Got my new Ubuntu 7.10 CD yesterday

Why don't you just install it in a virtual machine inside windows? Its safe and easy. I'm hoping to make the switch to linux one day however the fear of change and leaving my microsoft comfort zone hinder me. So i've been running ubuntu inside windows, gradually trying to use it more and more and hopefully one of these years master linux .

 

I decided to install Ubuntu after reading this read -- I used it last year and did love it, but in the end found it too complicated and didn't have the time to learn how to use it properly.

So I have had 7.10 installed since yesterday and I am dual-booting with Windows XP -- no problems there whatso ever.

The only slight issue I have at the moment is not being able to see, or mount, my external HD which is encrypted with Truecrypt (the entire device). The truecrypt forums are down so I cannot ask for help.

Apparently they are going to released a proper GUI for Truecrypt on Linux this month, but I haven't been able to get that confirmed. I hope it is true though.

Does anyone know how to mount a truecrypt volume in Ubuntu?

Apart from that, I absolutely love it so far. It just feels so much quicker, stable and smoother than WIndows -- and safer!

 

One of many hits upon searching the Ubuntu forums:
does truecrypt has a graphical interface for the ubuntu because i cannot find one...?

 

you mount a truecrypt volume like this -
truecrypt truecrypt_volume mount_point

so if the volume is called hello and you want to mount it at /mnt/ you do this -
truecrypt hello /mnt/

there's a GUI somewhere on the ubuntuforums, maybe the thread already given and there's another program that acts as a frontend too, it's called scramdisk i think??

 

The problem is that I am not using a truecrypt volume. I have encrypted the entire device and Ubuntu cannot see the device in Computer. If I type sudo fdisk -l I do see the device listed under /dev/sdb and /dev/sdb1 (not sure which one to use!).
The second problem is I don't know the command to mount the device. I did try truecrypt -u -r /dev/sdb1 /home/user/Desktop to try to mount it to my desktop, but it failed.
I then tried truecrypt -r /dev/sdb1 /home/user/Desktop and it asked for my password to mount it. I entered my password and it mounted all the files inside my external HD to my desktop! I was expected it to mount just "sdb1" on my desktop, not all my folders inside the device! this wiped out all my desktop icons and after I dismounted some of the folders were still there and wouldn't go away until a reboot...

I did try Scramdisk but it keeps coming up with errors when I try to mount /dev/sdb1. I'm not really sure how to do it... I would like to auto-mount devices like in Windows.

 

Thankyou, I looked but no dice.

Could you please comment on this post:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=196649

 

I wish I could say the same but I spent many hours installing my Samsung MFP laser printer and even more hours changing from the default graphics drivers to the ATI graphics drivers (My next card is NOT going to be ATI!!!).

Now I am in the proces of trying to switch from the default screen driver to my Samsung LCD screen (Can I let out a primal scream?)

But Ubuntu is a keeper as I like the Malwareproof Security that it offers. I just hope there are'nt any backdoors that would allow Big Brother in- I can't get over the fact that it is free.

 

The Acronis bootup CD successfully backed up my Ubuntu drive onto the same drive that contains all my Windows images.

This way I can quickly recover from any "Linux" driver configuration mistakes that I make.

 

Hello,

When you mount a drive, you need to use a mount point. You specified your desktop as a mount point, so ... comes to logic.

Best place to create mount points is /mnt/ or /media or mnt/media.

I use TrueCrypt in Ubuntu via command line. Nothing can be simpler. One command to mount. One command to dismount.

Mrk

 

I decided to take the plunge and install ubuntu not only on a real system but alongside my windows xp installation. The only problem i had happened even before i started the installation, i had lost my 7.10 cd lol. So i ended up just installing 7.04. I couldn't believe how easy it was, the installer did it all for me. Its up and running fine now on my p4 system. It hums along very nicely, apps load quickly and the whole system feels quite snappy. Definitely a much better experience than the vista reinstall i had to perform last weekend.

 

Yep, I agree.
Ubuntu is quicker in every sense of the word. It loads up and shuts down MUCH quicker, applications are pretty much instant, graphics are awesome and it has definitely become easier to use than when I tried it last. Last time it took 3 hours to find and install drivers for my unsupported wireless card -- this time as soon as I enable my wireless it detects my network straight away.
I now have Truecrypt running too, thanks to Mrkvonic!

 

so you're trying to mount an encrypted partition? are you sure linux can even decrypt it? you could try using this -
http://www.gnomefiles.org/app.php/CryptoMaster

i don't know anything about it! it uses LUKS (like most linux disk encryption) but, you'll probably need to install some more extra packages before anything will work, maybe dm-crypt?? you can read about them here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LUKS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dm-crypt

/dev/sdb and /dev/sdb1 are the second SATA disks in your computer /dev/sdb is the first partition and /dev/sdb1 the second. the command to mount things is mount lol and to unmount you use umount (no n before the m)

ubuntuforums will probably have the answer if you do a search.

 

i would think nothing is safe with a rootkit on the host.

 

I managed to get it working now.

I had to type; sudo mkdir /media/sdb1 to set a mount point in /media,
then I typed; truecrypt /dev/sdb1 /media/sdb1

and it prompted for a password, then mounted my external HD on my desktop as I wanted it to.

 

Thankyou for commenting on my theoretical scenario. I kind of figured this and am wondering why it is believed that virtualization is more secure?

 

Is it safe and secure to "checkmark" all software entries under System/Administration/Software Sources?

 

i think it's best to leave one of them unchecked, if you post a picture i might remember which it is.

 

you can use this to make a sources list, by default some soruces aren't enabled in ubuntu-
http://www.ubuntu-nl.org/source-o-matic/

if you add too many package sources it will cause problems if you ever upgrade ubuntu. i'm not an expert, and i don't use ubuntu very much, but i'd not select source repositories, and i'd add these ones -
Ubuntu backports project

Upstream Wine (only if wine doesn't work with a program you need)

Upstream Opera (if you use opera)

Canonical Commercial packages

the Beryl and multimedia repositories aren't working any more, if you need them they'll be a lot of threads showing what to use at ubuntuforums. i'd look for a thread about adding multimedia packages so all your multimedia works. all you need is the repository and then a command that will add all the packages you need.

here's a multimedia guide (the second link is for ubuntu Feisty other ubuntu versions will be slightly different) -
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=413624

making sure you have a good sources.list is important, you can open and edit it with this command -
gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

here's another link all about ubuntu sources.list's. make sure the links work before you add them, the mulitmedia ones aren['t working for me, but you can use the one i gave above instead.
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/sources.php

 

Could you let me know please if Ubuntu can handle UTube videos. I have my Wife's machine set up with PCLos and whenever she tries to watch a video it crashes the whole m/c part way through. I have tried FF, Opera and Konqueror browsers and all fail.

 

Hello,
It has nothing to do with the distro. You probably have a corrupt flash plugin. Try reinstalling the flash plugin.
Mrk

 

I had exactly the same problem. Try uninstalling or reinstalling gnash. I reinstalled gnash and they work fine now.

 

Thanks Both - I will try that

 

I'll check it out, Thankyou!

 

From what I understand, the flash problem is just that; a flash problem. There are some solutions to be found at the Ubuntu forums. I solved it by installing the beta flash plugin that is being used in Hardy Heron, and using the opera 9.5 beta. So far, no problems. Before I completely nod off, props to Iceni60 and Mrk for giving me the reasons to try linux.

 

Yup, definitely props to Iceni and Mrk for their excellent linux support for us noobs .