started over, as is my habit.

 

[GatorsFan]

sudo touch /forcefsck

This will lead to a file system check the next time you reboot. Be prepared, that the time for booting will likely heavily increase. The check gets only be done once.

You can have a look at this thread

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=395939

 

[Condobloke]

Thunderbird mail and Firefox)

I assume both are current versions, and both are up to date ?

What do you mean by

online things stop working correctly

?

What form do the incorrect happenings take?

 

[Scribe1]

I assume both are current versions, and both are up to date ?

What do you mean by

?

What form do the incorrect happenings take?

@Condobloke - Hi! I hope all's well "down under."

Yes, the problem, which has happened in the past 2 or 3 years, has happened regardless of the version of Thunderbird and Firefox. And I keep all my packages up to date, almost daily. I usually forget it has even happened, until it happens again :LOL:, so I never complain about it, and I even tell everyone what a rock-steady and solidly reliable OS Linux Mint Cinnamon really is. This is in part because the Windows OS never performed anywhere near this well.

The problem begins to manifest when Thunderbird doesn't completely download messages and suddenly can't save a message in the "drafts" folder. The next event within Thunderbird is that it either locks up or can't send the message.

Then, in Firefox, it won't completely load a page. Graphics for links don't come up unless I restart the browser.

The end state, at which point I really do know it's time to wipe the system and start over, is when the system crashes during startup. It gets to the point where it's loading the initial RAM file system (initramfs) and freezes. I can usually get it to boot on the second try, whereupon I back everything up and reach for my installation thumb drive.

 

[Condobloke]

The problem begins to manifest when Thunderbird doesn't completely download messages and suddenly can't save a message in the "drafts" folder. The next event within Thunderbird is that it either locks up or can't send the message.

That would sound like a network problem

Then, in Firefox, it won't completely load a page. Graphics for links don't come up unless I restart the browser.

Ditto the above

It gets to the point where it's loading the initial RAM file system (initramfs) and freezes.

no idea

network...web mail being opened via Thunderbird.....is the web mail provider solid/reliable
Your connection....wireless or ethernet. If wireless can you connect via an ethernet cable?

Graphics for links don't come up unless I restart the browser......That is almost definitely a connection problem. Insufficient "power" to open the pics etc etc.

Any chance your software sources/mirrors are losing their connection....distance?..... Any warnings etc show when you download and install updates ?

 

[bob466]

I've been using Mint Cinnamon for 11 years and never had your problems.

Sounds like a hardware problem...are you using a HDD or an SSD ?
How old is your Graphics Card ?
What are your computer specs ?

 

[Scribe1]

Yes, my ISP is part of the problem, but this seems to happen regardless of ISP and the connection speeds at the time. Beginning a year or two ago, I've been using my cell phone as a mobile hotspot and getting better service than with a home gateway. Wifi, no cables, no ethernet. Also, this has happened on more than one computer, with both kinds of hard drive (SSD and spinning disc). This is not a big deal to me, I assure you. Rebuilding a machine is fun, to me. It really does seem like corrupted files to me.

 

[KGIII]

This is probably not helpful. (Let's just get that out of the way.)

I'm a heavy Thunderbird user, with tens of thousands of emails and a dozen add-ons. Firefox is also in use on that Mint system. I'd say that it's a tertiary browser, getting a fair amount of use.

The OS was installed in late 2023, and I've kept it updated with in-place upgrades since then.

The only real trouble I've found is a trivial UI bug. It has otherwise been fine.

One difference: Thunderbird was using a lot of the CPU cycles. I mucked about in the advanced settings and cleaned that up somehow. I'm not actually sure which change fixed things -- and wine was a factor. That was just a week or two ago.

That system doesn't get rebooted very often, maybe every 45 days on average. I also put it through a ton of 'abuse', where I test things and install weird software (often to answer a question).

As I mentioned, this isn't a very helpful post.

I wrote the post anyhow, as I wanted to let you know that Mint can be stable and go long periods of time without any problems.

 

[Scribe1]

This is probably not helpful. (Let's just get that out of the way.)

I'm a heavy Thunderbird user, with tens of thousands of emails and a dozen add-ons. Firefox is also in use on that Mint system. I'd say that it's a tertiary browser, getting a fair amount of use.

The OS was installed in late 2023, and I've kept it updated with in-place upgrades since then.

The only real trouble I've found is a trivial UI bug. It has otherwise been fine.

One difference: Thunderbird was using a lot of the CPU cycles. I mucked about in the advanced settings and cleaned that up somehow. I'm not actually sure which change fixed things -- and wine was a factor. That was just a week or two ago.

That system doesn't get rebooted very often, maybe every 45 days on average. I also put it through a ton of 'abuse', where I test things and install weird software (often to answer a question).

As I mentioned, this isn't a very helpful post.

I wrote the post anyhow, as I wanted to let you know that Mint can be stable and go long periods of time without any problems.

Thank you! Now I'm using the machine to see if the OS will behave well. Only time will tell. I do think I had a bad OS load, and downloaded LM 22.3 from a different source this morning.

