Just started Linux for the first time, can anyone lend a hand?

So last night I decided that I wanted to make an effort to use Linux. So i went and put it on my old clunky pc that's hooked up to my TV as a media PC. When I tried firing up Steam on it i got hit with an error saying 'OpenGL GLX contect is not using direct rendering' i went and tried to figure out how to figure out how to fix this; at which point i realised im totally way in over my head. 

 

Most of you who actually get Linux will probably roll your eyes at my stupidity but i want to figure this out. So if anyone doesn't mind, would you be able to explain to me how im supposed to fix something like this? peoples solutions often comprised of stuff that looked like this

 

find ~/.steam/root/ \( -name "libgcc_s.so*" -o -name "libstdc++.so*" -o -name "libxcb.so*" \) -print -delete

 

or

 

$ STEAM_FRAME_FORCE_CLOSE=1 steam

 

i've always used windows so i have no clue but i want to learn so could someone please explain this to me in a way that would make sense to someone who has absolutely zero experience with Linux

Without knowing what distro you're on I'm assuming your system is not multilib-ready. Steam uses older versions of 32bit system libraries.

I'm using Ubuntu. Its also a 32 bit PC

System specs? Integrated or dedicated graphics?

Also did you install Steam through apt-get or did you download the installer?

Depending on what graphics card you have, you might need to install different drivers.

you need to make sure you have mesa libraries installed too.

Probably some of Steams libraries are out of date and are conflicting with your drivers, navigate to the

home/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime/i386/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/

directory and remove the libstdc++.so.6 package to force steam to use the libs installed on your system by default. Files and folders that start with a point (.local) are hidden, make them visible by pressing ctrl-h.

Another way is to type in the terminal:

rm ~/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime/i386/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6

to delete the file directly without navigating through a million folders (rm means 'remove')

---

find ~/.steam/root/ \( -name "libgcc_s.so*" -o -name "libstdc++.so*" -o -name "libxcb.so*" \) -print -delete

Is a command you type in the terminal, it tells your system to search in the steam folder (home/.steam/root/) for libgcc_s.so*, libstdc++.so* & libxcb.so* files, the * symbol is a wildcard and means that any file beginning with e.g. "libgcc_s.so" will fit the criteria. '-print' means the terminal will show you if the files are found, '-delete' means the files that are found will be deleted.

its an integrated graphics card

Model and manufacturer?

Theres a lot of advice but my question is, Is it definitely a 32bit PC?

Because if that's the case you'll likely not be playing any games off it, its just way to old.

Id also assume this is integrated graphics on the motherboard and not the CPU. So knowing what type of graphics it is will answer this question. I have a feeling opengl support isnt available for it and if it is it wont be anything higher than opengl 1.* which isnt used by many if any games anymore.

He can play games on the 32bit PC. His PC is a 64bit he just has the 32bit version installed. Either from only 2GB of RAM or just installing the 32bit version.

How do you know he has a 64bit CPU?

Has he said this elsewhere on the forum? He specifically says here he has an old 32bit PC.