Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon (I think)_ Installation problems and navigation

[Sherri is a Cat]

I can't f'n believe I finally got it! Man! This was a LOT of work! I think I have PTSD. The Giant, he's really not hovering me right now? Are you sure?

 

[wizardfromoz]

I feel strangely tired

Listen to my voice ... you are going to sleep.

Tomorrow, you can start a new thread in https://www.linux.org/forums/mint.160/

with a title such as

Things I should do now I've installed LM 21.3?

Wiz

 

[wizardfromoz]

This was a LOT of work!

More may follow, but you've passed the initial challenge. You've got your trainer wheels off and you are pedalling freely.

The hardest part of doing anything new is overcoming the fear that I won't be able to do it.

 

[Sherri is a Cat]

Things I should do now I've installed LM 21.3?

Nope, not 21.3. It's 21.2

I never had the ability to download 21.3 because I couldn't boot into Windows. The last time I tried to boot into Live Linux, I looked at the 3 other options. One of them was to install as OEM. I didn't load the Linux Live to try it out. I installed it from the USB boot manager. And it worked.

Now I'm going to install the 21.3 update! I know how to do it btw! Just going to start the process and go to bed.

Tomorrow, I clarify contradictory stories I've been told about the need for security software, how to install software I have and want to keep, what all this stuff is about repositories, explore the 30,000 programs available to me...

I started watching a playlist on YouTube. Linux for absolute beginners. I was surprised that I learned nothing from the entire first video! There are 6 more!

 

[wizardfromoz]

It's 21.2

Gotcha, it's supported for the same time, until 2027.

But I would not run the 21.3 update until you have leaned how to take a Timeshift snapshot, and that should wait until tomorrow.

 

[Sherri is a Cat]

...take a Timeshift snapshot...

Sounds like a restore point in Windows? I hadn't even thought about that sort of thing. But then that's why I'm here on this forum.
I guess I'll go on to bed now then.
Thank you!

 

[Condobloke]

That Timeshift snapshot, is best kept on an external drive....something you have at least 150gb spare space on.....and that drive needs to be formatted to ext4

if you do not have a drive spare that you can use, you can save the first couple of snapshots to the drive that Linux Mint 21.2 is installed on. That will be enough to keep you out of trouble until you get another drive

If you look down in the system tray....that's where the clock is...on the bottom right hand side....you will see the little shield icon....and it will likely have a small red dot in it.
That means you have updates to install. There will be quite a few of them.
That will be the very first thing to do.
There will be a kernel update in among those updates.......when the updates are finished there will be a notice on the desktop, usually at the top of the update screen, telling you to reboot asap. That reboot ensures that the kernel is installed properly.

Well done, you finally mastered it. Staying calm and having a think is key to a lot of what has to be done.
If that doesnt work?...ASK. WE have no problem answering anything and everything. One of the "drawbacks" to a site like this is that every man and his dog have a different opinion and a different approach and a different way of doing just about everything.

That can be very confusing, and can end up causing you problems.
Again...if you are unsure...ASK

 

[Sherri is a Cat]

That Timeshift snapshot, is best kept on an external drive....something you have at least 150gb spare space on.....and that drive needs to be formatted to ext4

if you do not have a drive spare that you can use, you can save the first couple of snapshots to the drive that Linux Mint 21.2 is installed on. That will be enough to keep you out of trouble until you get another drive

If you look down in the system tray....that's where the clock is...on the bottom right hand side....you will see the little shield icon....and it will likely have a small red dot in it.
That means you have updates to install. There will be quite a few of them.
That will be the very first thing to do.
There will be a kernel update in among those updates.......when the updates are finished there will be a notice on the desktop, usually at the top of the update screen, telling you to reboot asap. That reboot ensures that the kernel is installed properly.

