Learning everything for Ubuntu!

[Noob]

Really considering giving Ubuntu a second chance specially with this new release to see what's going on. (Last version i used for a few weeks was v8.x)

But before going into the adventure i want to learn everything for it.

1. Since this is Wilders, are there necessary security tweaks for Ubuntu? And if not which ones you do or recommend?
2. What are the most common commands used in Ubuntu? (Things such as install, delete, copy, navigate etc.)
3. What general maintenance steps you recommend for an Ubuntu OS (Cache?, Temp files?, anything else?)?
Ex. in Windows i clean most of the temp files manually and then get aid from CCleaner for the rest.
4. Just a general question, is Ubuntu really really secure or it's all just bells and whistles since it's not the most widespread OS?

This is what comes to my mind immediately, any other recommendations please tell me!!
And if you're going to leave any kind of recommendations please leave a guide or tutorial or write it by yourself

[vasa1]

Hey! I'm glad you started this thread!

Your approach is one way. Learn everything first. I'm going the other way: jump in and learn as I go along. That's not to say reading, reading, and more reading doesn't help!

Also be prepared for a lot of snarky comments in forums which claim to help people. Helpers are there and I have been helped a lot by forum members but be warned! There are specialists who specialise in telling folks to read the manual or just Google.

The first thing that most Wilders folks will find uncomfortable, is the constant refrain that Linux is inherently safe and that you don't need so many of the goodies prevalent in the Windows world.

The other thing that can totally bewilder a person is the number of distros and their supporters... Totally out of proportion to the presence of Linux-running desktops in the universe

I think it's a good decision for a beginner to go with the main Ubuntu release and to ignore the (very voluble) sirens beckoning.

So what do we need. To be fair, I think Ubuntu (the main Unity edition) should be run on a PC that can easily run Win7. To load it on a dino-PC and then complain is common.

What I learnt ... assuming the intention is to do a dual-boot (on a PC with just one hard disk) and not that pussyfooting Wubi:

As a preparation and using the existing Win OS, clean up the PC as much as you can. Then defragment the hard disk.

Then look at how many partitions you have. More than three can be a problem.
1 goes to the esoteric boot stuff
2 goes to the Win OS proper
3 goes to an NTFS partition (and you can have stuff here that both Windows and Linux can happily read). #3 is not always there: some people have just the C drive with the OS and their data all in the same partition.

(Some branded PCs such as those from HP are said to exhaust all available partitions: ( I don't know what to say for that!)

You should then have "free, unallocated space" available to install Ubuntu.

In case, you've knowingly used all available partitions, you could transfer stuff to #3 from #4 and then use the facility available in Windows 7 to delete the now empty partition giving you the "free, unallocated space" you need.

The Ubuntu installation process will then suggest as the first option to install alongside Windows using that free space to create an "extended partition" for its own OS and a swap file (if RAM is scarce).

The other thing you'll be better off with is having a decent net connection!

Just my newbie two cents!

An overwhelming resource is here: http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html#linux

[Noob]

Thanks for the fast response!!
Yeah right now i'm downloading the latest Ubuntu, actually i chose Ubuntu since it seems like the most user friendly, other distros tend to be more technical which i'm not really prepared for LOL.
And about the search and google thing, damn that cannot be more true. I have seen before in the Ubuntu forums where the only thing they say is, user search or Google it.

Also about the partition thing, you read my mind!
Right now i already have 3 partitions. (Proper Windows, Dummy Windows and Free Space for general storage on third one)
I'm planning to get rid of Dummy Windows for Ubuntu and keep the Proper one. (BTW they are all in the same HDD)

[Lucy]

Concerning security, the first thing I do is a 3 steps action regarding apparmor:

1- install some additional apparmor profiles:
sudo apt-get install apparmor-profiles

2- Activate all profiles:
sudo aa-enforce /etc/apparmor.d/*

3- Check status:
sudo apparmor_status

None of the apparmored processes should run unconfined. If not, reload:
sudo invoke-rc.d apparmor reload
and then recheck.

I activate as well the very simple firewall ufw:
sudo ufw enable
(beware you will need to set it up according to your needs with gufw)

On top of it, I deactivate the lead time before a password is asked again between two administrative tasks. To do so:
sudo VISUAL=/usr/bin/gedit visudo
and then replace the line:

Defaults env_reset

with:

Defaults env_reset,timestamp_timeout=0

[aigle]

Hi, I use it on everything default.

I just install the software I need( Opera, chromium, gwget, Wine, Lookit, VirtualBox etc) and also change some icons, cursors, themes etc if I like. About security, unlike windows, it,s free of viruses but you can,t guarantee any OS to be fail-proof. I just use it with default settings and don,t worry for anything.

With latest release I plan to use Gnome 3 instead of Unity. I like Gnome 3 more than unity but both are good.

BTW no commands involved here, I do every thing via gui( copy, paste, zip, unzip, unrar, install software, etc).

[Noob]

Guys, i managed to install Ubuntu on a partition but what happens now is that the windows boot loader does not recognizes Ubuntu and boots straight up to Windows i searched in Google for an hour and couldn't find how to get ti done properly.
Any tips or detailed tutorials?

[cozumel]

Hi Noob,

Couple of nice tutorials from Mack_Guy911 & Mrkvonic accessible this thread

Good luck,
Vic

[Noob]

Lol from what i could understand on that build i essentially did the same.
From what i've researched it's because for some reason the Ubuntu 11.10 didn't got GRUB installed probably?
Isn't GRUB like a bootloader for Ubuntu/Windows?

Damn i'm so desperate to use Ubuntu and learn new things but this is holding me
In fact after i learn to use it on my desktop i plan on getting it on a dual boot in my laptop too!!

