General: Ubuntu - Where to start?

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 4th 2008 edited
     

    I finally have 2 rigs up and running solid. I ran ubuntu live 7.10 for a little while and it's really a beautiful looking system. I have an extra drive in one unit that I could set it up on and just switch back and forth simply by plugging in which ever system I want to run. I know that I could dual boot one system with windows and ubuntu. Unfortunately my skill level at this point is a bit lacking. what area of study should I start with to make things fall into place more easily. I mean what's more important to making the most of the system, html, php ect... or just concentrate on ubuntu itself.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 4th 2008
     

    Hi Bill,

    PHP/HTML are only going to help you develop for the web, and won't particularly help you understand Ubuntu.

    I would say, just start using Ubuntu and get used to the packaging system (Synaptic) and try out some different software from it. Ubuntu is designed so that you shouldn't have to go to the command line for anything, and in most cases that is true.

    So I would concentrate on getting your daily things setup - e-mail, networking, messaging, playing mp3's etc.

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      CommentAuthorEyes Open
    • CommentTimeFeb 4th 2008 edited
     

    Well what do want to use it for?

    If you have an interest in web design, then yeah - HTML and PHP would be useful.

    Edit: yeah, what Spode said. :)

    And http://ubuntuforums.org/ is great.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 4th 2008
     

    The Ubuntu community is very strong. More often than not, I found solutions to my Fedora problems on Ubuntu Forums.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2008
     

    I want to write stories for the grandchildren, then illustrate them. eventually animate short clips.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2008
     

    If I go with unplugging the drive with xp on it, and install ubuntu on the other drive and then restart will the 2 os work together? Or do I need to install the ubuntu with xp in the background?

    • CommentAuthorBeanz
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2008
     

    if you install ubuntu with the XP drive still plugged in then the boot manager (grub I think) should pickup the XP install, and add the option into the boot menu. You will also be able to access your files on your XP drive if you get the NTFS (assuming you're using NTFS) tools to enable it. :)

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2008
     

    Beanz is right. Even if you're installing to the same drive, it can resize the Windows partitions for you.

    Keep both drives plugged in, but set the Ubuntu drive to be the boot drive, then boot from the Ubuntu install CD. Tell the install program to install everything to the second drive and it will install the boot loader (yes, grub is default) and will detect your XP install, giving you the option on boot.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2008
     

    I was googling it last night and thought that would be the case. I just wanted to verify it thru you guys before I tried it. I will keep xp on c: and load ubuntu on e: that way there on different hd's.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 6th 2008
     

    Linux doesn't label drives in that way, but yes, you should be fine :) If you're at all worried, make a backup!

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 6th 2008
     

    i tried loading to a formatted disk that just had some files I didn't care if they were overwritten. It asked if I wanted to correct the time then said I couldn't i wasn't the admin. after that it's gone to a blank beige screen and stopped. I'm really having a day of it . this abit mobo is starting to agravate me.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    :D I finally managed a clean install. I ended up installing 7.04 instead of 7.10. I'm not sure why but it stopped installing after asking me to reset the time. the 7.04 install ran smoothly. It's on its own hdd, with xp on the other. So far I've switched back and forth no problems getting files from xp to ubuntu.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    Excellent :D

    In theory, you can upgrade 7.04 to 7.10 using "apt-get dist-upgrade". Of course, you could make a partition backup in advance, in case something goes wrong :)

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      CommentAuthorKrazyIvan
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    I tried upgrading that way from 6.10 to 7.10 and it totally messed up the graphics engine. I guess I could have played with it a little and see if I could get it to work without doing a clean install but I seem to have less patience for that type of thing lately. I just reformatted and installed 7.10 from the DVD. :$

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    Well, as it's a clean install without any tweaking - chances are it will upgrade nicely. Equally, chances are it won't :P Hence the suggestion of a backup.

