Install Linux

[cloasters]

Well, it's not quite as bad as I've made out above. Browser fingerprinting is hard to spoof, but also not as precise as obtaining the user's consent (express or implied) by setting trackers and cookies.

You can have a look at how you might be identified through this: https://panopticlick.eff.org/

You can also muck about with geolocation by using VPNs to other locations, or Tor, but then doing what Tor et al expressly tell you not to do, by signing into your Google/Farcebook/Amazon/whatever account. You'll appear to be jumping around all over the place, which will give their algorithms a bit more of a headache trying to sell you goods based on region*.

You can also muck about with your profiling information. On the Political Compass I sit firmly in the bottom left hand quadrant (left/libertarian), and have some level of education, so it amuses me to read the gutter press on the authoritarian right. When Google Discover starts suggesting to me articles from the likes of Breitbart, or their UK equivalent, then I know I'm on to a winner. Similarly when they start giving me local news articles from Fiji or Senegal, then I'm pretty sure I've messed up their geolocation.

* That said, my geography is messed up anyway, as I'm physically located in Iraq, with ISPs routed through either Russia, India or Korea, depending on the whim of the IT manager here, and occasionally using my VPN (which routes through home) or my own company's VPN (which routes, alternately, through France and Japan).

Good luck with that one, advertisers!

Thank you very much for the 411 Kaitain! Have no idea what our 411 translates to in old blighty. I do know that my landline phone company now charges $4.00 for using it. Can they get ANY greedier? Not to mention that phone books are history.

I had a feeling that Internet Usage "Yes. We will keep track of your slightest click!" was now completely unavoidable. Opera used to provide a free VPN when wanted but that seems to be history now. And how good can a free VPN be?

 

[Kaitain]

Thank you very much for the 411 Kaitain! Have no idea what our 411 translates to in old blighty. I do know that my landline phone company now charges $4.00 for using it. Can they get ANY greedier? Not to mention that phone books are history.

Used to be 118, until Directory Enquiries was forcibly split off from BT, broken up and sold. Now we have half a dozen numbers... and no users, as internet search engines have eaten their lunch.

I had a feeling that Internet Usage "Yes. We will keep track of your slightest click!" was now completely unavoidable. Opera used to provide a free VPN when wanted but that seems to be history now. And how good can a free VPN be?

At some point, we will need to find a way to pay these various service providers fair value for their products that doesn't involve turning us into products to sell to ourselves.

 

[Daniel~]

For me the oddest thing is Mint installs the 340 drivers at install if you ask it to install 3rd party divers. I have always used this sense they started installing them for me at start up.

So why is Mint installing 340 driver and recommending the disabled 390 drivers in Driver manager?

The other thing is that recommended drivers won't give you the Rez your card is capable of they all top off at 1920 X 1200.

 

[Daniel~]

90 Gig drive? Where on earth did you find that? Yes, I was surprised that Mint 19.1 chose the xserver.org driver. It tried to during the first installation, but I was "smarter" and chose an nvidia driver. That messed up the installation badly. The next time I let it choose the one it wanted, xserver works fine. Still no VLC though.

The success of the Xserver is due almost entirely to the fact that you don't play computer games. 3D gaming is where Nvidia shines.
I believe this to be true, but there is always room for the uninformed to go astray. ":O}

One last thing I don't get. Why did you not receive the 340 drivers that actually work as an option in Driver manager? Instead you got the 390 which is probably why it fubared your install.

Perhaps it's because you selected not to install drivers at start up but again I'm guessing.

 

[cloasters]

Used to be 118, until Directory Enquiries was forcibly split off from BT, broken up and sold. Now we have half a dozen numbers... and no users, as internet search engines have eaten their lunch.

At some point, we will need to find a way to pay these various service providers fair value for their products that doesn't involve turning us into products to sell to ourselves.

I suppose that one can access Directory Enquiries via Smart phones. With my dumb phone it's pay $4.00 or forget it. At least they don't demand that you stuff four bucks into the phone itself. Fortunately I don't use the dumb phone very often, it's for emergencies really. Mr PC is ready for many questions to avoid extra on the land line bill.

I agree, we are used to getting something for "nothing," yet that "nothing" costs us plenty. Wonder how much the charge would be? Maybe quite a lot.

 

[cloasters]

The success of the Xserver is due almost entirely to the fact that you don't play computer games. 3D gaming is where Nvidia shines.
I believe this to be true, but there is always room for the uninformed to go astray. ":O}

One last thing I don't get. Why did you not receive the 340 drivers that actually work as an option in Driver manager? Instead you got the 390 which is probably why it fubared your install.

