[Les.]

Tippon, no intention of being tied to anyone, Amazon included. So far, (almost) everything I have wanted has come free gratis and for nothing courtesy of Gutenburg.

I believe the Kindles have been hacked, but would need a lot of  hand holding for that.

No, I want an 8″, 9″ or 10″ paper white.

If I want to watch films, then terrestrial is one possibility, Kodi is the other. I watch VERY LITTLE TV these days, relying on R3 and R4.

Les.

[Les.]

I just thought time for an update. Two weeks tomorrow since it last played up, and I am beginning to relax. I searched for Kodi inspired problems, could find nothing, but only used the Pi for Kodi since. There MAY be a connection.

For now I will just keep my fingers crossed.

Les.

[Les.]

The 25 pin shown there is (as it says) a (parallel) printer port. The 9-pin nearly is a serial port, as is the occasional similar 25 pin port of the same gender. You simply need a parallel to USB converter (though they seem to be USB to parallel converters in the usual descriptions. That printer port is the same as often used on some SCSI cards, which also had the big centronics ports sometimes. I would no mind a £5er for every time I tried to convince punters that a simple gender bender would not convert a 25 pin serial to parallel or vice virsa. On more than one occasion I have said “OK, you know best, but we don’t stock them. You could try xxxx down in town, and walked away.

You probably wont get one with the type of “square” USB connector you want, but one or more converters will get you there. (ie, a female to female, plus a male to “square” cable (modern printer type).

Les.

Les.

[Les.]

EDp, cheers. Of course I did not have the link available at the time. However I have now printed out all of this thread AND the Ubuntu page you cited. I am off out in a few mins for Tamara’s dental appt., so maybe it will kick off again this evening, when I may have a chance to achieve something. Thanks, Les.

[Les.]

30 mins typing just lost. Try from “Writer” this time.

First, Tippon, noted, but I don’t think I have done that for a long time. Only use Pi and PC for Kodi.

This morning the PC refused to boot, but, unlike Saturday, this time there WAS recognition of an SSD present. Here is the sequence as best as I could write it down. Sometime it changed before copied.

Error. Attempt to read or write to outside of HD0

Entering rescue mode

Grub rescue _ No obvious activity, eventually I hit enter

Grub rescue _ As above, but eventually I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del

A few lines of (SMALLER) text beginning:-

Error. Read or write to HD0

Needs Kernel rescue Little activity, then

(A) Linux Mint Cinnamon etc

(B) Advance options etc

(C) Memtest 64+

(D) Memtest 64+ (Serial controller 11500)

try:- (C) Blank screen, eventually LED shows some SSD activity Returns to previous menu

Try (D) Error. Read or write to HD0, then return to menu

Try (A) Initial little activity, then (miss a bit) then Failure to read or write to HD0 then return to menu

Try (B) (in ignorance of course)

Linux Mint Cinnamon bla bla 4.15.0.46

Linux Mint Cinnamon bla bla Recovery 4.15.0.46

Ditto 45

Ditto 43

Ditto 20

I Try 43

Error failure to write etc press any key but then previous choices appear

Try 44, same result.

Force Shutdown with OFF button.

Seems to start, shows the A,B,C and D menu, then a visual mint icon, and eventually an apparently normal start up. And here we are!

Can you (DD, Edp, RSB, DR understand that lot?

I just suggests to me either SSD failure, or your general suggestion of faulty Grub, but “I Know Nuffink”.

Cheers, Les.

[Les.]

Bob, your first date HAD to be lucky, it was my birthday. Somebody has to have the good luck, but at least I had a Ducati 750 production racer at that time, A “Laguna Seca”.

Les.

[Les.]

D.Dan, my father was about your age when he met my mother. He had been married, two grown up kids when he came home to find wife and gardener (shades of Lady Chat) in bed together. She had been “borrowing” from the shop till, so he ended up bankrupt at the time of the big recession. My sister arrived in ’35, my brother two years later, with me in ’41. Unfortunately my father died from a second stroke in 1952, my mother had a nervous breakdown shortly afterwards and remained hospitalised until her death in 1963. I had a (good, I thought) marriage of 12 years before she upped and away with a “friend”, taking my younger son, who I have only saw twice since, and not once during the last 30 years! A second, not especially happy second lasted about the same time, before a disastrous house move, and consequent financial disaster, had us separate then divorce. She remarried, happily I think, but suffered breast cancer, cured but later relapsed, passing away about 4 years ago.

But what of me? Ten years ago, I met Tamara via her daughter’s efforts, She moved here from Odessa and has been slowly screwing me to the ground ever since. By far my best one without a doubt!

D.Dan, you are still only a lad!

[Les.]

Just thinking about RSB’s comments. I have not had any forced shutdowns for at least a couple of weeks, but there were occasional ones before that caused by a Kodi freeze up when told to shut (Kodi) down. Might this have “stuffed up” the grub loader?

OK, I have never looked at the bootloader before, time to look I guess. Get ready for sparks. Les.

