Xubuntu blew up, need guidance. Permissions issue?

[joe_schell]

I've been running Xubuntu for a few years (but I don't know as much as I should about it) on an Acer NX78 laptop .
I always leave it on. Last week, It locked up and I had to do a hard restart.

Now, I'm unable to use a lot of the "System" apps when launching them through the GUI. I can run some of them from Terminal, i.e. Synaptic. Even though Synaptic will launch, most of the packages I try to remove or repair give me permission error messages.

I've also lost my wireless and sound capabilities.

I get all kinds of errors when attempting to chop my way through to a fix. That's right, I'm a butcher.

Here's an example of an error when attempting to edit libvirt-bin.postinst

"Error accessing system permissions: Error initializing authority: Could not connect: No such file or directory."

I tried to access that file because:

sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up libvirt-bin (1.2.2-0ubuntu13.1.28) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/libvirt-bin.postinst: 138: /var/lib/dpkg/info/libvirt-bin.postinst: chown: Permission denied
dpkg: error processing package libvirt-bin (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
libvirt-bin

So I'd like some guidance in order to stop barking up the wrong tree. I've spent many hours so far trying to either break or fix this and I'm just tired enough to ask for help.

[Autodave]

I would start by running some tests on the hard drive. Your problem (at least to me) sounds more like a hardware issue than a software issue.

Do you still have your installation medium to try and boot to that? If you can run from that, then I would be looking hard at the hard drive.

[dino99]

you can erase .Xauthority then reboot to get a clean file.
if libvirt-bin (which i have not on my gnome system) configuration is broken, does that means you are also using third party(ies) sources which can disturb the system ?

[yetimon_64]

...Setting up libvirt-bin (1.2.2-0ubuntu13.1.28) ...

That version of libvirt-bin was from Trusty 14.04.

Trusty is now "End of Life", you should really consider either an upgrade to, or fresh install of, a supported version of Ubuntu or Xubuntu.

I was going to suggest you try run fsck to check the filesystem (--here-- is a linked guide for fsck from "TecMint"), and as Autodave suggested then test the hard drive for errors if fsck showed clean results. However if you are still using Trusty fixing such an install would be a bit like "flogging a dead horse" at this time.

Regards, yeti.

[joe_schell]

I have run fsck, it found and repaired a few things. I ran it until it gave no errors.

System boots fine (except I have to run startxfce4 from the prompt).

Lots of things are broken though.


I have attempted to upgrade to a higher version, but I get permission errors.



Here's just one example----

I can run Synaptic from Terminal, even though I get this:


(synaptic:14925): IBUS-WARNING **: The owner of /home/joe/.config/ibus/bus is not root!


Did not want to upgrade prior as the hardware is old and I liked what I had just fine.

If I could use DOS to do what I need to do, I would.

[Geoffrey_Arndt]

Maybe high time to save important data/files, then get latest LTS 18.04, create a bootable usb flash-stick and do a clean install. That would be the simpler and faster route (typically).

[yetimon_64]

...I have attempted to upgrade to a higher version, but I get permission errors....

Then your best bet is as Geoffrey_Arndt posted ...

...create a bootable usb flash-stick and do a clean install...

...Did not want to upgrade prior as the hardware is old and I liked what I had just fine....

Xubuntu 18.04, or if the hardware is very old Lubuntu 18.04, should work fine on older hardware. Posting your hardware specs here may be a good idea for helpers to make suggestions for alternatives to Trusty.

I understand how you feel about Trusty; I was disappointed to have to tarball my old install of it recently and clean out the partitions for it. Trusty was, for four years here, my best ever install to use but the time to move on to a supported release has come now.

Using trusty past this point is dangerous in the sense it is NOT getting any more updates including for security purposes. The repositories are now moved to old-releases.ubuntu.com, that is they have been "archived". You have options with Xubuntu or Lubuntu on older hardware that are officially supported. Also note that getting support here on the forums requires you to be using an officially supported version, often threads here are closed when members ask for help with non-supported versions.

Regards, yeti.

[RobGoss]

+1 yetimon_64

[joe_schell]

Well that's too bad, I always like a challenge but sounds like I'd be beating a dead horse by continuing to attempt to fix it.

It's a shame the community doesn't seem to want to be bold and take risks.

I believe I'll copy my precious data over to a stable Win 7 install and forge ahead trying to fix my Xubuntu.

[oldfred]

Soon same issue with Windows 7 EOL.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wind...dows-7-support
The end of the Windows 7 lifecycle is set for January 2020. "End of life" means Microsoft will discontinue all support, including paid support; and all updates, including security updates.

18.04 LTS support increased to 10 years
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2406087