13Aug2017 buy Trisquel laptop

100 Antworten [Letzter Beitrag]
Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

A year ago my attempt to install Trisquel failed:
After installation I could not get internet connection - Failed to setup network...
After much frustration I uninstalled Trisquel.

I'm back with determination.
I don't have a mobile computer (I wish to buy touchscreen tablet or laptop w/ TB HD) so rather than failing at complete installation of Trisquel again, I wish to purchase and have Trisquel up and running on my home network.
Any shipping or local to Miami/Ft Lauderdale Florida area?

Thanks for being here, I will be patient but I do wish to leave Microsoft permanently.

chaosmonk

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/07/2017

You likely weren't able to connect to the internet because your WiFi card requires nonfree firmware. If that was the only problem you had, then buying a USB WiFi Adapter is will be cheaper than buying a new computer, and the easiest way to stop using Windows immediately (which you are wise to want to do).

However, your computer might have other freedom issues. If you tell us what what computer you have we can help you figure out if your computer needs to and can be librebooted.

But if you'd rather not worry about any of these things and buy a computer that you know for fact is free with Trisquel preinstalled, some vendors include:

Minifree
Technoethical
ThinkPenguin
Vikings

I have listed them alphabetically and not made a recommendation because I do NOT want to start a debate. However, all of their products should respect your freedom, so compare prices and specifications and decide what best fulfills your needs.

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

There is https://shop.libiquity.com/product/taurinus-x200 too. It is important to say that ThinkPenguin's computers will perfectly work with 100% free GNU/Linux distributions (such as Trisquel) but their UEFI/BIOS are proprietary. The refurbished ThinkPad sold by Libiquity/Minifree/Technoethical/Vikings have a free firmware instead, Libreboot.

SuperTramp83

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 10/31/2014

>ThinkPenguin

What happened to Chris mate, is he alive, did the nasty coppers jail him? Do I need to gather the ammunition?

muhammed
Offline
Beigetreten: 04/13/2013

Think Penguin also invested in a purpose-built freedom-oriented computer:

http://crowdsupply.com/eoma68

The engineer behind the project is still working on it though; they're not ready to ship and I don't know when they will be ready

Think Penguin sells the USB wifi card that you may need to get your current computer working. But you should clear your computer's other components with the people on this forum first.

https://thinkpenguin.com

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi Mason,
Pleasure to speak with you.
Okay I'm in no rush to buy the laptop.
A USB WiFi Adapter and libreboot sounds interesting.

My custom desktop is:
* Intel i7-3770k cpu @ 3.50GHz
* NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 graphics card (intel has internal cpu graphics too) PCIbus
* RAM 16GB
* Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit OS
* C: drive SSD 119 GB (NTFS full now need to solve this prob)
* D: drive HD 1TB (full need to solve...)
* E: dvd
* (partitioned and flash...)
* K: drive HD 4TB
HDMI cable output to 42" flatscreen monitor/TV
Ethernet cable 1.0 Gbps wire connected to modem (not using my internal wifi)

I hope a usb-memory stick or the k: drive will work for Trisquel.
I had plenty of free storage space a year ago but now I am at capacity.
That pesky C drive filled up in spite of my efforts to manually install programs to other drives - but many applications default hidden required execs on the C: drive anyway.
I am not confident to uninstall programs and wreck the registry.
If I have to explore this, then a tutorial guide on exporting OS and registry data to another drive will be needed.

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

Physically removing the nVidia card may be a good idea. For sure you will save energy, but I even think you will gain performances for some things (like video decoding). Just burn and boot either:

If you like Trisquel and want to install it alongside Windows (for a start), make some space on the disk, defrag Windows and follow these instructions: https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/install-trisquel-windows-dual-boot-0

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Thanks Magic Banana, I've decided to buy a dedicated Trisquel laptop to get me immediately up and running. After gaining experience, the Trisquel cmd line and home network experience will hopefully encourage me to mod my old PC for Trisquel too. My long term goal is to make Windows a memory or only a rare visit for legacy software I own - like games. Ha-ha maybe a emulator or mod will work for that too.

GNUbahn
Offline
Beigetreten: 02/18/2016

Ronmamita, which computer are you using? Please post brand, model, type etc. Mason could be right, and if so it's just a matter of replacing the network card.

