[HLUG] Linux Ubuntu help ?

[Steve Horsfield]

I use Chrome all the time, because it works. Mint has just downloaded a new
version this morning. It looks to me as if the support has been withdrawn
for 32 bit linux.

Steve Horsfield

On 26 May 2016 at 11:34, Ann Tether via Herefordshire <
herefordshire at mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote:

> Chrome has withdrawn support for Linux, I wouldn't use it if I were you,
> stick to Firefox or look at Palemoon or Firefox Light, they may well be in
> synaptic. Which desktop environment are you using?
>
> Not too sure the syntax in Ubuntu as I use an Arch based system..  I am
> guessing that all your history and cache has been cleaned out so that is
> why all your bookmarks have gone, I know it is a pain but sometimes it is
> best to start with a clean installation.
>
> Hopefully someone can help you with the command prompt.
>
> Ann
>
>
>
>
> On 26/05/16 05:49, Alex at Conceits via Herefordshire wrote:
>
>> I don't think it has done any updates. The updates I found on the main
>> menu
>> only gave me the option to check every day which is ticked, but no
>> updating
>> went to find itself.
>> Also, oddly, all my bookmarks are gone, I found a message yesterday on
>> Chrome but it soon disappeared and now no option to find them again.
>> Firefox ones have gone but I was warned of that.. Any clue how to get
>> Chrome 's bookmarks again?
>>
>> And what shall I do about those not-updates?
>>
>> Thanks and good day to you,
>> Alexandra
>>
>> On 25 May 2016 at 22:48, <brightfield at runbox.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>>
>>> It was a pleasure.
>>>
>>> You connected via the wifi to the internet.? A fresh install often comes
>>> up with different problem messages, but once all the updates have been
>>> done
>>> and the computer rebooted all should be fine.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Charlie.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.
>>>    Original Message
>>> From: Alex at Conceits via Herefordshire
>>> Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2016 22:22
>>> To: Julian Robbins
>>> Reply To: Alex at Conceits
>>> Cc: Herefordshire Linux and Open Source Users Group
>>> Subject: Re: [HLUG] Linux Ubuntu help ?
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>> thank you for all the help tonight!
>>> I am home and turned the computer on, but the update widget on the left
>>> has
>>> not come up and is nowhere to be seen, so I went to that start menu to
>>> try
>>> and find the updates page, it is configuring what it needs now, it also
>>> said it needed the internet to finish some packaged installed earlier and
>>> so something was missing, so hopefully it will notice the internet is on
>>> and go and find its missing bit itself...
>>>
>>> Nice to meet you all and I will be back shortly with some questions I am
>>> sure!!
>>>
>>> Alexandra
>>>
>>> On 21 May 2016 at 10:47, Julian Robbins <joolsr1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> On 19 May 2016 at 17:15, Alex at Conceits via Herefordshire <
>>>> herefordshire at mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> So, this is why I am here: I love the concept of Linux even if I don't
>>>>> understand it, and I am hoping to sort out the laptop out, slowly.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello Again Alexandra
>>>>
>>>> It has Ubuntu with Linux, 3.2.0.40 Generic on it, and has developed
>>>>> problems after about 5 months of it being installed. It started not
>>>>>
>>>> being
>>>
>>>> able to access certain folders, the window would try and load and then
>>>>>
>>>> go
>>>
>>>> blank and would have to be closed again, sometimes I would have to
>>>>>
>>>> rashly
>>>
>>>> press the on and off switch of the laptop, to defrost it.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Firstly, this must Linux 12.04 you have or Precvise Penguin as it is
>>>> nicknamed. This still supported but not for much longer. There are two
>>>> newer main versions (LTS) version since then.
>>>>
>>>> If it appeasr that its better to upgrade or reinstall then using the
>>>> latest version of Ubuntu 16.04 (or one of its variants) is the way to
>>>> go.
>>>>
>>>> Then, the laptop started making a lot of fan noise, as if it was taking
>>>>>
>>>> a
>>>
