Firefox already running on startup. Reboot. Now blank screen

[MintUser19]

The Wife started the computer and went to open firefox (72.0.1). A message stated that firefox was already in use and instruction were to close it in order to start a new firefox use session. We couldn't see where it was open, so we restarted the computer as normal, but now only a blank screen comes up and nothing works. I was able to start in BIOS (F2) on initial power-on and placed the main HD at the top of the boot list (was USB because of the 19.3 install) yet that did not make any difference.

She used the computer yesterday and told me she had closed out everything (firefox) before shutting down. The last updates to 19.3 was on Saturday.
She has been using Linux Mint 19.3 for a couple of weeks now.

Any ideas why? My options?

Thank you

[gittiest personITW]

Don't know what the problem is but you will probably be able to fix it quite easily IF you have Timeshift enabled.
If you boot to your Live USB Mint again, then run Timeshift and RESTORE snapshot - choose one a few days ago.
Post back if that works or not.

[MintUser19]

Don't know what the problem is but you will probably be able to fix it quite easily IF you have Timeshift enabled.
If you boot to your Live USB Mint again, then run Timeshift and RESTORE snapshot - choose one a few days ago.
Post back if that works or not.

Hi, Thank you for your help. Fortunately I do have Timeshift enabled, I tired six different saved points but none worked. I also tried checking the box for Update initramfs (in the boot loader advance options) to see if that made any difference but it didn't. I also tried highlighting the files to restore, it didn't make a difference.
Thanks

[gittiest personITW]

Ok, it was worth a go.

You can try a 'system repair' also by booting into live disk and running the following command from terminal.

Code: Select all

fsck -y /dev/sdX

Where X=your system drive (most likely but not definitely, a )

[MintUser19]

Ok, it was worth a go.

You can try a 'system repair' also by booting into live disk and running the following command from terminal.

Code: Select all

fsck -y /dev/sdX

Where X=your system drive (most likely but not definitely, a )

Thanks, I did as you wrote and got a message that read 'permission denied while trying to open /dev/sda', and that I must have r/w access to the file system or be root.

Let me add; I changed to root user [sudo su] and typed the command, the results was
"/dev/sda is in use.
e2fsck: Cannot continue, aborting."

Thanks

[gittiest personITW]

Can you try the following commands and post back:

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sda 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdb 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdc 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdd 'print'

[MintUser19]

Can you try the following commands and post back:

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sda 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdb 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdc 'print'

Code: Select all

parted /dev/sdd 'print'

Thanks for your reply.
Those got me "Error: Could not stat device /dev/sva [b,c,d] - No such file or directory." for all those drives.

Let me add that is with the user = root@mint:/home/mint# from the USB
Thanks

[gittiest personITW]

OK, we'll try this which I maybe should have said right at the start - my bad:

Code: Select all

sudo parted -l

[MintUser19]

OK, we'll try this which I maybe should have said right at the start - my bad:

Code: Select all

sudo parted -l

Ok, thanks. I got

Code: Select all

parted: invalid option -- '1'
Usage: parted [-hlmsv] [-a<alighn>] [DEVICE [COMAND [PARAMETERS]]...]

Thanks

[gittiest personITW]

It's a small L after 'parted' - not a 1 (one)

[MintUser19]

It's a small L after 'parted' - not a 1 (one)

OK, here is the results:

Code: Select all

Model: ATA Samsung SSD 860 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical):  512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number   Start       End        Size        Type         File system   Flags
1             1049kb    500GB    500GB    primary                         boot, lvm

Warning: The driver descriptor says the physical block size is 2048 bytes, but
Linux says it is 512 bytes.
Ignore/Cancel?

Thanks

[gittiest personITW]

Next one:

Code: Select all

sudo blkid 

BLKID in little letters
I'm fearing that the drive is NTFS or exFAT

[MintUser19]

Next one:

Code: Select all

sudo blkid 

BLKID in little letters
I'm fearing that the drive is NTFS or exFAT

OK, here it is (I left out the UUID characters, if needed I can type them in):

Code: Select all

/dev/loop0: Type="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: UUID="[...]" TYPE="LVM2_member"  PARTUUID="96faa485-01" 
/dev/sdb1: UUID="[...]" TYPE="Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="1dda4ac4-01" 
/dev/sdb2: SEC_TYPE="msdos" UUID="[...]" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="1dda4ac4-02" 
/dev/mapper/mint - -vg-root:  UUID=[...]" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/mapper/mint - -dv-swap_l:  UUID="[...]" TYPE="swap"

Thanks

Update: Should the sda1 be type=ext4 instead of type=LVM2_member?