Since there are many other options to leave Microsoft than Trisquel, I imagine that you approve with the free software philosophy. If that is the case, I would like to lead you attention to libreboot. You may already know this, but if not, please be aware, that before a computer starts the operating system, another piece of software is run. On most computers this is proprietary software, i.e. untrustworthy as Windows, iOX etc.

On a number of computers this software can be replaced with free software. You can read more here: libreboot.org. Not all is readable for non-techies (including myself), but you can read more other places. If you possess the knowledge and/or patience and will - and for some machines the right equipment - you can replace it yourself.

These companies can help you with 100% free computers:

US:
http://www.libiquity.com/

Europe:
https://www.minifree.org (England)
https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-hardware (Germany)
https://tehnoetic.com/ (aka. Technoethic, Romania - they have the largest variety, including phones)

(To my knowledge, computers from ThinPenguin are not 100% free, though all their accessories are)

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

hi GNUbahn, thanks for the reply.
Now my thoughts are going full circle - Ha-ha, I'm back to thinking I may feel more secure getting a warranty service fully functioning fully FSF/GNU Trisquel laptop ready to connect to my home network.

I will chat with http://www.libiquity.com/

chaosmonk

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/07/2017

Again, I don't want to start a debate, but compare prices and specifications for all of these vendors (except ThinkPenguin, I did not realize that their computers are nonfree).

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

mason, okay will do - thanks.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

PS:
Mason, I forgot to include:
Asus motherboard bios "alaska -1072009" bios date 12/19/12 16:16:49 ver: 18.05

I haven't contemplated the tech details in 3 years and forget the tech details.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

4:53 PM 8/17/2017

I screwed up!

I don't recall what I did last time I installed Trisquel (3 years ago) maybe I burned the ISO on a DVD disk.
but I don't have that DVD now and my son has all my burnable DVDs so I can't make another.

But, really I didn't think it would matter.
I have the Trisquel ISO on my HDD, I'm all set, right?
WRONG!
I bought a USB 16 GB and copied the triquel ISO to it thinking I could use the USB memory stick.
But there is no executable file and the reboot failed to stop at the plugin USB Trisquel ISO!

This is where I went confused and stupid...
Why didn't that work? Okay, maybe I need to change the BIOS boot to recognize the USB first!
So I tried several changes to my ASUS AI command module (and frankly I don't remember the original settings after those efforts failed) - so that was a SHOCKER!

Sigh, All the tutorial and the documents fail to explain how to step by step complete this.
And I screwed up my BIOS settings... Well I'll park the bios settings for later, if ever - because the windows still works and I am too frustrated to focus on that atm.

So I search the archives here at https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/
and found a method to create a LiveUSB by downloading Pen Drive Linux's USB Installer: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/#button

So another download, and install to burn the ISO image onto the USB - well I never...
That ISO burn took a long time to setup the USB (I guess USB sticks are slow).
Okay the USB still has over 12GB free space so looking good, now let's reboot.
Drum-roll please, now for the moment of truth...

Oh my, another monumental fail!
I only wanted to get some hands on exp. with the shell and terminal before my Trisquel Laptop arrives.
I was willing to ignore the internet (as stated above in the previous compatibility failure years ago) and simply practice with the command line and apps included on the ISO image.

Now I have screwed up my custom BIOS setup and still can't run Trisquel.
Sadly, I now have to ask for assistance installing Trisquel on my windows PC.

Because trisquel will be on my home-network eventually this challenge must be faced (and hopefully Trisquel will manage my home network and OS shared on the other computers too) after I become proficient with the bash terminal - which is why I failed to wait for my laptop to arrive - I want to learn by typing at the command line.

LOL, Ha-ha I apologize for the long story but I needed to get it off my chest.
Please point me to the step by step USB installation that will work for me and my sandisk 16GB 2.0 USB memory stick and Windows 7 Home Premium ASUS BIOS 64bit desktop PC.

It is okay to laugh, I simply have difficulty with Trisquel, but I wish to learn.

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

There usually (always?) is something like "Restore defaults" in the BIOS/UEFI configuration. Search for it.

