i printed out instructions for this at IT’S FOSS. i have backed up my personal dirs; then Timeshift… got: First run mode (config file not found)
Selected default snapshot type: RSYNC then 2 errors re (process:12281): Gtk-CRITICAL **: both failed + 3 more Gtk-Critical’s errors - 2 failed and 1 invalid. it did delete the 2 prev. timeshots, and all folders under TimeShift are now empty.
what comes up re Step 3 - re LightDM display manager - is /usr/bin/sddm not MDM or LightDM
so it seems i am already stuck on Steps 1 & 3.
my history of a first career as a programmer is long past - was only on mainframes - i went back to teaching math when PC’s arrived.
is there a disk i can purchase that steps me through the install? or do i do a fresh install of mint 19 or other???
thank you so much! sarah j
Hi @Sarah_J ,
I programmed on mainframes too.
It seems you are having difficulties with timeshift.
If you have backed up your personal data by some other means, why do you want timeshift backups?
If you just want to backup the old Linux version, just use clonezilla… it is easy, it will give you no trouble.
If you still dont have your personal files backed up, just use something simple like tar.
Your backups should be on an external disk… away from harm, not on the internal disk. Use a usb flash drive or an external hard disk.
When you are satisfied with your backups, you need to
download the new linux .iso file and put it on a usb flash drive or a dvd.
use gparted to reformat the internal disk
jnstall the new linux by booting from the usb flash drive or dvd.
If you are happy for the install to do the reformat, you can skip step 2. Just tell it to use the whole disk.
Then when the install completes, you can restore your personal files.
You cant buy install disks today. You have to download a .iso file. So do that before you destroy the old linux.
Hi @Sarah_J,
I used to program on mainframes long ago too.
I agree with almost everything @nevj said in his post. Very good info.
I used MInt 18, 19, 20, and just upgraded to MInt 21 last week.
Skip Mint 19 and install Mint 20 or 21. During the install process, you can allocated and format the partitions, you do not need to pre-format the disk before the install.
I like Timeshift for system backup and it has saved me a couple time. But I also perform Clonezilla backup at least once a month. I place Timeshift on it’s own partition.
Good Luck with your install and come back if you need some help.
Take Care,
Howard
thanks for your tip. i am reading…and waffling…now fresh install is more likely - and 21 s/b easier than 20? is my ASUS x555y from 2017 (it’s 1T big!) considered old/outdated?
i will try to find the mint 21 iso and read up…
also was not able to install LightDM (got: E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), is another process using it?) --how would i know?
also, as per the instructions for Mint 18.3 to mint 19, instead of my query coming back “/usr/sbin/mdm” mine came back “usr/bin/sddm” why not “sbin”?
yikes - i wouldn’t have to worry about any of this with a fresh install of mint 21, would i?
many thanks from sarah j
thanks for your tips. i am reading…and waffling…now fresh install is more likely - and 21 s/b easier than 20? is my ASUS x555y from 2017 (it’s 1T big!) considered old/outdated?
i will try to find the mint 21 iso and read up…
also was not able to install LightDM (got: E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), is another process using it?) --how would i know?
also, as per the instructions for Mint 18.3 to mint 19, instead of my query coming back “/usr/sbin/mdm” mine came back “usr/bin/sddm” why not “sbin”?
yikes - i wouldn’t have to worry about any of this with a fresh install of mint 21, would i?
many thanks from sarah j
this sounds good Neville!
thanks for your tip. i am reading…and waffling…now fresh install is more likely - and 21 s/b easier than 20? is my ASUS x555y from 2017 (it’s 1T big!) considered old/outdated?
i will try to find the mint 21 iso and read up…
also was not able to install LightDM (got: E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), is another process using it?) – how would i know?
also, as per the instructions for Mint 18.3 to mint 19, instead of my query coming back “/usr/sbin/mdm” mine came back “usr/bin/sddm” why not “sbin”?
yikes - i wouldn’t have to worry about any of this with a fresh install of mint 21, would i?
many thanks from sarah j
Hi Sarah,
Installing Mint 21 is very easy. I just did it a week ago. Could’ve upgraded from 20.3 using their new “upgrade tool” but I choosed not to. Even Clem (Mint developer) suggests a fresh install…that should tell you everything…
Here is a very good article, just about everything you want to know about Mint, written by Pjotr, a very old Mint lover:
He can also be found on Mint Forum if you need spec help.
