Upgrade to Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon from LM 14

Notes on my Upgrade from Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon to
Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon

Backup 
first needed to backup my Linux Mint 14 files for a final time.  Having hardware probs with my dedicated file server, so decided to create a new one as a VM on my ProxMox server I setup several months ago. It has 3Gig of Raid protected storage on high quality NAS/SAN drives, so it's perfect really and has been underutilized with VMs to serve Minecraft (mineOS), WinXP for running tax software, and a few other test OS's.

• Setup FreeNAS server as ProxMox VM
• gotchas: change Processor type from default to qemu64; add at least 4 Gig RAM (I flexible on demand up to 8 Gig); remember it needs at least 2 virtual drives, 1 for file system and another for storage
• Proxmox: https://www.proxmox.com/
• FreeNAS: http://www.freenas.org/
• Configure FreeNAS
• guide: http://web.freenas.org/images/resources/freenas9.2.1/freenas9.2.1_guide.pdf 
• setup as recommended in quick start guide, then setup an NFS share and configure the following services, I intend to use: FTP, NFS, Rsync, SSH
• Copy my entire Home directory to the FreeNAS server with the following command:
• rsync -az --progress /home/[user] [user]@[ip of server]:/mnt/ChenStorage2/[user]/[user]bak20141028
• this created and populated a directory named '[user]' inside the [user]bak folder
• -a did several things including selecting all files and sub-folders plus maintaining file permissions, timestamps and owners
• this took all night, then verify my files were transferred, but I'll be using a new drive and keeping this one around a while just in case as well
• rsync command help/info: 
• http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2010/09/rsync-command-examples/
• http://www.howtogeek.com/175008/the-non-beginners-guide-to-syncing-data-with-rsync/

Install

Get the install image, burn to DVD, put the new drive in the computer and complete the install process.

• Grab the Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon 64 bit image from here: http://linuxmint.com/
• burn to DVD, install fresh hard drive (preference, not required of course), complete install steps

Restore Files
Return the files I know I want to my computer.  I don't want to dump the complete home directory since desktop settings and many other files not needed reside there, so I'll restore in parts as shown below.

• rsync -az --progress [user]@[serverIP]:/mnt/ChenStorage2/[user]/[user]bak20141028/[user]/Documents/ /home/[user]/Documents/
• Documents folder already exists of course, so put slash (/) after folder
• rsync -avzhP [user]@[serverIP]:/mnt/ChenStorage2/[user]/[user]bak20141028/[user]/Music-Inbox /home/[user]/Music-Inbox
• rsync -avzh --progress  [user]@[serverIP]:/mnt/ChenStorage2/[user]/[user]bak20141028/[user]/Music/ /home/[user]/Music/
• rsync -avzh --progress  [user]@[serverIP]:/mnt/ChenStorage2/[user]/[user]bak20141028/[user]/Video/ /home/[user]/Video/

Customization

Drivers and Updates
Whenever I suggest adding a package via terminal, one could use either of the graphical tools 'Software Manager' or 'Synaptic package manager' instead.

• Instal the nVidia Graphics card proprietary driver (Administration/Driver Manager) 
• Install all updates via update manager including those listed as higher risk
• Get my printers working
• Epson WF 3520 Printer driver
• download driver from here http://www.openprinting.org/printer/Epson/Epson-WF-3520_Series
• double click the .deb file to install
• now add printer via Printers
• HP Deskjet 722c printer which is connected to a d-link network lpt device
• 
  
• 
  
• Install the following packages to get proprietary multimedia working (via software manager, terminal, or synaptic package manager)
• in terminal run the following
• sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
• sudo apt-get install libdvdread4
• Enable DVD reading (enable patented components) so you can play Movie DVDs
• in terminal run the following
• sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