>>>> lot of effort processing something. As I am typing now, there is no fan
>>>>> noise,which is very odd - perhaps it is healing itself with the fear of
>>>>> being sorted out!! (just like going to the doctor is sometimes enough
>>>>>
>>>> for
>>>
>>>> the symptoms to suddenly disappear!!)
>>>>>
>>>>> laptops are designed to speed up and down. if the processopr is working
>>>> heard it will make the fan work harder to cool it down. But earlier
>>>> versions of Linux werent so good at doing this, and your version is 4
>>>>
>>> years
>>>
>>>> old now. A newer version may well cure the problem.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Now, this laptop has also Windows 7 on it - and I would quite like to
>>>>>
>>>> keep
>>>
>>>> that for emergency (I never use it but once when Ubuntu couldn't work
>>>>>
>>>> out
>>>
>>>> where the WIfi was, I switched the laptop to the other side and that
>>>>>
>>>> found
>>>
>>>> the Wifi, and when I went back to Ubuntu (because I really don't like
>>>>> using
>>>>> Windows 7) to use the internet, it had found the Wifi again.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ah, I can answer this one for you I think. Wifi drivers are far better
>>>>
>>> now
>>>
>>>> than they were 4 years ago too. back then some were occasionally a
>>>> little
>>>> flakey due to not very good support from the makers of the wifi
>>>> chipsets.
>>>> This has more or less disappeared now. The reason why your wifi worked
>>>> after booting into Win 7 was that it loaded the drivers in windows, then
>>>>
>>> if
>>>
>>>> you just do a reboot rather than a power off and on, the drivers for the
>>>> firmware are still resident and Ubuntu can access these drivers that it
>>>>
>>> may
>>>
>>>> not ahve been able to access before and thus work. Thats the simple
>>>> explanation ;-)
>>>>
>>>> i have lived with this laptop problem for the last 3 years (and the
>>>>> browsers being out of date not allowing me to watch videos, Ebay
>>>>> windows
>>>>> crashing, and the bank page complaining my browsers were too old and
>>>>> sometimes not letting me logging in) so I decided to take the courage
>>>>> to
>>>>> look into it (and it takes courage!!); a few months ago, bought a
>>>>>
>>>> version
>>>
>>>> of Ubuntu on Ebay, and when I asked for some advice on how to install
>>>>>
>>>> it,
>>>
>>>> they just pointed me to some web page I didn't understand, so as I was
>>>>> too
>>>>> scared, I left it as it was. A slow working computer is better than no
>>>>> computer at all.
>>>>>
>>>>> Linux still has a number of very helpful but quite 'geeky' computer
>>>> aficionados that want to really help, but just end up talking at a
>>>> higher
>>>> level than some may understand. Its teh same for Windows at an extent
>>>>
>>> too,
>>>
>>>> but far more so for Linux. Thats why the guide you need and there are
>>>>
>>> some
>>>
>>>> really good beginners linux ones are out there. Edgy is still a really
>>>>
>>> old
>>>
>>>> version really. Always best to go for the latest LTS (long term support)
>>>>
>>> on
>>>
>>>> Ubuntu as this is supported with updates for 5 years.
>>>>
>>>> A few days ago, I looked into it again - and got some advice from the
>>>>> online Ubuntu forum which is where someone suggested I got in touch
>>>>> with
>>>>> you, as being local. They were helpful but I really didn't understand
>>>>> much
>>>>> of the words/jargon they were using. I tried typing in magic formulas
>>>>> in
>>>>> the "terminal" (whatever that is, I found where it was but I have
>>>>> forgotten
>>>>> already) and nothing happened. I also don't have the password nor
>>>>>
>>>> username
>>>
>>>> for the computer so couldn't find out what is wrong with it.
>>>>>
>>>>> The terminal is very useful to really get to grips with a computer. But
>>>> its far more useful to actually see what the responses are to what you
>>>>
>>> type
>>>
>>>> in, its harder to do this, via aweb forum. Still often it can give many
>>>> clues as to whats happening.
>>>>
>>>> As I contacted the Hereford group, Kevin then Julian replied and Kevin
>>>>>
>>>> has
>>>
>>>> also given me some advice. I have done it my first job of attempting to
>>>>> back up the files that it wouldn't let me open, in the past; oddly, it
>>>>>
>>>> has
>>>
>>>> worked, even though extremely slowly; the documents and photos I need on
>>>>> this laptop are now all saved.