 

[Condobloke]

different source this morning.

Sources.

Download Linux Mint 22.3 - Linux Mint

Linux Mint is an elegant, easy to use, up to date and comfortable desktop operating system.

linuxmint.com

or

There is a download link on this site....look up above, to the far right of Forums....'Download Linux'

 

[Scribe1]

Sources.

Download Linux Mint 22.3 - Linux Mint

Linux Mint is an elegant, easy to use, up to date and comfortable desktop operating system.

linuxmint.com

or

There is a download link on this site....look up above, to the far right of Forums....'Download Linux'

Thank you! Looks like I got a good load. Thank you, Sir!

 

[bob466]

The ISP has nothing to do with Linux.
When you download the Mint ISO from the Mint site...do you verify the ISO. ?

How do you install Mint...do you select...Erase Disk and install Linux Mint. ?

By doing the above...the Mint installer creates two Partitions which is all you need for trouble free use.
I have Mint Cinnamon 22.1 on one 500GB SSD and Cinnamon 22.2 on my spare 500GB SSD in my Tower. I also have Mint xfce 22.1 on a 500GB SSD running in my now 14 year old Laptop...all with zero problems.

It could be the way you install Mint or what software you install...if it's not hardware. I do a clean install every 5 years and that's only because support is nearly up for the version I'm using.

 

[Scribe1]

The ISP has nothing to do with Linux.
When you download the Mint ISO from the Mint site...do you verify the ISO. ?

How do you install Mint...do you select...Erase Disk and install Linux Mint. ?

By doing the above...the Mint installer creates two Partitions which is all you need for trouble free use.
I have Mint Cinnamon 22.1 on one 500GB SSD and Cinnamon 22.2 on my spare 500GB SSD in my Tower. I also have Mint xfce 22.1 on a 500GB SSD running in my now 14 year old Laptop...all with zero problems.

It could be the way you install Mint or what software you install...if it's not hardware. I do a clean install every 5 years and that's only because support is nearly up for the version I'm using. View attachment 30650

Yes, I know the ISP has nothing to do with Linux but slow data transfers and dropping out can cause problems. Yes. I verify the ISO, but this one time I didn't, which is why I suspect the ISO I downloaded from a previously reliable site. Yes, I erase the disk and install Mint. Yup, I always read the screen describing the new partitioning. I'm glad you've had such good luck with Mint! I love it, too. It is possible that I have a hard drive problem on this computer, but the more-or-less annual problems date back to before I had this machine, so I don't expect that's it. As I said, I'm really not complaining. It probably is me, something I do occasionally that starts the problems I described.

 

[garyn]

After every proven successful / effective Kernel / firmware update I use clonezilla to make a copy of my drive but I keep personal stuff on an external drive.

I also found that throwing more memory (64GB total) to max out my system, disabling swap and running sudo journalctl --rotate --vacuum-size=50M and e4defrag -c /dev/sda2 often has eliminated slowdowns. I also clear out my Vivaldi cache / data as well as myriad temp files on the drive as well as leave all of the cabinet covers on AND have plenty of airspace in the rear for power supply exhaust. .

I know that there are many who will pound on me about my methods but unless I have a major file transfer / backup in progress it never slows a whit and it works for me.

 

[Scribe1]

After every proven successful / effective Kernel / firmware update I use clonezilla to make a copy of my drive but I keep personal stuff on an external drive.

I also found that throwing more memory (64GB total) to max out my system, disabling swap and running sudo journalctl --rotate --vacuum-size=50M and e4defrag -c /dev/sda2 often has eliminated slowdowns. I also clear out my Vivaldi cache / data as well as myriad temp files on the drive as well as leave all of the cabinet covers on AND have plenty of airspace in the rear for power supply exhaust. .

I know that there are many who will pound on me about my methods but unless I have a major file transfer / backup in progress it never slows a whit and it works for me.

A man after my own heart! And I keep my laptop propped up at the back for airflow purposes, so it can breathe through the bottom vents.

 

[garyn]

Funny I read of a user on another site complaining that his computer was freezing and admitted that he left the covers off so he could see all of the cool LED lighting effects he installed inside the cabinet. When I told him that lots of engineering time was spent designing the cabinet to maximize cooling and leaving the cover off defeated it to expect odd issues relating to temperature.

His reply?... Wait for it... But I want it to work with the covers off!

Mine? I want a petite, republican, Italian super model that graduated culinary school for a wife but that's not gonna happen either

 

[KGIII]

I keep personal stuff on an external drive.

Don't forget to keep that backed up, as well.

How To: Have A Proper Backup Of Your Data • Linux Tips

In today's article, we're going to show you how to have a proper backup of your data. I've wanted to write this article for a while.

linux-tips.us

External drives die, just like all drives die. Every read and write cycle means a tick of the timer. Each time it is powered on, it is yet another tick of the timer. It can, and will, eventually fail.

Being stored externally is nice and all, but it's inadequate if you want to prevent data loss. That's just the first of three fairly important steps. Also, it's important to test backups. An untested backup is not a backup. You need to be reasonably certain that you can restore your data from said backups.