Installing Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala (on the Desktop)

06 Nov, 2009

After installing Ubuntu 9.10, codename Karmic Koala, in my laptop it’s time for the desktop.

I’m also doing a clean install because I want to use ext4 as my filesystem and I’m gonna lose the Windows partitions. Yes, 100% Ubuntu.

It’s possible to convert ext3 to ext4, but I prefer a clean install.

I will be the using the 32 bit desktop cd (ubuntu-9.10-desktop-i386.iso).

Before you start

Backup your data
Make a list of software you want to recover after the clean install and all the preferences/options you use. This will make you post install easier and you can start working faster. Make a list of the extra Software Sources you use Check the Release Notes Download Ubuntu Check the file hash (example: md5sum ubuntu-9.10-desktop-i386.iso) and compare it to UbuntuHashes Burn a cd (you can use Brasero, for example, if you already use Ubuntu)

Running the live cd

Boot from the cd.
After booting it’s important to check the integrity of the cd. Burning cds also fails.

Hardware to check (during the live cd session)

Graphics (bad resolution, but the proprietarie drivers aren’t installed)
Sound (check)
Cable network (check)
Wireless network (not tested)

Hard Drive Partition Layout

I will keep my storage area as an ext3 filesystem.

1/dev/sda
2 /dev/sda1      ext4      /                        15360 MB          -- primary
3 /dev/sda5      ext4     /home              20480  MB          -- extended
4 /dev/sda6      swap                               2048 MB          -- extended
5 /dev/sda7      ext3     /storage/pool   40960 MB          -- extended

Post-install: Wired Network

I had to manually configure my IP because I don’t have DHCP activated in my router.

Internet is on!

Post-install: Graphics Card

I had a warning about an available proprietary driver. Just had to activate it. Ubuntu downloaded and installed the driver. Pretty simple.

Restart needed. After rebooting my screen resolution was perfect.

Post-install: Updates

Update Manager warned me about 36 available updates. Just letting it go…

Post-install: File System

Besides the / and /home partitions, only root have permissions to write in every other partitions. In my case /storage.

So, we have to add permissions to our user:

1sudo chown -R youruser:youruser /storage
2sudo chmod -R 755 /storage

Click here for more info.

I also have more disks/partition on my system that weren’t formated during the install. I need to go to /etc/fstab in order to mount the partitions were I want.

Find out the UUID (Unique unit ID) of the device

1sudo vol_id -u /dev/sda2

Create a folder for your new mount point

1sudo mkdir /storage

Open /etc/fstab

1sudo gedit /etc/fstab

Add the mount point

1UUID=ad02cb4e-f9cf-491a-b661-d96ed2c456be /storage ext3 relatime 0 2

Post-install: Multimedia

References: Complete Streaming, Multimedia & Video How-to and Medibuntu

Adding Medibuntu Repositories

1sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
2wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

Flash (Firefox installed flash, so I skipped this one)

 1sudo apt-get purge flashplugin-nonfree && \
 2sudo mkdir /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree && \
 3sudo cp -f ~/Desktop/libflashplayer.so \
 4 /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/ && \
 5sudo nspluginwrapper -i \
 6 /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/libflashplayer.so && \
 7sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/nspluginwrapper/plugins/npwrapper.libflashplayer.so \
 8 /etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin && \
 9sudo ln -sf /etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin \
10 /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/flashplayer-alternative.so && \
11sudo rm -f /usr/lib/firefox/plugins/npwrapper.libflashplayer.so

Codecs and plugins (it will take quite some time)

1sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin \
2 libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && \
3sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree \
4 gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad \
5 gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly \
6 gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs icedtea-gcjwebplugin \
7 liblame0 non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

Audio and Video Streaming

1sudo apt-get remove kaffeine-mozilla mozilla-helix-player \
2 mozilla-mplayer mozilla-plugin-vlc totem-mozilla xine-plugin && \
3sudo apt-get install gnome-mplayer gecko-mediaplayer

Playing Encrypted DVDs

1sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 libdvdread3 libdvdnav4 build-essential debhelper fakeroot regionset

Changing your DVD Region Code (be sure there’s a DVD in the drive)

1sudo regionset

Check the reference link, because it as many other things you’ll want.

This time I only add the Medibuntu repositorie. Ubuntu as been installing codecs on the go as I need them.

Post-install: Preferences and Look and Feel

Here’s some things I changed right away:

4 workspaces
Background
NTP Time Server (System > Administration > Time and Date)
ntp02.oal.ul.pt
ntp04.oal.ul.pt
Weather on Clock Preferences

Post-install: SAMBA Server

Go to Applications > Ubuntu Software Center and install Samba.
Go to System > Administration > Samba to add shares and define samba users.

Also check this post.

Post-install: LAMP Server

To install Apache, MySQL and PHP, check here.

Post-install: Software Sources

1deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ karmic free non-free
2deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/do-core/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
3deb http://linux.dropbox.com/ubuntu karmic main
4deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian jaunty non-free

Post-install: extra software

List of extra installation software installed:

Xmarks add-on (can’t live without it)
Firefox IMDB search-engine
GnomeDo (after adding the software source just go to Ubuntu Software Source and look for gnome do)
VLC
Dropbox (sudo apt-get install nautilus-dropbox)
Conky
Synergy
GVim
Gaupol Subtitle Editor
More Firefox add-ons (Portuguese Dictionary, GMail Manager)
Powertop (sudo apt-get install powertop)
Gnucash
Aspell pt-pt (sudo apt-get install aspell-pt-pt)
Gnome Partition Editor
NTFS support to Gnome Partition Editor (sudo apt-get install ntfsprogs)
Mail Notification
Virtualbox
Miro
GCStar
RAR Support (sudo apt-get install rar unrar)

Post-install: Tomboy

After installing Dropbox I synchronised my Tomboy notes. Simple, simple. I have to try the new Ubuntu One Tomboy syncing though.

#Linux #Ubuntu #Ubuntu 9.10 #Karmic Koala