News, Tips, and How-Tos for Ubuntu Linux
Can you help? I have followed your guide”Making Ubuntu Server work in VirtualBox”. All seems to be okay. I get to the back screen on boot up and enter my user name and password. I then get the Linux command(dollar) sign. What do i do now to get Ubuntu running?
Regards
Mike P.
Mike P,
Ubuntu Server does not include a graphical interface, the command line is all you get. You can install the full Ubuntu desktop with apt-get:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
How to install spca drivers for webcams?
How to run Visual Studio 8 or 9 in ubuntu 7.04 or 7.10 ?
Perhaps try installing kiba dock on Ubuntu Gutsy for
us or give a report? Fyi to all: (www.kiba-dock.org) or search youtube for good videos of it. It appears in screenshots on gnome-look as well.
I couldn’t tell really what the state was, from its source forge page, or if anyone had made a debian package for it that worked well enough to install and try or if that could cause larger (bad) issues for one’s desktop. It looks like it could be a complex program.
Tom, can you help me? I’m totally new to linux, i’m using ubuntu 7.10. I want to try out Gnome Online Desktop, but the guide at http://live.gnome.org/OnlineDesktop/GetRunning is too difficult for me because i’m Hungarian and my english is bad… Could you tell me what exactly should I do in a simple way?
Tom, You may have seen Gnome Do, if not it is like Quicksilver but for Ubuntu/Linux , you can check it out at http://do.davebsd.com/
I just loaded it and I am impressed it is clean and works great. Seemed like something you would be interested in.
Take care and thanks for all the tips !
Tom,if possible I would like you to do a couple of posts on the following subjects,
(1.) Using Blueman (http://blueman.tuxfamily.org/)
(2.) Creating a backup/restoring of an image of the hard-drive from an external USB device!
(The kind of backup I am looking for is close to the Acronis Image Creator. I would like to make a fresh installation of Ubuntu with all the latest update and my required software,then make an image of the entire hard drive to keep on my external USB HDD. It would save me the trouble of having to do a fresh install every time,then install automatic,eclipse,etc…)
(3.) I have grown very accustomed to using Avant Window manager but since it requires Compiz running in the background, I can have it will I am running other programs like Varicad and Pro Enginner. Is there anyway to keep AWN running properly even if the Compiz is switched off??
Any help is appreciated. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate on the excellent content of your blog. Thanks.
If you remove the bottom panel in KDE 4.0, (I don’t think it’s called kicker anymore, but I am not sure what it is called) how do you get it back? Will you please do a HowTo on this?
Thank you,
BrokenCrystal
I noticed someone wanted a HowTo for Visual Studio on Ubuntu. Maybe you could post a tutorial for MonoDevelop? I program in Visual Basic, C#, and Visaul C++ so MonoDevelop would be very useful in bringing old Windows developers (like myself) over to the Linux side. Also, MonoDevelop has a programming reference tool set similar to MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network)… Could you do a piece on that as well, possibly in the same post…?
I am trying to figure out how to edit which items appear in the KDE 4.0 menu. I am a Gnome user and in Gnome, I right click on the menu and then edit them. I want to get rid of that annoying “lost and found” folder and also hide some programs that I do not use. I would also like to add some icons to the programs listed that are missing them. I can’t figure out how to do an advanced edit of the menu in KDE 4.0 on the Kubuntu Gutsy KDE 4.0 Remastered Live CD. Could you please do a Howto on this?
I don’t mean to bombard you with requests, but I need some assistance. If you remove the desktop in KDE 4.0, how do you get it back? Will you please do a HowTo on this also?
Thank you,
BrokenCrystal
Found this on google groups:
——————————-
****@gmail.com wrote:
I’ve been converting users over from using linux mail accounts to Outlook by using /etc/aliases to redirect new linux mail to the new primary email destination. I’ve noticed however some old mail in /var/mail/ has not been read and I was just trying to determine if there are any utilities to process a users’s mbox and forward it to their new mail account.
Any help would be appreciated.
