Linux Mint 17 Issue and Mint 18.3 Install on a Frankenpad

[Sudevan]

I haven't been on this site recently, but I had a Linux-related issue that I managed to resolve. I had Mint 17 on one of my T60/61 Frankenpads and recently, after a routine set of updates, the system restarted with the desktop messed up. No wallpaper, the app icons were blank, the task bar icons were x'd out with red x's, and I could not even access the menu to get to the terminal window. Probably because of broken packages from the update process, which often happens. I tried some of the hot key combinations: Alt F2, Ctrl Alt F1, and so on, and one of those, I think Ctrl Alt F2, opened up the terminal window. I used the sudo apt-get update, -f and one or two other commands to get rid of broken packages, and redo the update. Upon restart, everything came back beautifully and I was pleased I had figured out how to do this! Then I decided to install the latest version of 32-bit Mint (18.3, as far as I know), and that went off flawlessly. I was a bit concerned that an old laptop with a T61 planar might balk at installing the latest Mint version, but it worked with no issues or problems.

The best news: The new update system in Mint 18.3 is different and MUCH better! It starts with a set of options one can select from, for basic, regular and advanced users, and then takes one to several categories of updates that one can work through and choose to install or not, as the case may be. I did security and maintenance categories, and then, once that was done, went in for the kernel update. I never liked the old uniform updates system -- having choices is much better. Overall the new version of Mint functions very well. The one catch, as always, is Youtube videos. I had to lower the quality to 480p for smooth movement, since 720p just did not work well (the sound is fine, but the video halts for lengths of time). But for a ten-year-old machine, this is not bad at all. And the Flexview screen is brilliant as ever!

Sudevan