altdeski broke my q4os

Cliff_G · 2017-11-03 22:12

Wasn't broken, so I fixed it. Now it IS broken

I ran altdeski (mentioned on ElReg page)

I selected the second option (can't remember now what that was)

After a lot of startup messages, machine now ends its boot with a blank screen with a single underline non-flashing cursor

Can someone post how I can get my Trinity (?) back?

Thanks

q4osteam · 2017-11-03 22:36

LXQT is the second option. We are not able to reproduce such issue, the installation of LXQT worked fine here in a virtual machine. The 'altdeski' command is tested thoroughly and should be safe, as it only installs Debian packages.

So try to run your system in the 'recovery mode'. You need to tap 'Esc' key early at the boot up, boot options table will display. Now select 'Advanced options ...' > 'Q4OS ... recovery mode' in the boot table and run the system. The system will ask you to press ctrl+D at some stage of boot, do it so and post back a result of the boot.

q4os_user · 2017-11-03 23:51

Cliff_G wrote:

Wasn't broken, so I fixed it. Now it IS broken

Maybe you should experiment with your new ideas in VirtualBox first (you can install it through the Software Center)?

crosscourt · 2017-11-04 01:25

It may be a separate hardware issue that didnt have anything to do with altdeski. Ive had many strange occurences with my older hardware many memory related.

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 12:06

Yes, I think there is something strange about this machine since both problems I have experienced have been a failure to boot after a configuration change (a, removing intel video drives and then b, altdeski). Machine is a Dell D610, can't find chip details (Intel Centrino) as I can't find the command in LXQT and don't know the terminal command. Will post once I get the machine back.

OK, I got:

"You are in rescue mode. After logging in, type "journalctl -xb" to view
system logs, "systemctl reboot" to reboot."systemctl default" or ^D to
boot into default mode
Cannot open access to console, the root account is locked.
See sulogin(8) man page for details.
Press enter to continue"

I then pressed ctrl+D at this point (not Enter). I then got 7 lines or so of further messages followed by the same blank screen with non-flashing cursor, solid disk activitry for a few seconds,then nothing. I then got interrupted and came back 5 mins later to be presented with the LXQT login screen, which then booted into LXQT. (I did wait a long time yesterday at the dead screen and it did not leap into life like this time).

The journalctl -xb command couldn't run due to insufficient permssions.

I tried altdeski to try and get the original desktop back but am not sure which option to choose. Is this how I get back or is there another way?

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 12:26

Rebooting and waiting a while worked again. The wait necessary at the blank screen is a couple of minutes.

So with LXQT started, I then did the dropdown at the top left of the LXQT screen and selected TDE and got my Trinity desktop back, but it's on top of LXQT since when I turn off Trinity it reverts to LXQT (and subsequent boots are again delayed as described).

I opened Synaptic to see if there was an LXQT removal option there. Synaptic took ages to open and I got an error message:

"An error occurred
The following details are provided:
E:dpkg was interrupted, you musty manually run 'sudo dpkg -- configure -a' to correct the proble.
E:_cache->open() failed, please report"

I want to completely remove LXQT, please, and revert to Trinity.

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 12:46

having run the dpkg command, there is now only a 25 second wait at the blank screen with disk active all the time then straight into LXQT login screen. The keyboard response on that login window is desperately slow, by the way

q4osteam · 2017-11-04 17:21

Cliff_G wrote:

I want to completely remove LXQT, please, and revert to Trinity.

You need to uninstall following packages:
'lxqt lxqt-session lxqt-admin lxqt-policykit lxqt-powermanagement lxqt-runner lxqt-qtplugin lxqt-about lxqt-config lxqt-sudo openbox pcmanfm-qt lxappearance lxappearance-obconf sddm'

You can perform it in terminal:
sudo apt-get autoremove lxqt lxqt-session lxqt-admin lxqt-policykit lxqt-powermanagement lxqt-runner lxqt-qtplugin lxqt-about lxqt-config lxqt-sudo openbox pcmanfm-qt lxappearance lxappearance-obconf sddm

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 17:49

Did that, still broken.

After the uninstall, the shutdown also stopped at the blank screen with non-blinking cursor and I had to use the power button to kill it finally. On restarting it only came back to the desktop command line interface prompt. Startx got it into Trinity.

Another shutdown (from the Turn Off GUI) stopped at the CLI prompt.

I now always have to login at the CLI prompt and then use startx.

How can I get it to auto-boot fully?

[With the problems I have been having: 2 x failure to complete boot, journalctl -xb command couldn't run due to insufficient permssions, a number of stops at the CLI, and Synaptic broken, I wonder if there might be a common theme of insufficient permissions. The terminal screens or boot logs fly past, but I fancy I might have seen some command failures or failures to complete a ]

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 17:53

new reportq4 attached

Attachments:

qreport.tar.gz, Size: 115.05 KiB, Downloads: 790

crosscourt · 2017-11-04 18:03

Pentium M SSE2 support is questionable which could cause issues with some apps. Overall compatibility with Linux is good with the D610 but it isnt perfect. Hopefully the devs can get this figured out.

Last edited by crosscourt (2017-11-04 18:06)

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:04

Thanks. Hope so as I do like what I have seen. But on the next glitch I will rebuild it.

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:11

crosscourt wrote:

Pentium M SSE2 support is questionable which could cause issues with some apps. Overall compatibility with Linux is good with the D610 but it isnt perfect. Hopefully the devs can get this figured out.