****** wrote:
cd /var/mail
cat oldusername |formail -s sendmail -oi newusern…@example.net
The above uses the feature in formail that will read a data pipe and split the messages it finds into new messages, then feed those messages one at a time to whatever program you specify on the command line, in this case sendmail. It actually creates a new process ID for each instance of sendmail. The -oi command line switch on sendmail tells sendmail to expect an EOF as the message terminator(s) instead of a .
This will also change the Return-Path: on each message processed to that of the account from which you forwarded the email.
——————————
Thanks for such a great blog, I really enjoy reading it, and I have learned a thing or two.
-Brad Edmondson
hi tom..i’m a student currently taking a subject Network Admin.in this subject,i have a project base on cfengine.i want to know how we can setup cfengine,how to use it,and how to configure it.at the first step,i want to connect 2 pc with server and client..fyi,i used Ubuntu 7.10 and very new to the world of linux.can u help me?
Could you make a post on setting up SSH servers in Ubuntu? That’d be mighty helpful!
Thanks in advance in the event that you do write up a post as I have requested
Please make a post on how to install latest compiz-fusion in Gutsy.
How do I get my USB 2.0 Microsoft Zune to work on Virtual Box running XP on Ubuntu?
How do I get the Microsoft Zune Software to work on Wine?
How can I install gnome 2.22 in Ubuntu 7.10?
how 2 add network printer in a domain while my pc not in the domain..
i’m using ubuntu..
Hi,
I’d really like to see a comparison of the different virtualization options in Ubuntu, like Vmware vs Virtualbox vs Parralels vs KVM vs XEN etc..
Thanks a lot and a happy first year 
gnome-open is well worth a plug for terminal lovers.
alias o=gnome-open
o url_or_file
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/4697/
How do I remove that arrow covering my Ubuntu icon on the Ubuntu\Gnome main menu? Could you please do a post on this, if there is such a way to do this…
How about a tutorial to configure firestarter for use with p2p clients like transmission/deluge (bittorrent) and emule, nicotine, dc++ … can’t really find anything that is really simple.
Hey Tom, I just spent a few minutes ‘prettying’ up my inkscape icons and I figured some more people might want to do the same.
In the past it was common to download the inkscape tango icons off gnome look (it is a single svg containing all icons) and place it in “/usr/share/inkscape/icons” thereby overwriting the old icons. Unfortunately this icon set hasn’t been maintained and if you try and use this method in the new inkscape 0.46 (the version in the Hardy repo’s) you’ll have a lot of missing icons since new features were added to incskape. Normally an app could fallback to another icon set but since inkscape uses a single svg containing all icons any missing icon will leave a big blank spot on the toolbar.
Luckily the inkscape team began maintaining the alternative tango icon set on their own (but for some reason haven’t set it as the default). To use this icon set you simply need to go into the afformentioned directory (”/usr/share/inkscape/icons”) and delete the ‘icons.svg’ file (or rename them to keep as a backup), then rename the tango_icons.svg to icons.svg.
Great site! My first stop for finding useful tips for ubuntu.
Here is a Firefox add-on for navigating ubuntu forums:
Ubuntu Forums Menu
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2302
File sharing has changed again for Gutsy, but I wouldn’t call it “easy”: the default behaviour is for a new user to try sharing something, and then be told that they need to install something. Once that’s done, it tells them they don’t have permission to create a share. This is a not-ready-for-prime-time feature!
Samba is still far more complicated than it needs to be. Could you write a post on how it works, how to set it up easily, and what GUI tools are available for managing?
Also, I’ve never figured out how to set up a folder on Samba to share sub-folders as well. Could you go over this?
Thanks!
Hey man, love the site. I think you should do an article about how in Hardy, displaymanager-gtk has been removed from the Administration menu and how to put it back. This caused me a huge problem configuring my monitor and I’m sure other users have been experiencing the same thing.
Also, what might get you some extra readers (I have already figured this out) is a tutorial on explaining how to use TeamSpeak and a game together without losing the sound of the game (a tutorial on how to use AOSS, basically)
Do you know how to install Adept 3.0 (experimental) on Kubuntu with KDE 4. Can this be done with a repository?
