Unable to reinstall Mint
- Thread starter UpNorth
- Start date
OK, don't miss out on your bubbles at midnight, you've earned them.
If you go to your Linux Mint Start Menu bottom left, you can start to type in
timeshift
it will auto-complete
Click to launch it.
The popup window you get will look something like this
If you go to your Linux Mint Start Menu bottom left, you can start to type in
timeshift
it will auto-complete
Click to launch it.
The popup window you get will look something like this
If you get that, you can either click the x top right to exit or press the OK button at bottom and that will lead you to a screen where you may have something like below, or tell us if it has nothing yet.
Yours won't have all the comments and will say Linux Mint
Yours won't have all the comments and will say Linux Mint
5 minutes until your 2024 begins, so we can call it quits for now and resume tomorrow if you like
Here's what I got:
All seems well this morning. Happy to see it boot up fine. I tried before to download my printer driver and ran into some problems, so that's the next thing I need to conquer. First I need to explore the site and learn the basics, especially the terminal and how to use it.
Despite the frustration, very happy I made the switch. It is so fast compared to Windows. Nice to be able to launch Firefox, Thunderbird, etc. without waiting literally 10 minutes for things to load.
All seems well this morning. Happy to see it boot up fine. I tried before to download my printer driver and ran into some problems, so that's the next thing I need to conquer. First I need to explore the site and learn the basics, especially the terminal and how to use it.
Despite the frustration, very happy I made the switch. It is so fast compared to Windows. Nice to be able to launch Firefox, Thunderbird, etc. without waiting literally 10 minutes for things to load.
Brickwizard
Well-Known Member
what is the printer
It's a Brother MFC-490-cw. I plugged the USB into the computer and it ran through its thing and recognized it. But when I try to print something it says this.
In configurations it doesn't bring up the Brother model. I then went to the Brother website and found the driver, but I struggled with how to do this in the terminal. Not an urgent matter, but will need to tackle it at some point.
Brickwizard
Well-Known Member
You probably need propriotry drivers here [ https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadtop.aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=mfc490cw_all ]
choose the ,deb package
choose the ,deb package
Brickwizard
Well-Known Member
Na... never liked turkey, much prefer Duck [or Grouse]
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
After you have sorted out your printer, it would be a good idea to install all updates available.
In the system tray, where the clock is....there will be a tiny 'shield' icon....like below:
If it has a tiny red dot on it, there are updates available.
Seeing this is a new installation, the dot should be there
Left click (once ) on the shield
click on Edit, then select Preferences
I will show you screenshots of my set up there...how you set yours up is up to you. Use mine as a guide
NOTE:: Either before or after you have read all the below.....BE SURE to actually install the updates !!....Just click on install and enter your password, and then sit back...it may take a while...there will be quite a few because it is a new install.
I elect to show notifications for all updates. It doesn't make sense to me to only update part of the system
I update every day...religiously. I install every update. This is a good habit to get into. The days of worrying about whether a windows update will break your system are gone
It is possible for an update from Linux to cause some concern, but it is Rare, and it is easily reversed by simply restoring a snapshot from the day before.
In my case the linux meta 5.15.0-83.80 shown below in blocked packages was a kernel update which was causing weird things to happen.....things just were not right. I knew it was the kernel update at fault, because I had just finished rebooting after that update had installed when things went a little 'screwy'. (Reboot after update is usually only necessary after updating a kernel)
So, i restored the timeshift from the previous day and all was happy again. That took approx 10 minutes or less.
Then, the update system (as efficient as ever) offered the same kernel update (which I had just timeshifted to get away from!!).....all I needed to do was....Right click on the update in question and select "ignore future updates for this package"
It was promptly banished to where you see it in the screenshot below....and that was the end of that.
Don't worry about the "linux-meta=5.15.0.83.80 just yet...that will not affect your install
I have toyed with the idea of installing ALL updates automatically, and am told it works flawlessly.
Call me old fashioned (i have been called much worse) but I simply like to watch the updates happen. Up to you, your call.
The majority of updates will require a password before they will download and install. This is a typical approach from Linux. Always secure.
