I'm running LM cinnamon 20.3. I've recently begun experiencing an issue where selection of various menu setting configurations no longer launches the dialog to make changes. Specifically, when I try to select "Power Management" or "Sound" under the LM menu button, nothing happens. I have tried clicking the panel -> Troubleshoot -> "Restore all settings to default" but that does not fix the problem. I've also tried running "gsettings reset-recursively org.cinnamon" with also no luck. I ran "cinnamon --replace" but it hangs after a minute, crashes cinnamon and I need to ctrl-shift-F1 to get to a terminal to reboot. While can tweak values using dconf-editor, it doesn't solve the issue that something with cinnamon is broken. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
cinnamon menu settings not responding
- Thread starter jgmillr1
- Start date
Terminal Velocity
Well-Known Member
I had similar problems with Mint, I fixed it by installing Debian cinnamon, almost a year after installation everything works and never crashed once
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
G'day jgmillr, Welcome to Linux.org
Few questions....
1. How long has LM20.3 been installed ?
2. Did this start happening at some specific point in time?...eg, after an update of something?....recent ?
3. Have you changed anything recently?...kernel?.....anything at all?
Few questions....
1. How long has LM20.3 been installed ?
2. Did this start happening at some specific point in time?...eg, after an update of something?....recent ?
3. Have you changed anything recently?...kernel?.....anything at all?
Thanks for the welcome and the help! LM20.3 had been upgraded from 20.2 shortly after whenever that was released earlier this year. The behavior began sometime between 2/4 (last known good date) and 3/12 where I first noted the problem; I don't have a specific turn on date for it since I don't tweak the settings very often. I let the update manager install new patches and kernels as they become available. There have been several recent kernel updates pushed out with 5.4.0.97.101 going on 2/5, 5.4.99.103 on 2/7, 5.4.0.100.104 on 2/17, 5.4.0.104.108 on 3/8 and 5.4.0.105.109 going in on 3/22.
Are there any particular packages I should look for in the apt log or update manager package upgrade history?
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Do you have Timeshift installed/set up ? ....or a recent backup of any kind?
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Try a change of kernel
Do you see the grub screen prior to logging in ?.....it will be a list of the available kernels which are stored on your pc.
If you do see that screen, hit the down arrow when it appears....that will stop it proceeding further.
Arrow down to the kernels below the two which were installed via your update....they should have the numbers 5.4.0-105 & 5.13.0-37
Choose the first generic kernel below those...probably 5.4.0-104
Hit enter
The pc will boot to that kernel
Do you see the grub screen prior to logging in ?.....it will be a list of the available kernels which are stored on your pc.
If you do see that screen, hit the down arrow when it appears....that will stop it proceeding further.
Arrow down to the kernels below the two which were installed via your update....they should have the numbers 5.4.0-105 & 5.13.0-37
Choose the first generic kernel below those...probably 5.4.0-104
Hit enter
The pc will boot to that kernel
I booted into the 5.4.0-104-generic and 5.4.0-100-generic kernels but both exhibited the same issues as the current 5.4.0-105-generic kernel. I also confirmed that the problem exists for other users on the system (wanted to be sure I had not bricked my own cinnamon settings somehow). Grub does not have kernel options older than those available, though I suppose I could download and install one to try.
Time shift only contains some recent snapshots that have the problem or some very old snapshots from the LM20.2 installation.
Time shift only contains some recent snapshots that have the problem or some very old snapshots from the LM20.2 installation.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
How do you feel about a reinstall ?
if you have found others with the same problem, then obviously they have not found a definite 'fix'
I also run LM20.3 and have not experienced any problem with Cinnamon
if you have found others with the same problem, then obviously they have not found a definite 'fix'
I also run LM20.3 and have not experienced any problem with Cinnamon
You might be able to do a desktop reinstall. I'm not sure what it's called in Mint, so hopefully someone will jump in and tell you the name. It's probably something like 'cinnamon-desktop' or 'mint-desktop' or similar.
Code:
sudo apt --reinstall install <package>Condobloke
Well-Known Member
or this?
Take a Timeshift snapshot before you use this:
Steps to chroot from your live-usb into your install:
You will need to substitute instances of "/MOUNTPATH" for the mount path of your installation's root partition.
1. Boot live-usb.
2. Open Nemo (the file-manager), mount your Linux Mint install's partition, and take note of the mount path. Usually something like "/media/mint/cdfbac13-07eb-4fe2-8123-3ce65705b4d8".
3. Make sure you're connected to the internet.
4. In terminal type:
sudo mv "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf.original"
5. In terminal type:
sudo cp "/etc/resolv.conf" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf"
6. In terminal type:
sudo mount --bind "/proc" "/MOUNTPATH/proc"
7. In terminal type:
sudo mount --bind "/sys" "/MOUNTPATH/sys"
8. In terminal type:
sudo chroot "/MOUNTPATH"
9. In chroot terminal type:
apt-get install --reinstall cinnamon
Remember, in the chroot you are "root" so there is no need to preface elevated commands with "sudo".
10. In chroot terminal type:
exit
11. In terminal type:
sudo umount "/MOUNTPATH/sys"
12. In terminal type:
sudo umount "/MOUNTPATH/proc"
13. In terminal type:
sudo mv "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf.original" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf"
14. Reboot.
Take a Timeshift snapshot before you use this:
Steps to chroot from your live-usb into your install:
You will need to substitute instances of "/MOUNTPATH" for the mount path of your installation's root partition.
1. Boot live-usb.
2. Open Nemo (the file-manager), mount your Linux Mint install's partition, and take note of the mount path. Usually something like "/media/mint/cdfbac13-07eb-4fe2-8123-3ce65705b4d8".
3. Make sure you're connected to the internet.
4. In terminal type:
sudo mv "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf.original"
5. In terminal type:
sudo cp "/etc/resolv.conf" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf"
6. In terminal type:
sudo mount --bind "/proc" "/MOUNTPATH/proc"
7. In terminal type:
sudo mount --bind "/sys" "/MOUNTPATH/sys"
8. In terminal type:
sudo chroot "/MOUNTPATH"
9. In chroot terminal type:
apt-get install --reinstall cinnamon
Remember, in the chroot you are "root" so there is no need to preface elevated commands with "sudo".
10. In chroot terminal type:
exit
11. In terminal type:
sudo umount "/MOUNTPATH/sys"
12. In terminal type:
sudo umount "/MOUNTPATH/proc"
13. In terminal type:
sudo mv "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf.original" "/MOUNTPATH/etc/resolv.conf"
14. Reboot.