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by Noob

Guys, i managed to install Ubuntu on a partition but what happens now is that the windows boot loader does not recognizes Ubuntu and boots straight up to Windows i searched in Google for an hour and couldn't find how to get ti done properly.
Any tips or detailed tutorials?

Dif you get the first option as "install alongside Windows"?
If yes, did you let Ubuntu install alongside Windows?

[vasa1]

This points to a ~ 1 MB zip file containing a pdf file how-to. Seems nice to me.
http://ubuntumanual.org/posts/434/ho...allation-guide

And here's one more:
http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-upg...top-and-server

[cozumel]

Hi,

Haven't used Ubuntu since v6 (currently with suse)

Going to install Windows 7x64 Ultimate alongside Ubuntu 11.10 x64 later today or tomorrow to see if I come across any difficulties and to take a look at the new Ubuntu. Just need to back up my system first and recover from a hangover too!

During setup, you should have got a gui option asking if you wanted to install 11.10 alongside Window and it should have enabled all your multiboot option/menus automatically (if you chose correct option).

[Noob]

Originally Posted by cozumel

Hi,

Haven't used Ubuntu since v6 (currently with suse)

Going to install Windows 7x64 Ultimate alongside Ubuntu 11.10 x64 later today or tomorrow to see if I come across any difficulties and to take a look at the new Ubuntu. Just need to back up my system first and recover from a hangover too!

During setup, you should have got a gui option asking if you wanted to install 11.10 alongside Window and it should have enabled all your multiboot option/menus automatically (if you chose correct option).

That's they thing!!
I DON'T get the option to install alongside Windows i always end up selecting advanced and then install it manually??

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by Noob

That's they thing!!
I DON'T get the option to install alongside Windows i always end up selecting advanced and then install it manually??

That means you've already used up your partitions.

Use the liveUSB or CD and post the information you get from:

sudo parted -l

and

sudo fdisk -l

[vasa1]

Here are some screenies:

[mack_guy911]

please check this thread for installation


http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=307519


check post number 5 and 6 pretty much in details

[cozumel]

Yup, as vasa1 said and as indicated in Mack_Guy link you need to partition. Eirhter through Windows 7 tool or gparted or any other way before you can install.

Also found a guide titled Dual Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu 11.10 which was only posted yesterday. Includes how to use geparted.

[Noob]

Okay ima get them now, i hope to have an answer before i go sleep tonight to give it a try D

[Noob]

PARTED L

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD2500AAKS-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system  Flags
 1      1049kB  106MB   105MB   primary   ntfs         boot
 2      106MB   88.0GB  87.9GB  primary   ntfs
 3      88.0GB  169GB   80.5GB  extended               lba
 5      88.0GB  169GB   80.5GB  logical   ext4
 4      169GB   250GB   81.5GB  primary   ntfs


Model: ATA WDC WD400BB-00DE (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      32.3kB  40.0GB  40.0GB  primary  ntfs         boot


Model: Kingston DT 101 II (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 2004MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  2004MB  2004MB  fat16


Error: /dev/sr0: unrecognised disk label   

FDISK L

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250058268160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488395055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf968a70e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   171968511    85880832    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       171970558   329254911    78642177    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda4       329254912   488392703    79568896    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda5       171970560   329254911    78642176   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0 GB, 40019582464 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders, total 78163247 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x25ad25ac

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *          63    78140159    39070048+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdc: 2003 MB, 2003795968 bytes
62 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders, total 3913664 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x20ac7dda

This doesn't look like a partition table
Probably you selected the wrong device.

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   ?  3224498923  3657370039   216435558+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdc2   ?  3272020941  5225480974   976730017   16  Hidden FAT16
/dev/sdc3   ?           0           0           0   6f  Unknown
/dev/sdc4        50200576   974536369   462167897    0  Empty

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Here is the picture
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...111016023.png/

I added them on quotes for it to be easier to understand.

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by Noob

...
I added them on quotes for it to be easier to understand.

For showing stuff from the terminal, you should use the code tags (shown as # in the thread editor) and found next to the quote tags. The appearance is better and easier to follow.

[Noob]

Originally Posted by vasa1

For showing stuff from the terminal, you should use the code tags (shown as # in the thread editor) and found next to the quote tags. The appearance is better and easier to follow.

EDITED!

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by Noob

EDITED!

Now wait patiently! I can't help because the output is beyond my understanding.

[Noob]

Originally Posted by vasa1

Now wait patiently! I can't help because the output is beyond my understanding.

HAHAHA i really thought you know
With that penquin as your avatar

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by Noob

HAHAHA i really thought you know
With that penquin as your avatar

It's a baby penguin, can't you tell?

[J_L]

1. Not really necessary, but I've made some tweaks on my setup.
2. Search engines are there for you: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal
3. Bleachbit, saves me hundreds of megs. Maybe gigs overall.
4. It's actually secure, because of open-source, limited user privileges by default, well-monitored repositories, architectural differences, etc.

[cozumel]

Originally Posted by vasa1

Now wait patiently! I can't help because the output is beyond my understanding.

Originally Posted by Noob

HAHAHA i really thought you know
With that penquin as your avatar

Originally Posted by vasa1

It's a baby penguin, can't you tell?

Well that makes me a foetus And I though I had achieved novice level too!!

Anyhow, all working fine here

Partitioned via gparted from the livecd.
Started internet connection from livecd (entered key) so updates could download during install
Clicked on install via livecd
Followed guided install and gave input of info as required

Issues:
Need to try and configure graphics (optimus), webcam, sound (woofer), tv card (if poss)
Need to tell Windows not to check disk on boot as it wants to check due to partition size change

Hope this helps