My new laptop...and how I borked it

[Joelgp83]

So Grub is not showing up at all? Chances are your install is intact but you need to repair grub, in that case.

 

[MoodyBlues]

What about my settings, Aka WiFi? And the game? Will those be lost?

Initially after the freeze when I force booted it said 'GRU' at the top of the screen as if GRUB tried to load and froze doing so. Now all attempts give 'no operating system found'

Have you pulled its hard drive and looked at it hooked up to another computer? I'd do that ASAP. Odds are pretty good that all the files are still on the drive.
Do that and see what it looks like.

Assuming you can access its files, you can backup anything you might think you should save. I have no experience with the game you're talking about, and I also don't know where you installed it, so it may or may not be on your root partition.

If it *IS* on / it's up to you whether to save it. Since everything got borked after its installation...you probably don't want to save it! However, if you have game data [unlikely, considering how quickly things went belly up] in your $HOME, of course you can save that.

THEN, I'd stick it back in the computer and do a fresh install, making sure to format / and not format /home.

 

[Joelgp83]

Moody, if he installed it through steam, it'll be somewhere in his steam directory somewhere underneath ~/home/.local/.

I'd check for the correct path but am on mobile / out and about right now.

 

[nickdalzell]

I'm just going to blow it all away and start over. OpenSUSE is my favorite distro and is extremely polished. Took less than 30 minutes to install so it's not like I need to save what's left of the old.

BTW it's a laptop not a desktop. Removing the hard drive is a well, complicated thing. It's not like my old Dell CP-series laptop where the hard drive was slid into the spare battery tray and was easily removed.

Obviously Portal and Portal 2 didn't play properly due to something missing, so colors were inverted. It is like, best I can describe, akin to watching an old 'pay tv' channel without a descrambler back in the day. Unplayable in that state. In fact, all Valve and Source titles failed in the same exact way. Other games like Surgeon Simulator worked fine.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm just going to blow it all away and start over. OpenSUSE is my favorite distro and is extremely polished. Took less than 30 minutes to install so it's not like I need to save what's left of the old.

Sounds good to me!

BTW it's a laptop not a desktop. Removing the hard drive is a well, complicated thing.

Really? I've replaced hard drives in several of my laptops and there was nothing to it, aside from unscrewing a few screws. But I don't think we've had the same brand/model of laptops, so there you go.

Obviously Portal and Portal 2 didn't play properly due to something missing, so colors were inverted. It is like, best I can describe, akin to watching an old 'pay tv' channel without a descrambler back in the day.

Ah, a distant memory you've just reminded me of!

Unplayable in that state. In fact, all Valve and Source titles failed in the same exact way. Other games like Surgeon Simulator worked fine.

Interesting. Didn't I install one of those a while back...to test? or something? *scratching my head* Maybe not. But maybe I will, just to see what happens! Tell me some specific games and I may try them just for the hell of it. Portal, Portal 2, anything else?

 

[Dngrsone]

Portal worked fine in Mint 15 for me... That was a while ago, though. Like eight months or something.

I only mailed my lappy off five hours ago and I miss it so... its hard drive is not that really removed either.

Damn Toshiba for wanting to make Macs...

 

[MoodyBlues]

Portal worked fine in Mint 15 for me... That was a while ago, though. Like eight months or something.

That's good to know.

I only mailed my lappy off five hours ago and I miss it so...

Oh, I feel for you! I go through physical withdrawal when not attached to a keyboard. A REAL keyboard, not a smartphone or tablet keyboard.

its hard drive is not that really removed either.

Really? That just seems so weird to me. I guess I've been lucky that the laptops I've bought had easily removed hard drives.

 

[Joelgp83]

Obviously Portal and Portal 2 didn't play properly due to something missing, so colors were inverted. It is like, best I can describe, akin to watching an old 'pay tv' channel without a descrambler back in the day. Unplayable in that state. In fact, all Valve and Source titles failed in the same exact way. Other games like Surgeon Simulator worked fine.

