ubuntu 17.10 - Incorrectly installed CPU-Z maybe... Need Help

Max Settings

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[BLABBING]
So was very proud of myself, 20 years fucking around with windows both professionally and personal use, finally took the plunge into Linux and i freaking love it! After "Bash-ing" like a madman and at end of the 2nd day, got everything running smooth, even tested some Linux games from steam, had Kodi set up.. the lot right. So I wake up and think to myself "Right, everything looks stable, so lets do your first post on the forums and get the wee niggly problems posted up and see if anyone can help me solve them." e.g. my laptop has a backlit keyboard and wasnt working. Hopefully my next post ;)

[ISSUE]
I decided to install CPU-Z (I mean i-nex)from a .deb file to get more system info for making my first post, but instead my distribution has ceased to function(Go figure) and will not go further than the Load screen -
ubuntu-mate-16-04-launches-as-the-first-ever-lts-release-here-s-what-s-new-503262-4.jpg
... It was advised by the "new to the forum" recommendations @ linux.org.

[WHAT IVE TRIED]
using the GRUB [recovery] option to UPDATE GRUB, FILESYSTEM CHECK, FILESYSTEM REPAIR.
[FOUND] - some RED and YELLOW flags on the REPAIR/CHECK which showed Dependency issues and swapfile.swap errors

[WHAT I THINK]
I was prompted when installing CPU-Z (I mean i-nex) that there were missing dependencies and do I want to download & installed them, I did. Now the logs/recovery module are pointing to those dependencies(Python3 I think). As to the purpose or working order of the swapfile, I am uncertain. I think if there is a way or rolling back the changes then hell yeah, but from just browsing the forums its not that easy right? haha

As always, any ideas and advice is appreciated. I'd post up the bash logs or install logs but i dont know where to find them

[SYSTEM SPECS]
OS: ubuntu MATE 17.10
SONY VAIO Flip 15 Touch Screen
Intel i5 4200U
Intel HD Graphics 4400
8GB DDR3 SODIMM
1920*1080 Screen
WD Black 1Tb Hybrid Drive 7200RPM
 
Last edited:


Hi Max, and welcome to the forums! I can't seem to find a .deb file for CPU-Z (which seems to be a Windows program). If you can direct me to what you downloaded, I may try to install Ubuntu Mate to a laptop and see if I can duplicate your problem. That often helps me to understand the situation better and can help me find a fix more directly.

It sounds like you had a great start going until this issue came up. But I can't quite see how a program dependency issue would stop the system from booting (only stop the program in question from running). I'm also concerned about your swapfile errors... that seems unusual. In fact, with 8 GB of RAM, it should be rare for you to even use swap space.

There is a way to "roll back" changes... but you need to have that capability installed beforehand, and it doesn't come pre-installed with Ubuntu. Check out @wizardfromoz's excellent tutorial about the Timeshift program here. You may well want to install this program and use it when you get everything going again.

If I understand right... you get the GRUB menu screen (where you selected recovery). If so, then it seems that GRUB itself is not broken, which happens sometimes. I just spotted an old YouTube video that shows something in that recovery mode... something like "dpkg... repair broken packages".... do you have that? And if you do, try running it to see if it will help.

Cheers
 
Thanks atanare,

Yeah, you are right. It was i-nex. http://i-nex.linux.pl/ It WAS NOT CPU-Z I tried to install, my windows days will always haunt me. ;)

Yes my GRUB is working I believe,
I ran the dpkg, reboot and nothing,
I ran the filesystem scan then the dpkg and reboot, still same.

I'll try and get some logs up too

I will give the "rollback" feature a look once i actually get it running again for sure.
 
(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, everyone coughs)

Hi @Max Settings and welcome to linux.org :)

I have switched to your environment, which I take from the splash screen is the MATE environment?

Depending on what you wish to "capture" on your system, a number of packages are already at your fingertips.

See my screenshot below

pwuk7zd.png


I have to scoot for 30 mins to an hour but I'll be back soon to elaborate.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Back again. Underestimated time to discharge chores, regrets if people are catching zzz's. :oops:

With that screenshot above:

Debian-based Distros (Ubuntu, Linux Mint and the like) ship with a package manager called Synaptic or SPM. If Synaptic is not in your Menu (usually under System-Administration), then you can install it from your Software Centre, or at Terminal, with

Code:
sudo apt install synaptic

OR

sudo apt-get -y install synaptic

At the bottom of the Synaptic Window above, you can see a line

"3 packages listed, 1868 installed, 0 broken, 0 to install/upgrade, 0 to remove".

