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Thread: Linux (Ubuntu, etc)

  1. #21
    Subaru Unimpreza SportWagon's Avatar
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    Well. that's probably because what I thought had happened had not happened.

    Ubuntu likes to designate a too-small dedicated /boot partition which it then fills with kernels. (Or at one point it started doing this, in any case).

    So it can quite quickly get a system to the state where there is no room for new kernels, even though there's plenty of room for updates, causing needless effective wastage of space (and an inability to apply new updates) as the kernel updates artificially exhaust the space on the small dedicated /boot partition.

    But it looks like that actually was not the problem in this case.

    54G should be enough room for lots of kernel updates.

    Code:
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ df -h /boot /
    Filesystem                 Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
    /dev/sda1                  134M   68M   57M  55% /boot
    /dev/mapper/CAC_VG-CAC_LV   38G   11G   26G  30% /
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$
    And now, after a kernel update has been applied...
    Code:
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ df -h /boot /
    Filesystem                 Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
    /dev/sda1                  134M   97M   28M  79% /boot
    /dev/mapper/CAC_VG-CAC_LV   38G   11G   25G  31% /
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$
    Note that /boot says "79%" (with 3 alternate kernels).
    One more (new/alternate kernel) would fill that partition up, breaking the update partway through. This has happened to me on this system.

    Sigh...
    Code:
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
    [sudo] password for sportwagon: 
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree       
    Reading state information... Done
    The following packages will be REMOVED:
      linux-headers-3.13.0-77 linux-headers-3.13.0-77-generic
      linux-image-3.13.0-77-generic linux-image-extra-3.13.0-77-generic
    0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 4 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
    After this operation, 271 MB disk space will be freed.
    Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
    (Reading database ... 116716 files and directories currently installed.)
    Removing linux-headers-3.13.0-77-generic (3.13.0-77.121) ...
    Removing linux-headers-3.13.0-77 (3.13.0-77.121) ...
    Removing linux-image-extra-3.13.0-77-generic (3.13.0-77.121) ...
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-77-generic
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    Generating grub configuration file ...
    Generating grub configuration file ...
    Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-83-generic
    Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-83-generic
    Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-79-generic
    Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-79-generic
    Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-77-generic
    Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf
    Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin
    done
    Removing linux-image-3.13.0-77-generic (3.13.0-77.121) ...
    Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-77-generic
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.13.0-77-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-77-generic
    Generating grub configuration file ...
    Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-83-generic
    Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-83-generic
    Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-79-generic
    Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-79-generic
    Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf
    Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin
    done
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ df -h /boot /
    Filesystem                 Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
    /dev/sda1                  134M   68M   57M  55% /boot
    /dev/mapper/CAC_VG-CAC_LV   38G   11G   26G  30% /
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ 
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ sync
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ sync
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ sync
    sportwagon@ubuntu:~$ sudo reboot
    In summary, you are not exhibiting the problem I referred to.
    Though my cloud server (above) still is.

    It's not impossible that they changed the default filesystem layout between the two times you did your installation.

    The reason for creating the condition is to arrange that your kernels can be on a bootable filesystem while most of your software and other files (root filesystem) is on a spiffy new filesystem from which you cannot boot. For most users the spiffiiness of the new filesystem does not justify the inconvenience in applying updates. (Though, in reality, you only very rarely need more than one backup version of kernel, so the encouraged "good housekeeping" is overall not a bad thing).
    Last edited by SportWagon; March 15th, 2016 at 06:15 AM.

  2. #22
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Thanks SportWagon! I appreciate you taking the time to help.

    I finally sat down to try to resolve my problems and found the answers just about immediately via google results. I had two problems.

    1. The Ubuntu Software Center wouldn't launch completely. It would just about get there, and then disappear. I solved that my copying and pasting this into the Terminal - which I now know now to launch. Yay!

    sudo apt-get remove software-center

    And then...

    sudo apt-get update

    sudo apt-get install software-center

    2. I used to get a pop up window just about daily asking if I'd like to download updates. A few months ago, those stopped. The only thing I noticed is when I'd load a page that had videos on it, such as the "What Are You Listening To" thread in the Pit Stop, I would have to "Allow" each one in order to view it. That wasn't a problem, really, since it let pages load quickly and then I could decide what to allow, but it told me something wasn't right.

