Newby here, coming from Windows, just installed Zorin 18 Core a few days ago on a brand new laptop.
I was noticing something strange with Brave, and couldn't leave well enough alone. I noticed that it always starts in full screen rather than retaining the window size I was using when I closed it. Also, it doesn't retain the zoom level either, it always starts at 100%. So I did some googling around and got some bad advice about it being a flatpak issue and suggestion to install the debian version, so I uninstalled it. And was going to install the debian version from the terminal, it didn't go well. Eventually I did get Brave reinstalled, my Software screen shows flathub now. I'm not convinced this is the Zorin version of Brave that I had before. (Zorin has some sort of custom version of Brave with some stuff locked down, doesn't it?)
Also, I took a couple hours loading data into some extensions that I use earlier this morning, and now all my extensions are gone. I did save off the Brave-Browser folder in .config, but replacing it doesn't seem to help. I'm not sure the version of Brave that I have now is using that folder or location at all.
So, is there a way to get back to the correct version of Brave? Is there a way to use this Brave-Browser folder to restore my extensions and extension data? I hate to waste the time doing a fresh install just for being stupid.
I can't seem to find timeshift. I wish I had used it now. Where is it hiding?
Zorin OS does not come with the Flatpak version as default.
So what you succeeded in doing was removing the default APT supplied version, and installing the Flatpak, which the guide you were following was apparently trying to do the exact opposite.
I think you need to go sit in the corner and think about your life choices and mistakes.
Did you add a Brave Browser repository?
You can launch Software & Updates and in the Other software tab, select that Brave-Browser-release and then cllick the remove button.
Once done, run
I'm sorry, I'm not seeing an "Other software" tab. When I open the Software installer I see Explore, Installed, and Updates across the top. Installed is now not showing Brave. Updates doesn't show anything needed. Am I looking in the wrong place?
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/software-properties-gtk", line 100, in
app = SoftwarePropertiesGtk(datadir=options.data_dir, options=options, file=file)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/gtk/SoftwarePropertiesGtk.py", line 235, in init
self.init_apt_cache()
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/gtk/SoftwarePropertiesGtk.py", line 305, in init_apt_cache
self.apt_cache = apt_pkg.Cache(None)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
apt_pkg.Error: E:Malformed entry 1 in list file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list (Component), E:The list of sources could not be read.
Ok, Software & Updates will start now. I don't see anything related to Brave in Other Software.
sudo apt install brave-browser returns this:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package brave-browser is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package 'brave-browser' has no installation candidate
No problem, we just need to remove that repository that is altered or malformed, which is now done.
Let's replace it with the working default from Zorin OS 18:
Copy and paste into terminal: echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main" \ | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list > /dev/null
In the software manager if you search on brave the search result shows brave with the flatpak option for installation. However, the little arrow pointing down right next to Flatpak will allow the selection of the "Zorin OS" (apt) version. Doesn't that work? It might be easier for him than the terminal. Or has the repository been borked.
I think it worked! It does seem to look a little different now, i.e. it shows Stats and Rewards on the home screen which I think it didn't before. It does not show at all in the Software Store under Installed, which seems strange. It does show twice in the list of All Apps, which also seems strange but I think it did before. That .config folder I saved off previously seems to have no effect, my extensions are all gone along with the data I loaded in earlier. And it still always opens in full screen. I guess I can get used to that, lol
I really do need to start using timeshift. It is not in my list of All Apps either. Is it hiding somewhere, or do I need to pop it from the terminal too somehow? Is there a way to create an icon for timeshift and software & updates for future use?
Timeshift does not come preinstalled with Zorin OS. You can install it, however, as a user choice.
Are you sure? You seem to have walked right into the Monty Python Helpdesk.
The preinstalled comes configured, but reinstalling it will get the upstream configuration.
To restore:
Open brave://settings/newTab
Disable:
Show Brave Stats
Show Brave Rewards
Sponsored content
Disable Rewards entirely: brave://rewards > turn off
This is due to Gnome prioritizing Flatpak because Gnome is the Flatpak developer. Basic conflict of interest. They develop the software store too, so they push their own developments, dominating against the standard.
If you follow this post:
You can change the selection.
Make sure all of the flatpak is removed:
flatpak uninstall com.brave.Browser
flatpak uninstall --unused
Is that the location at ~/.config/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/?
If you installed the Flatpak, it keeps the configs docked in its own container and likely removed any extras.
I do not know if this can be fixed in the modern Gnome Mutter - as it has been trimmed down a lot.
But... you can try:
Close all instances of Brave Browser and in terminal run
rm ~/.config/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Local\ State
Then launch BRave, set the window geometry as you want it. Close it.
Log out and in.
Launch Brave. If it opens full window - that is what it will do and we cannot change it. If it remembers last closed state - Success!