[Les.]

After Saturday’s difficulties, I kept it on all the rest of the day, shutting down before bed.

Yesterday, it booted OK, so again left on all day, and this morning it has booted OK once more.

I think I will sit quietly until (if) it plays up again. I will then pull out No.2 pc for use, and try to troubleshoot this one at my leisure.

D.Dan, to recap, if failed to boot 2 or 3 times Sat morning. I inserted a Mint install disc and that ran OK, and from that state I was able to see the SSD boot drive, and do an emergency backup of all my stuff.

I then used the Pi and monitor for viewing the MotoGP Practice. Later I tried again and it booted correctly.

Other than the loading of the Mint disc (but NOT re-install of course), it has behaved. After all the run around that slowly dying SDD gave me last year, I am being cautious.

I have noted all the advice (Ed, RSB and D.D) ready for a repeat if / when it occurs.

Thanks all. Les.

[Les.]

Ed, it simply failed to boot, and moved straight on to looking for boot from CDROM.

I tried a couple of times with same result so stuck in my 19.1 install DVD. From that DVD and Ram OS, I could see the SSD, so connected up one of my backup drives to secure my data. I shut down and fired up the stand alone Pi with Kodi to watch the ‘bikes. After that, I tried again and it just worked. Not shut down since. Thanks for your link. I have an idea I can get a similar screen from the 19.1 install disc. Will investigate tomorrow.

Thanks, Les.

[Les.]

Dave, thanks for that offer. Way back at 10.2, I found Ubuntu a great move from Windoze, but when I had to move on at end of support,  I could not make any sense of the 12.x, tried some others, then after all the Mint talk on the other forum, tried that and stayed put. I have learned quite a bit, but there are still gaping holes in my knowledge, and I can never allocate the time to study. Too much to do for SWMBO, building jobs, and of course the motorbikes. If it is a faulty SSD, as I suspect, I will try a different one. This, like the other is a well known make (Kingston or Corsair I think) and it would be stupid to assume another one would not go the same way.

But maybe it is just screwed file structure. We shall see.

Les.

[Les.]

Actually, my previous SSD failure was a bit similar, but first I must say that after about 3 hrs use of the Pi, I just re-booted and it fired up OK?????

I had a 60GB SSD off Dave 1 (or was it 2) years ago, that is still OK, in the other (my original) shuttle. My previous 240GB SSD caused a series of inexplicable shutdowns which had me replacing monitor,  graphics card, then suspecting the mother board or PSU. I bought a nearly identical shuttle at a good price (slightly faster and Watts-hungrier micom) to then discover it was the SSD when it failed to boot. I managed to recover much of the data when I finally mounted it under the newly installed Mint on the “faster” shuttle.

It has not had any improper shutdown in the last couple of weeks, though before that it may have required a forced shutdown due to a non-responsive Kodi.

So I must learn to use FSCK must I? Or is it going to sort itself out with a couple of proper shutdowns (such as it DID have this morning)?

I am NOT optimistic about it not being a failing SSD.

Les.

[Les.]

Bob, quite correct,  The Newstead I referred to is off the Trentham / longton road.

I recall now being confused when you previously mentioned a lord Newstead, as it meant nothing to me. There is a large Newstead estate to the Eastern side of the aforementioned road, with an old sewerage works behind, then the Wedgwood factory at Barlaston, my birth village. The tile bank, VERY long since gone, was on the Western side of said road.

But then, pottery manufacture, probably tile manufacture, coal mining and likely engineering, all big trades of the area, are just memories for most people now.

Les.

[Les.]

No, No Bob. A marl hole is where the local (mostly red) clay was dug. All the China clay comes from Cornwall, with the other pottery clays (Ball clays) from Devon and Dorset. The potteries has mostly “Etruria marl”, plus of course fireclays which are usually associated with coal mining, very common in the Potteries as well of course, as is (or WAS) fireclay product production as well as bricks and tiles.

I seem to recall you are also familiar with the Newstead area. 60 years ago I read an early copy of “Tilewright’s Acre” which I think involved Newstead (a Tileworks there) but was mostly about “Primitive Methodism” which was a big thing in the area 150 to 200 years ago. Quite a few Primitive Methodist chapels were  extant when I was younger, possibly still are there. It is one of the threads running through the “China towns” series, and will see me re-reading most of my A.Bennett novels, and I am going to try to get a copy of Tilewrights Acre to read again.

Les.

[Les.]

Eh up, Owker. ‘ow at?

Do I need to translate from potteries speak? Hello bruv (our kid). How are you?

Happy birthday.

I hope you are listening to “China towns” on R4, Sat and Suns. A mashed mixture of Arnold Bennett’s “Clayhanger” and “The old wive’s tale”

Les.

[Les.]

I may not live in the UK, but the brexit outcome does affect us, so I am interested.

Consider that in one or two weeks time, TM (is able to) call(s) a GE. Parliament shuts down whilst the parties/candidates advertise themselves to the electorate.