    Simply running

    sudo apt-get update

    solved that problem. The computer is now getting those frequent updates, and as far as I know, all is as it should be on this old laptop.

    Thanks again for the advice and attempts to assist. Much appreciated.

  3. #23
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Speaking of old laptops, my parents gave me their Hewlett Packard Compaq 8510p laptop to perhaps fix or recycle for them if it's time to play Taps. About all I know about it is there's a sticker on it saying "Intel Centrino vpro inside" and it was running Windows 7, and apparently without problems until it stopped turning on. They said there used to be a light on the front edge, sort of where you rest your palms while typing, when it was plugged in (which was always - they didn't carry the laptop around to different places). Now there are no lights. Thinking it might be the power supply, I plugged in a Dell power supply, which to my surprise, has the same sized...um...thing...that plugs into the laptop for AC power. No luck, and I know for sure the Dell power supply works, both from seeing a green light on the big blocky part in the middle, and also because it powers my Ubuntu Dell laptop.

    There's a used PC shop nearby that I trust. I'm thinking about dropping in with the laptop to see if they have any ideas, but I thought I'd mention it here too, in case any of you computer gurus wants to take a guess. Thanks.

  4. #24
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    Do you have a multimeter? It's easy to check the output voltage from the factory PSU.

    Be *really* careful about plugging Dell power supplies into other laptops. Virtually ever Dell has a tiny, delicate center pin which carries PSU info for the computer to read. Plugging a Dell PSU into another laptop can mash that pin, rendering the entire PSU useless.

    Suspects on the HP:

    1. Bad PSU - check with a multimeter
    2. Bad motherboard - no good way to check
    3. Bad CMOS battery - there is a small coin-cell battery on the motherboard that retains CMOS information. There are several generations of laptops that will not power up if their CMOS battery is dead. Dumb design. The battery is easy and cheap to replace if you can get to it.

  5. #25
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thesameguy View Post
    Bad CMOS battery...


    http://h20464.www2.hp.com/media/9C35...ockbattery.htm

    Wow. Gonna try this ASAP. I would never have guessed there was a little battery in there. Thanks!

    Also parking this link here for my own future use - how to take this particular laptop apart in greater detail than above. The two videos together ought to do the trick.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCnQ-mIiVI
    Last edited by George; March 16th, 2016 at 01:45 PM.

  6. #26
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    I have the battery out and am heading to Batteries Plus in the hopes they have one of these: http://www.amazon.com/HP-501587-001-.../dp/B004JASJYQ (just another link for my future reference in case I need to order it). MicroCenter says they don't carry them but the guy at BP is a good salesman and said, "There's a good chance we have it, or can order it. Can you bring it in for us to look at?" Ah, what the hell. I hate ordering stuff online, so I'm going over to see if they have one.

  7. #27
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    Did you say you hate driving places so you order everything online? I didn't quite hear you.

  8. #28
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Time for a new RTC battery for your hearing aid, gramps! I like to try before I buy.

    More link-leaving for later:

    For replacement parts (i.e. batteries, AC adapters & power cords, etc..), call 1-800-227-8164 between 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Monday - Friday. For more information go to, www.hp.com/go/hpparts.

    Is this rude forum behavior? Probably. But I've been hanging out in Los Santos for so long that I'm getting used to the selfish side of life.

  9. #29
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    Hint: Ebay

  10. #30
    Subaru Unimpreza SportWagon's Avatar
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    Eventually 14.04 found the fglrx drivers for something similar to http://www.amazon.co.uk/HP-Pavilion-.../dp/B00QX4XAKE

    Else life was going to be miserable stuck in 800x600.

    HDMI output also now seems to be working reasonably.
    Last edited by SportWagon; March 23rd, 2016 at 09:46 AM.

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