Thanks.
For those getting text warnings inserted during a normal Hardy shutdown try the obscure solution here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=4858236#post4858236
Odd - but it works! Seems to effect a lot of people (lots of bug reports in various places) but works on my Dell.
Hi there.
Thank you for a great site with good howto’s and tips!
I have been trying to remove the password request each time I log in. The one with networkmanager for the keyring. Got any sollution on how to fix it so it doesn’t ask for a password?
Thanks in advance
Gerhard
Tom,
I would love it if you do a post on the top 5 things you love about ubuntu and your top 5 applications that you use on ubuntu.
Can you post step by step guide about installing VMWare Workstation on Ubuntu Hardy Heron
Hi, first let me say I love your site. You have the best how-to’s on the net! I have a request which I hope you will follow up and post on. I have XBMC on my Xbox and I love it. In my opinion the best media center out there. I ran across a post on Life Hacker for setting it up on OSX which was awesome. However I can’t find one for Ubuntu. I know that it is possible but I can’t seem to get it to work for me. I looked in the forums but I can’t find a guide for non programmers. Can you please write something on it for just the average user who knows nothing about programming?
Hey man,
I follow your blog; glad your posting your iPhone tips as I’m thinking of getting one in the summer. Anyway what theme you using? From the screen shots you post your GNOME theme looks pretty nice!
Keep up the good work
Hi I’ve been trying to find information on how to setup and then map my bog standard gamepad off eBay for a while now and there is just no information out there! it’s all outdated or non existent 
i think this would be a great post and allot of help…
Hope you consider it, and thanks for such a great informative website
Massive Problem!!
If I install the nVidia Drivers for my card (and I have to since nv doesn’t go to high enough resolution), I get a black screen. My monitor even shuts off from lack of input.
Have been asking about this since 8.04 came out, but no one is answering. Do you know how to fix this, or any of the other glitches, like how wireless on broadcom cards no longer works automatically like it did in 7.10?
Void:
Did you install the Nvidia driver from the Ubuntu repository? That’s the easiest way to get it working.
A friend of mine has Broadcom wireless, but I don’t think it has ever worked automatically.
Could you do an post on manslide?
I installed it from getdeb.
It’s a slideshow app.
The program is great but I’m having a hard time letting it produce a video file.
This page describes how integrate Flickr uploading into the Ubuntu/Gnome image viewer. It seems worth highlighting.
Tip: Open the collection window and select multiple photos to upload more than one photo at a time this way.
Hello Tom,
I’ve been trying to run Ubuntu Hardy from USB flash drive.
There is one nice gui tool that works out of the box
i.e. http://klik.atekon.de/liveusb/ by Simon Peter.
However, currently it does not support the feature that I want: i.e persistent.
I have followed many guides, including from Ubuntu wiki, and especially from here:
http://www.ryancloke.com/ubuntu-804-hardy-heron-live-usb-how-to/
Unfortunately, so far I have not succeed.
The USB flash just could not boot.
I wonder if you have any suggestion or tips that you can share ?
Thank’s.
Hi, I am very new to linux.
I am using Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and S3 86C368 (Trio 3D/2x) graphic controller and 17″ Samsung monitor (SynMaster 750s)
My ubuntu does not detect the graphic card and the monitor so it is running with res of 800 x 600 only and plug & play monitor.
How can I change the setting so the ubuntu (ver 7.10) can detect the relevant hardware and hence higher resolution.
Thank you,
DDG
Heads up!
Lotus Symphony 1 was released two days ago…
I hope you will consider mention/test it and give a little summary here on the blog
Have a nice day and thank you for blogging
–
Jones
Could you do a tutorial for installing and using the latest version of handbrake please?
Can you do a tutorial on wine 1? Cover some of the settings. I have a old dos program that i’m trying to get running, and dos emulators aren’t working. (i’s an old clipper app i wrote using some graphics)
A tutorial on getting Google Gadgets from the Launchpad PPA?
