Dell ST2420L not working on ZorinOS 16.2

Before bringing your monitor to an electronic expert, you may want to analyze the problem first.

After updates somewhere in January 2023, my desktop monitor hooked up to my laptop with ZorinOS 16.2 freshly installed on November 2022 (just 2 months after) stopped working.

I tried to hook it to the main power and still no display. But when i use the laptop screen, everything is fine except that display setting does not show a secondary display.

Thinking it was because of frequent blackouts and a defective UPS (uninterrupted power supply) unit, i was ready to bring the monitor a (Dell ST2420L) to the electronics shop to get it fixed.

I decided to unplug the monitor from main power and the laptop hoping it would recover later. Closed the laptop lid and tried to ssh from another desktop pc but i could not get through. Changed the network cable but still could not connect.

I then realized i was working on the monitor with the laptop lid closed, i remembered a setting regarding closed lid, hibernate and suspend. I quickly jumped to search about it on the internet.

There were a couple of suggestions and ways to do it – but this is what i did.

Backup the file: sudo cp /etc/systemd/logind.conf /etc/systemd/logind.conf.bak – Next, edit the file: sudo nano /etc/systemd/logind.conf

You will see this:

Navigate to the line #HandleLidSwitch=suspend and uncomment (remove the #) and replace ‘suspend’ to ‘ignore’. HandleLidSwitch=ignore – Save file and exit.

Save file and exit.

Run this on terminal:

systemctl restart systemd-logind.service

I was logged out of current session but i just logged back in.

It was good to go – monitor back in service with laptop lid closed.


Ubuntu Updates

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal

Ubuntu Package Repositories:

Ubuntu package repositories are basically file servers where all the deb packages are kept.

Ubuntu has 4 main official package repositories: main, restricted, universe, and multiverse.

In main repository, Ubuntu supported free and open source softwares are kept.

In restricted repository, proprietary drivers (i.e. NVIDIA) are kept.

In universe repository, free and open-source softwares that are maintained by the community are kept.

In multiverse repository, softwares that have copyright restriction or legal issues are kept.


Updates

Updates are only applicable to devices with affordable and stable internet ..

Updating devices like computers, phones, printers or any internet-oriented devices (IOD) are to be updated during stable internet connection.

The price level would depend on your budget and the amount of data needed to update your device.

Normal Windows Update (security (windows defender) without anti-virus software) 50mb or more.

Linux Updates (which has been updated daily) 1 – 10mb or more.

Mobile Phones (system and google services excluding/depending on installed apps) 5mb or more.

Copy File Path from Network Drives

To Copy Full File Paths from Mapped Network Drives you will need to download an application

Download this file

Mapped Network Drive Application

Windows Operation

If you’re using mapped network drives, Windows Explorer will copy a file location like this:

E:\Information\Schedule.docx

You may assign any letter for the mapped network drive.

Code.PNG

This application can be built into an executable and used to add a new right-click context menu to Windows Explorer which would allow you to copy a file path similar to this:

\\Server\Public\Information\Schedule.docx

Context Menu.PNG

NB – the file path format will be in DOS format.

Steps to Install

  1. Open project and build into an executable – save as filename.exe and associate files in a new folder in the Program Files directory.
  2. Add the application to the Windows Explorer Context Menu by editing the Windows Registry.
  3. Right click on a file within a mapped network drive and copy the full file path to the clipboard.

Please note, editing the Windows Registry can cause issues so installing this program is undertaken at your own risk.

Requirements

LabVIEW 2015
Application Builder