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.
/dev/sda
/dev/sda1 ext4 / 15360 MB -- primary
/dev/sda5 ext4 /home 20480 MB -- extended
/dev/sda6 swap 2048 MB -- extended
/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:
sudo chown -R youruser:youruser /storage
sudo 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
sudo vol_id -u /dev/sda2
- Create a folder for your new mount point
sudo mkdir /storage
- Open /etc/fstab
sudo gedit /etc/fstab
- Add the mount point
UUID=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
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
wget -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)
sudo apt-get purge flashplugin-nonfree && \
sudo mkdir /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree && \
sudo cp -f ~/Desktop/libflashplayer.so \
/usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/ && \
sudo nspluginwrapper -i \
/usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/libflashplayer.so && \
sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/nspluginwrapper/plugins/npwrapper.libflashplayer.so \
/etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin && \
sudo ln -sf /etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin \
/usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/flashplayer-alternative.so && \
sudo rm -f /usr/lib/firefox/plugins/npwrapper.libflashplayer.so
- Codecs and plugins (it will take quite some time)
sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin \
libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && \
sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree \
gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad \
gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly \
gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs icedtea-gcjwebplugin \
liblame0 non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar
- Audio and Video Streaming
sudo apt-get remove kaffeine-mozilla mozilla-helix-player \
mozilla-mplayer mozilla-plugin-vlc totem-mozilla xine-plugin && \
sudo apt-get install gnome-mplayer gecko-mediaplayer
- Playing Encrypted DVDs
sudo 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)
sudo 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
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ karmic free non-free
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/do-core/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb http://linux.dropbox.com/ubuntu karmic main
deb 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.