internaut::ubuntu::log

Sharing Files with the Local Network

2008-12-14T14:47:00.003+02:00

Well, it is often that each one of us has 2 or more computers at home connected with a local network.
I, for example, have a laptop which is my primary machine for working + enjoying audio and video content. In addition, I use a 5-year old desktop for purposes of downloading, increasing productivity, testing and more.
The most boring and counter-productive thing for me to do was transferring movies, documents and music using external media (usb flash, hdds). I've lived with that long enough before deciding that things need to change.

A 5-minutes how-to

Make sure you have manually entered local IPs on your router (that means turn DHCP off) and write them down. Let's say that "server" has an ip of 192.168.1.3 and "client" 192.168.1.2
Server:
Install samba and samba authentication by typing in a terminal

sudo apt-get install samba libpam-smbpasp
Right click the folder you wish to share and choose the "Share" tab.

Check "Share this Folder" and give it a name. You may also want to check "Allow other people to write in this folder". DO NOT check "Guest Access".

Click "Create Share".
Client:

open nautilus and type smb://192.168.1.3

You now have access to the shared folder

Fix the ugly fonts in AMSN 0.97.2

2008-08-06T17:19:00.003+03:00

So, as of yesterday, older versions of AMSN won't log you in MSN Chat. You have to install the latest release 0.97.2. But, if you do so, you will encounter the known ugliness of Tcl/Tk, the language AMSN was built on. Crappy fonts will make your life miserable and your aesthetics will be severely damaged.

Here comes the solution: Recompile from (source) scratch AMSN along with other libs and stuff.
To do so, I've barely changed an existing script for the previous version of the program.

Download from here.

Uninstall existing amsn installation, typing

sudo apt-get purge amsn

Run the script

sudo bash fixamsn0.97.2.sh

(you have to move to the appropriate directory first -- eg. cd ~/Desktop)

Keep waiting until you regain control of your terminal. It will take enough time to get yourself some iced coffee.

A word of caution: I used the exact script myself, but you're running it at your own risk ;)

Set your default speakers values using a two-line script

2008-08-03T16:59:00.004+03:00

I came across this irritating problem using my Dell laptop. The sound was rather faint and I asked myself why was that. There exist several playback volume controls, such a Master, a double PCM, a double Front etc.

It is possible that one of them is not set at its full extent, thus lowering your overall sound volume. At my system Front speakers were set at 80%. Since I could already control the Master channel with the special keyboard buttons, I created a small script that sets Front at 100%

In the terminal,

sudo gedit /usr/bin/setFront100

it opens gnome editor

add these lines

#! /bin/bash

amixer set Front 100%

Save and Exit (Ctrl + O and Ctrl + X, accordingly)

Make it executable

chmod +x /bin/bash/setFront100

Add it to your System->Preferences->Sessions

THE END

Mounting issues of an external drive on Ubuntu

2008-07-28T16:16:00.003+03:00

You get the message that your external hdd cannot get mount on your Ubuntu system?
Most probably the disk's log file has recorded an inappropriate disconnection from another installation.

Get the collection of ntfs programms called ntfsprogs

sudo apt-get install ntfsprogs

then run

sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb1

in your terminal, where sdb1 stands for your device's location.

Plug again your drive. It should be working

Did it? Leave a comment

No Sound Playing on every app you try?

2008-07-23T21:24:00.002+03:00

Try killing the sound servers which may override the sound system.

killall pulseaudio

killall esd

Adobe Air on Ubuntu Linux without Wine

2008-07-22T15:51:00.004+03:00

I've tried installing Adobe Air on my Ubuntu Linux with the help of Wine. It is really simple, just follow WineHQ "orders". The reason I first got into the process of having Air installed is that I find Twhirl (just with identi.ca support, as well as friendfeed) a useful tool on microblogging.

Yet through Wine's path, Adobe Application Installer.exe, located here

~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe AIR/Versions/1.0 ,

won't do a good job on installing twhirl.air .

There is a fatal artifact issue in running twhirl this way, so I needed another way around.

Unfortunately, Air is not ready for Linux (on Alpha currently) and you'll get this message if you browse to their download page.

So try downloading this .bin file and put it somewhere safe :)
Then change privileges on it and run it

chmod +x adobeair_linux_a1_033108.bin
sudo ./adobeair_linux_a1_033108.bin

Adobe Air is now installed.

Now it is a matter of downloading .air files and trying them out. Twhirl works like a charm, at least on my configuration.

PS If you have feedback do post it here :)

Upgrading to 8.04 - No Sound Issue [Dell Workaround]

2008-07-21T16:32:00.004+03:00

It took me some hours and a lot of tinkering here and there, which resulted in removing my soundcard from my eyes( aplay -l lead to a moment of terror), before I would run into the official Dell' workaround.

It is here, no need to repost it

The No Sound Bug - solution

2008-03-08T12:28:00.004+02:00

Δε χρειάστηκε να ανακαλύψουμε την πυρίτιδα. Ένα απλό google-ισμα βγάζει αρκετά αποτελέσματα, ανάμεσα τους και αυτό, το οποίο περιέχει συγκεντρωτικά 3 διαφορετικές λύσεις.

Αιτία: Η μη αναγνώριση του Intel HDA Cοntroller από το ALSA.

Διαλέγω την τρίτη και πιο απλή λύση. Ανοίγω terminal και γράφω

sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-generic

δηλ.κατεβάζω και εγκαθιστώ μέσω apt-get το κατάλληλο module.

Επειδή είχα το DVD εγκατάστασης μέσα αντικατέστησα apt-get με aptitude

sudo aptitude install linux-backports-modules-generic

και όλα OK, μετά από μία επανεκκίνηση

Update | Το πρόβλημα αυτό παρουσιάζεται σε πολλά laptops και μία σειρά λύσεων, επίσημη , για κάθε ένα παρουσιάζεται στο wiki

Γράφουμε από Ubuntu ;-) - Εγκατάσταση

2008-03-07T22:37:00.007+02:00

Η εγκατάσταση έγινε με το Ubuntu Gutsy i386 DVD.

Λεπτό σημείο το που θα γίνει η εγκατάσταση. Manual partitioning με ένα partition για root και ένα για swap με resize στα 100Gb για το partition των Vista. Τα υπόλοιπα περίπου 40Gb αρκούν για το Ubuntu.

Προβλήματα που προέκυψαν:

Δεν έχουμε ήχο. Ενώ όλα σχεδόν αναγνωρίζονται, το ενσωματωμένο κύκλωμα ήχου της Intel δεν το βλέπει η διανομή.(Alsa)
Οι drivers της κάρτας γραφικών nVidia 8600M και του wireless controller της Broadcom είναι restricted.

Λύσεις στο επόμενο Post

Σκοπός του blog

2008-03-07T22:08:00.003+02:00

Αυτό το blog θα λειτουργήσει ως ένα ημερολόγιο στο οποίο θα καταγράφω προβλήματα και λύσεις σχετικά με την εγκατάσταση Ubuntu 7.10 αρχικά στο laptop, έναν DELL Inspiron 1520.

Σκόρπια θα υπάρχουν και κάποιες σκέψεις σχετικά με επιλογή εφαρμογών, εμφάνισης, ίσως κάποιες συγκρίσεις με άλλες linux distros και Windows Vista.
Πολύ αργότερα ενδεχόμενως να γίνει και ένας μίνι-απολογισμός για το πόσο χρήσιμο και αποδοτικό είναι τελικά το λειτουργικό για εμένα προσωπικά.

Ξεκινάμε γράφοντας στα ελληνικά και βλέπουμε.