Linux Mint Forums

I can't install the Cinnamon desktop anywhere.

I tried installing Cinnamon in VirtualBox 4.2. The host operating system is Windows 7, 64bit. I get the splash screen saying it is launching, but it never gets beyond that.

I successfully installed MATE on a laptop computer that was previously running Windows Vista. Evrything was working great, but when I instaled the Cinnamon desktop, nothing happened. I thought I needed a reboot, and when it came back up, all I got was the backround. No toolbars or icons, I couldn't even launch a terminal. I have reverted back to the MATE environment in the meantime.

I followed the Ubuntu forumsto install Cinnamon (http://askubuntu.com/questions/104218/h ... virtualbox):
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:merlwiz79/cinnamon-ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon cinnamon-session cinnamon-settings

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Your post leaves a lot detalis out. Such as which version of Linux Mint (13 or 14) you're trying install in virtualbox and which edition MATE,Cinnamon,XFCE,KDE or Debian. Moreover your post seems to indicate you're either trying install Cinnamon by itself (which can't be done it's just a Gnome shell that must installed over a Gnome 3 environment) or you're trying install cinnamon over an existing disto like Ubuntu.


To add Cinnamon to another Linux Mint edition (MATE,XFCE,KDE,) you use mint-meta cinnamon,either in the terminal (sudo apt-get install mint-meta cinnamon) ,or thorugh the software manager or package manger.

To add cinnamon to another Linux distro like Ubuntu you would use this tutorial
http://www.noobslab.com/2012/10/install ... buntu.html

Sorry, the version is Linux Mint 14. As far as the version, I thought that Cinnamon was the version. The Linux Mint download page offers a variety of "flavors" to choose from: http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php. For example, I chose MATE, downloaded the iso and was able to install it no problem. I was under the impression that choosing Cinnamon from the same page would work the same way, but this does not appear to be the case, unless I did something wrong. Does the Linux Mint download page box up the Gnome environment and shell together automatically? Or do you need to start with MATE and then install your shell of choice later?

Sorry for the confusion and thanks again.

tdevine66 wrote:Sorry, the version is Linux Mint 14. As far as the version, I thought that Cinnamon was the version. The Linux Mint download page offers a variety of "flavors" to choose from: http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php. For example, I chose MATE, downloaded the iso and was able to install it no problem. I was under the impression that choosing Cinnamon from the same page would work the same way, but this does not appear to be the case, unless I did something wrong. Does the Linux Mint download page box up the Gnome environment and shell together automatically? Or do you need to start with MATE and then install your shell of choice later?

Sorry for the confusion and thanks again.

Why not burn the image to a disc, and dual boot. Works perfectly on my machine with windows 7

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Why not burn the image to a disc, and dual boot. Works perfectly on my machine with windows 7

That is a popular choice for a lot of people, but honestly, I am nowhere near ready to leave Windows. I am only beginning to experiment with Linux (computers in general really), so a virtual machine works great. I have never partitioned a disk, and I would rather not start on my main work computer.

However, I do have a laptop that is running Linux and Linux only. I may try a dual boot setup with Mint and Ubuntu on that machine to practice partitioning.

you need to enable 3D acceleration in VB for cinnamon to work

zerozero wrote:you need to enable 3D acceleration in VB for cinnamon to work

I did enable the 3D acceleration under the display settings in VB but that does not seem to have helped at all. Is there another location that requires tweaking?

I would also at least give it 1GB of ram.

Edit:

Yea Zero forgot about the full video memory.

yep
around 1GB ram and these settings work for me

Maybe I should run through the VB setup:

General > Basic:

• Name: Linux Mint
  Type: Linux
  Version Linux 2.6

System > Motherboard:

• Base Memory: 1000 MB (1GB)
  Boot Order: (Floppy, CD/DVD, Hard Disk) = Default settings. I do not have a floppy drive and the optical drive is always empty.
  Chipset: PIIX3
  Extended features:
  • [ ] Enable IO APIC
    [ ] Enable EFI
    [x] Hardware clock in UTC time
    [x] Enable absolute pointing device

System > Processor:

• Processor(s): 1
  Execution Cap: 100%
  Extended Features: [x] Enable PAE/NX

System > Acceleration:

• Hardware Virtualization:
  • [x] Enable VT-x/AMD-V
    [x] Enable Nested Paging

Display:

• Video Memory: 128 MB
  Monitor Count: 1
  Extended Features:
  • [x] Enable 3D Acceleration
    [ ] Enable 2D Video Acceleration

those specs look good to me (are similar to the ones i have in my setups )

prob. installing the guest additions?

Actually, I don't think I installed any guest additions. Is that a requirement?

It is a Windows host. The MATE vm runs without any problems, but maybe Cinnamon requires these guest additions?

cinnamon is more demanding regarding 3D acceleration than mate; i'm not saying that it will solve the issue tho

tdevine66 wrote:I followed the Ubuntu forumsto install Cinnamon (http://askubuntu.com/questions/104218/h ... virtualbox):
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:merlwiz79/cinnamon-ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon cinnamon-session cinnamon-settings

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

There's your problem, that's a terribly outdated Cinnamon repo. And if you're on Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon, you don't need to add a PPA, it comes with Cinnamon (clue is in the name).

Delete everything you've got, install Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon - don't add any repos. If you - then - don't boot into a Cinnamon session, you probably have a graphics card/driver not playing well with Cinnamon.

On Ubuntu or an Ubuntu derivative not Mint, this is the PPA to use: ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable

good catch bim
(i totally missed that)

Latest updates
gpaste 50 weeks ago
Successfully built

He really ought to delete the repo instead of keeping it afloat on Launchpad.

Okay, I created a brand new vm using the same specs that I posted earlier and used the Cinnamon iso that I downloaded from the Linux Mint page. I get a warning about 32 bit color vs 24 bit color. After I press OK it stalls at the splash screen and doesn't do anything else.

Have you enabled 3d acceleration in your box?

bimsebasse wrote:Have you enabled 3d acceleration in your box?

Yes, I have enabled 3D acceleration, but it doesn't seem to have helped.

Then Cinnamon just doesn't play well with your graphics card

Might be a solution for it but I can't help with that.