*Sigh* Your GPU's OpenGL driver is not playing nice. What brand/model are you equipped with, and are you using proprietary or Open Source drivers?

 

[MoodyBlues]

I was going to try installing Portal/2 but didn't realize there's not a free/demo version. I don't really want to shell out $$$ for something I'm not likely to actually use!

 

[mikedt]

You got to spend $30 whatever on a game, and then find it doesn't work? Does Steam have any provision for credit or refund in the event the game doesn't work, or even the fact you may not like it? In the absence of a free trial or demo.

 

[Dngrsone]

Yeah, I was pretty surprised, too. That will teach me to order a laptop without physically touching it...

Other than the fact that I will have to disassemble it to upgrade the drive or replace the battery, though, it is a nice machine.

I am hoping this new battery will last more than ten months, though.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I am hoping this new battery will last more than ten months, though.

Then don't do what *I* do--leave it plugged in 24/7! I've killed every single laptop battery I've ever had--so far--by doing that. My Chromebook--knock on wood--hasn't fallen victim yet nor, of course, my brand-new System76. But...all in due time. :laugh:

 

[MoodyBlues]

Obviously Portal and Portal 2 didn't play properly due to something missing, so colors were inverted. It is like, best I can describe, akin to watching an old 'pay tv' channel without a descrambler back in the day. Unplayable in that state. In fact, all Valve and Source titles failed in the same exact way. Other games like Surgeon Simulator worked fine.

FWIW, I installed Steam and then poked around to see what I could install that didn't involve buying anything. I installed Sanctum 2--it runs great on my System76 and HP dv7 laptops, and looks stunning. I will probably uninstall it as I don't think I'll play it.

 

[nickdalzell]

Portal and Portal 2 are very excellent puzzle games and very funny (especially the second one, the first was rather dark in comparison). but they didn't play well with whatever drivers were included in OpenSUSE for some reason. it had something to do with, given some Google searches on the same failure, 'MESA' not being installed. but i checked Synaptic and it was indeed installed and active.

Other games that didn't depend on the Source engine used by Valve's titles (which incluldes Half Life, Half Life 2, Portal, Portal 2, Team Fortress 2, etc) seemed to work well--in fact, better than they ever did in Windows, including X Plane's demo (one hell of a download!). so it's not video card drivers per se, something not compatible with OpenSUSE's current version is more to blame here.

I have not tested to see if other distros worked any better. but i did try the same OpenSUSE distro on multiple machines with the same outcome--inverted colors and missing textures. so it's not hardware or video card related.

As for hard drive removal, something about these modern laptops make it near impossible unless you think the drive and its data is more important than having a usable machine in the end. aside proprietary security bits being needed, even if you manage to get that far, the computer is sealed shut. prying it with a tool will indeed break or pop some of the keys and their membranes off the keyboard or worse, damage the motherboard or LCD beyond repair.

The last easy to remove parts on laptop was my late Dell Latitude CPi laptop. it had the hard drive (or CD-ROM, extra battery, ZIP Drive if one so desired) in the second 'media bay'. it was able to run over a network and made for businesses so the hard drive was actually an option.

MikeDT, i've already beaten Portal 2 three times. i still enjoy playing it especially the DLC levels. it runs fine on MacOS, consoles, and my Windows 8 box. but having the option to run in Linux would be nice. that is, if i could use my preferred distro and not some dumbed down one as i see Ubuntu turning into.

 

[Dngrsone]

I have made a habit of unplugging my laptop when not in use; and run off the battery for a while at least weekly.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Portal and Portal 2 are very excellent puzzle games and very funny (especially the second one, the first was rather dark in comparison).

I love puzzle games. Hmmmm... :hmmmm2:

but they didn't play well with whatever drivers were included in OpenSUSE for some reason. it had something to do with, given some Google searches on the same failure, 'MESA' not being installed. but i checked Synaptic and it was indeed installed and active.

