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Ubuntu x64 as a desktop replacement?

Thursday, the 29th of July, 2010 at 12:16am

ahdkaw · Comments

If you have been regular reader of this blog for a while, you'll no doubt be aware that I have had my forays into Linux before today, but only really ever used it successfully as a server or as a virtual machine during testing. I've played with (and still use to this day) CentOS, OpenSUSE (failed desktop replacement tests), Ubuntu (mainly as desktop-replacement tests in a VM) and a couple of others that I can't remember the names of right now.

At the moment I am going through an installation and test setup with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - Lucid Lynx (x64), after a successful dry test of 10.04 x86. This will be an informational post that mostly details my tasks, and how they were completed, mainly for my own use when it comes to trashing my w7 install (I will be keeping my w7 games OS and dual booting via the BIOS). If other people find this useful, well that's just a bonus.

First up, install from the ISO/DVD, set username, etc. and login once done.

Either wait for the Update Manager to appear, or run it yourself from:
System -> Administration -> Update Manager
Install all updates. Restart if required.

Installing VirtualBox Guest Additions (this only applies to Virtual Machines)

If using VirtualBox, the Guest Additions must be installed to get a decent screen resolution. Open a shell prompt and install the dkms package first:
sudo apt-get install dkms (press enter)
Wait for install to finish.

Mount the Guest Additions to the CD drive, locate the folder using your shell prompt, which is usually:
cd /media/V* (press enter)

followed by
sudo sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-amd64.run (press enter)
Then wait for the install to finish (takes a little while). Restart computer.

Upon reboot, Guest Additions will be running as expected (hopefully - does for me).

Install additional software requirements

Use Ubuntu Software Centre to add further software, below is the list of software I need to install each time. Search and you will find:

Wine (all this for one tiny program I need)
Eclipse (software development environment)
Gimp (image manipulation)
Flash (obvious really)
ntfsprogs (access Win NTFS partitions)

Eclipse Plugins Installation

I'm not too sure about this, and whether any further development tools are necessary (especially in the case of the C++ development environment - though this knowledge will come with usage over time), but below are the plugins so far required for myself.

Eclipse C/C++ Development Tools
PHP Development Tools (PDT) SDK Feature
Eclipse Java Development Tools
JavaScript Developer Tools

Install each of the above individually, and restart Eclipse after each install.

Configure stuff

Configure the system (Firefox, Gwibber, Eclipse, Wine, etc.).

This post was last edited on the 29th of July, 2010 at 12:33am
and has 8 comments, the last was posted by ahdkaw on Thu 5 Aug 2010 at 2:18am

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Comments

AngusThermopile on Thu 29 Jul 2010 at 2:39am #

I'm using it on my desktop at home without issue. Not that I'm doing anything fancy or don't have a windows partition mind you. I'm mostly in it though.

One problem, there's now no 64bit flash and the 32 is crappy on 64. Try the BBC iplayer for example. So that's the biggest drawback. Though If you install another browser like say chrome it seems to work I'm guessing the browser is a 32 bit one then, i dunno.

ahdkaw on Thu 29 Jul 2010 at 3:28am #

I had heard that, but I went to Youtube and that worked as expected, even with AdBlock Plus installed. The same is true for 4oD, after installing the Flash player (adobes) through Software Update Centre, am checking the iPlayer now...

iPlayer is no problem either (through FF).

Note: I am editing and adding useful links to the original posting.

ahdkaw on Thu 29 Jul 2010 at 4:26am #

Well, I say I am editing, but I'm not, as I have just come a cropper with CentOS, which always seems to happen when I accect the updates, and that is the loss of the GNOME Session option at the GUI login screen.

Instead, it throws me straight into xterm. Personally I think my VNC server config has something to do with it, but it is still under investigation.

ahdkaw on Thu 29 Jul 2010 at 5:57am #

Solution, see second post - http://forum.soft32.com/linux/gnome-session-problem-Fedora-ftopict351669.html

Instead of "rpm" try "yum install gnome-session" ("su" first!)

AngusThermopile on Thu 29 Jul 2010 at 2:57pm #

Hmm I dunno but i do have issues. Mainly with controls not working on certain flash things. Like i mentioned iplayer is one yet bbc news videos work fine. :/

Still there's workarounds and going by what you say there may be some way to fix it too.

ahdkaw on Sun 1 Aug 2010 at 6:38am #

I have finally made the plunge, and everything is going reasonably well so far.

The only big problem I have is with Eclipse which is stopping me from installing any plugins, it's a bit weird but I have restarted the system recently so I'll give it another go and see what happens.

I just watched the F1 Grand Prix live at BBC Sport, and it worked without issue.

ahdkaw on Sun 1 Aug 2010 at 6:53am #

I fixed the Eclipse issue, I had to install the PDE (Plug-in Development Environment) first. Luckily I had written down this fact during the initial install of Eclipse.

ahdkaw on Thu 5 Aug 2010 at 2:18am #

NAGUS! You were right! There are controls issues with BBC iPlayer in 64bit FF. Luckily I have XP in a VM.

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