My Little Ubuntu Guide

So I wanted to show you how to get some extra stuff working, since these have been problematic and now fixed for me. You are all no-doubt familiar with Google Earth and Wine, but AWN just so you know is “Avant Window Navigator”. It’s a really cool “dock” type app that lets you run a doc similar to Apple’s.

Below are scripts you can download and run for AWN and Wine or follow the steps.

Scripts for AWN and Wine:
AWN
1. Download Script HERE
2. Run With The Following Command:
sudo sh awn

Wine
1. Download Script HERE
2. Run With The Following Command:
sudo sh wine

How To Get Google Earth To Work With ATI and Compiz:
1. Install Google Earth
2. Download the following tar and extract into the GoogleEarth folder (usually at /home/yourname/googleearth/), replacing the old files:
Download Google Earth Fix
3. Start Google Earth and it should work perfectly even within an XGL/Compiz session!

How To Install AWN:
1. Add the following to the end of your /etc/apt/sources.list file:
## Avant Window Navigator
deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/syzygy42/ feisty avant-window-navigator
deb-src http://download.tuxfamily.org/syzygy42/ feisty avant-window-navigator

2. Now get the key before updating:
wget http://download.tuxfamily.org/syzygy42/8434D43A.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -

3. Now you can update:
sudo apt-get update

4. Now install AWN:
sudo apt-get install avant-window-navigator-bzr awn-core-applets-bzr libawn-bzr

How to Install The Latest Wine (supports Photoshop CS2):
1. First get the key:
wget -q http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt/387EE263.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -

2. Now add the Gutsy repository:
sudo wget http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt/sources.list.d/gutsy.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/winehq.list

3. Now update your sources and install Wine:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wine

That’s it!

Enjoy!

John

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Ok, the CD is not finished yet, but I did get some scripting done for you all. If you’d like an easy way to configure your Dell Inspiron Ubuntu install once you’ve installed the base system, do this:

1. Download the following script into your home directory and run it.
Download Script
Run it with the following command:
sh ~/config.sh

Here’s the Readme file:
Download Readme

What this does:
If you just installed Gutsy (7.10) on your Dell Inspiron system, you will have poor resolution, no WiFi, and other issues. To fix all this without any difficulty, run the script. It will upgrade your system and then reboot it. Once it’s rebooted, run the script again from your home directory and it will then proceed to enable the restricted drivers, install XGL and Compiz-Fusion, and even install some extra Compiz plugins if you choose!

Hope this helps!

Enjoy!

John

[EDIT]

Oops! Had to fix a small mistake, the scripts should work now.

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Ok, the Gutsy CD is currently being built and I’ll be testing it shortly. After tests I’ll need to see about it’s size and if it will fit on a CD. I’ll keep you all posted!

John

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The Feisty and Gutsy CDs are currently not working correctly. I’m working to fix them and will update when they are. So hang tight everyone!

John

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The following guide is how I install a fresh version of Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon” on my Dell Inspiron 6400 with ATI Restricted Drivers (fglrx), WiFi, XGL, Compiz, etc. This will give you a graphically fast system but with no Hibernate or Suspend. Also, boot into the system is slower.

So really it’s a toss-up. If fast, nice, graphics are priority and you don’t care how long it takes to boot your system or whether you can hibernate/suspend, this is the How To for you. But if suspend/hibernate are more important than graphics, go with the Official ATI How To that I posted before this. It will be choppy compiz but will suspend and hibernate.

1 - Install system - I do a partition like this:
sda1 = 16 GB - Mounted at / (root)
sda2 = 135 GB - Mounted at /home
sda3 = 1 GB swap

By doing a separate partition mounted to /home, I don’t ever have to format it and can reinstall my system as much as I like without destroying my own data. I do always clean my /home directory before I do a fresh install however. To clean it I move the bookmark, key3, and signon files from within /home/john/.mozilla/firefox/***profile/ to a directory in my Documents folder. I then delete all the folders and files preceded with a “.” This way all my settings are reset on a new install. Just my preference.

2 - After installation & reboot, login to new system

3 - Go to System > Administration > Software Sources
- Uncheck “CDROM with Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)”
- Click the “Third-Party Software” tab and check all
- Click Close
- At the popup click “Reload”

4 - Open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal and run the following:

gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
- When the editor opens look for any remaining entries that begin with deb or deb-src that are commented out with “#” and uncomment them (remove the “#” in front of them. Only do this for lines beginning in “deb” or “deb-src”. There should be at least two of them.
- After changing it, save it and close
- Now type the following to update your sources:

sudo apt-get update
- Close the terminal window

5 - Right click the update icon in the top right of the screen, it’s either grey or orange with a star in the middle. Choose “Check for Updates” from the drop down menu and wait. When the icon turns orange, double click it. At the popup, click “Install Updates”. Wait for updates to finish. When finished click “Close” and again, “Close”.

6 - A blue recycle looking icon will appear in the top right, double click it and choose “Restart Now”. After system reboots, login.

8 - OPTIONAL - This step is necessary only if you will be building anything, such as installing VMWare.
- Open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal and run the following:
sudo apt-get install build-essential fakeroot dh-make debhelper \
debconf libstdc++5 dkms
- When complete, close the terminal.
- Now check for additional updates by doing the following: System > Administration > Update Manager and click “Check”. If any updates exist, click “Install Updates”. Close when completed and reboot only if required.

9 - Enable the restricted wireless and video (ATI) drivers by doing the following:
- Go to System > Administration > Restricted Drivers Manager
- Place a check in all the available boxes under the “Enable” column. At the popup, click “Enable” and wait for downloads to complete.
- For the WiFi firmware, after the Enable popup, choose the Download option and click “OK”
- When completed, Close.
- Restart by clicking the blue recycle icon in the top right and clicking “Restart Now”.

10 - Install XGL
- Open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal and run the following:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl
- When complete, close the terminal and reboot

11 - Install additional Compiz-Fusion features:
- Open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager emerald libemeraldengine0 python-compizconfig

12 - OPTIONAL BEFORE REBOOT:
To install the compiz fusion icon that you can use to restart compiz and other things, do the following:
- Open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal and type the following commands:

mkdir ~/temp
cd ~/temp
wget http://www.mylittleubuntuguide.com/files/fusion-icon.tar.gz
tar xzvf fusion-icon.tar.gz
cd fusion-icon
make
sudo make install
fusion-icon &
- Press CTRL-C

13 - Reboot system, login, and approve any messages about XGL being started automatically. You should now have a working install!

Please post comments about problems, etc. I’m going to try to get a CD that does all this for you up soon.

Thanks!

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