PCLinuxOS Updates are not working for my computer

[srfrby]

OK.  What happened?  My life is stressful enough already.  PCLinuxOS without the updates is the only Linux distribution that works good with my hardware until I update it.  When I first began using PCLinuxOS and updated it.  My new HP Officejet 4500 printer would not print color very well.  I just reformatted my 12 GB hard drive to dedicate it to PCLinuxOS, so that it would have enough space for new programs and dedicated my 9 GB hard drive to Windows 2000.  After reinstalling PCLinuxOS I updated it, except for the CUPS update.  Hoping that my printer would work better.  Then I discovered that there was a recent update that affected my  ATI Technologies Inc. monitor (Rage 128 RL/VR AGP), and now, it will not start up properly and PCLinuxOS will not load.  What can I do so that PCLinuxOS will work with all of my hardware when PCLinuxOS is updated?  I can’t afford to buy a new computer right now and Windows 2000 is the only OS, besides PCLinuxOS, that I can put on my computer.  Thank you all very much for your help.  All of your help is appreciated.     

[ericthered]

What brand of computer are you running-- HP, Dell, etc...?  How many packages need to be updated after you first install PCLOS?

[srfrby]

I have a Gateway Pentium III 450 MHz computer with 384 MB RAM.  I've reinstalled the latest GNOME version of PCLinuxOS and updated the kernel, the aptupgrade and the apt-sources-update.  I have 12813 packages listed and 1619 installed.  I've learned to upgrade each package individually.  So far things are going good.  So, if I upgrade each package individually, and the upgrade doesn't work.  Can I go back to the previous version?

[ericthered]

For one thing, you're pushing the envelope when it comes to system specs with regards to GNOME.  This could be part of the problem.  XFCE or LXDE are lighter and may be more suitable for your machine, but of course it's up to you.

Basically what you need to do is go through and install each upgrade individually.  It's a pain in the butt, but it will help you to pinpoint the problem.  Your machine will be borked when you install the "bad" package that's causing the issue.  From there you can log in using Failsafe mode and, using the CLI, remove the "bad" package.  You should be able to replace it with the older version that worked but I will need to do a little more research on just how to go about that.

Let me know if you run into trouble. 

[Crow]

I think you can pin the video driver so it is not upgraded, I did that with my Nvidia Graphics Card

Probably LXDE is better suited for your hardware and after that keep an eye in the programs you install.

[srfrby]

For one thing, you're pushing the envelope when it comes to system specs with regards to GNOME.  This could be part of the problem.  XFCE or LXDE are lighter and may be more suitable for your machine, but of course it's up to you.

Basically what you need to do is go through and install each upgrade individually.  It's a pain in the butt, but it will help you to pinpoint the problem.  Your machine will be borked when you install the "bad" package that's causing the issue.  From there you can log in using Failsafe mode and, using the CLI, remove the "bad" package.  You should be able to replace it with the older version that worked but I will need to do a little more research on just how to go about that.

Let me know if you run into trouble. 

What is the "CLI"?  I've just updated some stuff on, PCLOS LXDE 2010.12 Kernel 2.6.38.8 pclos3, and now I can't configure my HP Officejet 4500 printer through the PCLOS Control Center and the  HP Device Manager  doesn't work and LbreOffice doesn't work.  Could somebody help me please?

[srfrby]

For one thing, you're pushing the envelope when it comes to system specs with regards to GNOME.  This could be part of the problem.  XFCE or LXDE are lighter and may be more suitable for your machine, but of course it's up to you.

Basically what you need to do is go through and install each upgrade individually.  It's a pain in the butt, but it will help you to pinpoint the problem.  Your machine will be borked when you install the "bad" package that's causing the issue.  From there you can log in using Failsafe mode and, using the CLI, remove the "bad" package.  You should be able to replace it with the older version that worked but I will need to do a little more research on just how to go about that.

Let me know if you run into trouble. 

If it helps here is my updated "chkconfig --list", as of 07/17/2010:

I've noticed that there's nothing on there referring to HP.  I don't know what else is missing or shouldn't be on the list.  Somebody please help me!  I really need to get this computer set up to apply for jobs, and for medical, health and legal research.  Thank you ALL for ALL of your help.