[gittiest personITW]

That I don't know what to do with or how to fix. It might be worth waiting for someone else more knowledgeable in Linux to come forward.

When you installed LM originally, did you use the 'standard' way or 'Another' way - as in extra partitions, encryption etc?

Also, when the computer was shut down that caused the problem in the first place, was it powered off or reset, or shutdown properly?
That can cause probs if not shut down properly.

If no one gets back to you, I'd get whatever data you need off the computer, then start from scratch doing a standard installation. Put it down to a learning experience.
Then, follow these instructions to start off with a lean machine .......
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/2.html

[pbear]

Code: Select all

Number   Start       End        Size        Type         File system   Flags
1             1049kb    500GB    500GB    primary                         boot, lvm

Did you select logical volume management at installation? If so, why?

For reference, we're talking about a screen which would have looked something like this:



FYI, from a quick search, repairing LVM looks like a nightmare. So, probably you're looking at re-installation and the main point of my question becomes whether to do LVM again (assuming you did it on purpose the first time).

[MintUser19]

That I don't know what to do with or how to fix. It might be worth waiting for someone else more knowledgeable in Linux to come forward.

When you installed LM originally, did you use the 'standard' way or 'Another' way - as in extra partitions, encryption etc?

Also, when the computer was shut down that caused the problem in the first place, was it powered off or reset, or shutdown properly?
That can cause probs if not shut down properly.

If no one gets back to you, I'd get whatever data you need off the computer, then start from scratch doing a standard installation. Put it down to a learning experience.
Then, follow these instructions to start off with a lean machine .......
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/p/2.html

Thanks for your reply and the link. I don't remember in detail how I last installed Mint. The first install (19.1) there were issues as I posted here: viewtopic.php?t=308217 The second install was with a new download ISO 19.3, I choose 'Encrypt the new Linux Mint installation for security' with a long key, but then every time I turned on the computer I had to type in this long key. As the computer never leaves the house, I figured that was not a good option, so then I reinstalled the ISO without that feature. I followed instructions from some website or youtube video or may just clicked on the options that seemed like the best choice. Perhaps I choose LVM, if I did it would have been because of the message: "It allows taking snapshots..." which I would have taken to mean that it would be easier to restore.
Thanks

[MintUser19]

Code: Select all

Number   Start       End        Size        Type         File system   Flags
1             1049kb    500GB    500GB    primary                         boot, lvm

Did you select logical volume management at installation? If so, why?

For reference, we're talking about a screen which would have looked something like this:



FYI, from a quick search, repairing LVM looks like a nightmare. So, probably you're looking at re-installation and the main point of my question becomes whether to do LVM again (assuming you did it on purpose the first time).

Hi and thank you for your reply. To answer, I don't know remember for sure if I choose LVM. If I did it was probably because of the message displayed "It allows taking snapshots..." which I would have taken to mean that it would be easier to restore.

If I didn't choose LVM, could someone hacked my computer and created a new space/partition or? etc. to capture/view/interact with the system? why is it labeled LVM_2?

Also thank you for the link, your advice to re-install 19.3 seems like my best option.
Thank you

[pbear]

I'm as certain as it's possible to be that this wasn't a hacker. You did it, either on purpose or inadvertently. Anyhoo, reinstall will be the quickest and surest solution. Of course, don't select LVM this time. Do backups by other means.

[MintUser19]

OK, thanks. Went through the re-install process.

Now to find out why the blank screen after rebooting when firefox wouldn't close, any idea why?

[gittiest personITW]

OK, thanks. Went through the re-install process.

Now to find out why the blank screen after rebooting when firefox wouldn't close, any idea why?

Also, when the computer was shut down that caused the problem in the first place, was it powered off or reset, or shutdown properly?
That can cause probs if not shut down properly.

Or, just bad luck. Sh1t happens