Trisquel's documentation suggests "the USB installer provided by pendrivelinux.com" to create the live USB: https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/how-create-liveusb

I wrote a manual to configure the BIOS/UEFI to boot the live system... but it is in French (do you read French?): https://trisquel.info/fr/wiki/d%C3%A9marrer-un-syst%C3%A8me-live-installable

Notice that it is practically impossible to provide step by step instructions to configure the BIOS/UEFI because there are many different BIOS/UEFI configuration interfaces.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

hi Magic Banana
I used the webpage below as my guide to install pendrivelinux
https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/how-create-liveusb

I apologize for the above long story but all the details are there.
I decided to park the original bios-settings issue for now, and focus on getting to the Trisquel bash command line from the USB.
I don't speak French but I read your https://trisquel.info/fr/wiki/d%C3%A9marrer-un-syst%C3%A8me-live-installable
using google translate.

From what was translated I did all that was in your guide by my attempts to alter the BIOS (UEFI) to prioritize the USB.

I am considering some alternatives, such as using virtualbox or similar app...

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

To get anything (even a terminal) out of a live system, it must boot...

Google Translate is SaaS: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Thanks Magic Banana
SaaS, I have a lot to learn and new habits to form, thanks for the reminder.
I'm typing from Trisquel - Yay!

I found what I was doing wrong. I was using the F2 function key when rebooting (not sure of the specific differences but this is my attempt to explain what happened) that took me to the ASUS AI BIOS?
But when I reboot and used the F8 key it took me to the interrupted-POST BIOS menu with the option to select boot drive, when I changed that, the POST took me to the USB and Trisquel installation window.

So I haven't installed Trisquel yet, because when I attempted installation more programming jargon confused me with options that don't match what I was looking for (to partition sandisk 16GB USB drive is not listed) for Trisquel installation - So I backed my way out and started over from the beginning.
I chose to NOT install Trisquel.
It (trisquel ISO image) runs from the sandisk 16GB USB memory stick.

I think I will play around with this for now and hope I don't screw-up any of my Win 7 OS until after my Trisquel Laptop arrives and can safely work, knowing Trisquel (Laptop) is running properly.

I'm learning slowly, more slowly than I would like, but it is progress.
* Most of my typed text has red-underlines meaning everything is misspelled - lol I have to train trisquel - maybe trisquel thinks this is Spanish?
* I searched for a FOSS multi language translation application and want to know what you think about CodePlex software:
https://languagetranslator.codeplex.com/
Or do you have a FSF approved free source language translation app?
Below is a video sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QRlVP_qWso

PS:
I guess there are many disadvantages to using Trisquel in the NOT installed operation mode:
* The videos have no sound...
* I am sure there are many other tweaks that will need to made but for now I'm happy to see the terminal:

trisquel@trisquel:~$ pwd
/home/trisquel
trisquel@trisquel:~$ ls
BashBeginner.pls Desktop Documents Downloads Music Pictures Public Templates Videos

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

I do not think you can install Trisquel on the USB drive where the running live system is, if that is what you are trying to do. Notice that running your main system from a USB key is not a good idea: such a peripheral does not support many rewrites and some files (e.g., the logs in /var/log) are very frequently written. To install it alongside Windows (for a start), make some space on the internal disk, defrag Windows and follow these instructions: https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/install-trisquel-windows-dual-boot-0

If you chose to have permanent storage on the USB key, then what you do during a live session is persistent. That includes the installation of packages. Of "hunspell-en-us" for instance. It is an American-English dictionary that Abrowser can use to spell-check (right-click in a text box, and point "languages"). Notice however the existence of a tool to install in one click all packages localizing/internationalizing your programs: "Language Support" in the "System Settings". It is not normal videos play with no sound. Do you have any sound at all? See "Sound" in the "System Settings".

You can modify (or even delete) Windows files from Trisquel (installed or live system). But that would be a voluntary action on your part though. Well, do not learn command lines practicing inside a Windows folder!

About the translator you found, it looks like it is only an interface to an online (dis)service, hence still SaaS. Also I am not sure it runs on GNU/Linux and even if it does, it would be running on top of Mono, what is risky: https://www.fsf.org/news/dont-depend-on-mono

Apertium, in Trisquel's repository, is an offline automatic translator.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Thanks Magic Banana
Yes, I did attempt to "install Trisquel on the USB drive where the running live system is" - Okay, I won't do that again. Good to know.