chkconfig --list
acpid             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
alsa              0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
apmd              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
apmiser           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
atd               0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
atieventsd        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
avahi-daemon      0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:off   5:on   6:off   7:off
bpalogin          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
crond             0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
cups              0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
dm                0:off   1:off   2:on   3:off   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
haldaemon         0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
ibod              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
ip6tables         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
iptables          0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
irqbalance        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
kheader           0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:off   5:on   6:off   7:off
laptop-mode       0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
mandi             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
messagebus        0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
msec              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
mtinkd            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
netconsole        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
netfs             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
network           0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
network-auth      0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
network-up        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:off   5:on   6:off   7:off
nfs-common        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
nfs-server        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
ntpd              0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
numlock           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
oki4daemon        0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
partmon           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
portreserve       0:off   1:off   2:on   3:off   4:on   5:off   6:off   7:off
pppoe             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
pptp              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
resmgr            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
resolvconf        0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
rpcbind           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
saslauthd         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
shorewall         0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
smb               0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
snmpd             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
sound             0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
sshd              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
syslog            0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:on
udev-post         0:off   1:on   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
ultrabayd         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
uuidd             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:off   5:on   6:off   7:off
winbind           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
wlan              0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off   7:off
xfs               0:off   1:off   2:on   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off
xinetd            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on   4:on   5:on   6:off   7:off

xinetd based services:
   cups-lpd:         off
   rsync:            off
   saned:            on
   sshd-xinetd:      off

[coffeetime]

OK.  What happened?  My life is stressful enough already.

Naaahhh...Really? How come? Neighbours? Pets? Job? Wife? Stock exchange?

After reinstalling PCLinuxOS I updated it, except for the CUPS update.

Why?

Then I discovered that there was a recent update that affected my  ATI Technologies Inc. monitor (Rage 128 RL/VR AGP), and now, it will not start up properly and PCLinuxOS will not load.

Forum "Search" ?

What can I do so that PCLinuxOS will work with all of my hardware when PCLinuxOS is updated?

Forum "Search" ?

I can’t afford to buy a new computer right now and Windows 2000 is the only OS, besides PCLinuxOS, that I can put on my computer.  Thank you all very much for your help.  All of your help is appreciated.      

If you want help, please read this.


Have fun  

[horusfalcon]

Okay... a couple of things:

sfrby said:

I have a Gateway Pentium III 450 MHz computer with 384 MB RAM.

As has already been pointed out, this is really not quite enough machine to be running GNOME (or KDE for that matter).  LXDE or XFCE would definitely be better choices.  Just thought that might bear repeating.

sfrby also said:

After reinstalling PCLinuxOS I updated it, except for the CUPS update.  Hoping that my printer would work better.

{Note: emphasis is mine.}
@Coffeetime: This is why he didn't update CUPS, but I agree with you that his reason was not exactly a great one.

@sfrby:  Yeah... not updating all the installed software on a PCLinuxOS machine is asking for trouble - it can break things.  12 gigabytes of hard drive space isn't a whole lot for a full-blown GNOME install, especially if you are trying to use a lot of applications.  Are you keeping your program load as lean as you can?  (If you need an IDE hard drive for that machine, larger ones can be obtained surplus for not too much money... that wouldn't be a bad idea if you're going to continue using that PIII-based machine.) 

More RAM would also help - you should look at getting at least 512 Megs, preferably 2 gigs or more for best results.  The down-side here is that the machine may only support a small amount of RAM - does that machine use PC133 SDRAM or something more exotic (like RAMBUSS?).  I may have some old RAM I could send you... let me dig around and find out.  (Send the system MODEL NO. if you're interested - you could always PM me...)

If you could afford it, I'd recommend you get out to a refurbisher or surplus house and replace that old machine.  The nice folks at computer-show.com are having a sale because they're getting ready to move into a new warehouse.  A hundred bucks (plus shipping) could get you a small Pentium IV based computer that would be much better suited to your needs than the old Gateway you're running now.  Newer machines are also out there for not too much money.

sfrby further asked:

What is the "CLI"?

CLI is an acronym for "Command Line Interpreter" (something most Linux users would refer to as the shell).  It's an old-school computing term that dates back to before MS-DOS.  (A look at The Jargon File would doubtless be illuminating and amusing, too.)

You already seem to have some facility with the shell - after all, you seem to know how to use apt-get from there.

Coffeetime then said:

If you want help, please read this.

{linking word "this" to a stickified post on how to ask for help.}

While I agree with your sentiments to some degree, I wish you had expressed them with a touch less snark.  Everyone has a bad day now and then.

That said, your advice was some of the best given in the thread yet.  Searching and learning how to focus a request for help can greatly improve the odds of a solution - probably more than any amount of technical prowess or skill with a computer.

and more recently sfrby said:

...I really need to get this computer set up to apply for jobs, and for medical, health and legal research.  Thank you ALL for ALL of your help.

I couldn't help but notice earlier on in the thread that this is a dual-boot configuration?  I'm not one to advocate Windows use, but you should be able to perform all those functions easily enough on the Windows 2000 half of that machine until you can winkle out the solution to this problem - just a suggestion.  Doing so might take the pressure off and make this seem like a touch less of an emergency.

I'm probably in enough trouble now, so I'll shut up while I'm behind.  Hope you find a solution to your problem.

Later On,
D