Raro Installed Linux

[raro]

alright folks...you are dealing with an average Joe Blow user. I can find my way around in Windows but Linux is relatively new to me. I gave it a try here and there but never really kept it longer htan a couple of days and went back to the malicious Billyboy virus-ridden OS.

Now I catched some whatever it was virus today and instead of cleaning it up, I decided to put Ubuntu on the comp and see where we go.

First problem: Ubuntu found out that I have a NV17 GeForce4 MX 420 graphic card. Might well be. Lord knows what I screwed in there there years ago...anyways, under Windows it makes a nice 1980 x 1080 resolution suitable for my 40" screen, but Mr. Ubuntu decides that 1024 x 768 is also nice and I cannot set it any higher. How to fix that?

stay tuned for many more questions!

[raro]

...and the next one: uTorrent does not work with Linux. What is a good alternative? BitTorrent is certainly not...much to chunky, not detailed enough.

Tried to install KTorrent, but get again and again the error message "Could not download all repository indexes"....what ever that means.

[raro]

I have permanent trouble with those repository indexes ...whatever those are. My comp cannot find them anywhere but the connection to the internet seems to be good enough for browsing.

I want to install WINE (yeah...cheating ) - I need to know which version of Ubuntu I have as I have to enter different command lines in some command line entry box. In windows you go to "about" and it will tell you the version number. In Linux it recites the entire Linux Saga but no still idea which versions I have here...the version updater tells me that my version is up to date....but cannot find certain repository indexes (which would be correctly called indices but what do Nerds know about latin. And the the Firefox spell checker for ath matter...)

[Dontdisturb]

The torrent client I use on Linux and Mac is Transmission.

I actually don't use Ubuntu (I gave a try but doesn't like it), I use ArchLinux on my PC's (advanced user) and Mandriva 2009.1 if I want a quick install and very good hardware recognition on a large range of machines. You can try the LiveCD with proprietary drivers included (Mandriva One), or Mandriva Free (no proprietary drivers includes, but available through repositories after install and sources configuration) . Mandriva web site

And I forgot the WIKI link Mandriva WIKI, have a look, everything is explained.

Edited October 5, 2009 by Dontdisturb

[wimpy]

You might want to try Linux Mint. It is based on Ubuntu but has a nicer desktop and all the multimedia stuff works right out of the box. No need to hunt for codecs etc.

I too use Transmission for torrent files.

Edited October 6, 2009 by wimpy

[raro]

sounds interesting. The almost only purpose of the computer in question is multimedia stuff...downloading movies and watching them after. I'm a big fan of silentmovies from the thirties....

Any other suggestions for different Linux flavours? The Ubuntu colour scheme is brutal, I liked Suse's Chameleon much better...other than that the menu is more or less the same.

Is there any Linux outside that has the look and feel of Win7? Just curious...

[raro]

downloading Mint now...looks nice on their webpage.

Found in the meantime the versoin number of my Ubuntu...7.04, looks a bit outdated. Wonder why it claims to be up to date....

[Tywais]

Since you are interested in multimedia might take a look at this.

mythbuntu based around MythTV

MythTV wiki

[thaimite]

...and the next one: uTorrent does not work with Linux. What is a good alternative? BitTorrent is certainly not...much to chunky, not detailed enough.

Tried to install KTorrent, but get again and again the error message "Could not download all repository indexes"....what ever that means.

I have been through many of the same pains as you, and am watching this thread with interest.

After trying uTorrent under wine, Deluge, and Transmission the hearest I hae found to uTorrent that I would give a 9/10 is Qbittorrent (http://qbittorrent.sourceforge.net/) The only thing it does not do for me that I use a lot is the ability to rename the torrent files to something that is meaningful to me. It is on their to-do list and new builds for this software are very frequent so I am hopeful

[Plus]

For repository indexes - the problem could be with ISP caching up some content and so what the ISP sends you is not the latest version on ubuntu servers.

In my case the problem was solved by updating from the terminal. Google ubuntu manual update, I think it's "sudo update" or something really simple.

For torrents I got azureus/vuze, almost as nice looking as on Windows.

Curernt ubuntu version is 9.04, Jaunty Assalope, problems with display resolution should go away as they update video drivers all the time.

Color scheme is not the best, I agree, but it's all tweakable from preferences menu.

>>>

Overall there's not much difference with Windows.