Other games that didn't depend on the Source engine used by Valve's titles (which incluldes Half Life, Half Life 2, Portal, Portal 2, Team Fortress 2, etc) seemed to work well--in fact, better than they ever did in Windows, including X Plane's demo (one hell of a download!). so it's not video card drivers per se, something not compatible with OpenSUSE's current version is more to blame here.

I have not tested to see if other distros worked any better. but i did try the same OpenSUSE distro on multiple machines with the same outcome--inverted colors and missing textures. so it's not hardware or video card related.

Well, it's good you know it's not hardware, or video card drivers, per se, so at least you don't have to bother troubleshooting from that angle.

As for hard drive removal, something about these modern laptops make it near impossible unless you think the drive and its data is more important than having a usable machine in the end. aside proprietary security bits being needed, even if you manage to get that far, the computer is sealed shut. prying it with a tool will indeed break or pop some of the keys and their membranes off the keyboard or worse, damage the motherboard or LCD beyond repair.

I realized after posting an earlier reply that you and I *DO* have one laptop in common, the same model Acer Chromebook. BUT...as I recall, yours doesn't have a hard drive and mine does. (So far, I've had no need, and felt no huge inclination, to open it up!)

...if i could use my preferred distro and not some dumbed down one as i see Ubuntu turning into.

I'm never going to understand this. As I've said before, *MY* Kubuntus are not dumbed down. *shrug* I can make them look however I want, act however I want, do whatever I want. There is absolutely ZILCH running or happening that I don't want. So how is that dumbed down?

 

[nickdalzell]

Actually the Chromebook is pretty easy to crack open. my Acer Ultrabook, however, is not.

I wasn't speaking of Kubuntu, just regular Unity-infested Ubuntu. but Kubuntu is still security driven to protect the user from himself which i am not tolerant of. you have to hack the heck out of it to enable root login by default for one. it goes well beyond that. the requirement to have fsck run at boot (seems it thinks every single one assumes it was shut down wrong even though i know i did it correctly) also annoyed me.

The only Ubuntu based distro i could tolerate was PearOS. but it was so themed you hardly realized it was 'Buntu based.

Even Kubuntu couldn't install apps downloaded from the browser. again, need i remind you of trying to install Skype ending with 'architecture not supported' even though i know i downloaded the correct *.deb file. OpenSUSE worked perfectly fine on that regard. install the app i want stupid OS! stop playing 'Play Store compatibility filter' on me. it's like trying to install any app or game outside its package manager/store ends in failure with some vague message in Google-style fashion. this affects all flavors of Ubuntu for me. as such i refuse to go back to it.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Actually the Chromebook is pretty easy to crack open.

If the urge ever strikes and I decide [or need] to open mine, this is good to know.

I wasn't speaking of Kubuntu, just regular Unity-infested Ubuntu.

When I hear "Ubuntu" I simultaneously hear "Kubuntu."

but Kubuntu is still security driven to protect the user from himself which i am not tolerant of.

That's where we differ. In YOUR experience, that's what you've seen. In MINE, it is not. There is NOTHING 'protecting' me from myself that I don't want, and allow, to be there.

you have to hack the heck out of it to enable root login by default for one.

This sounds familiar. Didn't we hash this out a while ago? :laugh: Okay, let me do my part: NO YOU DON'T!!!! Hack the heck out of it just to enable root logins? Nick, you're doing it wrong! It takes me TWO SECONDS [on a slow day] to make the ONE WORD change necessary to enable root logins. If you're doing more 'hacking' than that, you're doing it wrong.

it goes well beyond that. the requirement to have fsck run at boot (seems it thinks every single one assumes it was shut down wrong even though i know i did it correctly) also annoyed me.

I've never seen this behavior, so I can't comment on it beyond saying my mileage definitely varies from yours.

