Linux Mint 17 Won't Accept Wifi Password

biketard · 18-03-2015 2:22am

What software are you using to burn the iso to a disk? There's usually an option to burn a "disk image" or similar.

PrzemoF · 19-03-2015 6:52pm

Typing command lines in linux can be tricky if you don't know what's happening.

; is treated an end of command character, so it's OK _between_ commands, but it's not OK in the example below:

[przemo@localhost ~]$ echo "Hello World" ; "Hello Mars"
Hello World
bash: Hello Mars: command not found...

but it's OK to use it like a separator between commands:

[przemo@localhost ~]$ echo "Hello World" ; echo "Hello Mars" 
Hello World
Hello Mars

There are a few more like &, |, ~, >>, >, &&, but I don't want to confuse you. In general try to understand exactly what the command you're typing/copying does. Ask if in doubt.

L.Jenkins · 20-03-2015 9:15am

Out of curiosity Fabio, did you get the issue resolved as I haven't been following this thread much?

Fabio · 20-03-2015 1:08pm

Sorry lads, very rude of me not to actually come back and fill ye in. In the end I gave a full install a go with it plugged into the modem using the ethernet cable. I put Mint 17.1 XFCE on the Dell M1330 and it works brilliantly. No wifi issues and it's a whole lot faster at pretty much everything. The experience is smoother and better than it was with Windows 7 on it.

It boots up from cold to a working desktop in about 55 seconds and it shuts down in 10 seconds. For a 7 year old laptop that's pretty good in my book.

L.Jenkins · 20-03-2015 2:32pm

Fabio wrote: »

It boots up from cold to a working desktop in about 55 seconds and it shuts down in 10 seconds. For a 7 year old laptop that's pretty good in my book.

Am thinking of investing in an older laptop to run the same in the near future. It's good to hear the Mint 17.1 runs without any hassle.

cerastes · 22-03-2015 3:22pm

biketard wrote: »

What software are you using to burn the iso to a disk? There's usually an option to burn a "disk image" or similar.

I was using what seems to come as standard with Ubuntu, can't recall the name of it, I'll have to open that laptop.
I haven't gotten back to it as I'd a few other things to do. I think i m going to have to put it to the side until I can give it my full attention. It would be handy to have that netbook up and running again as it now has Ubuntu and XP on it, where I think mint might be better, I'm still not sure what version so I just went for the latest version of cinnamon, but maybe it needs a light version of one of any of the u is like OS. Anyone any recommendations of an OS for a netbook?

Itzy wrote: »

Am thinking of investing in an older laptop to run the same in the near future. It's good to hear the Mint 17.1 runs without any hassle.

I wish

L.Jenkins · 22-03-2015 4:25pm

In some cases, it can be tricky to get a machine up and running with any Linux Distribution. You may have incompatible hardware, which can be a nightmare to get drivers for, so you may have to seek drivers for it or alternative hardware. I'm not that naive in thinking it's free from problems, but it can be easy if you know what you need to do or where to go.

biketard · 23-03-2015 3:24am

cerastes wrote: »

I was using what seems to come as standard with Ubuntu, can't recall the name of it, I'll have to open that laptop.

Hey cerastes, I usually use a different disk burner, but I see that my Mint (Mate) came with Brasero. Could that be the one you're using? If so, you need to make sure to click the last option on the left, which is ""Burn image", then browse to your iso file.

I can see your confusion, btw. The issue is this: an iso file is not just a bunch of files and folders, but rather a single archive file that is an exact copy of what is written on a disk and where it's written. It has to be burned back onto the new blank disk in a specific way so that the data ends up in the same places, etc. Just dumping that single file randomly on a new disk doesn't cut it, as the computer doesn't know how to read it at boot up. Sorry if that doesn't make sense, but basically, you just need to make sure you burn it onto the new blank disk as an "image" and you'll be fine.

cerastes · 23-03-2015 10:04pm

biketard wrote: »

Hey cerastes, I usually use a different disk burner, but I see that my Mint (Mate) came with Brasero. Could that be the one you're using? If so, you need to make sure to click the last option on the left, which is ""Burn image", then browse to your iso file.