Apertium and other Apps in repository will be installed after Trisquel - I'll wait for the arrival of my Trisquel laptop, while I read bash tutorials, and the details from FSF to maintain my free source GNU Laptop.
Staying away from SaaS and Mono requires awareness and intentional focus to form new computer habits.
Thanks for the friendly support!

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi Magic Banana, I need help.
Trisquel installation reported: "This computer currently has no detected operating system. What would you like to do?"

Then 3 options, so I backed out of the install procedure fearing I would damage the Win7 OS.

- Ed.: The install guide here on the forum stated I halt installation; boot to Win7... shrink volume - but my problem is there is no available shrink space.
My OS drive is maxed.

***I'm on another internet search for help with Win7 backup errors***
My attempts to backup my Win7 computer failed (error code: 0x8007007b) 3x I tried different solutions.
I wanted to have a backup so I could install Trisquel - I thought the backup needs to be done and would be safe enough, even though I wanted to wait for the arrival of my Trisquel Laptop.

I Spent another frustrating day on failed attempts...

I wish my Trisquel laptop was here already :(

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

If your disk is (almost) full, you cannot install another system on it. You would need to make space, moving data on another disk. From Trisquel live system, you can use the "Disk Usage Analyzer" in the "System Settings" to discover what takes most of the disk space. If you wish, you can move the data using the live system too.

https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/install-trisquel-windows-dual-boot-0 details the procedure to follow when you do not see the option "Install Trisquel Alongside Windows [version]".

happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

Apparently the K: drive does have space. You could move stuff from the SSD to the K: drive

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Magic Banana, your reply confuses me, quote:
'https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/install-trisquel-windows-dual-boot-0 details the procedure to follow when you do not see the option "Install Trisquel Alongside Windows [version]".' -End Quote-

That is the guide I am following.
When the guide states "Defragment your hard drive"... and select "Shrink Volume".
Is where I ran into the above stated problem(s). I defragged and attempted to shrink and it failed.

I went searching the internet for help with backing-up Win7 (the 0x8007007b error prevented all my attempts to backup from the gui).
So I went to the DOS cmd line and executed the command:
wbadmin start backup -backuptarget:M: -include:C: -quiet

Even that had a unexpected surprise for me.
This text from the cmd line was unexpected, quote:
Note: The list of volumes included for backup does not include all the volumes that contain operating system components. This backup cannot be used to perform a system recovery. However, you can recover other items if the destination media type supports it.

-End quote-

Sigh, what does that mean? Does it mean that if I overwrite the Win7 OS files I can still use the backup on the M: drive to recover those windows OS files?
If not, then that also was another failure, because I think my attempt to load Trisquel will overwrite the windows7 OS because I intend to get rid of windows as the default OS, eventually. Until then, I need a reliable backup for the Win7 OS.
I don't know enough about "HOW" these programs and applications work structurally and procedurally. Perhaps my system is setup in such a way that confounds the program procedures?
I'll include a screencapture of the 10 drives for an example.

Ten days ago (14Aug2017), I ordered Taurinus X200 8GB 1TB HDD Trisquel Laptop from Libiquity.com - If anyone can successfully contact them, please ask them to contact me, Libiquity have not responded to my email. A Trisquel laptop would help me a great deal.

10DiskDrives.png
Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

It would actually be better if somebody else would answer you. I have not had Windows installed on the computers I administrate for many years. The last Windows I used (apart from a few hours on computers I do not administrate) was Windows XP. At that time, there was a CD to (re)install Windows.

If I wanted to keep a pre-installed Windows, I would:

  1. backup the user files (you should frequently do that anyway) simply copying those files to another drive;
  2. make some space (as explained in my previous post);
  3. defrag the filesystem where space was made;
  4. boot the Trisquel Live system;
  5. shrink the filesystem in question with GParted (it is on the live system);
  6. launch the Trisquel installer;
  7. choose the installation type "Something else";
  8. in the next step, define three partitions in the free space: one swap partition (as large as your RAM), one where to mount / (24 GB, ext4, for instance) and one where to mount (all the remaining space, XFS, for instance);
  9. end the installation.

The risky step for your Windows system is shrinking the filesystem it is installed on. But I have never heard of any such problem. A power cut at that moment may be bad though...