Perhaps it's because you selected not to install drivers at start up but again I'm guessing.

All I know is that Mint Cinnamon 19.1 asked about video drivers both times I installed it. The first time I foolishly decided on the 3-something nVidia driver. This screwed up the entire installation. The second time I accepted the "default" choice, which was the "xserver yadda" driver. I don't play games on my PC, so I don't miss using a genuine nVidia driver.

I sincerely hope that not having an nVidia (remember when it was spelled that way?) driver doesn't hurt my chances of installing VLC. !

 

[Daniel~]

I can't say VLC wise, don't know

Does anyone here have a Nvidia card that can use the Higher than 340 drivers offered in Mint Device manger?
(And still get your highest rez above 1920X 1080)
I would like to know what you have to have to successfully use the 390 or above drivers?

 

[cloasters]

Good question!

 

[booman]

I'm using Nvidia 415.25 and testing Games
Havn't had a problem yet, but I can only do 1920x1080

 

[Daniel~]

Yeah same here, but I think you probably guessed that one.":O}

 

[cloasters]

Yeah same here, but I think you probably guessed that one.":O}

Edited out in favor of missing out on yet another red face. Oops. Never mind please.

 

[Daniel~]

Boo have you got a good back up?
If you can find the time can you try the 340 drivers. I think they will work for you.
But I also think it will fall on it's face if you try to remove them.

 

[cloasters]

Not certain that I'd use an extra SSD for backing up, even though it is an excellent idea. I think installing an older version of Mint that doesn't reject VLC seemingly out of hand on it may make sense.

I want the ability to play DVD's on my PC--is that so out of bounds?

 

[Daniel~]

OK by me. but if you start regressing rather than adapting, you will fall behind. That's not a problem if it's not a problem for you. But you see you will start dreading updates as they mover further out from where you are.

Some versions of Mint did not work at all well with Rhythm box music player. Some had trouble with Banshee.
But I've always been ale to get good service from one or the other.

To some extent we have to expect that Mint will move forward by leaving a few things we like behind.
but Mint almost always leaves me something I can work with.

Our developers have to consider what is good for Mint as a whole with each release.
I trust they are doing their very best to save all that can be saved while still moving forward toward the ever elusive, yet just out of reach, ...

a perfect Mint.":O}

 

[Kaitain]

cloasters: just going back to basics, please could you post the outputs of either lshw or inxi -Fx depending on what you have installed?

Also, was this a completely fresh installation (as in completely bare drive) or did you leave your /home directories in place?

 

[cloasters]

cloasters: just going back to basics, please could you post the outputs of either lshw or inxi -Fx depending on what you have installed?

Also, was this a completely fresh installation (as in completely bare drive) or did you leave your /home directories in place?