I can see your confusion, btw. The issue is this: an iso file is not just a bunch of files and folders, but rather a single archive file that is an exact copy of what is written on a disk and where it's written. It has to be burned back onto the new blank disk in a specific way so that the data ends up in the same places, etc. Just dumping that single file randomly on a new disk doesn't cut it, as the computer doesn't know how to read it at boot up. Sorry if that doesn't make sense, but basically, you just need to make sure you burn it onto the new blank disk as an "image" and you'll be fine.

That's the one, brasero, its on the laptop with ubuntu, I actually haven't had much problems with Ubuntu, but couldn't get it printing wirelessly so stopped using it, when I started using it again recently it wouldnt connect wirelessly to the internet but i was able to search for scripts and connected it directly to the router to get it sorted. I had wanted to try mint on the netbook, with the view to putting it on the laptop with ubuntu, but wanted to iron out any problems before I did anything with the laptop with ubuntu as its at least useable to browse online with.

Thanks for the advice, not an IT person but it does make sense, ill look at the options to burn it, was sure brasero only gave me a limited option what to do. I'll need to look at it in more detail when i can get a chance to give it my undivided attention, plus have to get some blank discs, although the mint PDF instruction said its possible to do with a memory stick but not as straight forward.cheers.

biketard · 24-03-2015 2:25am

Hey cerastes, if you already have Ubuntu on there, then sticking Mint on a USB stick is easy.

Here's what you have to do:
1. Download Mint (I like the Mate version myself, and found that it gave me zero wifi problems [I have it on a netbook, a big laptop, and a PC, and it works great on all of them])
2. Follow this: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu

You'll need to make sure your BIOS is set up to be able to boot from USB. Do you know how to do that? (If the answer is no, then let me know which make/model of netbook you have and I'll tell you how to do it.)

BTW, one of the things I like about Mint is that everything is pretty much there by default. No messing about downloading other stuff just to get things up and running. Also, you shouldn't really have to do much, if any, command line stuff in Mint. Pretty much everything can be done using the mouse.

cerastes · 25-03-2015 8:10am

biketard wrote: »

Hey cerastes, if you already have Ubuntu on there, then sticking Mint on a USB stick is easy.

Here's what you have to do:
1. Download Mint (I like the Mate version myself, and found that it gave me zero wifi problems [I have it on a netbook, a big laptop, and a PC, and it works great on all of them])
2. Follow this: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu

You'll need to make sure your BIOS is set up to be able to boot from USB. Do you know how to do that? (If the answer is no, then let me know which make/model of netbook you have and I'll tell you how to do it.)

BTW, one of the things I like about Mint is that everything is pretty much there by default. No messing about downloading other stuff just to get things up and running. Also, you shouldn't really have to do much, if any, command line stuff in Mint. Pretty much everything can be done using the mouse.

Thanks, I can get into the BIOS setup and have changed options in there before, have the passwords I created also, i don't believe I've seen an option to boot from USB though? Maybe I just wasn't looking at it in the boot order section, its a Samsung NP N110, just want to make it useable as it's my partners old laptop (netbook) and while its still physically functional it had XP originally and was getting slow so I backed everything up to an external drive, but what with XP not being supported and win 7 not being available to purchase, not thinking its able for win 8 or that it was suitable, I started looking for alternatives. Tried Ubuntu on it which it has as dual boot with the original XP now, but think mint might be better both for herself and as this is a netbook, any pointers to setting it up would be great, didn't have any real problems setting up ubuntu, and think mate might be lighter version too?

biketard · 25-03-2015 8:33am

Ahh, right, your particular model appears to have USB booting disabled by default. You need to go into the BIOS, then "Advanced", then disable "Fast BIOS mode".

This guy explains it very nicely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvHu0BTSf4

Seriously, even though there are lighter options (Xfce, for example, but I don't like losing some of the menu options of Gnome), Mate runs really smoothly on my very old Acer Aspire One, and in my case anyway, EVERYTHING worked great without having to tweak anything further. I'd be surprised if you don't have a similar experience on your partner's Samsung. Worth a try at least, given that it's free.

cerastes · 10-06-2015 1:22am

biketard wrote: »

Hey cerastes, if you already have Ubuntu on there, then sticking Mint on a USB stick is easy.

