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Ubuntu. New download won't access wifi

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#76
terry1966

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to be honest i think that laptop may have problems, besides that though you really don't want to be playing around with a laptop that is system critical to your work, if i were you i'd stick to using windows at the moment for your work and i'd also buy a 2nd backup laptop (either new, second hand or refurbished) and use that to experiment with linux on plus if your machine does have problems like i said you have a backup ready to go so you can still do your work.

 

ubuntu is not usually as unstable as it seems to be on your machine and why i think it's a problem with your laptop.

a couple of distro's i'd try in your shoes if you don't like ubuntu.

mint :- https://www.linuxmint.com/

opensuse :- https://www.opensuse.org/(i use tumbleweed but i'd suggest using leap for most people.)

 

:popcorn:


Edited by terry1966, 14 June 2016 - 06:04 PM.

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#77
brycrip

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Yeah. I got a scare last night. I opened Windows and it crashed several seconds later. I couldn't get into Ubuntu either. Both OS just kept taming me back to the page were you select one or the other.

 

Ran Win Start Up Repair a couple of times. That didn't take: told me it couldn't repair automatically. I ran Memory Repair and Win started automatically after the program had run its course.

 

So now I got everything back; but with fingers crossed.

 

Bry


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#78
brycrip

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Linuxmint? Opensuse Leap?

My requirements are basic: Excellent word processing. Great spell check. Thesaurus, maybe two. Reliable internet access that is fast and reliable given the fact that service is slow here in the DR. And e-mail. Don't download music, movies, games...

You feel Linux is the way to go... Right?

I read online that Ubuntu runs great on this machine: lenovo 11e.

I'm at a lose figuring things out here. But I'm spending more time screwing around trying to make things work than I am working for my clients. Not good. It doesn't pay as well.  :smashcomp:

 

So what do you recommend to me? And don't worry. I won't hold it against you :yes: 

 

Bry 


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#79
terry1966

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how careful are you with the laptop? hard drives do not like being knocked about which could cause data loss corruption which could be the cause of your problems. (if your not very careful, then replacing the hard drive with an ssd might be a good choice, they handle knocks better plus you'll notice a vast difference in speed of operation.)

 

you'll need to run some tests on it.

some of these tests will take a lot of time so i'd have the laptop plugged in to the mains when running them.

 

first run a memory test, think there is an option for that in your boot options from when you installed ubuntu, let it run until it completes at least 3 passes (or overnight.) just to be sure there are no problems there, if it shows any errors then that is where your problem is and you'll need to find and replace the bad stick if more than 1 is installed.

 

if it passes that then you'll need to run a test on the hard drive. :- https://support.micr...n-gb/kb/2641432

 

i'd also run an online scan to make sure there is no malware on it. :- http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/

then download the free version of malwarebytes and run that to double check. :- https://www.malwareb...g/mwb-download/

 

 

You feel Linux is the way to go... Right?

no, either os will do what you require and it's just down to you which you prefer and/or is more productive for you.

 

personally yes i'd use linux because it's (in my opinion) the better, faster, safer os but that doesn't mean it'll be the best for everyone.

 

:popcorn:


Edited by terry1966, 15 June 2016 - 11:45 AM.

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#80
brycrip

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Hey Terry. Had to run to the City today, so not much progress.

 

Computer crashed again last night, but it restarted ok this time.

 

I started to gather my files together with the intent of returning the lenovo back to the original factory settings and starting again. It's a new computer so there's not much on it. It should be rather painless.

 

" let it run until it completes at least 3 passes (or overnight.)" I don't think Wendy will let me sleep in her bar over night. :D 


Edited by brycrip, 16 June 2016 - 01:03 PM.

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#81
terry1966

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the memory test doesn't need any internet connection, it is a simple program that writes random data to the memory and then checks it to see if it was written without any errors, if there are errors then you have a hardware memory problem and will need to replace the memory stick with a new one.

 

resetting to factory won't fix a hardware problem if that's what the problem is.

 

:popcorn:


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#82
brycrip

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Sorry for the delay. Made three trips to the City this week; not much fun.

