Linux / Ubuntu question

[w1z4rd]

@atomcrusher

Its very easy to install most linux applications on Ubuntu. Just click on the add/remove feature, and if you feel thats not enough look for synaptic in the administration area. Google is your friend and most questions have been answered so its easy to work out.

 

[w1z4rd]

I used to use it when I first switched over to Linux. Someone here I think recommended it. VLC's equalizer kicks any media players ass though. It gives a deep bass that no other media player have been able to duplicate in my ey..erm ears I mean hehe.

lol
Nice, yeah its my default media player everywhere. Plays everything from a midi to HD stuff. Its also lightweight on resources. Something like itunes or amarok is pretty resource intensive.

 

[ponder]

I have checked - it's a 32-bit

What is the exact CPU model out of curiosity?

 

[ponder]

My idea is to totally re-format the Dell HDD, and start with a clean slate.

Don't bother, linux will format it for you during the installation process.

And then install Linux (which I will download first on my PC, and burn the ISO to disc, or have a USB install version).

The question ... I would then have a reformatted and totally empty laptop HDD drive, and the Ubuntu ISO file either on a disc or on a USB stick.

Could I then just run the disc / insert the USB with the Ubuntu image, and re-start my now 'virgin' laptop, and then it would install a Linux OS?

Just make sure you burn it as an iso image to disk or if you want to create a usb flash key install look at this https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick#From_Windows

 

[atomcrusher]

Just be careful in understanding the idea behind a image file. You cant simply burn the image file to disc as it is. Your laptop wont recognise this CD as a bootable device. CD burning software will have a option for "Burn Image" or something. You must use this. If you create a data disc that the .iso file was just dumped onto..then it wont work.

Thanks for the heads-up on this ... noted.

 

[oldhat]

You may also want to consider Super OS(http://hacktolive.org/wiki/Super_OS) - it's Ubuntu with many additional drivers & software(VLC, Flash, etc) on a single DVD(1.1Gb).

 

[BigAl-sa]

Now known as Libre Office

Open Office is very much alive...

 

[atomcrusher]

I’m afraid that, in spite of all the great input here, I am having zero success in installing Ubuntu

I downloaded the latest version 11.04 from http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download , a +/- 420MB download.

I did the hash-sum check – all OK

I burned the image file to a new Verbatim CD-R, and selected the minimum write-speed available, i.e. 16x. I used the open-source “InfraRecorder” software from the download link on the above Ubuntu website.

From the InfraRecorder application, I chose Actions > Burn Image
I selected the .ISO file I had downloaded, and burned the image to disc. All went well.

I did all the above because I wanted to try Ubuntu before culling Windoze for good, and the instructions on the Ubuntu site are clear and concise.

Next, I put the disc in the disc drive, and rebooted the laptop .. sure enough Ubunto started loading.
Then after about 4 minutes, all came to a halt and an error message appeared. I retried the installation several times.

I have the error log on file .. it’s quite long so I am hesitant to post in in this post ... is there someone I could send it to, for checking ? None of it makes sense to me ..

I have copied / pasted the error log contents into a Word Doc ... all 25 pages of it! It boggles what is left of my aging mind!

 

[ponder]

I downloaded the latest version 11.04 from http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download , a +/- 420MB download.

I have copied / pasted the error log contents into a Word Doc ... all 25 pages of it! It boggles what is left of my aging mind!

Never, it can't be 420MB, it's closer to 700MB. Edit: I just checked and it's 685MB in size.

Copy and paste the error log here http://paste.ubuntu.com/ and provide a link or upload the file somewhere else.

 

[Ockie]

Never, it can't be 420MB, it's closer to 700MB. Edit: I just checked and it's 685MB in size.

Copy and paste the error log here http://paste.ubuntu.com/ and provide a link or upload the file somewhere else.

Agree...something is fishy with that .iso size

 

[MyWorld]

Here is a direct link, just in case you downloaded the wrong whatever:
ftp://ftp.is.co.za/linux/distributions/ubuntu/releases/11.04/ubuntu-11.04-desktop-i386.iso

Just click on the link and the download should start immediately.

 

[atomcrusher]

Never, it can't be 420MB, it's closer to 700MB. Edit: I just checked and it's 685MB in size.

Copy and paste the error log here http://paste.ubuntu.com/ and provide a link or upload the file somewhere else.

OK ... there seems to have been an incomplete file download from what you say above ...

I have copy & paste the entire log file at: http://paste.ubuntu.com/704724/

 

[atomcrusher]

Here is a direct link, just in case you downloaded the wrong whatever:
ftp://ftp.is.co.za/linux/distributions/ubuntu/releases/11.04/ubuntu-11.04-desktop-i386.iso

Just click on the link and the download should start immediately.

Thanks ... I 'm busy downloading right now

 

[ponder]

I have copy & paste the entire log file at: http://paste.ubuntu.com/704724/

That looks like a WUBI install where you install Ubuntu inside of Windows?

 

[atomcrusher]

I've downloaded again via the FTP link as provided by MyWorld 3 posts above this. Have written the ISO image to a 700MB CD-R at minimum speed (16x) using InfraRecorder, and have closed the disc. I'll give this a try once I have wiped the tears from my eyes after watching the Boks lose to Oz this a.m.

 

[atomcrusher]

Thanks to everyone who helped me above ... the 2nd download & installation worked, and I am now 'playing' in Ubuntu to learn the ropes ... after many, many years with originally OS2 on an old IBM desktop, back in the eary 1980s, and since the late-1980s on all the Windows OS systems.

I like what I see so far ... I installed Ubuntu alongside Windows 7 32-bit, ans now I would like to dump Windows as an OS, and use only Linux. I'll have to read up on how to erase all traces of Windows ... I did back-up all my content, e.g. docs, photos, etc., so i have all those on an external HDD.

What's the easiest way to now delete Win from my system (without interfering with the current Linux install?

 

[BigAl-sa]

What's the easiest way to now delete Win from my system (without interfering with the current Linux install?

If it's on a separate partition, use the disk manager to convert the partition to ext3 and then format it.

 

[atomcrusher]

If it's on a separate partition, use the disk manager to convert the partition to ext3 and then format it.

I've had a look, but it is not obvious to me which partition Win7 is on, as opposed to which one Ubuntu is on. I am afraid I may change / format the wrong partition

 

[ponder]

I fyou open Gnome Disk Utility and look at the partitions it will show the Windows one as NTFS formatted, you will also be able to unmount & format it from disk utility.

Alternatively from a terminal do a "sudo fdisk -l" which will also tell you which partition is NTFS. Keep in mind Windows 7 also has a 100MB recovery partititon you can erase. Besides that there could be a partition of a few GB that holds the Windows installation media.

Maybe just post the output of sudo fdisk -l here if you want.

 

[atomcrusher]

@ Ponder ....

Here's the result of the CMD "sudo fdisk -l"
-----------------------------------------------------------

Disk /dev/sda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x41ab2316

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 13 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 13 7447 59709655 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 7447 12162 37871617 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 7447 11901 35776512 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 11901 12162 2094080 82 Linux swap / Solaris
------------------------------------------------------
Afraid it's all Greek to me.