Upgrade problems... (SOLVED)

[tenfoot]

As Johnny009 has reported his problem SOLVED and I'm not clever enough to do what he did, I open the subject of the upgrade problem again, in the hope that someone can advise me of a simpler way to get back to a working machine.

Running Sparky v5.0 Mate on a Lenovo Thinkpad T450s.

I have a similar problem with the 27 October update. I click on the Upgrade window and am then presented with a GNU Nemo screen with  a cursor in the top left corner. There are no control icons on the window, nor on any other window I open, e.g. the Home folder. Neither can I grab a window to move it. The mouse shows a cross instead of the normal arrow cursor.

It is possible to get on line, using a keyboard shortcut key and when I hover the mouse over the Firefox screen the mouse cursor changes to the normal arrow cursor but clicking on the window does nothing. I am able to type in the title bar but nothing happens when I hit Enter.

A Ctrl+Alt+Delete brings up the appropriate window and I am able to shut down the laptop.

As an aside, I also have the same version of Sparky installed on my Desktop and that hasn't missed a beat and is up to date as from this morning.

[pavroo]

The problem (the same as the second post) is made by different versions of gstreamer plugin bad available via Debian's and Debian's Multimedia repos.
To fix the problem have to:
1. Disable multimedia repo via Synaptic or:

Code Select Expand

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
and put # in the front of multimedia repos:

Code Select Expand

#deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org/ testing main non-free
2. Refresh package list:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt update
3. Remove libgstreamer (version with 'dmo' suffix):

Code Select Expand

sudo apt purge libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0
4. Install it (if needed) back from Debian's NOT Multimedia repos (have to be with NO 'dmo' suffix):

Code Select Expand

sudo apt install gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad
and all removed packages (if needed).
5. Now make upgrade:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt full-upgrade
6. Enable Multimedia repos back (if needed) and refresh package list again and upgrade system again.

[tenfoot]

Thank you for your prompt reply and clear instructions.  All was well until

4. Install it (if needed) back from Debian's NOT Multimedia repos (have to be with NO 'dmo' suffix):

At that point I realised that, once again, I was out of my depth and needed further assistance.  What terminal commands must I execute to achieve what is stated in  Instruction (4)?

I apologise for my lack of understanding and ask for further help, please.

[pavroo]

Just keep it doing as it is.
At the point 1 you disabled multimedia repos so all updates and new installations come from Debian repos not Debian's Multimedia, until enabling the multimedia back at point 6.

[tenfoot]

Thanks again for a clear explanation, Pavroo. I will now go through the procedure and report back.

[tenfoot]

Reporting back

Carried out the instructions and did not enable #deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org/ testing main non-free 

The position is the same as before, no control icons on open windows, windows cannot be moved, mouse cursor still a cross when on the desktop but changes to the normal arrow when on a window, etc. then enabled #deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org/ testing main non-free but still no success in solving the problem.

Checked Synaptic and found that the laptop (the computer having problems) has gstreamer1.0-0-plugins-bad ver 1.1.12-3-2 installed while my desktop has gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad v1.12.2-dmo1 installed.  The desktop has experienced no problems.

I've wracked my brains and cannot see what I have done incorrectly.

As the laptop is only used occasionally, mostly when I am away from home, there is little data I need.  So, do you think a complete reinstall might solve the problem?

[pavroo]

Run:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f
and show an output if any issues.
Then reboot.
Run also:

Code Select Expand

marco -valgrind
and shot the output

[tenfoot]

Thank you for your patience.  It is very much apreciated.

Run:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f
and show an output if any issues.

These commands run without any problems.  All return me to zed@zed-pc. 

Then reboot.

Reboots successfully but problem remains.

Run also:

Code Select Expand

marco -valgrind
and shot the output

That command returns

Code Select Expand

bash: marco: command not found

I accessed Synaptic and see that marco, libmarco-private1, marco-common, mate-desktop-environment-core are not installed.  Should they be installed? Will wait for your advice before installing them.

[pavroo]

Running Sparky v5.0 Mate

It's very strange, if you have Sparky MATE installed.
So try to install marco - it's window manager for MATE, looks like it is missing:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt update
sudo apt install marco
You can also install full MATE desktop by the command:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt install mate-desktop
then reboot.

[tenfoot]

Installed marco, as suggested.  Found that mate-desktop was already inatalled.  Did a reboot and... Eureka!  I now have a working laptop.

Thank you very much for your patience over this problem.

I have marked my original post as solved.