SuperTramp83

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 10/31/2014

Don't worry, verbose mate hehe :)

If you have there available a GNU distro then format the usb key (you can use either winzozz - format in fat32, or on GNU you can use 'gparted') in terminal:

lsblk

Look at the output- the hard drive should be sda, the usb key should be sdb or sdc. Say it is sdb for the sake of the explanation

sudo dd if=/home/user/ronmamita/Trisqel.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M ; sync

Wait for it to finish.
Then in BIOS select usb as the firs to boot and you should be fine

On Windows you can use Rufus, I used it a couple of times on random computers around and it worked fine.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

I don't have any computer running gnu/linux, sudo commands are out and I changed the BIOS settings several times trying to get the USB recognized first.
The usb is already formated and readable. then I tried to make it a bootdrive with pendrivelinux.com I thought it worked (no errors reported) but no boot into Trisquel either.

So are you suggesting another App to try again what pendrive did?
I'm looking at https://rufus.akeo.ie/ and it reads:
> "Rufus is about twice as fast as"... pendrive

Yeah pendrive was slow but it worked (as far as I can see), I simply am unable to get the USB to get me into Trisquel. The 16GB USB is SanDisk Cruzer Glide fat32.

happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

Please go to BIOS take pictures of it and post them here so we can help you.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

hi happy_gnu I'll be away from the internet tomorrow, but how do I send you images here?

happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

When you are writing a response to a post, below the box for text there is a "File attachments" option. You can upload images there :)

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Thanks happy_gnu !
I wrote down what I saw as the BIOS in earlier comment but I guess you mean the UEFI in charge of the ASUS motherboard?
The UEFI has a screencapture feature and I attached the bitmap image file.

- edit -
for some reason the attachment looked like it worked but it failed.
I selected the 170824145406.bmp file.
I read bmp files not allowed, wow - nothing works as expected for me.
I will convert the file to a different format and repeat.

170824145406.png
Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

This is another good morning with storm clouds and rain, happy greetings to all!
A pleasure meeting you Heather, your kind encouragement is appreciated :)

I am Ron, "Mamita" is my mate - the combined user name became a nic from seasons past when I was coaching her to use the internet for the first time. I haven't bothered to use a different nic - oops I must remember to not be verbose, thanks Heather.

1a. I shall rid my home network of the Microsoft virus.

1b. Installing Trisquel is challenging but I haven't given up. each failure brings me closer to success. sharing images here in the forum even challenged me, LOL :D
I thought all the supported image formats would include the UEFI's "Print Screen" feature, but sadly that was not the case. The UEFI image is .BMP and not supported here at the forum so I launched GIMP, changed the images to .PNG and then copied those new images to my K: drive so I could upload here to the forum.

1c. In honor of Heather I named the folder and here are more images we can discuss:
The 1st image is as Heather requested, from the BOOT tab - note, that is a 2.5 page length of options. thus I took 3 screenshots to display them sequentially as "ASUS_UEFI_Boot_p1"; ...Boot_p2; ...Boot_p3; and the last image is from the UEFI's "Advanced" tab that includes options for USB - I think I attempted to alter some of those options, not sure as the UEFI has a script of its own that appears to have changed some of my requests in favor of what works best?
That's why I tabled discussing the bios, it's confusing but the Win7 OS still works and the USB Trisquel Boot works, so that is progress.
Now for me to get a reliable backup, then C: drive free space to invade with Trisquel...

ASUS_UEFI_Boot_p1.png ASUS_UEFI_Boot_p2.png ASUS_UEFI_Boot_p3.png ASUS_UEFI_Adv_USBconfig.png
happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

OK first of all do a back up of you SSD to your 4TB drive so you don't lost your important data like your pictures and couments.

2.- In the UEFI go again to Boot and make sure to disable Fast Boot. This is because the fast boot usually prevents to boot USB pen drives.

3.- Did you create the Trisquel Live USB already? Please create it.

4. in UEFI in boot below Fast boot there is a USB support option that says partial, could you click it and show me what options you have there?

OK for now I think that is enough. Hopefully the next step will be to install trisquel now :)

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Oops - I screwed something up!

Sigh, I was more frustrated than I admitted to myself.
Changed UEFI Boot settings to "fast Boot" DISABLED, but before that I also set the "USB Support" option to Full Initiation.
The reason was because of the way the features work, when you select the DISABLE option for the Fast Boot the USB Support feature disappears!