OK

george@george-System-Product-Name:~$ sudo lshw
[sudo] password for george:
george-system-product-name
description: Desktop Computer
product: System Product Name (SKU)
vendor: System manufacturer
version: System Version
serial: System Serial Number
width: 64 bits
capabilities: smbios-3.0 dmi-3.0 smp vsyscall32
configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop family=Default string sku=SKU uuid=201F48C0-BA72-E311-B27B-F832E4BA590C
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: Z170-P
vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
physical id: 0
version: Rev X.0x
serial: 150955478201342
slot: Default string
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
physical id: 0
version: 0408
date: 09/06/2015
size: 64KiB
capacity: 15MiB
capabilities: pci apm upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer acpi usb biosbootspecification uefi
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 3f
slot: L1 Cache
size: 128KiB
capacity: 128KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back data
configuration: level=1
*-cache:1
description: L1 cache
physical id: 40
slot: L1 Cache
size: 128KiB
capacity: 128KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back instruction
configuration: level=1
*-cache:2
description: L2 cache
physical id: 41
slot: L2 Cache
size: 1MiB
capacity: 1MiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back unified
configuration: level=2
*-cache:3
description: L3 cache
physical id: 42
slot: L3 Cache
size: 6MiB
capacity: 6MiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back unified
configuration: level=3
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 43
bus info: cpu@0
version: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz
serial: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
slot: LGA1151
size: 2839MHz
capacity: 3600MHz
width: 64 bits
clock: 100MHz
capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx pdpe1gb rdtscp constant_tsc art arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx smx est tm2 ssse3 sdbg fma cx16 xtpr pdcm pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm abm 3dnowprefetch cpuid_fault invpcid_single pti ssbd ibrs ibpb stibp tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid fsgsbase tsc_adjust bmi1 hle avx2 smep bmi2 erms invpcid rtm mpx rdseed adx smap clflushopt intel_pt xsaveopt xsavec xgetbv1 xsaves dtherm ida arat pln pts hwp hwp_notify hwp_act_window hwp_epp md_clear flush_l1d cpufreq
configuration: cores=4 enabledcores=4 threads=4
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 44
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 16GiB
*-bank:0
description: [empty]
physical id: 0
slot: DIMM_A1
*-bank:1
description: DIMM DDR4 Synchronous 2133 MHz (0.5 ns)
product: KHX2133C14D4/8G
vendor: Kingston
physical id: 1
serial: 23341718
slot: DIMM_A2
size: 8GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 2133MHz (0.5ns)
*-bank:2
description: [empty]
physical id: 2
slot: DIMM_B1
*-bank:3
description: DIMM DDR4 Synchronous 2133 MHz (0.5 ns)
product: KHX2133C14D4/8G
vendor: Kingston
physical id: 3
serial: 23311764
slot: DIMM_B2
size: 8GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 2133MHz (0.5ns)
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 07
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=skl_uncore
resources: irq:0
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor PCIe Controller (x16)
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 07
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pm msi pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:121 ioport:e000(size=4096) memory:de000000-df0fffff ioport:c0000000(size=301989888)
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: GM206 [GeForce GTX 950]
vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: a1
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=nouveau latency=0
resources: irq:130 memory:de000000-deffffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff memory:d0000000-d1ffffff ioport:e000(size=128) memory:c0000-dffff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: NVIDIA Corporation
vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
physical id: 0.1
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.1
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
resources: irq:17 memory:df080000-df083fff
*-usb
description: USB controller
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family USB 3.0 xHCI Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 14
bus info: pci@0000:00:14.0
version: 31
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi xhci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=xhci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:127 memory:df210000-df21ffff
*-usbhost:0
product: xHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 4.15.0-54-generic xhci-hcd
physical id: 0
bus info: usb@1
logical name: usb1
version: 4.15
capabilities: usb-2.00
configuration: driver=hub slots=16 speed=480Mbit/s
*-usb:0
description: Keyboard
product: Keyboard
vendor: Monterey International Corp.
physical id: 7
bus info: usb@1:7
version: 1.00
capabilities: usb-1.10
configuration: driver=usbhid maxpower=100mA speed=2Mbit/s
*-usb:1
description: Mouse
product: USB Optical Mouse
vendor: PixArt
physical id: 8
bus info: usb@1:8
version: 1.00
capabilities: usb-1.10
configuration: driver=usbhid maxpower=100mA speed=2Mbit/s
*-usbhost:1
product: xHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 4.15.0-54-generic xhci-hcd
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@2
logical name: usb2
version: 4.15
capabilities: usb-3.00
configuration: driver=hub slots=10 speed=5000Mbit/s
*-communication
description: Communication controller
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 16
bus info: pci@0000:00:16.0
version: 31
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=mei_me latency=0
resources: irq:131 memory:df22d000-df22dfff
*-storage
description: SATA controller
product: Q170/Q150/B150/H170/H110/Z170/CM236 Chipset SATA Controller [AHCI Mode]
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 17
bus info: pci@0000:00:17.0
version: 31
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: storage msi pm ahci_1.0 bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ahci latency=0
resources: irq:128 memory:df228000-df229fff memory:df22c000-df22c0ff ioport:f050(size=8) ioport:f040(size=4) ioport:f020(size=32) memory:df22b000-df22b7ff
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #17
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1b
bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
version: f1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:122
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.0
version: f1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:123
*-pci:3
description: PCI bridge
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.2
version: f1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:124
*-pci
description: PCI bridge
product: ASM1083/1085 PCIe to PCI Bridge
vendor: ASMedia Technology Inc.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci msi pm pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
resources: iomemory:202001f10-202001f0f
*-pci:4
description: PCI bridge
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.3
version: f1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:125 ioport:d000(size=4096) memory:df100000-df1fffff
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
logical name: enp6s0
version: 15
serial: f8:32:e4:ba:59:0c
size: 1Gbit/s
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=full firmware=rtl8168h-2_0.0.2 02/26/15 ip=24.56.241.97 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes port=MII speed=1Gbit/s
resources: irq:19 ioport:d000(size=256) memory:df104000-df104fff memory:df100000-df103fff
*-pci:5
description: PCI bridge
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #9
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1d
bus info: pci@0000:00:1d.0
version: f1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:126 ioport:2000(size=4096) memory:a8800000-a89fffff ioport:a8a00000(size=2097152)
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: Z170 Chipset LPC/eSPI Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.0
version: 31
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master
configuration: latency=0
*-memory UNCLAIMED
description: Memory controller
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Power Management Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.2
version: 31
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz (30.3ns)
capabilities: bus_master
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:df224000-df227fff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family HD Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.3
version: 31
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=32
resources: irq:132 memory:df220000-df223fff memory:df200000-df20ffff
*-serial UNCLAIMED
description: SMBus
product: 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family SMBus
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.4
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.4
version: 31
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:df22a000-df22a0ff ioport:f000(size=32)
*-scsi:0
physical id: 1
logical name: scsi2
capabilities: emulated
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: Samsung SSD 860
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 2B6Q
serial: S3Z1NB0M250491B
size: 465GiB (500GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=08c61b41
*-volume
description: EXT4 volume
vendor: Linux
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
logical name: /
version: 1.0
serial: 3fd47981-e0eb-4c9f-b43e-da5286bbabbb
size: 465GiB
capacity: 465GiB
capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink 64bit extents ext4 ext2 initialized
configuration: created=2019-05-07 23:26:38 filesystem=ext4 lastmountpoint=/ modified=2019-07-09 01:09:22 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,data=ordered mounted=2019-07-07 22:19:17 state=mounted
*-scsi:1
physical id: 2
logical name: scsi5
capabilities: emulated
*-cdrom
description: DVD-RAM writer
product: DRW-24F1ST c
vendor: ASUS
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@5:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/sr0
version: 1.00
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
*-power UNCLAIMED
description: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
product: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
physical id: 1
version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
serial: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
capacity: 32768mWh
george@george-System-Product-Name:~$