What it showed prior to my performing a search on 4 packages, was "58,088 packages listed".

So you can see that we have many many more packages (and similarly with applications and utilities) available to us, through our Distro's Repositories (Repos) than we are likely to make use of.

By the same token, if we are seeking to add software - check the Repos first, it may be there and then you can simply install it without having to go to The Net for a .deb .

Again, the screenshot shows my search on the following:
  • hardinfo
  • inxi
  • lshw and
  • psensor
These are only a small number of system monitoring and system specification tools available "in-house" on your Ubuntu. I'll illustrate a little on each.

I'll take them with inxi 1st. You can see the options in Terminal, by typing and entering

Code:
man inxi

I use

Code:
inxi -Fxs

inxi

Is installed. CLI (command line interface)-based, ie Terminal.

Here's my output, click the Spoiler. The Spoiler has a toggle so click again to close.

chris@ArtfulMATEstudy:~$ inxi -Fxs
System: Host: ArtfulMATEstudy Kernel: 4.13.0-21-generic x86_64
bits: 64 gcc: 7.2.0
Desktop: MATE 1.18.0 (Gtk 3.22.25-0ubuntu0.1) Distro: Ubuntu 17.10
Machine: Device: laptop System: TOSHIBA product: Satellite S70t-A v: PSKNEA-04G034 serial: N/A
Mobo: Type2 - Board Vendor Name1 model: Type2 - Board Product Name1 v: Type2 - Board Version serial: N/A
UEFI: Insyde v: 1.60 date: 04/18/2014
Battery BAT1: charge: 44.9 Wh 100.0% condition: 44.9/48.6 Wh (92%)
model: Panasonic PA5109U-1BRS status: Full
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-4700MQ (-HT-MCP-)
arch: Haswell rev.3 cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 19154
clock speeds: max: 3400 MHz 1: 2394 MHz 2: 2394 MHz 3: 2394 MHz
4: 2394 MHz 5: 2394 MHz 6: 2394 MHz 7: 2394 MHz 8: 2394 MHz
Graphics: Card-1: Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Card-2: NVIDIA GK208M [GeForce GT 740M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.5 )
drivers: (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) FAILED: modesetting,nouveau
Resolution: [email protected]
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Haswell Mobile
version: 4.5 Mesa 17.2.2 Direct Render: Yes
Audio: Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Def. Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-21-generic
Network: Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9565 / AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter
driver: ath9k bus-ID: 0d:00.0
IF: wlp13s0 state: up mac: a4:db:30:2c:2d:75
Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet
driver: alx port: 3000 bus-ID: 0e:00.0
IF: enp14s0 state: down mac: 08:9e:01:e7:f7:0a
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (0.8% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 20G used: 7.1G (39%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda22
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 57.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 51.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 209 Uptime: 18 min Memory: 1562.5/7904.0MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: N/A
Client: Shell (bash 4.4.121) inxi: 2.3.37
chris@ArtfulMATEstudy:~$

Good for your specs - providing them or asking for, save them to a text file if you wish a record.

hardinfo

Not installed, but in the Repos. You can install it from Synaptic, or else from Terminal, just substitute hardinfo for synaptic as I describe above.

Here's a pic of mine:

DC7moFN.png


This may be just what you are looking for.

When I installed it, I could not (yet) find it in the Menus, but from Terminal just type and enter

Code:
hardinfo   #does not require sudo

... and away you go. You can generate Reports too.

lshw

Is installed. CLI-based, mine is in the Spoiler .... looonnngggg output.

