for the Linux experts, WINE problem

[Tellos Athenaios]

Hmm. That might mean I could play EB on my desktop & new laptop (2.13Ghz Core i3, but more RAM and probably slightly faster graphics from the 4570) too ...

[caravel]

Hmm. That might mean I could play EB on my desktop & new laptop (2.13Ghz Core i3, but more RAM and probably slightly faster graphics from the 4570) too ...

Yes, I think you should give it a go.

[Husar]

Ok, yesterday my notebook overheated I think(well, it just turned itself off) and today Ubuntu won't boot anymore, it just shows the boot screen but doesn't go any further, my USB stick with an old Ubuntu version somehow drops me in a Bash console on both computers instead of starting as it used to. Is there any way I can repair it or would you advise me to reinstall everything (again....)?
Might try a different distro in the latter case, but one that doesn't require me to use the console to get the basics working and install programs might be useful(unless the commands are simple.

Oh yeah, not going to that Linux "course" because it would take too much time, unfortunately, I have more important subjects that have to be a priority now.

[caravel]

Ok, yesterday my notebook overheated I think(well, it just turned itself off) and today Ubuntu won't boot anymore, it just shows the boot screen but doesn't go any further, my USB stick with an old Ubuntu version somehow drops me in a Bash console on both computers instead of starting as it used to. Is there any way I can repair it or would you advise me to reinstall everything (again....)?

I'm not sure I follow you... You also have a previous version on bootable removable media and that won't load X either? Have you tried booting a live session from the livecd? If that doesn't load up X then you may have some hardware problems. If it's not a hardware issue and you can get to a terminal then it can be fixed. I'm not really willing to go into great detail because:

Might try a different distro in the latter case, but one that doesn't require me to use the console to get the basics working and install programs might be useful(unless the commands are simple.

That's up to you, but you won't get anywhere fast if you are unwilling to use the terminal from the start.

Assuming it's not hardware, you should be able to find help on this at ubuntuforums.org

[Husar]

Yes, I have Ubuntu 9.04 or so, the last before 9.10, on a USB stick and that only gets me to a terminal when I use it as a live "CD", but it does the same on my Windows computer which is still working otherwise so I suspect something is wrong with the Ubuntu on that stick.

I'm willing to use the terminal but it never got me anywhere fast so far because it usually takes me hours of searching the internet to find the right commands to do something, if I find them at all, if not it's just one more thing I can't get to work but spent an hour trying.
If I wanted to fix the installation using the terminal that my live "CD" always gets me to I guess that would be a nightmare, starting with figuring out why exactly it's not booting in the first place(although, maybe there is a way to tell, Linux used to show this list of things it did on startup after all). I was just thinking maybe there is a self-check or something that repairs possibly corrupted files or entries.

[caravel]

Can you boot from an actual livecd of karmic or whatever version you intend to use?

Re: the OS installed on your hard disk, what happens exactly when it tries to boot? Do you see any error messages? If it hangs on the bootsplash (I think Ubuntu uses usplash or similar be default since karmic), can you CTRL+ALT+F1 to a tty? If you cannot then the "recovery mode" from the grub boot loader will be your next step. This should (if my memory serves me correctly) drop you to a root terminal (great security!) from which you can check logs and run fsck etc.

[Husar]

Yes, it hangs on that splash screen, fills five dots with red colour, then hangs.
The key combo does absolutely nothing, do I get to the bootloader via a live CD or an earlier key combo?

And by the way, when i press the power button it does the normal shutdown splash screen which seems to work just fine, but the power button is apparently the only button it shows a reaction to.

[caravel]

When booting up keep hitting escape, this should show the kernels list (of the grub2 boot menu). Select the topmost kernel and hit 'e', edit the line ending with "ro quiet splash" to just remove "quiet" and "splash", then CTRL+X to boot that kernel. This will give you more detailed output, have a look and see where it's hanging. i.e. write down any errors. The grub2 boot menu will also get you into the recovery mode as I think it's called. That should boot you into a tty. See if either of those work first.

[Tellos Athenaios]