Well done, you finally mastered it. Staying calm and having a think is key to a lot of what has to be done.
If that doesnt work?...ASK. WE have no problem answering anything and everything. One of the "drawbacks" to a site like this is that every man and his dog have a different opinion and a different approach and a different way of doing just about everything.

That can be very confusing, and can end up causing you problems.
Again...if you are unsure...ASK

150 GB? I have a 750 GB external HDD. Can the Timesnift be stored on a partition? The Lenovvo has a 1 TB drive. If I ever find, I'll use my missing 500 GB pen drive...

 

[Condobloke]

When Timeshift makes its first snapshot, it creates a folder to store it in

All subsequent snapshots will be stored in that same folder, automatically

I use a 2TB drive (external) which has been partitioned into two 1tb partitions. i keep tv stuff (whatever I happen to be watching) on one partition, which is formatted as ext4 as well as Timeshift snapshots (Timeshift must have ext4...that is a must)
I keep important to me stuff on the other partition, which is formatted ntfs.
Just to complicate matters, I have further partitioned the 'important stuff partition with a 300gb space which is used solely for full backups...it is also ext4

To give you some idea of space used, a single timeshift snapshot will occupy anywhere from 30gb to 70 or even 80 gb depending on the amount of crap apps etc etc that are running on it. I only have 4 snap[shots on there at any one time./...3 daily snapshots and 1 boot snapshot.....which all together equates to approx 140gb....maybe a bit less.

So, be generous with space for Timeshift

Yes Timehsift is similar to system restore....with one major difference.....Timeshift works

I am rambling....need more sleep.

 

[bob466]

Timeshift only backs up System Files by default...you can make it back up others on to either your internal Drive which takes up much space or set it to put the Snapshot on to an External Drive which has been formatted to EXT4.

You should never just rely on just one backup method...that's why you should learn how to create an Image of your System using Foxclone.
Why Foxclone because it works...I've been using it for over 6 years and it's never let me down...you can also Clone one Drive to another too. Once you create an Image and anything happens...it's a simple matter to put that Image back on the Drive with nothing lost in no time at all.

Web Site is here...https://foxclone.org/

User guide is here...https://foxclone.org/uguide.html
The choice is yours.

 

[Sherri is a Cat]

Timeshift only backs up System Files by default

Web Site is here...https://foxclone.org/

User guide is here...https://foxclone.org/uguide.html
The choice is yours.

When I looked at the settings I more than default options. I can set how often it automatically takes a snapshot, daily, monthly and so on. I can disable automatic snapshots and I can take them manually. I'm not sure if this what you mean. I'm still learning ABC's! As of right now, I have the installation I started with. If I have to, I can just start over again. Right now, I'm just trying to learn how to spell! One thing at a time. Everything is very new!

 

[bob466]

When I looked at the settings I more than default options. I can set how often it automatically takes a snapshot, daily, monthly and so on. I can disable automatic snapshots and I can take them manually. I'm not sure if this what you mean. I'm still learning ABC's! As of right now, I have the installation I started with. If I have to, I can just start over again. Right now, I'm just trying to learn how to spell! One thing at a time. Everything is very new!

Timeshift backs up System Files not User Files by default as shown here...

To Back up everything up choose...Include All Files...but this takes up more space on the Drive. That's why some put Snapshots on an external Drive.

If you want to see your Snapshots choose Browse...

You'll see this...

If you click on a Folder and select properties...you'll see how much space a Snapshot with just System Files takes up.

My 500GB SSD has at the moment running Cinnamon 21.1 has 168GB of used space...if I choose Include All Files...my Snapshot would be that large. That's why I create an Image with Foxclone that's stored on an External Drive...Foxclone also compresses the Image to about 112GB.

I can also Clone one Drive to another with Foxclone. If you choose to store your Timeshift Snapshots on an External Drive...you
need the External Drive plugged in when you create a Snapshot...it can't do it automatically.
The same with Foxclone but the difference is the compression...I have my Images on a portable 1TB SSD and can store a few more...I hope this helps.