So I rebooted...

I was already prepared to share this with you:
Thanks happy_gnu, that mirrors my plan I set for myself, except I had hoped my Trisquel Laptop had arrived from Libiquity (Taurinus X200) by now, then I could feel more secure that my home network was running okay, and simultaneously become acquainted with Trisquel's Terminal.
Recall my earlier comment, Quote:
"So I went to the DOS cmd line and executed the command:
wbadmin start backup -backuptarget:M: -include:C: -quiet

Even that had a unexpected surprise for me.
This text from the cmd line was unexpected, quote:
Note: The list of volumes included for backup does not include all the volumes that contain operating system components. This backup cannot be used to perform a system recovery. However, you can recover other items if the destination media type supports it."
-End Quote-

Anyway, I was surprised that the reboot gave me the option to install Trisquel!!!
I had intended on going back to windows and talk with you - but, this looked too interesting to ignore. I started the Trisquel installation and the option to install alongside windows was available again!!!
I asked myself if I should ignore this and back out of the installation again, but I was too happy to ignore the opportunity. I went for it and after the long time to install Trisquel completed its script it asked me to reboot, I said yes and that reboot sent me Quote:
"Error: no such device: b474831e-0d52"...[long char-string]
"Entering rescue mode..."
grub rescue>
-End Quote-
After about an hour of trial and error at the post interrupt I found a boot to launch windows (it wasn't my normal drive-and I don't understand why/how it worked).
So now I have more questions:
1. after Trisquel installation how can I safely check to see if the Trisquel OS is functional?
2. What is GRUB command line?
3. What emergency commands can I launch at the GRUB command line?
4. What does that earlier DOS terminal backup caution mean?

I am a bit over-stressed now, and will take a break from the PC; the image as per your request is below, Ciao for today.

Fast Boot Disabled_UEFI_Boot.png
Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi Heather :)
I'm finding it difficult to remain patient as I wish to have a fully functional Trisquel OS, your encouragement helps as I can walk away from the unfinished task and read your encouraging comment, thanks.

I think the grub commands will work but I will wait to chat with someone experienced with grub rescue before I leap to another unexpected error message.

I finally received a email from Libiquity - so I am looking forward to a real free source Trisquel machine :)
I hadn't considered a unboxing, but I will share the unboxing as per your request when the Taurinus X200 laptop arrives, cheers!

GNUbahn
Offline
Beigetreten: 02/18/2016

Hi Ronmamita.

I really, truly understand your frustrations. I have been their for so long time and so often - and occasionally I still am. I am very glad you gave this comment to Heather - as we should always remember to those helping us. For sure, help and support - technical as well as moral - is the powerful fuel that can make us go all the way.

For myself, whenever I stood/stand in the middle of those frustrations I remind myself: The reason for those frustrations is (a part of) the very reason to bother in the first place! In other words, it is only because some companies (and ultimately people) have an interest in keeping me non-free and ignorant, that I even need this struggle.

Keep up your ideals of freedom and don't loose hope. And this forum is probably one of the best places - if not the best - to get the support for people with ideals like yours and mine.

As they say in Japan: Let's do our very best (together)

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

GRUB TO MY RESCUE?

8 hours has passed since my last Trisquel screw-up. I read The GRUB list of command-line and menu entry commands https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/Command_002dline-and-menu-entry-commands.html
and watched several GRUB rescue video tutorials on youtube.

I do not understand the commands and feel like I'm driving lost on the expressway without a city road-map for correct directions...
The videos used/executed the same 4 commands:
1. set boot=(hd0,msdos6)
2. set prefix=(hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
3. insmod normal
4. normal

I would try that, but I want to know what those commands are expected to do, before I type them. The videos all showed the menu comes up either to windows or Ubuntu.

2017_GRUB rescue_set boot hd0.png
happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

Don't worry.

Please plug your trisquel USB again and boot it.

Do not install trisquel. Select try without installing.

After you are in please install Gparted (I don't remember if it is installed already) and then open Gparted and send me the screenshot.

Also open the file manager and send me screenshot of the devices you have connected.

If you can't find the option don't worry send me screenshot and I'll tell you where to click.

Grub is the bootloader is just a program to start the operative system. It can select between windows trisquel or anything else you have.