I posted one here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=821478, feel free to reuse any info (just don’t make people compile again!)
I recently read a feature request for a graphical bootloader like boot camp for mac. Well I searched around and found an interesting HOWTO on a smaller website on how to install GAG bootloader. I thought you might like to write a little on it and give it a shot. Its not quite as slick but it is graphical. Good luck to you with school.
http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/howto-install-gag-on-a-default-ubuntu-box/
Hi Tom,
It looks like Firefox 3 stable hit hardy-proposed repositories today, before even the release on mozilla.com. This would probably be a good topic to cover. I wrote an article about it here:
http://www.automaticable.com/2008-06-11/firefox-3-download-leaked-early-in-ubuntu-hardy/
Can you post (or update your old post about Firefox 3 RC 1) about Firefox 3, now that it’s going to be released in a few hours?
Please tell us if the excessive memory usage problem is fixed, and if it isn’t, if there’s a new way to counter the problem, etc. Thanks.
Hi
Is there a how-to on how to make ubuntu 8.04 run faster? I dont want to compromise on desktop effects which i am not using that much. I have an AMD Athlon 64 bit laptop with 512 MB ram and 120 gigs of hard disk.
Thanks Tom!!
I am a newbie senior citizen who has discovered Ubuntu and is rapidly leaving Windows in the dusk. Your newsletter is one of my favorite sites. The tips and help articles are well written and easy to understand. Also kudos for the newsletter’s pleasing appearance.
As a complete newbie without any formal computer training, I would like to see from time to time some basic instructions on using Linux and Ubuntu. For example..I am still at a loss as to how to download, extract and install an application from a tar file. Understanding and knowing when and how to command lines remains an elusive goal for me.
Thanks again for the wonderful work you are doing. I am sure your many fans feel the same way.
How to view PDF files in Firefox:
Launch Synaptic and search for a program called mozplugger
Install mozplugger, and restart Firefox (if it’s open)
From then on pdf files will open in Firefox browser so that can be viewed without having to download them.
Note: You can save them by going to file and choosing Save As.
Where are you man ?? So much happening in the ubuntu world and you haven’t posted for a while.
I have a little tip in Evolution that might be useful
When you click on a column in the inbox, it sorts by the column, so I often click on “From”. The next sort order depends on the second column, which by default is subject. But is it usually more useful to sort next by date. To do this, drag the date column to be the second column.
Looking forward to new posts from one of the best Ubuntu bloggers
Tom, please update your article (on updating Compiz to the latest version) and include information on Stackswitch.
Tom, it would be great to see an article about using checkinstall. I use it all the time, and I think it would be a helpful app for many more people.
Tom, Banshee 1.2 has been released .. maybe a possible entry in your blog.
How to play iTunes DRM music: http://www.el-tunes.com/
How to manage ubuntu firewall with a gui: http://gufw.tuxfamily.org/index.html
How to install Flash Version 10.0.0.569 (released August 11 2008) on 64 bit ubuntu
Vadim P., Tombuntu isn’t where a tutorial like how to listen to music breaking a law would be posted.
I’m looking for a way to default right-align my desktop icons in gnome. I’m using Hardy Heron and would appreciate a solution to this otherwise unanswered query. I’ve searched Google to no avail so if there’s a way it would be very much appreciated!
Thanks.
The how-to geek posted something interesting a couple of days ago:
the link title pretty much says it all - it explains how to make a shortcut on your desktop, which boots into the alternate OS so you don’t have to manually do so. That’s a neat trick, and one I’d like to see in a Ubuntu-XP config instead.
And thanks for a grat blog
Hi,
I was wondering if you could do a post of services running in ubuntu and how/which ones can be disabled or what each service does. Also if you could suggest an easy to use client perhaps similiar to windows task manager if it is available.
Thanks.
I know you mentioned specto in your http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2007/07/14/great-linux-applications-you-might-not-know-about/ post, but you should do a full writeup on it imho. It is just so useful!
Update at bottom of your blog:
©2007 Tombuntu
to:
©2008 Tombuntu
Can you switch from apt-get to aptitude?