Yes, it was a fresh installation. Thank you very much for your help Kaitain!

 

[cloasters]

OK by me. but if you start regressing rather than adapting, you will fall behind. That's not a problem if it's not a problem for you. But you see you will start dreading updates as they mover further out from where you are.

Some versions of Mint did not work at all well with Rhythm box music player. Some had trouble with Banshee.
But I've always been ale to get good service from one or the other.

To some extent we have to expect that Mint will move forward by leaving a few things we like behind.
but Mint almost always leaves me something I can work with.

Our developers have to consider what is good for Mint as a whole with each release.
I trust they are doing their very best to save all that can be saved while still moving forward toward the ever elusive, yet just out of reach, ...

a perfect Mint.":O}

Oh dear, me fall behind? That's unpossible! Yes, I get your point Dan, thank you. Can you recall what the adapter to put a 2.5" SSD into the rack that's pre-built for 3.5 inch spindle drives is called? Please.

 

[Kaitain]

Yes, it was a fresh installation. Thank you very much for your help Kaitain!

More questions, as I'm a little unclear as to whether you've been unable to install VLC at all, or whether you've got it installed but it fails to run.

You should just be able to install VLC from Software Manager. If not, try from the command line:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-cache search *vlc* (or sudo apt-cache search *VLC* if nothing returned) (this gets the exact package name)
sudo apt-get install <whatever the exact package name identified above was>

If you have VLC installed, but it doesn't run, first delete old VLC settings:
rm -r ~/.config/vlc/
(no need for sudo)

If that still doesn't work, then start VLC from the console, by just typing
vlc

That should provide you with useful error messages we can work with.

Then for nVidia, you should be able to use driver version 430.34. This might be a little more involved, if Mint's scripts aren't doing their jobs properly. There are a few moving parts if you're doing it manually, unfortunately.

 

[Daniel~]

Oh dear, me fall behind? That's unpossible! Yes, I get your point Dan, thank you. Can you recall what the adapter to put a 2.5" SSD into the rack that's pre-built for 3.5 inch spindle drives is called? Please.

My SSD's came with the adapter...I thought they all did.. Try asking for just that...

"the adapter to put a 2.5" SSD into the rack that's pre-built for 3.5 inch spindle drives"

 

[cloasters]

More questions, as I'm a little unclear as to whether you've been unable to install VLC at all, or whether you've got it installed but it fails to run.

You should just be able to install VLC from Software Manager. If not, try from the command line:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-cache search *vlc* (or sudo apt-cache search *VLC* if nothing returned) (this gets the exact package name)
sudo apt-get install <whatever the exact package name identified above was>

If you have VLC installed, but it doesn't run, first delete old VLC settings:
rm -r ~/.config/vlc/
(no need for sudo)

If that still doesn't work, then start VLC from the console, by just typing
vlc

That should provide you with useful error messages we can work with.

Then for nVidia, you should be able to use driver version 430.34. This might be a little more involved, if Mint's scripts aren't doing their jobs properly. There are a few moving parts if you're doing it manually, unfortunately.