Some updates will just install without a password, usually flatpaks and cinnamon spices etc.
Sometime in the near future, there will be a relatively major update when LM21.2 upgrades to LM21.3
This is known as a 'point' release', and is not a big deal....It will still be supported until 2027
Some people elect to wait a week before they install them...."just to be on the safe side"
I am not so inclined. I just install it...safe in the knowledge that Timeshift has got my back.
The team that build/design/update/upgrade etc etc etc, Linux....is lead by Clem Lefebvre. He can be trusted. He is also responsible for LMDE 6
Timeshift: (I am assuming you have not already done this)
Open Timeshift, and click on Settings.....then on Location. That will show exactly which drive the snapshots are being stored on
Then, click on Schedule....this will show how many snapshots are taken and at what intervals, how many are being kept, etc
Mine is as below :
I elect to keep 4 DAILY snapshots. I find this is more than enough for me.
You may elect to keep more or less...the choice is yours
In other words, T'shift takes a snapshot each and every day, but only keeps 4.....one is discarded each day, automatically. I do absolutely nothing...it just happens.
next click on Users.
My screenshot below:
I choose to include as much as I can ...it takes a bit more space on the drive that holds the snapshots, but I figure it can do no harm
Then click on Settings
mine below
Again I have chosen to include all that I can. Wizardfromoz can expand on my 'casual' approach, which I am sure he will ...LOL
but, I just include the works because I have the space to do it !!
Speaking of space, be aware that many snapshots will absorb lots of space....just in case you wish to use some of that space for other things. Timeshift can be really hungry !
In the system tray, where the clock is....there will be a tiny 'shield' icon....like below:
If it has a tiny red dot on it, there are updates available.
Seeing this is a new installation, the dot should be there
Left click (once ) on the shield
click on Edit, then select Preferences
I will show you screenshots of my set up there...how you set yours up is up to you. Use mine as a guide
NOTE:: Either before or after you have read all the below.....BE SURE to actually install the updates !!....Just click on install and enter your password, and then sit back...it may take a while...there will be quite a few because it is a new install.
I elect to show notifications for all updates. It doesn't make sense to me to only update part of the system
I update every day...religiously. I install every update. This is a good habit to get into. The days of worrying about whether a windows update will break your system are gone
It is possible for an update from Linux to cause some concern, but it is Rare, and it is easily reversed by simply restoring a snapshot from the day before.
In my case the linux meta 5.15.0-83.80 shown below in blocked packages was a kernel update which was causing weird things to happen.....things just were not right. I knew it was the kernel update at fault, because I had just finished rebooting after that update had installed when things went a little 'screwy'. (Reboot after update is usually only necessary after updating a kernel)
So, i restored the timeshift from the previous day and all was happy again. That took approx 10 minutes or less.
Then, the update system (as efficient as ever) offered the same kernel update (which I had just timeshifted to get away from!!).....all I needed to do was....Right click on the update in question and select "ignore future updates for this package"
It was promptly banished to where you see it in the screenshot below....and that was the end of that.
Don't worry about the "linux-meta=5.15.0.83.80 just yet...that will not affect your install
I have toyed with the idea of installing ALL updates automatically, and am told it works flawlessly.
Call me old fashioned (i have been called much worse) but I simply like to watch the updates happen. Up to you, your call.
The majority of updates will require a password before they will download and install. This is a typical approach from Linux. Always secure.
Some updates will just install without a password, usually flatpaks and cinnamon spices etc.
Sometime in the near future, there will be a relatively major update when LM21.2 upgrades to LM21.3
This is known as a 'point' release', and is not a big deal....It will still be supported until 2027
Some people elect to wait a week before they install them...."just to be on the safe side"
I am not so inclined. I just install it...safe in the knowledge that Timeshift has got my back.
The team that build/design/update/upgrade etc etc etc, Linux....is lead by Clem Lefebvre. He can be trusted. He is also responsible for LMDE 6
Timeshift: (I am assuming you have not already done this)
Open Timeshift, and click on Settings.....then on Location. That will show exactly which drive the snapshots are being stored on
Then, click on Schedule....this will show how many snapshots are taken and at what intervals, how many are being kept, etc
Mine is as below :
I elect to keep 4 DAILY snapshots. I find this is more than enough for me.