In addition to what Asai wrote:
(1) You may need to use Shift instead of Esc for bringing up the Grub 2 menu.
(2) The problem is likely to be a file system marked as `unclean' due to the abrupt shut down of the machine when it overheated. If that is the problem you can likely fix it with a file system check. The recovery boot option should offer that choice halfway through the booting process.
(3) If you are unable to use/select the recovery boot option because you can't get the Grub 2 menu to show and you boot to a (busybox) prompt you can do that manually (after logging on) using something like this:

umount -a -f # force all mounted file systems to unmount
nodes=`find /dev -iregex '/dev/sd[a-z][0-9]'`; # enumerate all disk partitions 
for $node in $nodes; do fsck -y -p -f $node; done; # force fsck on the partitions found, repair damage without asking and assume yes if prompted anyway

fsck and umount require root privileges, so depending on how you are logged on (as root or ordinary user) you may need to run these via sudo. (E.g.: "sudo fsck"). Before you copy these commands blindly, do please read the man page synopsis and section on options of umount and fsck. (Type: "man umount" or "man fsck" to bring up these pages.)
EDIT: Note that option (3) uses a bit of a "blanket" approach to ensure that the file systems found are checked. In particular, an external (e.g. USB) harddisk will be found & checked as well, so be sure to disconnect these devices before booting & attempting this (saves you a lot of time if the external disk is anything large-ish; and if it is an USB flash drive it is ill-advisable to run fsck on it often).

[caravel]

Good post.

Yes I wasn't sure about the key for bringing up the grub2 menu. I've never used the hidden menu (or boot splash or quiet boot) myself so couldn't remember (I had a vague idea it was escape though).

I think fsck should run after an unclean shutdown anyway? As Ubuntu uses usplash (or whatever splash it uses), is it at all possible that fsck is running anyway in the background - which is why it appears to hang? (hard disk activity would be a big give away though).

[Tellos Athenaios]

Cheers. And fsck certainly *should* run, yes. It is quite possible that everything is working as advertised, fsck is doing its system-wholeness-rite but our Hussar is simply too impatient for the progress messages to appear and smothers it with a power button.

However in case that it does not and the system mounts everything read-only (i.e. pretty much unusable except for busybox shells) manually prodding it like that is usually a simple enough fix. I've had to do that on a few occasions with Debian installation on grandma's laptop (I don't know what she gets up to with that thing, but the number of counts she managed to trip up something ... !)

[Husar]

Thanks guys, if it is running something in the background, maybe it would help to indicate that somehow, I let it sit like that for a few minutes but my impression was that it did nothing, no indication of harddrive usage either.

Esc was indeed the key to get into the bootloader, the only problem was after pressing "e" to edit the start command for the first kernel I got 4 lines I could edit, I took the last one thinking maybe it's one command over 4 lines, put the options behind it and then booted using "b" as the help at the bottom said (Ctrl + X didn't work), it booted just normal(as in didn't boot and hung at the splash screen) so I guess I made a mistake somewhere.

Will try the fsck method tomorrow.

I pretty much doubt it's a hardware failure, the notebook doesn't overheat often but when it does, it could so far always be restarted somehow(usually after taking the battery out for a minute or two).

[Tellos Athenaios]

Well it seems you did do something wrong: Asai mentions the removal of options not adding them. (To be removed: "quiet" and "splash"). The Ctrl+X key combination boots the edited stanza whereas b boots the original one IIRC.

[Husar]

Well it seems you did do something wrong: Asai mentions the removal of options not adding them. (To be removed: "quiet" and "splash"). The Ctrl+X key combination boots the edited stanza whereas b boots the original one IIRC.

Yes, I got that, but I thought "ro quiet splash" was the phrase I should add in order to remove the two options. Ctrl + X, as I said, did absolutely nothing though

[caravel]

I'd imagine CTRL+X wouldn't work if the syntax was wrong. Try again and use the right arrow key to move to the end of the line* and remove the "quiet splash" bit. Then CTRL+X to boot it. This will give a verbose startup. Take note of where it hangs and especially any errrors.

*If you use up down arrows it will jump from line to line - one line often wraps over two lines, so to to get to the second part of a line you need to use the right arrow key to move to the end (not the up/down arrow keys).

[Husar]

I managed it, I basically had to edit the second line of the first kernel, removed the "ro quiet splash", then had to press "b" to boot (Ctrl + X still didn't work, maybe they changed that).

Now the error it stops with reads as follows:

"fsck from util-linux-ng 2.17.2
udevd[248]: can not read '/etc/udev/rules.d/45-huawei1550.rules'

/dev/sda1 has been mounted 33 times without being checked, check forced."

I think that rules file was created by me trying to get some huawei UMTS stick to work, since I didn't get it to ....

ok, now it completed the check and shows me the following error on startup:

(EE)Problem parsing the config file
(EE)Error parsing the config file

and something in german about running on low graphics settings, restarting the x-server didn't help so I'm now deleting the NVidia driver and trying to reinstall...

edit: Seems to run pretty normal now, should I check my HDD somehow, just in case?

And thanks a lot you two.

I guess it was running the test in the background as you said, but this way at least I learned something about how to disable the splash screen, get into the bootloader etc.

[caravel]

Ok a few points:

You needed to remove "quiet" and "splash" - not "ro" as well, but anyway.

If you don't need the rules file, delete it, also unplug/remove the device if you're not using it.