 

My reference to Wendy's bar is not so much about internet, but AC power. I've ordered one those fancy inverters that let folks plug into the cigarette lighters in their cars. That might help powering the computer on the boat.

 

You said the dirty word "time".... "some of these tests will take a lot of time..." That's the one thing I don't have right now. I'm so behind in my work.

 

Bry


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#83
terry1966

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 work first, play later. :spoton:

 

:popcorn:


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#84
brycrip

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Hey Terry:

 

Work! The other dirty word!

 

I ran that memory test for about an hour yesterday. How to you know if it's working? There's no spinning wheel, no progress bar, no percent complete. It just sits there. Anyway I gave up.

 

I looked at Mint OS and Leap OS. Mint looks way too fancy with far too many options, (one for every day of the week). There is very little information on Leap, maybe a good thing, but I assume you have experience with it so that's good enough for me. I notice there is a button to download it. Does that mean I don't have to go the Rufus route? Can I run it alongside Windows? Or is there some sort of trial version I can run, 'till I make a decision?

 

How how do I dump Ubuntu. I'm am ready to return my lenovo back to the factory settings, but maybe I need that extra partition we added.

 

Anyway, this is the last kick at the can for me. If I can't get Leap to work, it's on to Windows 10.

 

How many hours have we put into this????

 

Thanks,

Bry


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#85
brycrip

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http://opensuse-guid...tallpackage.php

 

I found this Users Guide to Leap.... interesting!


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#86
terry1966

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to be honest i wouldn't try any other os until you can figure out where the problem is with your laptop.

 

when you ran memtest it should have looked like this :-

test.png

top right shows the pass % of current run through of all tests in a pass.

line below that shows current test pattern %age completed.

bottom line on the right shows the number of passes completed so far with the number of errors found, if any, next to it.

notice where it says state: the \ should be revolving with it saying running next to it if the memtest is working,

so besides everything else changing you should know if it is actually checking your memory and working correctly.

 

if when you run memtest those things don't change/happen then there is a problem and you'll need to find a different way of running the test.

 

ie. download memtest from here :- http://www.memtest86.com/technical.htm

then use rufus to put the iso onto your usbstick and boot it.

 

once you have confirmed you have no memory problems then you'll want to check your hard drive for problems.

 

:popcorn:


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#87
brycrip

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Yes. That's the page that comes up but after an hour, the is no indication that it is running. I think there should be a percent complete showing after an hour. Right?

 

I'll work on the test but still want to dump Ubuntu.

 

Thanks,

Bry


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#88
terry1966

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dumping ubuntu is easy just use the same program you did before to remove ubuntu from the bootloader and in windows format or delete the ubuntu partition we created to install it to and that'll be all traces of it gone from your pc. if you leave the partition as empty space then then next distro you try to install on your laptop will use that space same as ubuntu did.

 

if the memtest was working then i'd expect you to see it doing something immediately even if it was just showing it's state by the rotating / sign and it saying running, after an hour i'd expect to see some %age progress showing too, maybe even 1 pass completed.

 

so i'd suggest using the link provided to download memtest and create a bootable usb stick with the iso and try running the memtest from that.

 

:popcorn:


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#89
brycrip

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Just for your information, I ran that Ubuntu upgrade you provided. Your link was so fuzzy I couldn't see what was going on. Anyway, found it and ran it. Instructions were a bit scant for a newbie. It ran for 30 minutes and then seemed like it wanted me to type in a command. I tried my password but that wasn't it. I finally tried to log off and my trash bin immediately opened. Not a good sign! When I rebooted, there was no difference and I couldn't detect any changes to the system.


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#90
brycrip

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Ok, Terry. Don't get all "Geeky" on me. When you say dumping Ubuntu is easy, I get real scared. Everything so far was supposed to have been easy. And what a pain in the...  And what the heck is a distro?  :smashcomp:

 

Anyway. I understand I should delete the partition... how? And you prefer this to returning the computer to the factory settings.

 

I defer to your knowledge, of course, but I find it hard to believe that there is anything wrong with this computer. It is brand new and ran perfectly until I decided to screw around with a new OS.

 

Anyway, I will preserver...

Bry


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