Even Kubuntu couldn't install apps downloaded from the browser. again, need i remind you of trying to install Skype ending with 'architecture not supported' even though i know i downloaded the correct *.deb file.

And I'll remind you that Skype installed effortlessly for me, on multiple computers running Kubuntu.

OpenSUSE worked perfectly fine on that regard. install the app i want stupid OS! stop playing 'Play Store compatibility filter' on me. it's like trying to install any app or game outside its package manager/store ends in failure with some vague message in Google-style fashion. this affects all flavors of Ubuntu for me. as such i refuse to go back to it.

Well, again, this doesn't happen to me so there's not a lot I can say about it. I can, and do, install anything I want. I'm left wondering if perhaps this is a PEBKAC issue?

 

[Joelgp83]

Either that or he lives over a geomagnetic anomaly that screws with his hard drive and the electron-circuit pathways of his computer.

 

[mikedt]

Either that or he lives over a geomagnetic anomaly that screws with his hard drive and the electron-circuit pathways of his computer.

It could be worse...could be living in China.

 

[Dngrsone]

I seem to recall seeing a setting that allows for that in Mint KDE... Though I may be confusing it with Win 8.1 since I was recently seeing up an account in there so that Toshiba' s tech could log in add necessary.

Frankly, I didn't like the direction Ubuntu was going in, either, which is why I went to Mint.

As for being able to log in as root... Well, I have good Daus and bad days, and sometimes I need a reminder that what I am about to do may cause me trouble. Even then, I have managed to screw myself up.

On the gripping hand, having to hack the system a bit to get what I want is part and parcel of my joy in computing.

 

[nickdalzell]

OpenSUSE is the only distro that reminds me of the more traditional VectorLinux 6.0. i just prefer it that way. Ubuntu is for those new to Linux who don't like to configure stuff. me? i prefer playing with it and changing everything. it's essentially like comparing smartphones. some like them as they are out of box (Nexus) others love root and flashing custom ROMs (me)

For myself, i stick with what works. when something i use doesn't work i simply stop using it and find something that does. Ubuntu (any of 'em) simply do not work for me. i therefore choose one which does. same goes for Android. i just prefer Samsung over Google.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Ubuntu is for those new to Linux who don't like to configure stuff.

So what does that make me? I have almost 30 years of UNIX under my belt, so I'm definitely not new to Linux, and 30 years ago there was no such thing as a GUI [at least not as we know it--the UNIX system I had back then was command line only], so everything I did was at a prompt. Including reconfiguring the kernel. Can't get much more "like to configure stuff" than that!

me? i prefer playing with it and changing everything.

Me too. There's very little about my Kubuntus that some other random Kubuntu user would likely recognize. They're customized to look, feel, and act exactly as *I* want them.

it's essentially like comparing smartphones. some like them as they are out of box (Nexus) others love root and flashing custom ROMs (me)

Very true.

For myself, i stick with what works. when something i use doesn't work i simply stop using it and find something that does. Ubuntu (any of 'em) simply do not work for me.

That's where I think you've made a mistake. You've decided that *buntu doesn't work for you, yet I don't think you ever really gave it a fair chance. I say that because there is NOTHING I want or need to do that I cannot do, easily, on Kubuntu. I don't know of anything you want or need to do that can't be done on Kubuntu. If you know what you're doing.

i therefore choose one which does.

Like I often say, one of the greatest things about Linux is its wide array of choices.

 

[Dngrsone]

For myself, i stick with what works. when something i use doesn't work i simply stop using it and find something that does.

It seems to me that the start of this little discussion came about because OpenSuse is not working for you (namely Steam games).

Or did I miss a cue somewhere?

 

[Joelgp83]

My question is, will loading the proprietary drivers (AMD/nVidia/Intel/Whathaveyou) fix the issue? It might sidestep the need for the MESA stuff as they proprietary stuff usually its own OpenGL implimentation.