Store installed LM 18.1, Wish to replace with my original LM 18.3

... but seriously, that's good, Dick.

With the Grub Menu, you can get a reprieve on the 10-second countdown simply by pressing your down arrow (or up arrow if applicable) and the timer will stop until you choose which to boot.

Let us know when you can the exact content of the 4 - 5 lines in the Menu.

Then if you want to set the boot sequence so that Sylvia will boot each time, we can.

If you want to get rid of Serena, we can, at a later date, and under a new Thread.

Cheers

Wiz
 


Some time maybe you can show me how you are able to do all these neat cartoonish tricks? They're wordless and great!

Couple of comments:
1) you cay above...Let us know when you can the exact content of the 4 - 5 lines in the Menu.. It doesn't appear complete;
2) as for Serena...when you're up to doing it, I'd like to do the same thing to the 1Tb SSD internal that Serena is currently installed on...replacing it with 19.1 (Tara). The thought being a delay to being phased out and I can begin to learn that system in plenty of time.
3) Finally (as you know) on the desktop (this unit) is another installed internal SSD that has never been setup and I'd like to set it up and install Tara on it too.

Chris, I'd honestly like to learn this system...really learn it, the terminal commands and proper use. I'd like you to teach me so I can be a little like you although I know you've already forgotten more than I'll ever know about Linux. Do you offer private (paid for) lessons?
Doc

P.S., I'll try to follow your steps above once I hear back from you and understand better.
 
Hi Dick, busy, busy, busy :)

1)
It doesn't appear complete;

Maybe write down for us what it does say. Or better define the above.

If the Timeshift operation was totally successful, you should have access to both Sylvia and Serena via a full screen Menu, black background, white or gray text. It should read something like the following:

Top of screen will have in the centre (something like)

GNU GRUB version 2.02~beta2.36ubuntu3.14

Then (I have numbered the lines)

1. Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon 64-bit
2. Advanced Options Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon 64-bit
3. Memory test (memtest86+)
4. Memory test (memtest86+)serial console 115220
5. Linux Mint 18.1 Serena (18.1) (on /dev/sdxy)
6. Advanced Options Linux Mint 18.1 Serena (18.1) (on /dev/sdxy)

(by Chris - for /dev/sdxy substitute your partition and number)

At the bottom of the screen will be a line that features use of up and down arrows 'e' for edit and 'c' for command

Also a countdown timer starting at 10, going to 0 (zero) and then it boots.

If you do not have that, then you do not have a complete Grub Menu.

If that is the case

Q1. Are you able to get into Serena, or just Sylvia?

2) A subject for a new Thread in General Linux a little down the track.

3) Desktop - stays there when you leave Honduras for Stateside, is that so? Are you taking the SSD with you?

Semantics - LM 19 is 'Tara', LM 19.1 is 'Tessa', LM 19.2 'Tina' is recently released, I would advocate 'Tara', however remember that LM 18.3 'Sylvia' is supported until April 2021.

Do you offer private (paid for) lessons?

Not laughing at you

b_Zo_Rud6_-_Imgur.gif


a. No Mate, haven't the time, and Elaine would be acquitted by a Jury of her Peers for justifiable homicide if I spent more time on the computer.

b. I just do this stuff as a Pay It Forward sort of thing, to share what I know with the greatest numbers so they can enjoy their Linux too. My Timeshift Thread is coming up on 18,000 views tonight, as an example. I need time to write more articles.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Last edited:
Your post seemed to leave out a single word???saying "let us know when you can 'the exact content of the 4 - 5 lines in the Menu'. What did you mean?

Chris, it appears the Timeshift operation was successful. Both appear inthe GNU GRUB version 2.02-beta2.36ubuntu3.2 (not 3.14), so mine must be newer.

The 6 lines are correct...and for the 1st time I see the arrows on the bottom. It takes about 2 minutes to complete the Boot though...swo I'm guessing you/ll have a change you want to make in 'Edit'? But I failed to see a countdown timer.

And yes, I can get into both Serena & Sylvia.

Desktop will stay in Honduras while we make the 1st trip back to the States.

Thanks for the info (semantics lesson). I didn't realize there were all those releases. I had just burned an .iso for Tessa, I guess) 19.1 on Friday...so I've got it rather than Tara.

