Which Ubuntu?

sanaxe1 · 15 Jul 2007 at 17:47

Hey i have a JVC 8.9' Laptop with the following specs :

900mhz Ultra low voltage Pentium M
256mb ram
30gb hdd
wifi

I'm currently running XP which is fine and it doesn't struggle at all with what i do. but im bored so might as well try ubuntu to check it out.

So which one should i choose if i want.

Nice looking O/S
Simplicity
Runs fast on lower spec pc's

Also How will compatibility be with my laptop? and is there any virtual pc software i can use to test it as i cba to connect the cd drive etc up to it.
IS there one which has all three of the above or am i going to have to sacrifice one of them.

SiriusB · 15 Jul 2007 at 17:59

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/xubuntu

Looks pretty good, but is entirely configurable
Ubuntu/Kubuntu/et al are all known for their user friendliness
Xubuntu is designed to run on low-spec machines

You can use VMWare to run Xubuntu inside windows but you should be aware that using a VM will impact on performance.

GarethDW · 15 Jul 2007 at 19:15

I'd agree, Xubuntu will probably be the best option, as xfce is less bloated and resource intensive than KDE and Gnome.

sanaxe1 · 15 Jul 2007 at 19:20

Hey , im testing it on my main laptop and i like it

just using the the normal unbunu and used the windows installer

one problem though is i cant change the resolution to my native of 1280 x 800 the max it lets me put is 1024 x ..... i have a intel onboard graphics does anybody know how i could get it to my native.

SiriusB · 15 Jul 2007 at 20:25

Code:

sudo cp -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

A document will open with lots of text. Scroll through it until you come across the following

SubSection "Display"
Depth 24 <-- Make sure it is 24 as this is the colour depth you will be using.
Modes "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection

Each time you see this you need to add your desired resolution to the list. For example if you require a resolution of 1200x800 you would enter it like so [change made in bold]

SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1200x800" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection

Once done, save the file and then reboot your system. After you have logged back in you should be able to choose your desired resolution from the list [System > Preferences > Screen Resolution].

Sometimes this doesn't work and you get a rather horrible screen with an error saying the X server is broken! Don't worry. Just restart your machine and choose Recovery Mode when the bootloader appears. This will give you a text-only interface. Log in and then enter the following:

Code:

sudo cp -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup /etc/X11/xorg.conf
shutdown -r now

Boot into Ubuntu as normal and you should find everything is back to normal. The reason for the error was probably a mistake you made in editing the file - you could try again being more careful

sanaxe1 · 15 Jul 2007 at 20:41

i only get this :

DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x800"

Yet it still isn't on the list?

SiriusB · 15 Jul 2007 at 21:29

Hmm OK that's different.

You could try

Code:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

sanaxe1 · 16 Jul 2007 at 00:37

I as so ****** off :mad:

i was just on unbuntu and decided i wanted to pop on windows so i shut it down using the power button as i was in a hurry. BIG MISTAKE somehow it has managed to delete my windows and unbuntu partitions and im left with an empty harddrive. all i can say is WTF

SiriusB · 16 Jul 2007 at 00:41

What?

Doing a "quick" shutdown should not cause your HDD to magically disappear.

Try running the Live CD again and see if it can recognise any of your partitions - if they still exist it should defintely find your Linux partition.

It could well be that you screwed up the boot sector. In most cases this can be fixed.

whitecrook · 16 Jul 2007 at 09:22

SiriusB said:
Code:

sudo cp -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup /etc/X11/xorg.conf shutdown -r now

Boot into Ubuntu as normal and you should find everything is back to normal. The reason for the error was probably a mistake you made in editing the file - you could try again being more careful

If you read the error message log thatpops up, it will probably tell you the exact line and error in the file as well.

Although that will work there's rarely any requirement to reboot Ubuntu.

instead of shutdown -r now use /etc/init.d/gdm restart this will restart the login manager. Takes much less time than rebooting.

SiriusB · 16 Jul 2007 at 09:58

Always good to know, thanks

.walls · 16 Jul 2007 at 11:01

whitecrook said:
Although that will work there's rarely any requirement to reboot Ubuntu.

instead of shutdown -r now use /etc/init.d/gdm restart this will restart the login manager. Takes much less time than rebooting.

I find [ctrl+alt+backspace] (which restarts x) is much quicker!

GarethDW · 16 Jul 2007 at 13:36

sanaxe1 said:
I as so ****** off i was just on unbuntu and decided i wanted to pop on windows so i shut it down using the power button as i was in a hurry. BIG MISTAKE somehow it has managed to delete my windows and unbuntu partitions and im left with an empty harddrive. all i can say is WTF

Can't see how the LiveCD would do this. Are you sure it's not something else that caused it?

SiriusB · 16 Jul 2007 at 13:41

Hang on.. we need to know - were you using the LiveCD, or had you installed it to the HDD?

If you were only using the LiveCD then the problem lies elsewhere - hardware failure for instance.

If it was a proper installation the setup may have borked the MBR/Patition Table on the Windows partition. Really unlikely but it does happen. Windows Recovery Console can usually fix it though.

whitecrook · 16 Jul 2007 at 14:31

=walls= said:
I find [ctrl+alt+backspace] (which restarts x) is much quicker!

that only works if X is running. In this instance the point is that X has failed to start and the way to start it again is as I have already said.

.walls · 16 Jul 2007 at 15:08

whitecrook said:
that only works if X is running. In this instance the point is that X has failed to start and the way to start it again is as I have already said.

yeah... I maybe should have read the rest of the thread!

sanaxe1 · 16 Jul 2007 at 16:55

I used the windows installer where i think it creates a virtual harddrive of your size choice and then runs ubuntu and alows you to choose it from boot. it did competely wipe out everything so now im just running ubuntu as it comes with everything i need anyways other then i still cant do the resolution.

1337z0r · 16 Jul 2007 at 17:05

I am also trying to change my resolution on my ubuntu 7.04 install. Whats the default sudo password or what ever it is?

Thanks.

SiriusB · 16 Jul 2007 at 17:06

When you say Windows Installer, what did you specifically use? Was it VMWare?

If so it could NOT have caused any problems, as the HDD is fake - it's just a big file inside Windows. Even if you formatted it from inside Ubuntu it would just wipe the file.

Methinks something else nuked your HDD and it was a coincidence that you happened to be running Linux.

All that assuming you really were running it inside a Virtual Machine.

sanaxe1 · 16 Jul 2007 at 17:14

SiriusB said:
When you say Windows Installer, what did you specifically use? Was it VMWare?

If so it could NOT have caused any problems, as the HDD is fake - it's just a big file inside Windows. Even if you formatted it from inside Ubuntu it would just wipe the file.

Methinks something else nuked your HDD and it was a coincidence that you happened to be running Linux.

All that assuming you really were running it inside a Virtual Machine.

I used this : Link