But TM remains as PM, together with her cabinet (which she can sack from and appoint to as she feels fit).

Her choice, accept whatever she has in the bag (and now Europe start blinking  in earnest) and on March 29th it just happens.

Both Labour and Tory party decide on new leader (quickly), and GE happens. Meanwhile TM has secured her brexit and reputation, with the next PM to bask in success of a good brexit, or suffer the sort of pain TM has suffered these recent months, if it is a bad one, without a reputation to look forward to, only regret.

Les.

[Les.]

Yesterday I had a call from “Island Timber’s” insurance company assessor asking could he call in to look at the damage. In the event he did not arrive, but rang me today to apologise. apparently when he drove past the lane he was on a call (hands free I hope) but either today or later yesterday called in at the body repairer’s offices and viewed their photos. He has now given them the go ahead, they will order parts and contact me when they arrive. I will probably get a courtesy car for the duration of the work.

It would seem I am on to a successful outcome on my terms as I expected.

I will report back when the work is completed.

Les.

[Les.]

Hugh, if you look at my last reply I wrote:-

Once this is all over, certainly before my next renewal, I WILL inform my insurance company, but not until then.

It will certainly be before renewal.

Les.

[Les.]

Bob, that link starts at 2008, one year too late for mine, but gives me a $3,615 valuation. Dollars?

Anyway, converted to sterling that is way above my “valuation” given to MY insurance company, and even more than I paid. When it bought it, it had stood unused for 2 or 3 years, the owner having acquired a Co. car. It had one tyre well beyond useless, one brake binding, but otherwise VERY tidy looking. To most people, unsaleable I guess, hence the low asking price and the lower offer from me. My pal who does all my car stuff (bike stuff only for me these last 15 years) fitted new pads and discs all around, plus one front brake caliper piston, and some good used tyres. It was my pride and joy.

You may remember I had a Mitsubishi “Space Runner” a few years ago, but parted with it because I hated the 5 speed manual. Every 5 speed I have driven in the last 30 years has been the same. I bought a VERY low mileage Toyota Corolla, but a bit tatty around the gills as the PO had started nudging into stuff (age related I suspect) Auto, much lower ride height than the mitzi, and around 30mpg against Mitzis 33 mpg. Just done 264 miles on 33.08 litres (£40) which is just ever 36mpg with this one.

The car is parked near the cottage, a “hit and run” damages it, which I eventually establish. I want it sorted. To me this is quite simple. The driver, or since he was doing his legitimate work, his employer is liable to put me back to the situation I was in before he damaged it. They may well choose to pass this to their insurance company, with whom they have a contract, but the liability remains the same. It is not within their gift to decide on whether or not my car is a “right off”, though if the cost of repairs exceeds the probable value of my car, they are at liberty to negotiate with me. I may be prepared to accept a fair market valuation, or I could require them to provide a similar vehicle of broadly the same value. I suspect payment for the quoted repair is their best and cheapest option.

I am not an easy pushover.

I am a little disappointed by most of the replies here. They all seem to be based on ME HAVING an ACCIDENT, and MY responsibilities in such event. My car was damaged by ANOther, and he must deal with that outcome.

Once this is all over, certainly before my next renewal, I WILL inform my insurance company, but not until then.

The first reply was from Planeman saying it is normal for the insurance companies to sort it out between themselves. Very convenient. They used to call it knock for knock, maybe still do, but that is nothing to do with me, and smells like a comfy arrangement which suits them. No reason why it should suit me.

Back in about 1972/3, I taught my first wife to drive, in due course she passed her test, and I gave her the 1959 BMW 700 saloon I had converted from LHD to RHD. I lovely little car. (I had my 700 Sport Coupe, a real little goer.) The day after, she was nearing the top of our lane when a clown came the other way at speed and hit her. Details exchanged, liability admitted by him. Next day, he decided it was her fault not his. I had surveyed the scene, and contacted his insurance company with my assessment, clearly showing it could only have been caused by him travelling far too fast, or asleep at the wheel, down a narrow, downhill country lane. They paid up. I have had two other situations where my logic has prevailed and I got a correct outcome, as I intend to this time. I may be getting older, but have not reached the stupid stage yet.

Les.

[Les.]

Hugh, that item you linked to is for a driver who causes or is involved in an accident.

I was not involved, and did not find out until next day. I do not believe the driver was unaware, and it took my “detective” self to trace him. In fact I have no info on the driver, just the company but got the acceptance I mentioned.  There was an initial reluctance to admit it was their driver, at which point i rang the police and made a brief report which the officer logged (and I have his contact details. It seems to me I have a 3rd party claim against the driver, which is “owned” by the company since it occurred during his performance of his work. The company choose to pass this to THEIR insurers, I did not do that. In law my claim stops at the driver(=employer) with their insurance company being purely incidental as far as I am concerned.

Manx law may differ, but is essentially the same as UK law.

Am I wrong?  Les.

PS, Ed, How about £1057????? Between us, more than the car cost me, including new discs, pads and some tyres.

[Author]

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