I understand somewhat your busyness, Chris. It was just a matter of interest to me. I now have the Guide and have organized into one physical folder important Linux posts and lessons...so I'll start putting things together better mentally.

Doc
 
"let us know when you can 'the exact content of the 4 - 5 lines in the Menu'.

... is what I later identified as perhaps 6 lines

1. Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon 64-bit
2. Advanced Options Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon 64-bit
3. Memory test (memtest86+)
4. Memory test (memtest86+)serial console 115220
5. Linux Mint 18.1 Serena (18.1) (on /dev/sdxy)
6. Advanced Options Linux Mint 18.1 Serena (18.1) (on /dev/sdxy)

So I am asking does yours look a bit like this when you boot up and get to the Grub Menu?

Does it have LM 18.3 Sylvia at the top or LM 18.1 Serena at the top?

Is there a line or two mentioning Memory Test?

It takes about 2 minutes to complete the Boot though...

We can shave off a minute to a minute 30, once I know which of the Distros is on top.

Cheers

Wiz
 
Hi...and thanks. No, Serena is on top...I'm sure you know how to correct that!

Shaving off 1 1/2 minutes on the Boot is great too!

Doc
 
Thanks Dick.

Before we go ahead and get that fixed (the time delay on bootup), I would like you to take a look at my Post in a Thread by a new Member. It is here.

https://www.linux.org/threads/help-with-booting-time.23313/#post-69229

Don't get sidetracked with the content I have placed in the Spoiler (click it once to reveal the content, when finished click it again and it will conceal the content).

That is purely concerned with the Member's own circumstances.

But try to get the gist of my thrust in the Post, and then I'd like you to try it by going into Serena, opening Terminal and issue the command

Code:
cat /etc/fstab

... which is going to have a line in it related to Swap and we will modify that line.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Hi..I read it a couple of times. I'm in Serena now and issued the command. Last line was/is related to 'SWAP'.
Tried to copy/paste that line and forgot how to do it Chris...so since it's a short screenshot, here it is.

Doc
Screenshot from 2019-05-07 09-03-32.png
 
OK, so we'll focus on those bottom 2 lines beginning with

# swap was on

That is two lines, which you'll find if you use your mouse cursor at the right "handle" beside the scrollbar to drag the handle to the right, and the 2 zeroes will pop back up to make one line.

Remember you can use Alt-Tab to switch between instructions I give you and another active window such as Terminal.

Read this Post to the end first.

In Terminal on Serena, type in and enter

Code:
sudo xed /etc/fstab

This will open the GUI-based text editor "xed" (used by Mint Cinnamon) in a window, Terminal will remain open behind it.

In xed, you should see those bottom 2 lines just as they were in Terminal.

Executable Text Files such as fstab often have lines beginning with a #, usually a # and a space (neater).

These lines are "comments", usually written by the programmer with the initial software, but we can add them ourselves.

The lines that do not have a # are instructions to our computer. Once we precede one of those lines with a hash, we are "commenting it out".

Back in your xed window, move your mouse to, and click, the line beginning

Code:
UUID=6b15daa1-

When you see the insertion point (perhaps blinking) just left of the U, place a # and a space, so that the line now looks like

Code:
# UUID=6b15daa1-
etcetera

We can save the file in one of two ways.

Either

From the window menu File - Save

OR

top right-corner small x to close, it will prompt you, choose Save.

xed's window closes and you will likely be returned to the prompt in Terminal that was open underneath xed.

Type exit to close Terminal.

Reboot the computer and when you get to Grub Menu choose the default of Serena.

See if the startup time is reduced considerably.

If that does not work properly with Serena, let us know.

If it shortens the startup time, then you can enter Sylvia and repeat the same procedure with its /etc/fstab. On completion, reboot and choose to enter Sylvia again and see if its startup time is reduced. Report back.

IMPORTANT NOTE

When you use the xed Text Editor in Serena, and then close it, it should return you to the Terminal prompt, that is

Code:
whazzupdoc@richard-Satellite-C655 ~ $

However in Sylvia, due to slight differences in the versions, closing xed may just leave you hanging in Terminal.