What you see when you use it is a "desktop" - the way to access and run your programs. Linux has got two popular ones - Gnome and KDE, they look different and they are organized in a different way, and menus look different and there are different right-click options. I think KDE is more advanced and it's got nice transparencies everywhere. Ubuntu comes with Gnome, but you can easily install KDE, too.

Installing programs is what is really different, though. In Linux they've got Synaptic package manager (or that other thing in OpenSuze). You select a program from the list and click install/apply, and that's all there is to it. If you want something NOT on the list, it could be trouble, but if you find your program on publisher's site, chances are it will have an installer for your particular linux (100% chance for Ubuntu, at least) and so you download it and your Gnome desktop will ask you if you want to install it and that's it.

What is the bitch is a different file system. No "program files", no "documents and settings", no "drive C, drive D" etc.

[dave_boo]

I've got Ubuntu installed on the a partition so I can help (even if it's only 8.10). BTW, the first number indicates the year and the .** indicates the month. Ubuntu gets new versions out in April and October of each year, that's why you'll see 7.04, 7.10, 8.04, 8.10, 9.04 etc.

The driver should be installed manually. Download it from Nvidia's website and save it to your home folder. Just make sure you use a 'legacy driver' since your card is so old. You'll have to reboot and choose the safe mode option. A list will come up of what you can choose to do. Select root terminal. Issue this command

cd /home/*whatever your username is**

You may have to change the file's permissions to execute it

chmod +x NV***

as a hint, you can type in the first couple of letters and hit your 'tab' key for autocompletion.

The installer will start working. Answer yes to the questions that need it. Interestingly I've been seeing issues where the latest Nvidia drivers seem to have been built with an older version of gcc than I have installed....they work ok though. Typing in escape when you get back to the terminal takes you back to the choice menu. Now you can choose to continue normally or reboot. If you see an Nvidia screen before it shows your desktop you're golden. Later on there's an Nvidia control panel under "System" that let's you control the resolution.

I also agree about the BT client; Transmission works fine. There is Auzerus, but you need Java to run it and it's dog slow.

Repositories can be found on Ubuntu's website; Japan seems to get good speeds.

You can also change the theme to fit Win2K's scheme.

[Plus]

I ditched Azureus for uTorrent on Windows, but on Linux is doesn't seem to matter.

Edited October 6, 2009 by Plus

[raro]

I installed Mint and upon first trying it seems to work much better than Ubuntu for what I need it. Indeed, no requests for codecs (so far.....) and music plays as well. I am away from home for three days and the wife hasn't called yet, so all seems fine.

Will keep you updated and thanks for all the great help!

[Plus]

Afaik it's the same Ubuntu plus extra codecs and different looks. Does it use Gnome or KDE desktop?

Apart from desktop itself being different, some programs are built specifically for Gnome or KDE, and ubuntu repositories do not include KDE specific versions, even if you can install KDE and it will work just fine.

I once had this problem with Opera - Gnome was still running qt3 (the thing that draws system wide buttons, drop down menus, right click menus etc), but after I installed KDE I got it upgraded to qt4, and generic Opera qt3 for ubuntu looked absolutely terrible because of the mismatch. I had to get Opera qt4 version which was hidden deep in their website.

I hope Mint can use all the regular programs built for ubuntu without problems, good luck.

It's October, btw, the month of the new version of Ubuntu, 9.10.

[shriah]

I think opera 10 is Qt 4 and uses native theme. Mint uses Ubuntu repository for most of the application so there should be no conflict with application. You can install Envy to install Nvidia drivers , its a must to use the Compiz and other Eye Candy features . I think Mint comes with Envy as default application to install Nvidia or ATI drivers while Ubuntu has its own application 'Restricted Drivers Manager' . If there is any trouble Google is your close friends

[HABITAT]

You might want to run PCLinusOS 2009 or MiniMe 2009 Live first

I convert a lot of folks to both as they work so well, so quickly.

Please see the previous post also - feel free to pm me for any in depth help

[raro]

ok...this Sunday is dedicated to Linux.

Trying to install Qtorrent. Here comes a similarity to Windows: cryptic error messages that don't help me any further.

I downloaded from packages.debian.org and the error message reads

Failed to run gdebi-gtk '--non-interactive' '/tmp/qtorrent_2.9.1-6_all.deb' as user root.

Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

arai wa?

