Installation Repair

[Gandalf the White]

Is it possible to repair an installation of LinuxMint O/S, or do you have reinstall the O/S?

Thanks

[DataMan]

You'll need to be a bit more specific. What constitutes a repair? How far are you into the installation?

-DataMan

[Gandalf the White]

You'll need to be a bit more specific. What constitutes a repair? How far are you into the installation?

-DataMan

I think it was as a result of an update or an upgrade. After rebooting, the Cinnamon Desktop was gone, if that is the correct terminology. Instead of the typical look of Cinnamon, now I have what looks like two panels. One at the top and one at the bottom of the monitor. At the upper left corner it reads Applications then Places.

I tried to reinstall Cinnamon via the Synaptic Manager. By searching for Cinnamon, six packages appear. I click on them to generate a re-installation of the six packages. Unfortunately, after rebooting, nothing had changed.

I'm running out of ideas. Being new with Linux to begin with, I'm just a bit out of my league.

[zerozero]

what you are describing is fallback mode (usually a result of broken graphics cards drivers)
open a terminal and post back the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -Gx

[Gandalf the White]

what you are describing is fallback mode (usually a result of broken graphics cards drivers)
open a terminal and post back the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -Gx

inxi -Gx

Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RS690M [Radeon X1200 Series] bus-ID: 01:05.0
X.Org: 1.11.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1440x900@60.0hz
GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A

[usbtux]

Have you just installed/ uninstalled a graphics driver (Radeon maybe) - I had exactly the same problem yesterday, just after updating.
Oh I see it is a Radeon...

But I had a backup previous to the graphic driver install so every thing is good now.

[Gandalf the White]

Have you just installed/ uninstalled a graphics driver (Radeon maybe) - I had exactly the same problem yesterday, just after updating.
Oh I see it is a Radeon...

But I had a backup previous to the graphic driver install so every thing is good now.

I'm happy for you, but how do I fix my problem?

[CtrlAltDel]

Yes, Gandalf, it's possible to do a repair install. I'm not sure what the issue is that you are having or how to fix it; there may be an easier way but, I can't comment on that because I don't know.

But, I can help you with a repair install. Basically, you use your installation disk and go back through the whole routine of reinstalling your OS BUT, do not change anything or make anything at all different than what it was when you originally installed it.

Don't format the partitions, don't change the size of the partitions, don't change anything. Just reinstall and do every single thing just as you did when you first installed. Even the name of the computer that you entered in during the original installation has to be the same.

Here are some more instructions that you need to read also. Follow the link:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=46998

I followed this procedure one time when I had issues with my repositories and software manager and it fixed them right up and didn't harm my installation at all. It didn't affect anything, really, it just fixed what was wrong.

[Gandalf the White]

Which Installation type do I select? I know the middle one is out.

[CtrlAltDel]

Which Installation type do I select? I know the middle one is out.

Gandalf, I'll try to walk you through it step by step if you agree to come back and let us know if it worked or not. I'll be going to sleep after this post though, so if you need anymore help I probably won't be back 'till tomorrow late.

From the beginning:

Install installation disk
Click on Install Linux Mint icon
Select Language
Select Continue on next dialog box
After this, you will select Something Else

Now you will see your previous partitions as you had them set up originally. You have to manually select each partition and redo it exactly how it was the first time.

You will click on a partition and then select change and another dialog box will appear.

In this box, for each individual partition, you will leave Partition Size alone. You don't want to change the size of the partitions.

In the Use As box, you choose the exact same type of partition as you used for that particular partition originally. For instance, if you click on your boot partition, you will again want to designate it as a boot partition. You have to redo it, you can't just leave it alone, you have to redo it again and designate it again as the boot partition.

For your ext.4 partitions, you have to make them ext. 4 again. Same for swap if you have one. You have to redo it and make it swap again.

DO NOT FORMAT ANY OF THEM! Recheck each one as you are doing them and make sure have not selected the format box by accident.

The mount points for each partition must also be the same. You will have to select /boot for your original boot file, /home for your original home, etc...

At the bottom of each dialog box will be a text input box that says (Device for Boot Loader Installation). This should already be correct and you should not have to change it on any of the partitions so don't be confused by that.

After you've redone each partition this way, you hit next or continue, I can't remember which.

Then you will proceed to entering in your name. Make sure it is just the same. Check your computer now, before you Repair Install, and see the exact case of your home folder name and the exact name so you can enter it in when the time comes. For instance, if your home folder name is John with a capital J, you would want to enter in the name of the computer as John with a capital J again.

Something that may really help before you get started would be to copy down your directory and types and devices on a piece of paper from the System Monitor. That way, when you get in there doing it, you will be able to know just how you had it set up the first time.

See my System monitor here:

[usbtux]

http://youtu.be/kBrRL6iG0NM using the installer (ubiquity) after setting up your partitions. Or installing over an existing install partitions.
As CtrlAltDel pointed out do not format your partitions.

My original post pointed to the necessity to backup your system. Doesn't help you now, but its all a learning process.

[CtrlAltDel]

http://youtu.be/kBrRL6iG0NM using the installer (ubiquity) after setting up your partitions. Or installing over an existing install partitions.
As CtrlAltDel pointed out do not format your partitions.

My original post pointed to the necessity to backup your system. Doesn't help you now, but its all a learning process.

Nice tutorials and a nice site, usbtux. Well done.