How about installing the latest version of VLC (0.9) on Ubuntu, it has many new features and a very good addition the media controls during full screen view. Thanks for the great work man.
Hey Tom,
Feel like taking zoneminder for a spin? I’d like to see this in action:
Dears, I interviewed RMS on GNU 2th anniversary, Google Chrome, non-free software sharing, GNU/Linux on netbooks and free-as-in-freedom drivers.
http://guiodic.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/richard-stallman-interview/
How to best use on WWAN Ubuntu? Especially with laptops that come with a built-in modem, GSM and CDMA…
HOw to install ooVoo on ubuntu
http://www.oovoo.com/
And how to make your own liveccd Ubuntu
Libpango error:
I want to install an older version of libpango for an application to work properly. But when I try to un-install libpango Synaptic says I will have to uninstall other applications which are dependent on it. These other applications include Amarok, Firefox and nearly every other application, what can I do?
I need to install the earlier version.
Plz help me Tom!
Ubuntu eee. Netbook remix. Looks awesome.
http://www.ubuntu-eee.com/
Tom, can you help me to post the article about how to update my OpenOffice 2.4.1 to OpenOffice 3.0 (have been release recently-and stable) in Hardy Heron ? Thanks in advance, btw thanks for article in updated my Gimp to version 2.6.1…
Please reply me too on my email adress
Looking forward to hear from you
thanks
Tom, it seem that Adobe Flash Player version 10.0.12.36 already released, I see from your previous post, you have been test the release candidate from Adobe 10, can you post this release on your next topic ?
Thanks in advance
steven
Hi Tom, today Apple launch new MacBook, and I directly go to their website to watch video about this notebook,and unfortunately I can’t watch it, I found out that they are using QuickTime 7.5.5 and I try to install using Synaptic - gecko-mediaplayer, but I still can’t watch that video. Can you help me Tom ???
Thanks in advance
steven
Hi Tom. Is it possible for Hardy, while we are lock our computer, the wallpaper still can display (like in Windows OS), rather than blank screen as usual ?
Thanks
steven
I know that there is alot of things, that crossover for linux can do, like installing the zune software, and i’m a zune user, and the only thing that i need to leave windows for sure is that i need to run the software on linux, but i can’t do it i get an error, can you do a tut. on how to install the zune software with crossover on ubuntu.
Hey Tom,
Greetings!
I have got something that would blow your mind away. There’s an indie game developer in the Philippines - yes you heard me. From our backward lil archipelagic third world country! –That has a game that could run in UBUNTU HARDY 8.04 and WINE 1.0
It’s a lot better than the other run of the mill copycats that can run on Ubuntu’s repos so I suggest you definitely need to check this out.
Really, the the theme is a 2d side scrolling flick with customizable robots that kick ass. It’s very unique - and I am not saying this as an investor in the dang thing. I am saying this coz it’s cool and it’s newsworthy. Ok maybe I am promoting it. But what the heck, I haven’t seen a single dime from my investment for a year. I’ve lost everything already and just want to share this discovery (didnt know it ran on Buntu) with the community.
I would be posting pics on my blog. Installation is a bit sketchy though so I suggest you check out their forums to see the proper way to install it. I suggest installing version 2.0 first on Windows then install patch 2.1 then UPDATE to 2.1.1. Then recreate the process in Ubuntu 8.04
I’ll try to redo the process and would be posting more on my blog.
Thanks Tom
Any chance you could post the debs for vlc 0.9.2 or 0.9.3 for Hardy? Since the c-korn repo was updated they are no longer available and a few of us have been searching everywhere for a way to go back (i.e. we don’t have the .deb installers on our pc anymore).
Would be good if you posted on how to make nautilus open stuff in new tabs, not in new windows, in ubuntu 8.10.
I searched in preferences but failed to find the needed option.
I have followed your instructions for installing ubuntu on my EEE pc 1000H. Could you post instructions on how to upgrade to Ibex?
This is the best site…ever.
Cheers!