[raro]

ok...there is something with Python. Apparently it is installed on my comp but not really sure what it is all about.

I try to install python-qt3 and it says "wrong architecture 'm68k'

steep learning curve ahead methinks

[raro]

next hurdle: Trying to install VLC player with the software manager.

Error: There is another synaptic running in interactive mode. Please close it first.

Close what exactly?????

[raro]

okok.....there are packages and software. To install certain software, some packages must be installed. This part is sorted but the error message as stated earlier remains.

[raro]

a moment of DUHHHHH

I copied the qtorrent installation package over to my document folder and it installs...next step is going to the control panel, add the program and RESTART.

Not exactly as easy as under windows but once we have found our way through it is workable.

[dave_boo]

Are you using synaptics or downloading and installing the packages? I'm assuming the latter since if you were using synaptics you'd not be trying to install packages compiled for Motorola's embedded processor.

Basically go under System->Administration->Synaptics. Install all of your software from there. Dependencies are automatically resolved.

[raro]

ok guys, Qtorrent is installed, but if this is the nearest to uTorrent, then I do not want to know about the other options we have under linux!

There are zero options, so I cannot direct the client where it should save the temp files and the finished downloads. The columns are also rather basic, no ETA for instance.

2 out of 10 points, nice try but not what I'm looking for. Any other suggestions?

...looking for my XP disk...

[Tywais]

Any other suggestions?

I used to use Azureus under Windows for quite a while but switched to uTorrent. Azureus is still a good client and maybe the best choice under Linux. Here is a guide to installing Azureus under ubuntu or uTorrent using Wine.

http://www.goitexpert.com/general/definiti...rents-in-linux/

[dave_boo]

ok guys, Qtorrent is installed, but if this is the nearest to uTorrent, then I do not want to know about the other options we have under linux!

There are zero options, so I cannot direct the client where it should save the temp files and the finished downloads. The columns are also rather basic, no ETA for instance.

2 out of 10 points, nice try but not what I'm looking for. Any other suggestions?

...looking for my XP disk...

Transmission is a good client.

[raro]

Thanks Tywais, cannot find the standalone version...downloaded the one from utorrent.com and did everything 100% step by step but double clocking the desktop link doesn't do anything and clicking on the exe directly results in a lengthy error message, basically telling me that it is not a zip file.....

[Plus]

You shouldn't be trying to install non-Synaptic programs on your first day of Linux. There are things called dependencies - background software that needs to be installed/configured first. Synaptic does that for you, and software in the repositories shouldn't give you any problems.

If you want to download anything from outside repositories - prepare for disappointments.

First you might get the wrong version, like the package for Motorolla embedded processors, or you might get the right version but your dependencies will give you a bunch of errors. Or you might not find the right version and start converting from .rtm to .deb and all kinds of things will go wrong.

You might even go the old, time tested routine of installing things manually, in terminal, from tarballs. These days ubuntu doesn't install programs that would do that for you, so more trouble.

Get Azureus via Synaptic, and VLC. Should work like a clock.

[raro]

I tried transmission as well yesterday. Even though it has at least some options, it is still way behind uTorrent.

Plus: much too many electrical words you are using. Let me try to get a grip of what you are trying to convey...My linux comes with a certain package of whatever software that runs somewhere in the background and does things I don't want/need to know about.

Certain programs such as Qtorrent are not supported by that bundle and I have to install additional stuff on my comp. That's what I did and under Linux Mint it was not a big deal - after I found out where to click.

Will have a look at Azuerus and report back.

[BugJackBaron]

I tried transmission as well yesterday. Even though it has at least some options, it is still way behind uTorrent.

Plus: much too many electrical words you are using. Let me try to get a grip of what you are trying to convey...My linux comes with a certain package of whatever software that runs somewhere in the background and does things I don't want/need to know about.

Certain programs such as Qtorrent are not supported by that bundle and I have to install additional stuff on my comp. That's what I did and under Linux Mint it was not a big deal - after I found out where to click.

Will have a look at Azuerus and report back.

I'm curious as to what Transmission lacks. Basically as long as I get the maximum download spead

without eating all the cpu time, I am happy.

I believe the closest thing to utorrent on Linux is rtorrent.

It is text based but to me that is nice as it can run even if X windows is not started(or has crashed)

[wimpy]

I believe Ktorrent is quite similar to Utorrent. Me, I prefer Transmission. Simple and fast. What options does it lack?