chris@ArtfulMATEstudy:~$ lshw
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
artfulmatestudy
description: Computer
width: 64 bits
capabilities: smp vsyscall32
*-core
description: Motherboard
physical id: 0
*-memory
description: System memory
physical id: 0
size: 7903MiB
*-cpu
product: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4700MQ CPU @ 2.40GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 1
bus info: cpu@0
size: 2356MHz
capacity: 3400MHz
width: 64 bits
capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx pdpe1gb rdtscp x86-64 constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 sdbg fma cx16 xtpr pdcm pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm abm cpuid_fault epb tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid fsgsbase tsc_adjust bmi1 avx2 smep bmi2 erms invpcid xsaveopt dtherm ida arat pln pts cpufreq
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 06
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 06
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:24 ioport:5000(size=4096) memory:d2000000-d2ffffff ioport:a0000000(size=536870912)
*-display
description: 3D controller
product: GK208M [GeForce GT 740M]
vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: a1
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=nouveau latency=0
resources: irq:30 memory:d2000000-d2ffffff memory:a0000000-afffffff memory:b0000000-b1ffffff ioport:5000(size=128) memory:b2000000-b207ffff
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 06
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
resources: irq:31 memory:d3000000-d33fffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff ioport:6000(size=64) memory:c0000-dffff
*-multimedia:0
description: Audio device
product: Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 3
bus info: pci@0000:00:03.0
version: 06
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
resources: irq:34 memory:d3610000-d3613fff
*-usb:0
description: USB controller
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 14
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: xhci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=xhci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:28 memory:d3600000-d360ffff
*-communication
description: Communication controller
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 16
bus info: pci@0000:00:16.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=mei_me latency=0
resources: irq:32 memory:d3618000-d361800f
*-usb:1
description: USB controller
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #2
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1a
bus info: pci@0000:00:1a.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci-pci latency=0
resources: irq:21 memory:d361d000-d361d3ff
*-multimedia:1
description: Audio device
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1b
bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
resources: irq:33 memory:d3614000-d3617fff
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.0
version: d4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:25 ioport:4000(size=4096) memory:d1000000-d1ffffff ioport:d0000000(size=16777216)
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.2
version: d4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:26 memory:d3500000-d35fffff
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: QCA9565 / AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter
vendor: Qualcomm Atheros
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:0d:00.0
logical name: wlp13s0
version: 01
serial: a4:db:30:2c:2d:75
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath9k driverversion=4.13.0-21-generic firmware=N/A ip=192.168.1.102 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
resources: irq:18 memory:d3500000-d357ffff memory:d3580000-d358ffff
*-pci:3
description: PCI bridge
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.3
version: d4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:27 ioport:3000(size=4096) memory:d3400000-d34fffff
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet
vendor: Qualcomm Atheros
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:0e:00.0
logical name: enp14s0
version: 10
serial: 08:9e:01:e7:f7:0a
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=alx latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
resources: irq:19 memory:d3400000-d343ffff ioport:3000(size=128)
*-usb:2
description: USB controller
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1d
bus info: pci@0000:00:1d.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci-pci latency=0
resources: irq:23 memory:d361c000-d361c3ff
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: HM86 Express LPC Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=lpc_ich latency=0
resources: irq:0
*-storage
description: SATA controller
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode]
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.2
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: storage ahci_1.0 bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ahci latency=0
resources: irq:29 ioport:6088(size=8) ioport:6094(size=4) ioport:6080(size=8) ioport:6090(size=4) ioport:6060(size=32) memory:d361b000-d361b7ff
*-serial UNCLAIMED
description: SMBus
product: 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.3
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:d3619000-d36190ff ioport:6040(size=32)
*-scsi
physical id: 2
logical name: scsi4
capabilities: emulated
*-cdrom
description: DVD-RAM writer
product: CDDVDW SU-208DB
vendor: TSSTcorp
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/sr0
version: TF01
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
configuration: ansiversion=5 status=open
WARNING: output may be incomplete or inaccurate, you should run this program as super-user.
chris@ArtfulMATEstudy:~$

Note the warning at start and finish to use sudo, that is

Code:
sudo lshw

... and no I have not compared the difference with or without sudo so don't ask. Try it yourself? :p


psensor

psensor is authored by Jean-Philippe Orsini, a Frenchman, whom goes by the handle of jeanfi at some forums, and JeanFi at others.

In the Repos, but not installed, deals mostly in temperatures, here's a pic of mine:

4SJ6DVP.png


GUI-based, and in the Menu under Psensor, there are Preferences, and Sensor Preferences. Under Preferences, you can change from Celsius to Fahrenheit, mine shown are in Celsius.

When I came back from shopping, I tracked down another, namely


sysinfo

GUI-based, in the Repos, but was not installed.