Hey,
My friend and I just spent an hour or two looking for a decent way to view tiffs in firefox. Turns out there’s a very clean plugin
http://vinay.in/mozilla-tiff-plugin
Couldn’t find anything in the repositories and this didn’t seem to be ranked very highly by google, or come up in forum posts very quickly. Lots of links to dead projects from 2004 online though.
-Will
P.S. You Rock.
Tom, I found one of your posts about installing Ubuntu on your Dell Inspiron 9200 laptop. I’m installing Ubuntu 8.04 LTS on a friend’s 9200 and have noticed that the volume is always on and all the way up even while it thinks it’s down or muted. I get blown out of the chair during login. Have you encountered or solved this problem on yours?
Jeff:
Sorry, mine’s a Dimension 9200 desktop, not an Inspiron. I’d suggest opening the volume control preferences and enabling some of the other playback tracks to see if they work.
Setting up VirtualBox USB support on Intrepid is kinda tricky, and a lot of people seem to be really struggling with it on the forums. How about a post on that? I’m still working through it myself, though I think I may be onto something. *knock wood*
Im an almost newbie, I have PCLInuxOS on my desktop and just bought the Dell Mini 9 with Ubuntu and the shock of Gnome is still big for me. Lack of options and crappy software.
First thing I did was dump the useless Totem for VLC which if find amazing in Windows. I still havent foudn a player as simple and that just works. Rhythmbox was just as sad and I installed Amarok that I use in PCLinuxOS and it works beautifully. Next I dumped Pidgin which doesnt do IM video and installed Kopete which allows me to use Yahoo IM video.
Now Im stuck on two things that I think people might want:
I want to drop the Dell video chat in exchange for Skype. I trolled the forums and tried 3 different ways and no luck getting it to work.
And I want to be able to network with my other Windows computers in the house.
Skype and networking are my two big problems.
Oh yeah, which distros allow you to have a dualboot where you can be in Linux and access AND modify files in the windows partition? I read that Ubuntu does it but is it just the Wubi installs or do they all do that now?
How come this isnt in more distros? Seems like it should be.
Great site. Screenshots are always a good thing.
Hi, Tom. Can you post an article that discuss how-to install GRUB in truecolor for 1280×800 pixel? Because there is no good GRUB appearance that eye-catching right now.Please let me know if you post that kind of article in my email. thank you…
The bluetooth system has changed significantly for Intrepid. Lots of people are having trouble getting file transfers to work both ways, or even with pairing devices. I’m trying to use my cell phone as a remote control (which I did under Gutsy and Hardy) but can’t because the “Services” tab has disappeared from the Bluetooth Preferences window.
How about a general walk-through and run-down of Bluetooth in Intrepid?
Can I request a really in-depth install guide for CoreAVC in Ubuntu? as allot of the current tutorials assume that the person reading them are far more knowledgeable than what I am 
Thanks again for such a great blog!
hello,
i saw a video in youtube about water ripple notification when you have a message in pidgin ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nI3tTctdM4 ) and i think that it would be a nice post (how to) for your site.
Continue the good job. Thank you for many helpful “how to” which made my life easier.
Howdy Tom.
Would you gonna post a guide for installing SAA713x PCI TV Tuner, please.
I request anything……
1 new post a month is a bit lazy.
I would really like a guide about how to install BasKet 1.0.3.1 in Ubuntu -
can’t figure out how to compile it from source, tried but it says some dependencies are not met, and I can’t find those deps. Maybe it’s not even possible?
Update post on animated background in Compiz for 8.10.
P.S. the link to the deb package on that post is broken
Hi guys, i’m quite new to linux, but am enjoying it so far …
At the moment ive been trying to install native quake3 in ubuntu 8.10 with point release 1.31, but with no joy ;/
Does anyone have an easy tutorial for a noobie?
Cheers for any replies
Brucey
Hi Tom,
i have problems installing ubuntu 8.10 on my Hp Tx1000.. any ideas on how to deal with it?
the loaded screen resolution i got is the minimal i.e. 600×800 i guess and i cant set it higher etc..