>>>>>
>>>>> Good.
>>>>
>>>> Now, I can either go and do an install etc, though before doing so, I
>>>>> would rather like to understand what do I do regarding the web
>>>>> browsers,
>>>>> as
>>>>> when my computer is all set up again, if there are no browsers on it,
>>>>>
>>>> how
>>>
>>>> will i get online to download some browsers... ? And how do I do an
>>>>> install whilst keeping that Window 7 software? And how do I set up the
>>>>> Adobe reader thing? And the Libre Office writer?
>>>>>
>>>>> If you install or upgrade Ubuntu (or any desktop version of Linux)
>>>> there
>>>> will always be a browser installed. That said you can install software
>>>> from the terminal too if you require but this shouldnt be necessary.
>>>>
>>>> Installing Ubuntu alongside Win 7, is not difficult its quite easy
>>>>
>>> really.
>>>
>>>> Unfortunately installing Linux alongside Win 8, or 10 is harder than it
>>>> used to be due to a number of changes to the BIOS such as UEFI and
>>>> secure
>>>> boot. Its still not too difficult but can go wrong a little bit more
>>>>
>>> often
>>>
>>>> than it used to. The thing with Linux is you can almost always fix any
>>>> problem with a linux pc assuming enough help or experience which you
>>>> cant
>>>> so readily with windows, where fairly often it is easier and sometimes
>>>>
>>> then
>>>
>>>> only route forward is to reinstall.
>>>>
>>>> And which version to download of Linux? What is an LTS version? Is it
>>>>> Ubuntu or Linux and is it recommendable? Should I need Xubuntu for
>>>>> extra
>>>>> speed?(can my computer handle something like that?) Or an Ubuntu 14.04
>>>>>
>>>> or
>>>
>>>> 16.04?
>>>>> The specifications for my computer are
>>>>> https://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-specs/VPCYB3V1E/list
>>>>>
>>>>> I would go for 16.04, but may be one of the lighter variants of Ubuntu.
>>>> Ubuntu mate or Xubuntu may be good choices as they are Ubuntu but
>>>>
>>> designed
>>>
>>>> to use lighter libraries and desktops so your machine will feel faster.
>>>>
>>> You
>>>
>>>> have 4GB ram which helps a lot. One thing is that you have an AMD Radeon
>>>> graphics driver. Without getting into the technical stuff, theres been
>>>>
>>> some
>>>
>>>> changes recently and AMD are now supporting the open source driver
>>>> rather
>>>> than their own older proprietary driver. Ubuntui has decided to only
>>>>
>>> allow
>>>
>>>> the new AMD open source driver now . This shouldnt make any difference
>>>> unless you are a gamer but may be useful for others reading this, ie
>>>> apparently you can no longer even attempt to install fglrx driver here
>>>>
>>> with
>>>
>>>> 16.04
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I would be very grateful for some help, to understand Linux a bit
>>>>> better
>>>>> too. Just to become knowledgeable enough so to be able to solve small
>>>>> problems. Now the question is, could I come to the meeting (I
>>>>> understand
>>>>> it
>>>>> is next week) and bring my laptop, or are your meetings only for a
>>>>> drink
>>>>> and a chat about general things as you might not want to nor be able to
>>>>> look at computers there for help?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> I'm sure we can help on Wednesday and on here,. On Wednesday please do
>>>>
>>> say
>>>
>>>> if you don't understand though and we can take it back a step.
>>>>
>>>> I'm sure others will have their own helpful suggestions. Look forward to
>>>> meeting you on Wednesday.
>>>>
>>>> Julian
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance,
>>>>>
>>>>> Alexandra
>>>>>
>>>>> PS: I will do things slowly, as I don't want to be overwhelmed with it
>>>>>
>>>> all
>>>
>>>> and make mistakes. I might not reply for a day or so due to working, but
>>>>> will think about it and then attempt one thing at the time so thank you
>>>>> too
>>>>> for your patience!
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Herefordshire LUG mailing list
>>>>> Web: http://www.herefordshire.lug.org.uk
>>>>> List: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/herefordshire
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
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>>> List: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/herefordshire
>>>
>>>
>
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