• set Gmail as default mail application so 'mailto:' web links work properly
• Install the following package via terminal as follows
• sudo apt-get install gnome-gmail
• run gnome-gmail to setup your gmail account
• get Amazon instant Video and Hulu Working:  
• Add add the following PPA and install hal via the following commands in terminal
• sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mjblenner/ppa-hal
• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get install hal
• http://www.alwaysintao.com/netflix-and-amazon-videos-in-linux-mint-16-17/
• Oracle Java Packages
• Not needed at this time - previously I had needed Oracle Java for ProxMox VM server functionality, however, at this point OpenJDK IcedTea 2.5.3 seems to be performing all the required ProxMox functions.
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/tips-and-tricks-linux-mint-after-installation-mint-17-cinnamon-edition.htm
• Google Drive via Grive Tools
• Add the following PPA and install using the following commands in terminal
• sudo add-apt-repository ppa:thefanclub/grive-tools
• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get install grive-tools
• From the Menu, run Grive Setup
• https://www.thefanclub.co.za/how-to/ubuntu-google-drive-client-grive-and-grive-tools

User Tweaks
Further tweaks to help things run to my liking

• Guake start automatically: (first install)
• in Startup Applications Preferences
• click add, select the program /usr/bin/guake
• the program path above was found using command: which guake
• Date format: change the lower right panel date format to the following %b %e - %I:%M %p to make it more informative and readable
• Terminate unresponsive programs via xkill using ctrl+alt+x
• open Preferences/Keyboard
• add 'custom keyboard shortcut' via button in 'keyboard shortcuts' tab
• enter xkill in both name and command boxes, then click Add
• assign shortcut key by selecting xkill, then clicking an unassigned keyboard binding, press key combination ctrl+alt+x when prompted
• Re-start without rebooting (if frozen) -- functionality built in, just a reminder
• ctrl+alt+delete  -- might work, brings you to a menu to logout
• ctrl+alt+backspace  -- brings you back to login screen (ends windows session)

Install the following Programs

• Accessories
• grsync - another backup manager, front end for rsync, can connect to network drives
• Guake - drop down terminal, my favorite!
• Keepassx - password manager
• LuckyBackup - rsync front end, backup manager
• Shutter - screen capture with advanced features
• Games
• Steam-launcher Steam Games Launcher
• Graphics
• Darktable - virtual lighttable and darkroom for photographers
• Hugin - panorama photo stitching program
• Phatch - batch photo processor
• Photoprint - Better print quality for printing photos!
• rapid-photo-downloader - allows pulling and renaming of photos and videos from cameras with a single click
• Pre-installed
• Gimp
• gThumb
• ImageViewer
• SimpleScan
• Internet
• Chrome - Google Chrome web browser
• Etherape - graphical network monitor
• Filezilla - full featured graphical ftp/ftps/ssh client
• Gnome-gmail - to direct mailto: links to gmail
• pre-installed
• Firefox
• Hexchat
• Pidgin
• Thunderbird Mail
• Transmission
• Office
• Pre-installed
• LibreOffice Suite
• Sound and Video
• avidemux - free video editor
• gtk-recordmydesktop - screencast tool
• K3b - CD/DVD burning application
• pre-installed
• Banshee
• Brasero
• Videos
• VLC Media Player
• Administration
• hardinfo - System Information - shows detailed info on hardware

Program Tweaks

Further program specific tweaks to help things run to my liking.

• K3b - add capability to convert mp3 to audio for burning audio disks
• sudo apt-get install libk3b6-extracodecs
• Rapid Photo Downloader
• setup desired file renaming and folders where photos and videos should go
• PhotoPrint - printer setup for Epson WF-3520
• Output tab
• Print Queue: WF-3520-Series
• Printer Model: Epson   Epson WorkForce 645  (there is no WF-3520 listed, but this uses same ink)\
• General
• Print Quality: Photo
• Media Type: Photo Quyality Inkjet Paper
• Colour(Basic)
• Brightness: 1.30
• Saturation: 0.80
• Image Type: Photograph
• install firmware package that may or may not be used by computer
• sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree

Further references:

still implementing some tweaks using prior upgrade as a guide: http://techtips-tom.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-switch-linux-mint-11-gnome-mint-14.html

• http://www.binarytides.com/better-linux-mint-17-cinnamon/
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/tips-and-tricks-linux-mint-after-installation-mint-17-cinnamon-edition.htm
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