[Solved]A few questions after install of 18.3 Mate 64bit

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

I very recently installed Linux Mint 18.3 Mate 64bit on a Dell laptop and have been following the '10 things to do first in Linux Mint 18.3 Mate'
I have a few questions:

I've watched videos on youtube and read articles about cleaning up old kernels, but I still don't understand what I am doing and don't want to do anything wrong.
I installed the latest kernel (4.4.0-116) and booted from it from the grub menu so I should be running 4.4.0-116. I don't know if I am or not.
How do I go about removing kernels that are not needed anymore?
I will need step by step instructions as I am very new to Linux.

When clicking the 'menu' button the words are small. Can I adjust them so that they are slightly bigger on my screen?

When scrolling using the Firefox browser it is not completely smooth. It's not really bad (I can live with it) but I'm wondering if a setting can be changed to make it completely smooth?

I would like to install a second simple browser but one which is updated regularly, in case Firefox stops working for whatever reason, but I would like one which will update using the 'Update Manager'.
I was thinking of Palemoon?

Thanks

Code: Select all

Kernel: 4.13.0-37-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: MATE 1.18.0 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Dell product: XPS M1530
           Mobo: Dell model: N/A Bios: Dell v: A12 date: 11/19/2008
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core2 Duo T7250 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 7979
           clock speeds: max: 2001 MHz 1: 1200 MHz 2: 1200 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G84M [GeForce 8600M GT] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1680x1050@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce 8600M GT/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.104 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-37-generic
Network:   Card-1: Marvell 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
           driver: sky2 v: 1.30 port: de00 bus-ID: 09:00.0
           IF: enp9s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN [Kedron] Network Connection
           driver: iwl4965 v: in-tree: bus-ID: 0b:00.0
           IF: wlp11s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (4.0% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD2500BEVS size: 250.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 228G used: 7.5G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.14GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 58.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:65C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 149 Uptime: 1:30 Memory: 1164.3/1992.6MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

[xenopeek]

How do I go about removing kernels that are not needed anymore?
I will need step by step instructions as I am very new to Linux.

In Update Manager (the shield icon in the lower right of the screen, or find it in your menu) open the View menu and select Linux kernels. Here you can see all installed, active and available kernels. Installed but not active kernels you can uninstall. It's recommend to leave your previous kernel installed until you install another kernel. So you always have one "spare" kernel installed that you know worked correctly, that you can fall back on if needed.

While you're at it I recommend you use the Timeshift program in your menu to set up it taking snapshots of your operating system for you. So that if some upgrade you installed caused problems you can easily revert it with Timeshift.

When clicking the 'menu' button the words are small. Can I adjust them so that they are slightly bigger on my screen?

I don't think you can change just the size of text in the menu (without editing its code). You can open Control Center from your menu, open Appearance there under the Look and Feel category, go to the Fonts tab and click on Details and increase dots per inch resolution there to make all the text bigger.

When scrolling using the Firefox browser it is not completely smooth. It's not really bad (I can live with it) but I'm wondering if a setting can be changed to make it completely smooth?

You may try the following. Open Firefox Preferences and scroll down till you get to the Browsing category. Confirm that "Use smooth scrolling" is enabled (ticked) there. If that is already the case, scroll shortly up to the Performance category and disabled (untick) "Use recommended performance settings". More options should then appear underneath it. Is "Use hardware acceleration when available" enabled already in those options? If so, try disabling it and restart Firefox to see if this makes as difference.

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

I've just checked again, and yes I am running 4.4.0-116

@Xenopeek: I'm still not too sure about which kernels to delete (there are so many of them).
There are five fonts I can change but I'm not sure what each of them do:
Application
Document
Desktop
Window Title
Fixed Width

I will have a look at the settings you mention for Firefox another day (don't have time at the moment). Thanks anyway.

[xenopeek]

There are a lot of available kernels, yes. But how many show as installed? Like your active kernel version says "Active" on its line, installed but not active kernels says "Installed" on their line. Clicking those will give you the option to remove them.

As for the fonts, you're not at the right place yet. Where you see the list of font choices for Application, Document, Desktop, Window Title and Fixed Width you should click on the Details button in the lower right and there increase the resolution dots per inch.

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

There are a lot of available kernels, yes. But how many show as installed? Like your active kernel version says "Active" on its line, installed but not active kernels says "Installed" on their line. Clicking those will give you the option to remove them.