The errors are coming from xorg yes, probably due to some syntax errors in xorg.conf. Did you try some manual editing of that file before things went wrong?

fsck was running "under" the boot splash screen (this is why on the whole I dislike boot splash screens). You shouldn't need to run it again.

The splash screen and quiet boot can both be disabled permanently if desired.

Glad to hear you got it working, but how did you install the Nvidia driver - from the repos or did you download it from Nvidia?



Edit: Next time you get any problems with freeze ups (to be clear: what you encountered was not a freeze up though), don't just hit the power button, instead do:

ALT+SysRq+s
ALT+SysRq+u
ALT+SysRq+b

This will tell the kernel to sync all mounted filesystems, unmount them and remount them read only and then reboot the system.

[Husar]

Thanks, thought so about the ro but apparently it didn't hurt to delete it.

I didn't do anything to the xorg config except when I plugged and unplugged my other monitor to the notebook for dual-screen usage but that was all in the x-server settings menu of the nvidia driver.

I "reinstalled" the NVidia driver by telling Ubuntu to remove it and then to Activate it again using the Hardware drivers menu, probably not the best way to do it but seems to have fixed the wrong config file.

And what exactly is SysRq? The linux name for the windows-key?

[caravel]

ro = read only, as it's a one off it should be ok.

Reinstalling like that should work ok. It's basically a front end for fetching the driver via apt and installing/configuring.

SysRq is the "printscreen" key. "Windows" key is known as "super".

[Husar]

I just tried KDE, there was some installer in the software center that made it possible to select KDE in the login screen.
KDE was pretty nice actually, fiddled around a bit, found some wird things, like you can duplicate your desktop or your desktop is just some application or whatever, then I tried getting rid of that little symbol in the lower right corner but turns out deleting it deletes the entire bar at the bottom and it seemed impossible to create a new one in the lower right corner (all new ones appear in the other three corners and seem immovable). So now my KDE is completely ruined...
Guess xfce is next...

edit: Forget that, looks boring, maybe I'll just make a clean install of Kubuntu when I have the time since it looked pretty nice...

[caravel]

I just tried KDE, there was some installer in the software center that made it possible to select KDE in the login screen.

Just so you know, you didn't need the "software center" to do that. I think the package is called "kubuntu-desktop" in the 'buntu distributions. In Debian you just install the KDE metapackage.

deleting it deletes the entire bar at the bottom and it seemed impossible to create a new one in the lower right corner (all new ones appear in the other three corners and seem immovable). So now my KDE is completely ruined...

You need to try googling for help or going to the kubuntu or ubuntu forums. The best solution in your case is to rename the KDE userpace configuration directory, to force it's recreation (non-root terminal).

mv .kde .kdebak

Log out and log in again.

[Tellos Athenaios]

There's no need to Google for that. `Lock widgets' locks your current configuration against changes, and it will removed the cashews on panels and the like (you need to `unlock' them to get the cashews back). There will remain only a single cashew on your desktop which refers to something KDE calls the Zooming User Interface. Apparently there is a widget/plasmoid that visually removes this (google for i-hate-the-cashew).

Further there is no need to move/rename .kde (~/.kde) to .kdebak (~/.kdebak):
If you want to start from scratch with your desktop layout/configuration there is no need to (re)move all configuration settings form KDE.
Simply remove (rm) two files: ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop* (removes: ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktoprc and ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc). You can do this using Dolphin (the file manager), too: simply type Alt + F2 (now you no longer have a menu to click on, time to find out about the goodness that is krunner), type dolphin and select it from the list of options you will be presented. In the bar which represents your current location (it will read Home or the equivalent in your language of choice), click and type .kde. It should read something like /home/user/.kde now. (E.g.: /home/hussar/.kde) Hit enter to go there, and navigate to share/config. Manually delete the two files (plasma-desktoprc and plasma-desktop-appletsrc).

Log out and log back in.

To move a panel like you wanted to (from edge to edge) use the button called `Screen Edge' and drag the panel to the desired edge. It will snap to its new position. Resizing along the screen edge is done with the 3 little arrow markers (two that fix the extent of the panel, and one to anchor it.) Resizing perpendicular to the screen edge is done with the button next to `Screen Edge' (called `Screen Height' in case of horizontal panels) and dragging; similar to `Screen Edge').

[Husar]

Thanks, already renamed/moved the kde folder but restoring the settings wasn't too hard. I wanted to try locking the panels but went with the deletion first, bad idea I guess.