    Or just wait for Hardy Heron to be released and do it then instead.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    I think I'll play with it a while to get the hang of it before doing any tweaking or upgrade. While trying to make 7.10 work I read that some of the problems I'm having with the abit board could be related to xp. They feel that whenever you change the cpu or mobo that it's best to reformat and do a clean install of xp. That it will read everything fresh and set up with less problems than just trying to fix everything. any opinion?

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    I've always found, when moving an OS one one install to another, if it boots, it should be fine, as from there you can remove old drivers, install new, and they shouldn't get in the way of each other.

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      CommentAuthormikeecee
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    i have problems with installing ubuntu! it wont show up the desktop! it comes up with code. It seems a common problem with ubuntu. i have a standard graphics card, that came with my packard bell notbook. its a VIA PN 800. seems that its not accepting it.

    searched google but to no prevail. any help guys?

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      CommentAuthorLolly
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2008
     

    Does it boot OK from the Live CD?

    Also... try "avail";

    pre·vail
    v.i. pre·vailed, pre·vail·ing, pre·vails
    1. To be greater in strength or influence; triumph: prevailed against the enemy.
    2. To be or become effective; win out: hoped justice would prevail.
    3. To be most common or frequent; be predominant: a region where snow and ice prevail.
    4. To be in force, use, or effect; be current: an ancient tradition that still prevails.
    5. To use persuasion or inducement successfully. Often used with on, upon, or with.

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      CommentAuthormikeecee
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2008
     

    lol bad spelling there :P
    u knew what i meant though.
    it runs from the cd, comes up with a box asking whether i want to always run in low graphics. tried running in it in safe graphincs, but that didnt work either

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      CommentAuthorLolly
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2008
     

    Hmm. If it boots from the CD and you can see the desktop then theoretically it should work on the hard drive because it just copies everything over (slightly more complicated than that but that's basically what happens) when you run the Install command. Sounds like you have a pretty obscure (and slow) graphics card though. Have you tried Xubuntu? It's Ubuntu using XFCE. It has significantly lower graphics processing requirements, so give it a try and see if it works for you.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2008
     

    I think Mike is trying to say that the desktop doesn't load from the CD either.

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      CommentAuthormikeecee
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2008
     

    the graphics card is rubbish! the peak of its gaming (not that i game much) capabilities is Age of Empires 2! need a new laptop or pc really. my theory is to get a pc dual booting and use my tv as a monitor with wireless mouse and keyboard :) then an eee pc for mobile needs.

    didnt think to try xubuntu. only problem with downloading it is that it will probably bring us over our 4gb download limit

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 10th 2008
     

    Isn't there a text-install mode?

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      CommentAuthorKrazyIvan
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
     

    When I installed 6.10 I had a bit of a problem too. It turned out to be a USB hub that was connected to the system. On a fluke decision, I disconnected it and it worked fine.

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      CommentAuthormikeecee
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
     

    umm i dunno :S

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 13th 2008
     

    Just a quick ? As I was wandering thru ubuntu I came across a program called Tomboy, it's for notes. Do you use any of the writing programs, and then use tomboy to pull notes or is there a note pad attached to tomboy that I didn't see.

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      CommentAuthorSpode
    • CommentTimeFeb 13th 2008
     

    TomBoy is a notes package. If you open you it, you'll find a yellow notepad icon is your dock/system tray (whatever it's called in Linux). Click on that and "Create a New Note".

    I love TomBoy notes, I used to keep hundreds of notepad files before.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 14th 2008
     

    Thanks :D that's the kind of tool I was looking for to get started writing for the kids.

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      CommentAuthorBill
    • CommentTimeFeb 16th 2008
     

    finally got the lan working. To run the bbc radio 2 in ubuntu it's telling me to install a program called hellix. there's a little more to it. I'm going to have to used the command line to do it. Is this particularly difficult or just copy whats there?

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Copyright Andrew Miller (Spode), 2008