Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon 64

[elvis]

I have Installed Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon 64 and I have lost the toolbar at the bottom of the page I cannot find out how to get it back.

[mikkh]

Well I can see the taskbar and having just downloaded Linux Mint 21.2 to see if there is a switchable extra toolbar option - there isn't basically!

I think I know what you mean, it's a MacOS like thing (an extra set of icons with most used apps on it) called rocketdock or cairo-dock, but I don't see it installed by default.

If you changed themes it may have come with that? Or it was an extra program you installed via the software manager?

[elvis]

Thanks, Mikkh

that is not a Photo of my Linux Mint it is just to show you what I mean.

Thanks, I will have a mess about with it.

[mikkh]

So it is the taskbar panel that's gone missing?

OK, I've searched for answers and as usual with Linux, most people advocate the geekiest usually command line driven options.

In this case I will include it, but I'm pretty sure there is at least one way to do it without having to resort to typing commands in.

The geeky way.... Press Ctrl-Alt-T to bring up the terminal window and type in cinnamon-settings and look for panel in the preferences section where you can look for panel visibility or simply add a new one.

The easier way ..... Just press the Windows key (below Z and left of ALT) to bring up the menu and find panel preferences that way

You should also be able to get access to it by RIGHT clicking on an empty spot on the desktop.

[elvis]

Yes, it's the taskbar panel that's gone missing.

I will give your suggestions a try and let you know.

Thanks.

[jazzazz]

My Desktop is an MacMini (Late 2014 Model) and it is on the last MacOS, "Monterey," that it will ever be able to take.

I'd like to put Linux Mint on it, had done that to an OLD WindowsXP machine I had long ago, worked great, then replaced with the MAC (I'm on my Chromebook this moment)

Anyway Googling, it appears to be a ROYAL PIA to do that to a MAC. Has anyone here done that??

I use Chrome Browser on it, works way better than Apple's crappy Safari, IMO, so I suppose even when it will no longer get MacOS updates, that as long as Chrome Browser does, using Chrome will be totally safe on that computer, AGREED???

[mikkh]

Shouldn't be that painful, the Mac-mini has USB ports and you just need to find out which key combination to press to make it boot from an alternative source like a USB stick instead of the hard drive.

Download Belena Etcher in Mac, then download a Linux Mint ISO - I recommend NOT using the default Cinamon version as it's a bit heavy for older hardware. Try the MATE (lighter) or XFCE (even lighter) versions instead.

Run Belena Etcher (with USB stick inserted) pick the ISO you downloaded and press Flash option.

boot the USB stick you've just created and install Linux Mint - this is assuming you want to use the whole hard drive that is.

[jazzazz]

"How to boot a Mac from USB?
Getting your Mac to load from a USB drive is pretty straightforward.

Insert the USB boot media into an open USB slot.
Press the Power button to turn on your Mac (or Restart your Mac if it's already on).
When you hear the startup chime, press and hold the Option key. Holding that key gives you access to OS X's Startup Manager. Once the Startup Manager screen appears, release the Option key. The utility will look for any available drives that include bootable content.
Select the USB drive you wish to boot from using either the pointer or arrow keys on the keyboard.
Once selected, either hit the Return key or double click your selection. This will command the machine to boot from the USB drive.
NOTE: Have multiple USB devices connected to your Mac? Don't worry. The Apple Startup Manager only lists drives that include bootable content."


www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/usb-boot/


Now to save my OLD brain, LOL, maybe I can find a USB Mint Loaded USB drive on Amazon :-)

www.amazon.com/Cinnamon-Operating-Install-Recovery-Bootable/dp/B074CRK2Y3/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=hYqii&content-id=amzn1.sym.35cab78c-35e3-4fc1-aab0-27eaa6c86063%3Aamzn1.symc.e5c80209-769f-4ade-a325-2eaec14b8e0e&pf_rd_p=35cab78c-35e3-4fc1-aab0-27eaa6c86063&pf_rd_r=D6Y7QEKA1CT311DDJ6PM&pd_rd_wg=s3fk3&pd_rd_r=8cbaaf67-347f-4d9c-a4f6-24b809d4cf98&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m

[mikkh]

I wouldn't buy a ready made one myself because I don't know the quality of the USB stick, which is almost certainly some cheap generic one.

More importantly it doesn't state which version it is and could be years out of date and obsolete as far as updates go.

I wouldn't even go with Linux Mint either, it's changed a lot since you last used it and if you're hoping for something familiar, you're likely to be disappointed in that respect.

Also Mint is not exactly lightweight, in fact it's one of the heaviest on resources that older hardware could struggle with.

Download Balena etcher here.... github.com/balena-io/etcher/releases/download/v1.5.70/balenaEtcher-1.5.70.dmg

Download a suitable ISO from distrowatch.com and run Etcher

I suggest you start with MX Linux

sourceforge.net/projects/mx-linux/files/Final/Xfce/MX-23.2_ahs_x64.iso/download

That's a link to the latest version that came out a week ago.