In either case, you can just press ^C , that is Ctrl-c , and the process will terminate and return you to the prompt.

Let us know how you fare.

Wizard
 
Try again...Serena boots fine.
I used the same Terminal command in Sylvia but get a confusing output. Attaching 2 exhibits...one for Serena and the troubling one for Sylvia. What do I do to disable the right UUID line?


Screenshot from 2019-05-17 14-19-38.png
 

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  • Screenshot from 2019-05-17 14-19-38.png
    Screenshot from 2019-05-17 14-19-38.png
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Chris...I'm so sorry for the multiple shots!!! My hands are shaking so badly the past few week. I can't seem to control the shaking very well.

Also don't know how to copy/paste in LM on this Toshiba keyboard & it's frustrating!
Doc
 
Also don't know how to copy/paste in LM on this Toshiba keyboard & it's frustrating

That's OK, Dick.

Can you do me a screenshot of the /etc/fstab from Serena.

Wiz
 
That's good, Dick :), and I see you have a handle (I kill me :D) on dragging the "handles" on the window to expand it to the right or left, so that the "word wrap" function is eliminated, leaving the full lines showing. That's good.

So in Sylvia, you just repeat the same process as you did with Serena, that is to open the GUI-based Text Editor xed (using the sudo command from Terminal) to the /etc/fstab file.

Then drag the window border/s out sideways to eliminate the word wrap feature.

The bottom line will then feature the UUID and the word swap.

Comment out that line, that is, place a # and a space at the beginning of the line.

Save the file and exit.

Reboot and see if the startup time reduces for entering Sylvia.

Report back.

You've noted the two files look a little different (apart from the device names and numbers (UUIDs are unique).

These are just nuances between the evolution of 18.1 through 18.2 'Sonya' to 18.3.

See how you go

Wizard
 
Well, I've inactivated the line...see screenshot but I'm being told xed doesn't work on Sylvia.
Doc
Screenshot from 2019-05-18 22-03-47.png
Screenshot from 2019-05-17 14-19-38.png
 
Chris, just before I decided I was too wasted to continue, I rebooted (after neutralizing the command above the T5 last line) into Sylvia. She's still in 2nd place but it came up in less than 1/2 minute!!!

I can't explain what happened but x'-ing out that command line had a positive effect. I'll wait till I hear from you on this.
Doc
 
No, all is sweet, Dick, as the young folk say :)

Those are non-fatal warnings, even though the word "Error" appears ... again a nuance between 18.1 and 18.3.

It still opened the xed window with the contents of /etc/fstab displayed, and you can change it.

The faster response time in Sylvia starting is a "ripple effect" of having made the change in Serena, and that is good, but we want it to be lasting, so that when we make Sylvia top dog on the Grub Menu, we don't go backwards in performance because of something that was effected in Serena, and then no longer applies. We want Sylvia to stand on its own merits, yeah? :D

So reissue the command from Terminal, and I had forgotten about the reference to the T5 in one but not the other, my bad.

Go to the 2nd-bottom line, the one that starts with UUID and references swap.

Put the # and a space there, save and exit xed.

If that last action leaves the process still running in Terminal, then Ctrl-c will kill it and revert you to the prompt. Exit Terminal using the command

Code:
exit

Reboot and report back.

Wiz
 
G'Day Mate! (How's that???)

Did it again and it's it's still showing the # and is taking right at 30sec to reboot. Not too shabby, eh?
Doc
Screenshot from 2019-05-19 11-03-05.png
 
Legend, Dick :)

Let's put this baby to bed as it heads to page 7, yeah? Main mission accomplished. :D Sylvia back in business.

Give me a few days to get some other things in order.

To actually replace Serena with Sylvia at the top of the "leader board" (like a golf major), that is, to make it the Primary Partition, will take some effort ... can be done, but difficult for you, and lengthy.

There are more than one way to skin a cat.

In a new Thread (eg "Wish to have Linux Mint 18.3 as Default System on Startup (Dual Booting)", I can show you how to do so that it will be Sylvia which starts up automatically over Serena.

Cheers

Wiz
 
O.K., Wiz...who starts it and how do I start a new topic? I can't see any obvious tab (not a bad idea).
Doc
 

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