You may elect to keep more or less...the choice is yours
In other words, T'shift takes a snapshot each and every day, but only keeps 4.....one is discarded each day, automatically. I do absolutely nothing...it just happens.
next click on Users.
My screenshot below:
I choose to include as much as I can ...it takes a bit more space on the drive that holds the snapshots, but I figure it can do no harm
Then click on Settings
mine below
Again I have chosen to include all that I can. Wizardfromoz can expand on my 'casual' approach, which I am sure he will ...LOL
but, I just include the works because I have the space to do it !!
Speaking of space, be aware that many snapshots will absorb lots of space....just in case you wish to use some of that space for other things. Timeshift can be really hungry !
Last edited:
I did get that far but got tripped up on the instructions in the terminal. Kept getting "no such directory" and I don't remember what else. Trying to get more versed on the commands and then maybe it'll make more sense.
Condobloke - thanks for the instructions. I did the updates earlier today. There were a ton of them. I'll check out the settings later in the week.
KGIII - if you mean the avatar, that's a male grouse wooing a female in my back yard. Very cool to witness. But I actually did take some turkey pics today too! They hang around my bird feeders.
Unfortunately, back to work tomorrow. I may not be too active on the computer until the weekend, so you all get a break from me
But I'll be back with lots more questions.
Again, thanks everyone for all your help! I would've been lost without it.
KGIII - if you mean the avatar, that's a male grouse wooing a female in my back yard. Very cool to witness. But I actually did take some turkey pics today too! They hang around my bird feeders.
Unfortunately, back to work tomorrow. I may not be too active on the computer until the weekend, so you all get a break from me
But I'll be back with lots more questions. Again, thanks everyone for all your help! I would've been lost without it.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Depending on what your printer actually has....scanner?...fax?....etc ...you may need to download a few of the drivers there.
It will not matter if you download something that it does not use
I would download the first one and then reboot, and see if things work
Click on Driver Install Tool......then on Agree to the EULA and Download
It will pop up a window asking where you wish to save it to....
click on Desktop (makes it easier to find)
On desktop double click on the little round green icon....and then click on Install package.
Dont be confused it at the end of the process it says....already installed.
Just reboot and try the printer
It will not matter if you download something that it does not use
I would download the first one and then reboot, and see if things work
Click on Driver Install Tool......then on Agree to the EULA and Download
It will pop up a window asking where you wish to save it to....
click on Desktop (makes it easier to find)
On desktop double click on the little round green icon....and then click on Install package.
Dont be confused it at the end of the process it says....already installed.
Just reboot and try the printer
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
No he's not, his nickname is Havachat.
As I expected, you can see from the timestamp that it took the snapshot basically on the turn of the hour at midnight, which is default settings, but you can tweak those as Brian has described above.
If you need more help with Timeshift, swing over to my thread at
https://www.linux.org/threads/timeshift-similar-solutions-safeguard-recover-your-linux.15241/page-18
and see me there and we can customise a plan for your environment.
Cheers
Wizard
Off-topic:
Ah, in the tiny pic it looks like a turkey. I thought the front was just blurry but now that you say it's a grouse that makes sense.
That's because my photography skills are even worse than my computer skills.
I'm back! So I updated the settings for the system updates and Timeshift. Now I'm working on the printer driver. The instructions in post #35 did not work for me. It didn't ask me where to save the file (just went to Downloads) and there was no green icon to click. I read somewhere in the Brother instructions that you had to install on the terminal. Does this mean some files are not executable and you have to do it this way?
I struggled with the terminal at first, but it was because I was typing the Brother model name wrong. Once I figured that out, IT WORKED!!! All that text rolling down the screen! It was beautiful. After that the driver was populated in the printer settings and it continued to install the rest. I can now print and scan!
Next I gotta work out some LibreOffice issues, but I'm getting there!
