From: nospam@needed.invalid   
      
   On Wed, 9/10/2025 3:35 PM, pinnerite wrote:   
   >   
   > I won't pretend that this is the most reliable machine.   
   > It was built in 2013 and curently r=uns Linux Mint 21.3 cinnamon.   
   >   
   > After an update yesterday, it would not complete a startup.   
   > I tried booting from a flashdrive and trying to repair the hard drive   
   > but that didn't seem to find any filesyatem errors.   
   >   
   > Occasionally it would complete a startup and it is up now.   
   > The problem is that the bottom panel (I only have one)is not showing.   
   >   
   > I would like to fix this otherwise I cannot get to the start button.   
   >   
   > Any suggestions?   
   >   
   >   
      
   In the boot menu, isn't there an option to use a slightly older kernel ?   
      
   I don't generally delete my older kernels, as I want "lots" of options   
   for Houdini Escape mode.   
      
   You should always set up your machine, so the boot menu is exposed at   
   boot time, so you will see these options.   
      
   sudo xed /etc/default/grub   
      
   # The first part here, is the install default, where no menu shows up   
      
   GRUB_DEFAULT=0   
   GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden   
   GRUB_TIMEOUT=0   
   GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null ||   
   echo Ubuntu`   
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"   
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""   
      
   # I just did these to mine, to make the menu show. This will   
   # boot using the default choice after 10 seconds.   
   # Removing quiet splash, it to see everything as it boots.   
   # Use a video camera, record that screen, if you want/need to see ABSOLUTELY   
   EVERYTHING.   
   # dmesg or sudo dmesg, is no longer as reliable as a recorder, as it used to   
   be.   
      
   GRUB_DEFAULT=0   
   GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu   
   GRUB_TIMEOUT=10   
   GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null ||   
   echo Ubuntu`   
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""   
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""   
      
   # Save and exit, then   
      
   sudo update-grub   
      
   *******   
      
   Depending on what instructions you followed, there may not be an   
   older kernel in the menu to choose from. For example, I did a clean   
   install, and I don't seem to have options except for "recover" or so.   
   And that may not be sufficient for a kernel-version-induced problem.   
      
   *******   
      
   You can chroot in, and do the above recipe to prepare the   
   install for the less-quiet boot. It's possible the Boot Rescue CD   
   leaves the menu in the exposed state as well, if you're as lazy   
   as I am :-)   
      
   *******   
      
   Linux 21.3 is what I recommend for people with old computers.   
   The 5.15.xx kernel is more likely to leave a smile on your   
   face, with an old computer. Using bleeding edge distros, using   
   HWE kernel, that's for techbros with really new kit. The 222 I'm testing,   
   is on an 11 year old machine, so that is an example of how far back   
   you could go, but I don't know if my video driver (if I switched out   
   of Nouveau) would work for me. Linux 21.3 won't last forever...   
   and that's a problem for a number of people.   
      
   driver-manager shows "nvidia-driver-550" as Recommended if I want   
   to run NVidia. So my GTX1080 is still supported well enough. If   
   your hardware is old enough, maybe the 470 driver does not support   
   your NVidia card (and it is Nouveau for the old thing).   
      
      Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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