As for the fonts, you're not at the right place yet. Where you see the list of font choices for Application, Document, Desktop, Window Title and Fixed Width you should click on the Details button in the lower right and there increase the resolution dots per inch.

The fonts look a lot better now now that I have increased them. Thanks for the help on that.
Timeshift: I've set it up but wasn't too sure what the best option would be for 'snapshot level' as a casual user?

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

I've installed Chromium as a second browser.

4.4.0-116 does not seem to be booting at startup, even though I picked it from the grub menu?
4.13.0-37-generic is running.

Concerning the removal of old kernels. This is what is showing on my system:

Screenshot at 2018-04-04 16-59-38.png

[xenopeek]

If you're currently using 4.13.0-37 kernel and everything works, I wouldn't downgrade to the 4.4 kernel. In case you misunderstood how kernel versions work; 4.4 is a lower version number than 4.13. Both are major version 4 with their minor version numbers being 4 and 13 respectively.

I would remove the 4.4 kernel. Also check the 4.10 and 4.13 kernels in the left sidebar of your screenshot, I think you'll find there is at least a 4.10 kernel you can now remove if not also an older 4.13 kernel.

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

If you're currently using 4.13.0-37 kernel and everything works, I wouldn't downgrade to the 4.4 kernel. In case you misunderstood how kernel versions work; 4.4 is a lower version number than 4.13. Both are major version 4 with their minor version numbers being 4 and 13 respectively.

I would remove the 4.4 kernel. Also check the 4.10 and 4.13 kernels in the left sidebar of your screenshot, I think you'll find there is at least a 4.10 kernel you can now remove if not also an older 4.13 kernel.

As you might have guessed, I didn't have a clue how the kernel versions worked

I've noticed that there is an update for the latest kernel. I've read that for a new user to Linux it is best not to install them straight away in case it messes up my system?
What would be the best thing to do? I notice there is an 'ignore updates for this package' option aswell.

[xenopeek]

With Timeshift set up, there's no reason not to install all available security updates in a timely manner. If something doesn't work right for you, Timeshift will let you easily roll back to an earlier dated snapshot of your operating system. While the chance of needing this option is small, it will be handy to keep the Linux Mint 18.3 installation DVD or USB thumb drive. In case of problems after an update you can just boot from that, start Timeshift from there, and easily use it to roll back the operating system upgrades.

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

Thanks to you it's making a lot more sense now.

Last couple of questions:

Timeshift - I want to know that the settings I have set are right. Concerning the 'snapshot level'. I have set it to 'boot' but perhaps that is not the best option?

I have a level 4 update appear 4.4.0-119.143 which I was surprised to see as I don't have any 4.4 kernels installed? I removed 4.4.0-116

Thanks again for your patience and help.

[xenopeek]

I'm trying to figure out where snapshot level is in Timeshift. Can you share a screenshot? If you meant location, it should be set to your largest Linux disk partition.

As to the level 4 update that is somewhat common for the Linux kernel. Various additional packages are built from the source code of the Linux kernel. Like some additional tools. Not for all of these packages is it needed to have the latest version so some of them may only be built from the 4.4 kernel release instead of from the latest (for you 4.13) kernel release. It's safe to apply the upgrade. If you click it and look down in Update Manager bottom to the description box you can see what packages are actually in the update at the end of that.

And you're welcome

[Cosmo.]

Concerning the 'snapshot level'. I have set it to 'boot' but perhaps that is not the best option?

There is nothing like a snapshot level. What you obviously mean is the schedule settings in TimeShift (TS).

It is not possible, what is generally the best. There are users, who boot their system very seldom. For those users the boot schedule is not good as TS would create a snapshot only after a long period of days. Other users, like me, boot the system every day. In this case you would get one snapshot per day. Using the daily schedule would do more or less the same. Then there are people, who boot multiple times per day, e. g. if they have a multiboot system and switch the system several times. Those users would get with the boot schedule multiple snapshots per day; this is not bad per se, but it does also not help much. Without special need I recommend to stay with the default daily schedule option.

One tip besides that: It is possible, that you cannot use TS from inside of your system to revert to the previous state. In this case this can be done from the live system. So keep the live system of Mint 18.3 at hand, which has TS already installed, so that you can immediately use it, if this should be needed.

[Ohm Sweet Ohm]

Thanks to the two latest replies.
Linux Mint 18.3 Mate 64bit is now setup as I want it.
Thank you again.