I already noticed that some programs from gnome do not work at all or not as well with KDE, Rythmbox for example seems to have to be replaced by Amarok, but then that also crashed when I quit it without stopping the music first and there was no way for me to remove the icon from the system bar except to restart. And on the topic of restarting, how is that done in KDE without pressing the power button or is that just the default way to go about it? I noticed deep sleep turns the computer completely off but apparently saves the session on your HDD and then restores it, I haven't found a power off/shut down option in the exit menu?? Or am I perhaps supposed to log out and then shut down from the ubuntu login menu?

[Tellos Athenaios]

I already noticed that some programs from gnome do not work at all or not as well with KDE, Rythmbox for example seems to have to be replaced by Amarok, but then that also crashed when I quit it without stopping the music first and there was no way for me to remove the icon from the system bar except to restart. And on the topic of restarting, how is that done in KDE without pressing the power button or is that just the default way to go about it? I noticed deep sleep turns the computer completely off but apparently saves the session on your HDD and then restores it, I haven't found a power off/shut down option in the exit menu?? Or am I perhaps supposed to log out and then shut down from the ubuntu login menu?

The KDE menu (K icon) has a category called `Leave'. It offers Lock, Logout, Sleep, Hibernate, Shutdown, Restart. Any of those can be accessed trough krunner (Alt+F2) too: type reboot and it will find you the Restart option. I take it you didn't restore the menu to your new panel?

It is actually possible to use Rhythmbox in KDE. It's just that KDE offers its own media players which integrate (much) better with KDE as whole. For instance there is a little plugin to control Amarok using krunner (Alt+F2). As a result nobody is going to bother to set up a KDE installation so as to use Rhythmbox by default, hence it isn't installed by default: if you really want Rhythmbox you need to install that manually after installing KDE. The reverse holds true on Gnome as well.

[Husar]

The KDE menu (K icon) has a category called `Leave'. It offers Lock, Logout, Sleep, Hibernate, Shutdown, Restart. Any of those can be accessed trough krunner (Alt+F2) too: type reboot and it will find you the Restart option. I take it you didn't restore the menu to your new panel?

That's the thing, for me the menu only offers Logout, Lock, Change User, Sleep, Hibernate, and that's it, nothing else in there. And I didn't restore anything.
edit: Get the button/option if I use krunner and type the german word for shut down ("herunterfahren"), but it's still not in the menu.

It is actually possible to use Rhythmbox in KDE. It's just that KDE offers its own media players which integrate (much) better with KDE as whole. For instance there is a little plugin to control Amarok using krunner (Alt+F2). As a result nobody is going to bother to set up a KDE installation so as to use Rhythmbox by default, hence it isn't installed by default: if you really want Rhythmbox you need to install that manually after installing KDE. The reverse holds true on Gnome as well.

Yes, I was aware of that(except for the plugin part), just wanted to know whether there could be any other problems, for example if I use Rythmbox to buy music from the Ubuntu music store (don't want to use iTunes anymore for that and that Ubuntu music store looks nice).

[Tellos Athenaios]

No the example you give should not pose any additional problems with KDE; just make sure that the packages rhythmbox (Rhythmbox application) and rhythmbox-ubuntuone-music-store (plugin to buy music from the Ubuntu music store) are both installed.

[Husar]

Thanks, I was a bit unsure since the whole Ubuntu One thing is used for the music store and seems only really integrated with Gnome, but you can access it via browser so I guess it's not a big problem.
The shut down thing still got me to a logout button that just logged me out and sent me to the user selection menu though. This is the weirdest thing together with the fact KDE always starts Kopete when it loads as if it were always restoring the last session, which I don't really want either. Kopete isn't in Autostart either.

[Tellos Athenaios]

It probably *is* restoring last sessions by default. To turn that off: go to System Settings -> Advanced tab -> Session Manager.

[Husar]

It probably *is* restoring last sessions by default. To turn that off: go to System Settings -> Advanced tab -> Session Manager.

Yeah, already found that but no solution for the shutdown problem, there are some settings to enable shutdown options, turn the power button into a shutdown button etc. etc. but none of it works, either nothing happens or I just get to log out and land at the login screen again.
No problem if you don't have a solution, it's just really weird.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I've just Googled it and there seems to be a pattern: http://ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.....php?p=4197245 The fix seems to be to install KDM, and possibly purge GDM. Can be done with Software Center, I imagine; but if not then the good old aptitude will work:

# install KDM
sudo aptitude install -y kdm
# optionally uninstall and purge system configuration of GDM
sudo aptitude purge -y gdm
# optionally add GDM compatibility in case it messes up your GNOME
sudo aptitude install -y kdm-gdmcompat

As another way of shutting down; have you tried to right click on the desktop/walpaper, selecte Leave from the context menu? That should popup a dialog with 3 options: Logout, Restart and Shutdown.
At least, for me it does; but then again, for me the Leave menu in the Application Launcher (KDE Menu) also contains those options (whereas yours apparently does not).