Here's what you have to do:
1. Download Mint (I like the Mate version myself, and found that it gave me zero wifi problems [I have it on a netbook, a big laptop, and a PC, and it works great on all of them])
2. Follow this: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu

You'll need to make sure your BIOS is set up to be able to boot from USB. Do you know how to do that? (If the answer is no, then let me know which make/model of netbook you have and I'll tell you how to do it.)

BTW, one of the things I like about Mint is that everything is pretty much there by default. No messing about downloading other stuff just to get things up and running. Also, you shouldn't really have to do much, if any, command line stuff in Mint. Pretty much everything can be done using the mouse.

Ok its been a while but Im going to try get this sorted now as its come to the top of the pile

Recently I had some issues with my main laptop, a Win & machine but got it sorted in the end. Now I am going to try get MINT Mate up and running on the netnook as mentioned before to try make it useable again.
I might come along looking for help.

edit, I got into the BIOS but couldnt see the option to disable the fast bios mode in advanced, nor was I able to access the boot menu by the methods described on the youtube clip.
I tried pressing F10 and F12 and neither seemed to do anything but there is a boot menu in the BIOS,
disabling Fast BIOS is still not an accessible option but the boot menu shows, boot device priority and a few options with the current #1 option as USB CD and IDE HDD as #2, Id have thought the HDD was SATA, it is a SSD for sure.
There are other USB options lower down in the boot priority order.

So it looks like USB is the #1 priority device to boot from?

biketard · 10-06-2015 2:18am

I don't think USB CD counts, though by all means try it. Could you possibly take a picture of the BIOS screen(s) you're seeing?

cerastes · 10-06-2015 2:40am

biketard wrote: »

I don't think USB CD counts, though by all means try it. Could you possibly take a picture of the BIOS screen(s) you're seeing?

Sure, will do,
I tried pressing F10 or F12, but that doesnt open any boot menu
and just leads to the notebook showing a list of available OS, which include the original XP and Ubuntu.
F2 opens the BIOS menu and fast boot of the BIOS isnt featured, although I havent had luck enabling its presence.

DSCF1004.JPG

croo · 10-06-2015 5:47am

If you plug the usb in before booting & pressing F2 - you might see a little more info in the boot - just as the Samsung HM160HI ide device is listed beside its option. Then at least you know you are moving the correct USB option to the #1 position.

cerastes · 11-06-2015 12:34am

croo wrote: »

If you plug the usb in before booting & pressing F2 - you might see a little more info in the boot - just as the Samsung HM160HI ide device is listed beside its option. Then at least you know you are moving the correct USB option to the #1 position.

This does seem to make a difference to whats seen in the boot order
DSCF1006.JPG
I had to move it up from 6th place to 1st, and the netbook does try to load the OS from there, but cant locate it (not there, but it does seem to go to the drive first now). While this is the USB drive that has the cinnamon ISO on it, there are a couple of other things too and there isn't anything about recognizing anything to choose from.

I'll review the ubuntu link above a few posts and look for the ISO for MATE and take it from there.
Cheers.

biketard · 11-06-2015 2:30am

cerastes wrote: »

This does seem to make a difference to whats seen in the boot order
DSCF1006.JPG
I had to move it up from 6th place to 1st, and the netbook does try to load the OS from there, but cant locate it (not there, but it does seem to go to the drive first now). While this is the USB drive that has the cinnamon ISO on it, there are a couple of other things too and there isn't anything about recognizing anything to choose from.

I'll review the ubuntu link above a few posts and look for the ISO for MATE and take it from there.
Cheers.

OK, sounds like you're getting somewhere. Did you just put the iso straight on the USB key? If so, that won't work. You need to put it on there as per my instructions in post #41.

BTW, are you using some sort of USB hub or something? The BIOS screen makes it look like you're using an SD card plugged into a card reader or something. Still, whatever works. Don't be changing any of that just now.

Linux Mint 17 Won't Accept Wifi Password

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