New Ubuntu pains

Well I just the latest version from the Ubuntu website It downloaded and installed a working OS in about 1 Hour I used the Ubuntu software center to download and install the Adboe flash require for Youtube in less then 15 mins after OS install I was able to watch Youtube Video's. I am running a Dell Inspriron 6400 Dual boot to Windows Vista Bus version. Works great not a problem so far in th 1.5 hours it has been running.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

OK, wireless problem is solved!!!

I had to activate the driver BRCM4311 (under Hardware drivers) and after that everything is dandy, except that the light works the opposite way. Now I will deal with the Flash problem....

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

Well use the Software center do a search on free software type in the search what you are looking for and then bang it will display the compatible version for the OS.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

OK, Flash problem IS solved too!!! The download from Adobe worked right away, maybe it had something to do with the wireless, at this point I don't care and I don't want to know.

The reason why I went in the trouble of having the dual boot is because for internet surfing Linux is faster. I have just measured the speed and it is at least 20% faster wireless than when on Vista. With the old laptop the difference is way bigger.

Also when accessing questionable movie sites, it is better to be on Linux just in case they are trying to put a virus on the computer.

So all in all, it took like 3-4 hours messing with it, when finally I got everything (crossing fingers) working...

Hallelujah, it was a religious experience!

 

Good Glad it was easy for you.

 

Other observations comparing to JJ:

Although the look is nicer, the applications load slower. It takes more than a second when I click on something to come up. With JJ the mouse occasionally behaved badly, I still have to see how it is with KK, so far no mouse problems.

People bitched about Vista's security because it always asks for permission. It is the same with KK, I had to put the password in at just about every changes made.

Also, when I was tinkering with it, it did freeze once on me and had to remove the battery to get it going. (I just had to click on that red mark)

 

Well, 4 hours of tinkering is easy?

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

But without those issues I could have installed it under 40 minutes with downloads and everything.

 

Really so far it is working very good for me perhaps it is the Dell liking it better I don't know.

 

I am getting an AV manager for it as well just to be safe I have a lot of software that is nefarious to say the least as a part of my Job.

 

Flash doesn't exist in 64 architecture...period. Install a 32-bit browser. [from repositories]

Oh and...your wireless card, I assume the Atheros WLAN.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WirelessCardsSupported#By Manufacturer

You can try another distro, one that has more compatibility with WLAN
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=wolvix

Or

http://madberry.org/2008/11/how-to-get-atheros-ar242x-to-work-on-810-intrepid-ibex/
I know it's not your card or model...just exchange the parts when it refers to your model...the infrastructure hasn't changed enough for this not to work...I think.

 

Well, I already solved both problems (one probably solved the other) but thanks.

I have a stupid question though:

How do I know if it is a dual boot separate install or it is running under Windows? When I start it up, the computer offers 2 choices if I want to boot Vista or Ubuntu and when installing I dedicated certain size on the HD, so this indicates a separate, dual boot system. But I used the Wubi feature and the speed is also a bit slower than I expected, so is it possible that I have it running under Windows? It doesn't show up on Vista though...
By slower I mean that I didn't get a much faster speed than Vista's download speed, so that might mean that Vista is pretty fast to begin with...

 

It's available as an alpha release: http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html

Wubi installs Ubuntu in the files "c:\ubuntu\disks\root.disk" and "c:\ubuntu\disks\swap.disk" on a Windows drive without any repartitioning, so you can see if those files exist. You can also check the size of your Windows partition(s) (see if they take up the entire hard drive) either by checking the drive properties or by running the Windows partition manager (in XP and Vista it's in "administrative tools" or something like that).

 

Since I am a masochist, I decided to put Ubuntu JJ on the desktop. This time I must have installed it differently (I guess the previous one was under Windows), because it only partitioned 2.5G for Ubuntu, which is stupid. Now when I try to update, there is not enough space and I had to mess with the partitioning.

I used EASEUS Partition Master and I was able to allocate more space but I have trouble resizing the little Ubuntu partition. I take advice on that one...

Another problem is with the monitor, the driver is not good or what, the resolution is shitty like hell. Also, the speed didn't increase much, so I didn't get out of it anything specila yet...

Oh Ubuntu, when are you going to grow up???

 

Well, my solution was to install KK and it is working fine, except the max. resolution is only 800x600, but I look at it that the video probably loads faster.

If Linux handles you lemon....

 

...just uninstall the whole thing. I ended up reinstalling XP and getting ride of the whole KK thingy. Somehow I messed up the partitions and XP wasn't booting and there was no advantage of having Ubuntu on, because of lack of speed increase.

It is also very hard to get ride of the Grub loader, so the easiest way was to get a clean machine. The 800x600 resolution didn't help the case either...

So 15 years in the making and they can not make a distro that works out of the box. Congratulations!!!!

(I still have dual boot on the laptops)

 

Suck to be you to believe that.

 

Give 10 Ubuntu distros to 10 of your relatives who have no computer skills. Report back if they are able to install and use them.

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

I am drilling holes into the Ubuntu CDs, they make lovely Christmas decorations...

 

I had problems installing win7, and I have computer skills, so I don't think your comparison is fair, especially since for most people win7 costs hundreds of dollars and ubuntu is free. At least with my laptop ubuntu worked "out of the box" perhaps your hardware has specific driver issue with newer operating systems like ubuntu, did you consider posting your problems or search for the like on the ubuntu forums?

 

I have dual boot installed JJ and KK on 2 desktops and 2 laptops. The only time it worked out of the box was KK on a Vista laptop and I think it is still running under Vista. So that is 25% success rate.

Once the Live CD wouldn't even recognize the mouse on the desktop, and I blogged here the rest...Yes, I searched for the solutions and it is actually surprizing how few are in recent times. And most everybody had the same problems (like screen resolutions)

I really wanted to love Linux but it is just not worthy and not ready for primetime. They shouldn't try to make a new version in every 6 months, just work on the one that is current and make a new one in every 2 years.

And as for the eyecandy, it is pretty, but it takes me to the same internet as anything else does. The only thing I liked was the speedboost and I still use it for that purpose on the laptops, although the Vista has pretty much the same speed.

Maybe I will give it another try in 2-3 years.

P.S.: It was certainly cool to be able to cruise the web with an old computer, without a HD!

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

 

My guess is 2-3 years will not be enough for you, I'm sure people are putting up with equal or more with win7 right now and somehow aren't bitching like this, but when something free its ripe for complaint I guess.