Good luck and enjoy Mint!
Not really, not for Linux, my Mint is running great on an HP built in 2011
You mean 1 TB disk? Then I would suggest, leave your old Mint the way it is and install Mint 21 on a new partition. This way you have a good distro running until you are done with the new one. You can easily copy things over any time you want! You can just delete the old one when no longer needed.
I’m a retired vacuum tube engineer and hate fooling with computers. Plus, I’m cheap and lazy. Obviously I want to use Mint instead of Windows. Here’s my procedure:
Download the Ventoy app and install it on a flash drive.
Download a fresh ISO of Mint, Puppy (for those antique PCs), Pop!_OS for people who like the name, Ubuntu for people who think that’s the only Linux, and MX for people who like KDE.
Copy all of these ISOs to the Ventoy flash. No need to “burn” them, Ventoy does that for you.
Copy all the data off the subject PC to backup. Don’t bother archiving, zipping or any of that. Boring.
Make a list of apps you NEED to install. Leave off the ones you tried just for fun or haven’t used in 2 years. Also list the setups to your password manager, plugins for Firefox, and the touches that make you feel at /home.
Boot off the flash, and Ventoy gives you a menu of OSes to try, or install. Try first.
Install the one that works, and you like.
Copy your data back into /home, install your essential apps and setups, and get back to work. Keep the flash drive on your keychain for when you run across people who are curious about Linux.
thank you again - you and the intelligent dog! i am reading and doing some of the blog tips (on my current 18.3 mint) from the article - it’s good. yes 1 T disk - there are 277GiB free on the hard disk with root dir. i just tried to run timeshift but i don’t know how to direct output to that disk
say to tmp dir. can you tell me where/how to find that info? is it one of the sda#'s?
whoa! lots to absorb & research!
do you know - i read MATE is more stable than Cinnamon for Mint 21? and the Ventoy download doesn’t specify Linuz vs Windows - try another download source?
(the thought of being w/o computer for a day is ~horrifying - (not very phone-able here). i may need to find a back-up human on all this - my colleague in Maui who 1st got me set up on mint on my ASUS eee-PC is no longer available; & in 2017 in CA i bought a disk from a 1-man company - this man ended up working with me on the Mint 18.3 install on my new ASUS due to his disk having error(s) in it.) tmi? sorry, yet thanks for listening @nevj ! am i even replying properly? sarah
All desktops are quite stable. Dont worry about that
I have not used Ventoy, but I imagine you need a Linux version? It may be os independent, I dont know.
Getting some hands on help is a good idea.
You need to focus on getting a reliable backup, then doing a new install. Your personal files need to be backed up,on an external disk, safely outside the computer, before you attempt an install.
I am not sure timeshift is the best tool for you. Try something simpler.
If youndont have an external,disk, use a usb flash drive. format it to ext4, and copy all your personal files to it with cp. When done check that you can read it.
thank you @Col_Panek ! this is my template and i am proceeding apace.
can you clear up for me - since the install of LM21 will be from a plugged in flash drive, do i also need to be connected to the internet? does the iso go out to the web to get stuff/files? my wifi is waffly, so if i need the web i will have to work on that issue too! many many many thanks sarah
You can install just from the flash drive. But you won’t get the latest updates, and you may need a driver for something. Although it should work if the live version is good. Check the hash of the download before you run it; although I never bother any more (my internet is good). So you might be weeks out of date with the downloaded package, and to get up to date you’ll have hundreds of megs to download the first time. Or you can wait for later, or just do it piecemeal.