For the build I used the file q4os-2.4-i386-instcd.r3.iso Was that right?

I wasn't sure about the "without PAE extension" bit

crosscourt · 2017-11-04 18:16

Yes youre fine as the Pentium M 760 supports 32bit PAE.

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:20

Hmm. Another glitch, another permissions issue? I used Synaptic to install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics to try and sort my touchpad

and got:

"Selecting previously unselected package xserver-xorg-input-synaptics.
(Reading database ... 147673 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../xserver-xorg-input-synaptics_1.9.0-1+b1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (1.9.0-1+b1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.6.1-2) ...
Setting up xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (1.9.0-1+b1) ...
W: Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file '/root/.synaptic/tmp//tmp_sh' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)"

q4osteam · 2017-11-04 18:21

Cliff_G wrote:

For the build I used the file q4os-2.4-i386-instcd.r3.iso Was that right?

Yes, it's the right medium. It autodetects cpu type and chooses pae or non-pae kernel version depending on the cpu type.

If you want use 'journalctl' command, you need to run it with root permissions, so use 'sudo' in terminal:
$ sudo journalctl

It may be worth to consider a new fresh Q4OS installation, as your system seems to be broken some way and looks like it will be difficult to fix it.

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:23

Yes, I think I will rebuild

(The synaptic package did seem to install but hardware not supported)

Now where's that CD...?

q4osteam · 2017-11-04 18:36

Cliff_G wrote:

Now where's that CD...?

https://www.q4os.org/downloads1.html > 'Installation CD' section > 'Q4OS Scorpion, install CD - 32bit / i386'

EDIT:
Alternatively, you could try to install old stable Q4OS Orion for better hardware compatibility, download it from:
https://www.q4os.org/downloads3.html > 'Installation CD' section > Q4OS 1.8 Orion - 32bit / i386

Last edited by q4osteam (2017-11-04 18:41)

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:40

Thanks but I meant, the MD5 checked one on my shelf
Currently loading

Last edited by Cliff_G (2017-11-04 18:40)

q4osteam · 2017-11-04 18:41

Alternatively, you could try to install old stable Q4OS Orion for possible better hardware compatibility, download it from:
https://www.q4os.org/downloads3.html > 'Installation CD' section > Q4OS 1.8 Orion - 32bit / i386

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:43

Ah, that's a good idea, thanks

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 18:53

I just got to the password input dialog and realised I essentially ignored the warning and used a password longer than 8 characters (9). Could that have caused some of these problems?

crosscourt · 2017-11-04 19:13

Just reinstall and correct the password issue and Id stick to Orion with your system per the devs.

Heres an article from 2015 that has a lot of good info on using Debian with a d610, www.sirlab.de/linux/debian_dell_d610.html

Last edited by crosscourt (2017-11-04 21:53)

Cliff_G · 2017-11-04 23:02

The Orion load failed - half way through the 1.8.8 load called for some files off the 1.8 disc. Either a duff CD burn or maybe some hardware detected which wasn't on the 1.8.8? Anyway, got to the point of giving up on it so went back to the 2.4 disc which I know works, and made sure I only used an 8-letter password (the install needs to fix that, really - either hard limit to 8 on set-up or allow longer passwords system-wide)

Some of the interesting article referred to above is already in the 2.4 build, (and a lot of it tbh is not what I want from a Linux distro - I really want something that "just works" - which 2.4 does as long as I don't fiddle with it) but the higher resolution screen is the one thing I'd really like to get if I can avoid breaking it all again. Must find out how to backup-image the disc first.

>>> Would appreciate if the Devs could look at that article and suggest a bomb-proof way of getting the higher resolution on a D610?

crosscourt · 2017-11-04 23:32

I thought the article would be of some use to the devs but ive worked with D610's mostly with Windows and even thats no guarantee. Im surprised that 2.4 did better than Orion as Ive never gotten 2.4 to work completely on a 915G based chipset so far, mixed results.

I upgraded my self to the Dell 7010 Optiplex series this year quite cheaply to avoid the many issues I was running into all the time.

My Dell D430s that use C2D 1.3ghz cpus have issues as well and I cant get 2.4 or 1.8.8 to run without problems. Only three distros have worked with a few settings at boot and I cant tell you why but they do. Ill be retiring these systems as honestly my Dell E5410 and Vostro V130 work great with far fewer issues and better performance for dirt cheap.

I also run older Linux versions with some systems that cant run anything newer , look here- http://old-linux.com

Last edited by crosscourt (2017-11-04 23:41)

Q4OS Forum

#1 2017-11-03 22:12

altdeski broke my q4os

#2 2017-11-03 22:36

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#3 2017-11-03 23:51

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#4 2017-11-04 01:25

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#5 2017-11-04 12:06

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#6 2017-11-04 12:26

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#7 2017-11-04 12:46

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#8 2017-11-04 17:21

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#9 2017-11-04 17:49

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#10 2017-11-04 17:53

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#11 2017-11-04 18:03

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#12 2017-11-04 18:04

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#13 2017-11-04 18:11

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#14 2017-11-04 18:16

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#15 2017-11-04 18:20

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#16 2017-11-04 18:21

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#17 2017-11-04 18:23

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#18 2017-11-04 18:36

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#19 2017-11-04 18:40

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#20 2017-11-04 18:41

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#21 2017-11-04 18:43

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#22 2017-11-04 18:53

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#23 2017-11-04 19:13

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#24 2017-11-04 23:02

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

#25 2017-11-04 23:32

Re: altdeski broke my q4os

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