But first I want to know where Trisquel was installed.

As a note when you see error or warning messages try taking o picture of them so we can know exactly what is going on this are not meant to scare you, but to help you find a solution.

Instead of warnings they should be called information messages.

happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

If you want to try a little more you could install grub- repair

https://askubuntu.com/questions/88384/how-can-i-repair-grub-how-to-get-ubuntu-back-after-installing-windows#88432

Read second answer ignore the first.

This tutorial should be helpful too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zlFBl8Q9c0

Don't be afraid of terminal you've got this \o/

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi happy_gnu
I'm running Trisquel as "not installed" from the usb to comment here - Yay!
If it is convenient for you, could we schedule a live trouble-shoot session?

the screenshots are below, I do not see where Trisquel is "installed".
---EDIT---
to add system settings screenshot, I'm off to run boot repair - though I wanted to wait 'till you saw these details before I went forward at the terminal - GRUB to the rescue!
---End EDIT---

I may choose one of the fix-options:
Option 1.
1. set boot=(hd0,msdos6)
2. set prefix=(hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
3. insmod normal
4. normal

Option 2.
1. sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair && sudo apt-get update
2. sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair
3. [click option] "Recommended Repair".

Because you shared option 2 I'll attempt that.
When you return, please help me understand where Trisquel installed and "if" the boot repair worked what I should do next?

I'm thinking the C: SSD drive is full and needs to be optimized for fast functions.

Wish me success, my boot repair attempt shouldn't screwup anything?
Thank you happy gnu

Filemgr_Screenshot_2017_08_26.png Gpartedallreadinstalled_2017-08-26.png DevicesScreenshot from_2017_08_26.png homedirectory_Screenshot_2017_08_26.png SystemSettingsScreenshot_2017_08_26.png
happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

Perfect.

1.- In the file manager please click on the disk that says "128 GB Volume"

In GNU/Linux everything is a file. So instead of letters like C: or D: your drive should be called something like /sda1 /sdb /sdc /sdc1 it depends.

2.- I see Gparted is installed please go to the Applications look for it, muust be under menu settings or system, and open it.

3. Open a terminal and write


lsblk

Hit enter and take screenshots to see everything.

Then write

clear

Hit enter. Terminal must be clean again. Then write

lsblk -Sp

Show me the outpoot too.

Be careful on using exactly those commands. Terminal is case sensitive so if use uppercase like Lsblk it won't work.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

I'm back in win7, the grub failed to recognize commands.
I'll reboot to the usb (not installed trisquel) - so you're requesting I go to the USB pen to execute terminal commands, I was told that would write to the usb pen...
I don't understand where Trisquel installed itself, and where I should execute the commands - can't do it from grub, can't get to the HDD so that leaves only the "NOT Install" version on the usb pen - right?

--EDIT--
PS: I went to the USB pen (not installed) screenshots are below, but one command failed:
lsblk -Sp
the "S" option is not valid...
I reason Trisquel installed on the 128GB volume but I don't recognize it listed.

GpartedLaunched_Screenshot_2017_08_26.png 128GB disk_Screenshot_2017_08_26.png DiskUsageAnalyzer_2017_08_26.png lsblk_terminal CMD.png lsblk_Sp_CMD.png lsblk_invalid option.png
happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

I will be on IRC all day to help you.

Please visit http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#lgn

You should connect to IRC to Freenode to the channel #lgn just say hello.

SuperTramp83

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 10/31/2014

>oops I must remember to not be verbose

verbose is good, so is concision, but it wasn't meant as a rude critique but rather a sweet joke.

>grub repair

Grub repair from my experience is just garbage. On some UEFI laptops, the recent ones, there is no legacy mode and there is no way of installing anything really other than Windows and this is by design. I had one similar experience with a mate's laptop. I have spent countless hours reading and tinkering to no avail. Basically each time the installation would go just fine and then will just freeze completely while attempting to install grub, laptop completely frozen, dead, only cold reboot to see again a screen saying me something like 'no boot device'. Acer, which we contacted back then, said we should have updated the BIOS for the one version we had had indeed a 'bug' (no bug at all if you ask me but by design and on purpose feature) that would prevent in fact the installation of anything in there.