Here's mine

TnfQAsK.png


So in summary, try "in-house" first to find things, and of course, that begs the question:

"How am I supposed to find the frickin' thing when I don't know fancy names like hardinfo, inxi, lshw, psensor and sysinfo?"

Fair question.

Go to Synaptic, press Search and enter "system information" ... you'll find all but psensor there.

Type in "temperature", hey presto, you've found psensor and one called hddtemp.

Or ask around.

Cheers

Wizard
 
...And just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water ...

I hadn't forgotten perhaps your most pressing issue, which is a buggered Aardvark MATE.

I concur with all that Stan (@atanere ) said, in #2, as I often do o_O

Simplest, if you have not had the time to generate a whole lot of personal data that is housed in the root partition on which you have installed 17.10 - might be a simple reinstall. You said it was working fine prior to the development with i-nex's introduction sending it pear-shaped, and although I agree with Stan that that in itself is unlikely the cause of the demise, it is not impossible.

There is also a point that Stan has not covered yet, but well might have had I not just put in my two cents. That is, that there is a documented bug in the Aardvarks, that is, MATE and GNOME (which is replacing Unity).

I was not aware of it until Stan brought it to our attention (kudos) here.

You can read about it here

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1734147

... where input was still being generated as recently as 38 minutes ago at time of writing.

It seems to be most affecting certain brands of computer eg Lenovo. some Acers, &c, with an obstruction to being able to change your BIOS and save changes. I have no idea if there is any association between the Bug and your dilemma.

I have both MATE and GNOME on this laptop, but they are both Betas.

What I will do is as follows:

  1. Generate a Timeshift snapshot on my Peppermint 8 distro, which is currently the default at the top of my Grub Menu (you'll see why, later)
  2. Then Timeshift snap this 17.10 MATE
  3. Blow away this 17.10 MATE
  4. Restore it from Timeshift, this will regenerate Grub and should place this at the top of my Leaderboard (The Leaderboard Shuffle, featured elsewhere)
  5. When Aardvark is in charge, I will go into my BIOS and change a few settings and see if they save, or not
  6. Once that is established, ... the plan is open-ended from there
Later

Wizard
 
Hi @Max Settings , hi all.

I had gotten through steps 1 - 3 of the above I planned, and then thought I may as well replace my MATE beta and my GNOME beta with the official releases, so I could better duplicate your circumstances (similar to Stan's methodology :D)

When I went here, to download MATE - https://ubuntu-mate.org/download/ - I noted as per the screenshot below, hope it is clear or check the link

qdkGSqB.png


Screenshot 1 - Bug Warning, Artful Aardvark

So, I might be best to put this on hold while you digest the implications?

If you go with the option to install 16.04 (currently).3 - 'Xenial Xerus', you have support from Canonical/Ubuntu until April 2021, cf (confer with, compare to) 'Artful Aardvark' July this year, 2018. Maybe not so many "whistles and bells", and you would have some more downloads to do, to update.

Your call, your computer.

No particular probs for me, if I continue with my plan, because I cannot have any serious downtime, with 65-70 Linux onboard to run. Other than if the Power company goes on the fritz, or blackouts locally, and then I could still jump in the car with the lappie (for about 2 hours) and go down the local Macca's (Golden Arches) buy a coffee and wifi. (no banking) :D

Sleep on it if you like, let us know. I'll keep working on Timeshift and annoying people.

Cheers

Wizard
 
I didn't get the i-nex app to crash my Ubuntu Mate.... but will try again later if I can. The .deb file was probably not the best way to install it anyway. They give install instructions for using a PPA (Personal Package Archive)... but that failed to install for me. I think their package (or repository) is broken, and maybe that's what led you to getting something corrupted.

That Wizard fella sure gave you a boatload of good info above though! All of the info that you want to get from i-nex is already available to you from built-in Linux tools, or from other well-known apps from the standard repositories.

And Wizard is also probably right in that if you are not too committed yet to this install of Ubuntu Mate, you might want to consider re-installing it (or another variant if your Sony Vaio shows up in the buglist for Ubuntu 17.10). This is sometimes just the easiest way to get clear of a problem, but it is also a good reminder of the importance of making backups or getting friendly with that Timeshift program.

Gotta run for now... just a few more days to work and I'll get a break. :eek:o_O

Cheers
 

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