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 Post subject: Careful with that update Eugene.....

Joined: 03 Jul 2013, 08:30
Posts: 59
A Cautionary Tale

Haven't got the "new" netbook yet to install Navigatrix, but after playing with a stick version for several weeks, I decided what the heck, and decided to replace my old Fedora distro on the ancient Dell tower I currently use. I mean as Kinky Friedman said when he ran for governor of Texas.... "How hard could it be?"

Had several concerns that I really had not been able to address when running a live USB version.

1. Have been running Pegasus Mail since '93 and David is just never gonna port it to linux. Had it running ok under wine in Fedora and while I never was able to try it due to limitations on the thumb drive I was running. Ie: size. Have just a couple of other Window$ programs I have also been running primarily due to the fact I am too lazy to learn a new interface when I have one that has been working well for years.

2. Net access here is via WiFi. Have a POS Netgear usb dongle that is unsupported in linux. (Hey, I was in a hurry, and it was available and cheap. If I had any idea what a PITA it was gonna be......) Anyway I managed to get it running via Ndiswrapper in Fedora, but was unable to get the wrapper installed in the live Navigatrix setup. I have managed to set up an old router as a wireless client to hook up to the AP as a fall back, so .... (See Friedman quote above).

First run with the installer was to run a side by side just in case. Unfortunately with the previous partitions and the limited drive space, that ended up not being an option in the installer.
Ok, back up everything.... twice. Once with a full image of the primary drive saved to an external usb terabyte drive, an a second backing up just what I thought I would need in the way of files..

Onward into the fog.

Ran through the install screens. Somewhere along the way one of the options was to "Run updates during the install" along with the option to install some proprietary media codecs. Sure, why not? Updates are good right? (Wait for it)

After a considerable wait while about a gagillion updates downloaded via the old modified router interface I finally got to the "Reboot it" screen. Coooool Reboot the system Mr. Spock

First indication that all was not good was no splash on reboot. Just a screen full of white vertical bars. Not to worry, got that in Fedora as well. The Nividia GForce doesn't know whether to sh*t or wind its watch till the drivers load. Eventually Navigatrix came up but I haven't seen a 640x480 screen since Windows 3.x..... Ok just go to the monitor settings and change it to my monitors native 1024x768. Whoops, not an option. WTF? Check, scramble, search. You know how long it takes to search google with a 640x480 screen? Too long.

Deep breath, long thought.. It wasn't a problem using the live USB version right? Reboot to the stick and sure enough, native resolution by default. Ah Ha I says, says I... Someting got updated and screwed the pooch. Fedora's long gone so run the installer again but avoid (as in plague) the include updates and codec options. With no updates, install is quick and seamless. Reboot provides std splash screen on load, and starts in 1024x768 no problem.

Moral of the story..... "Don't Fix Something That Works"

I really should have known better in hindsight, but it served as a good reminder not to let the system run the show without oversight. It's dumb and only looks for newer versions without looking for possible conflicts. Update packages as required, not just to update.

Good news is all my worries about other issues were groundless. Ndiswrapper in and running (till I get a decent linux dongle) and the old Win executables up and running with all the old data under wine.

Just another adventure in paradise.


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 Post subject: Re: Careful with that update Eugene.....
Site Admin

Joined: 05 Nov 2010, 01:00
Posts: 185
Hello CapCouillon,

and thankyou for your feedback. The option to update during installation and to install extra codecs is a little bit confusing because its not really neccesary to update and may even screw something as you figured out. Also the codecs dont need to get installed since they are already part of the system. Therefore, the next iso update will have the update option during installation removed to make installation easier ;) If you like to update should be possible without any problems using Manta->Preferences->Package Manager.


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 Post subject: Re: Careful with that update Eugene.....

Joined: 03 Jul 2013, 08:30
Posts: 59
Tks David... Alls well that ends well. Like I said, I should have known better than to do a blind across the board update. I have had it bite me before. Once I get everythig lined out and set up how I want, I will go ahead and update as requieed. One at a time so its easy to nail down any problems.

Tks again. Am really glad I found Navigatrix as it has saved me a "boatload" of time. Very nice stuff, and I always have a spare thumb in my pocket for friends.


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