Long story short (talk about being verbose) I think the only thing you can do is boot the damn thing with **refind**

http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/

Donate to the developer if you can

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

It may be enough to boot a live system, 'chroot' the root partition of the installed system and 'grub-install'. But happy_gnu may have already helped Ronmamita solve his problem.

SuperTramp83

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 10/31/2014

>It may be enough to boot a live system, 'chroot' the root partition of the installed system and 'grub-install'.

Yeah, back in the days of the struggle with the by design fucked up laptop, I tried this together with a load of other common solutions and had 0 success, no matter how I tried, grub simply would not install on the hard drive.

Acer also confirmed the BIOS they shipped the laptop with was 'buggy' and that we could not do anything about it other than flash the newer BIOS and try again.

All in all it was a positive experience though: I learned something new, I managed to deliver at the end and the mate was happy and still is, I also promised to my self to never ever buy anything from Acer again. All fun at the end of the day. \o/

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi SuperTramp83 and Magic Banana
I searched the internet to find the meaning of "chroot", too bad I can't put Win7 in jail ("chroot") if I am using the term correctly?
Thanks everyone, this experience is akin to learning to swim by drowning - full Immersion - jump in I guess.
But as you say, a learning experience.

Anyway, I haven't decided what I will do right now, I'll pause to consider my options...

PS:
SuperTramp83, I didn't consider your comments rude, but internet chat culture is lost on me with most comments so terse that I often fail to grasp their meaning, and I know I am verbose in comparison to the culture I am not part of.
Thank you, and everyone for the assistance - the saga is not over until microsoft's OS has been defeated by Trisquel ;)

happy_gnu
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/06/2017

I don't think that we should call garbage a program that is recommended a lot by a lot of people, projects and even big companies like Canonical and Red Hat.
In my experience and many more is a great way to solve lots of problems.

I am also surprised you are actually blaming Acer but somehow Grub-repair is garbage?

I can assure you Ronmamita I am recommending you something that works. The program that recommended SuperTramp83 might be good too. But I have no idea how to use it.

SuperTramp83

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 10/31/2014

>I don't think that we should call garbage a program that is recommended a lot by a lot of people, projects and even big companies like Canonical and Red Hat.

I said **in my experience** is garbage and I'll repeat it: in my experience with it it was garbage, it helped 0, their answer to my mail helped 0 and had 0 helpful pointers.

As to the 'recommended by a lot of people and Canonical bla bla' that makes no sense, my experience told me it was not helpful. A lot of people recommend KDE but again in my experience KDE is garbage. :)

>But I have no idea how to use it.

Pretty sure there are instructions somewhere on the page I linked. If not, and if OP thinks he might follow the advice in case the other one fails, I'll be happy to provide you a guide.

Ronmamita
Offline
Beigetreten: 08/13/2017

Hi everyone, I'm back!
Hope you all don't give up on me, I have to battle medical issues and Computer OS stress had to take a number in the waiting line.
I was pleased to read the comments, but I don't understand the buggy applications nor the GRUBby details - so back to invading Proprietary software camping on my property.
Honestly, I had no clue this was a war for control of my computer - if I must, after my trisquel laptop arrives, I may simply erase the C: drive with Microsoft and be done with it :)

Below are new photos from my USB pen, I noticed a 8GB "computer" icon that I mounted - I don't recall that before and really have no idea WHERE it is on my machine?

So, please go slowly as I will eventually remove the microsoft vermin permanently, but for now remember that I have a Trisquel laptop due to arrive so I need the data disk drives for now that microsoft has control over.

I'm with you from the Trisquel USB pen and I hope to do this most often until boot repair or some solution is reaached.

Folder_128GB Vol_1st try.png 128GBvolumeContents.png 8GB_Whereisthis_computer.png
Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

Offline
Beigetreten: 07/24/2010

I believe it is the live system. Isn't your USB key 8 GB large?

Launch GParted (which is on the Live system). A password will probably be asked: try to directly type Enter and, if it does not work, try "trisquel". I never remember which one it is...

In GParted, try to understand how the Trisquel install has modified your disk partitioning. If you kept the default partitioning scheme, there should be a small linux-swap partition, a rather small (14 GB if I remember well) ext4 partition and a rather large xfs partition, all that alongside a large NTFS partition (Windows) and maybe more small partitions (to reinstall Windows or something). Do you see them?