Hi Fred,
yes!, run “dpkg”, it doesn’t matter what version you have as it can help solve problems of any Ubuntu based distro!. 
Did you read my post #33, where I managed to captured a bunch of errors?
Maybe this thread is so long and convoluted that it needs to be broken into two different threads? It is my fault for pursuing two problems simultaneous. As @wolfman said in his guide (sort of) prove it will run in a live session before you proceed.
Is it maybe better to back up to the previous numbered release and see if it will work? I’m open to suggestions.
Try “dpkg” first!. 
Off to do it, cross your fingers.
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That means I need to do an install and ignore the boot message at the end of install correct?
Starting install now.
Is that different than “Download updates while Installing”?
I am not doing that, just a question.
Thanks
@wolfman
Problem 1: I can’t reboot since that freezes the computer.
So I told it not to reboot by shutting down the reboot screen request.
Problem 2: Reading the Update guide doesn’t give me the slightest clue on how to go about doing what it says. I can’t find Advanced Option > Recovery Mode. Is it maybe Software Updater or Software & Updates in this version?
From Update Guide:
Immediately after installing your system I recommend booting into “Advanced Options” > “Recovery Mode” (don’t do a first boot but boot straight into “Advanced Options” > “Recovery Mode”) and running “dpkg”_
_ see below in “Fixing Broken Packages” about cable connection as this _
_will only work with a network cable connected), once you have run dpkg; _
and you re-boot, set your “Software Sources” (see below) list and update again
_ due to the changes made to the software sources lists!!. (I know this _
_may sound strange but its something I found that seems to work well for _
me!.)
I tried running grub, it wasn’t installed, so I installed it, but that does not bring up the menu shown in the Guide. Remember I am a fish swimming in strange waters.
HELP, Thanks, Fred
Hi Fred,
do you only have Ubuntu Mate installed?, this would account for the lack of GRUB menu, when booting, press the “Shift Key” and the menu should appear!.
Yes, MATE 16.04 on a HD
If I reboot it crashes, but I will try it.
It went down in the crash mode, but did reboot.
I held down the shift key and it booted up to the welcome Screen
Can I accomplish the same thing through Software Updater or Software & Updates ?
Did a reboot and was greeted by this:
Does this and the other screen dump I gathered help any?
UPDATE: It started itself back up and is loading while I was entering this message. This normal?
Thanks, Fred
It is not Shift, it is Esc
But after selecting “Advanced options for Ubuntu” and waiting 5 minutes that doesn’t work either.
Update 20 minutes later:
So I went off and found this by some guy named wolfman:
How to show grub menu in Ubuntu with only a single OS installed
Followed those instructions and it is busy doing it’s thing.
We shall see, what we shall see.
Claims it is a few hours process and the DSL to wherever is running ~70kB/sec
Hi Fred,
so how is it going?, if your PC is running so slow then you may have more problems than we can possibly fix!, have you tried a lighter version of Ubuntu like Lubuntu which might run better?:
I am having limited success, been doing some other things also.
It does boot up properly, but does not shut down nice. When I hit power off (top right corner) it drops into debug mode (I guess) and shows lots of activity and then just halts. Does not turn off the computer, just exits from MATE.
Haven’t worked on WiFi yet, but it keeps losing the Bluetooth. At startup I have to re-pair the mouse and if I don’t use it often, it also loses the mouse.
I am going to remove the boot to grub and see if that changes the shut down problem. For all I know that might be the standard shut down if you came in through grub. Plus see if the Esc key will bring up grub as it is supposed to.
Then I will tackle WiFi, since I can always use a wireless USB mouse ala Logitech.
Speed does not seem to be an issue right now even though I am running a 5400RPM HD. I can switch it over to a SSD, if I can ever get it running properly. The reason I chose MATE was that it is more Windows like and if I move over and drag my wife along I really don’t want too much of a change. Fortunately she does not use lots of strange programs and it should be a smooth transition.
Curiosity has me wondering why do they switch back and forth between using the Esc and Shift key to access grub at boot up? Leaving it alone is best IMO; tis the ole KISS principle.
I will be back with more questions and status updates.
Well, stopping grub from loading at boot up, did give a normal boot up to the MATE splash screen, But it did not cure the shut down problem. Tried it three times to verify…
I was still left with the screen that I posted back in post 51 and it did not turn off all the way. I imagine because it has an error and is showing the problem.
Is this a bug and should it be reported?
Meanwhile I will continue through your Beginners Guide, pretending WiFi is working.
Thanks, Fred
@fey42: check out Przemysław Kulczycki (azrael) 's comments on this bug report from 2007:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.20/+bug/42160
Also a more recent thread on the forums from someone with the same machine:
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2323156
It looks like you won the lottery.
@ouroumov: Soooo, the conclusion is that I should give up on this machine or fight it to the death (don’t like that option).
Actually, due to other issues with HP/Compaq I have stopped buying any computer they produce (well, design).
Is it worth it to do a bug report? Honest opinion please, i.e. What would you do?
Thanks for all the research you did and finding both these threads. I feel better and worse. 
Hi Fred,
before you give up, try running the following terminal command (Ctrl + Alt + t):
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade -f
If that fails, try the next two!:
sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
The above command downloads and installs any missing packages on your system.
sudo apt-get --fix-broken install
The above command downloads and installs any broken dependencies on your system.
RESTART IF ANYTHING UPDATES AT ALL!.
Thanks to all the research @ouroumov did on my behalf, I have abandoned this project. From reading those two posts he gave me, I concluded that it is not worth it. It worked, “they” broke it, “they” fixed it, “they” broke it ad nauseam.
Too bad, it is a nice, reasonably quick 4X3 screen with almost 3 hours of battery time.
I will now try it on a Lenovo G780 i7 quad core. You see I really do want to get away from Windows.
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