Linux user: Need Help?

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daddycat

daddycat

Senior Member
#21
Feb 15, 2007
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#21
GRA said:
How linux-savy are you?

I believe that the best you are prabably going to be able to do with the Live-CD is load the upgrade from a memory stick after booting up Knoppix.

(I have and use a Knoppix Live-CD disk, and I like it!)

If you have decided to and are anywhere close to installing a 'permanent' version of linux -- then, by all means, go ahead and do that - t will make a lot of things easier...

I have flash 10 (and it *does* work with the CC chat rooms). I have had problems with later flash versions on my system (Slackware Linux) - so I am not using any later versions at least until they come up with one that does not cause problems...
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I don't remember how I learned this off forums now, cuz it was prolly more than two yrs ago, but anyway, I was able to locate online and download these files called "libflashplayer.so".

The procedure for installing one on Knoppix is:

1. Open a shell window and change ownership ("chown" command) of the usr/lib/iceweasel/plugins directory to "knoppix". This enables you to have access to the directory and put something into it.

2. Copy the "libflashplayer.so" file into that directory. This effectively installs Adobe Flashplayer for use with Knoppix.

I downloaded several versions of "libflashplayer.so", but the only ones that I could get to work this way were V9 or older. Obviously there is something different in the coding of the V10 files. Same file name, same procedure... no does worky.

As to how savvy I am, not very. What I know I've learned by trial and error. I am capable of understanding more, but I don't.

As for installing a permanent version of Linux, this appeals to me because MS is pretty close to evil in my book, and it would be nice to avoid them altogether. I wish Linux were a bit more user-friendly. Seems you pretty much have to be a tech-head to make much sense of it. But... I have sort of a tech-head :p I just don't have much time or energy after a ten hour shift at work, if ya track with me.

My roommate just told me a couple days ago that he installed Ubuntu and it is working fine for him. He is willing to loan the disk to me if I wanna do the same. Do you recommend Ubuntu? If not, what would be better? By better, I suppose I am saying easier to use since I am lazy :)

Thanks,
DC

 
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Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#22
#22
daddycat said:


I know there are fixes.... But I'm afflicted with inertia :p

OK seriously now...

My original XP install (came with the system) I found out was pirated and not MS approved. So I don't have the thing on CD to reload into my memory. However, I did acquire (and I have no recollection how or when at this point) an official MS Windows XP disk. I tried to load it, following the instructions that came with it, but the CD Rom drive didn't recognize it. Or didn't like the taste of it. I don't know. All I know is it didn't work at all. Should have, didn't.

Of course if I could get XP up and running again I could update Flash no problem, as I always did before. With Knoppix, after much hunting on forums I was able to find a procedure for getting Flash 9 installed. There was no Flash at all on Knoppix startup. So I was able to work around that problem. But V9 is so outdated now that lots of stuff is starting to fail. I downloaded the appropriate V10 file and tried to do the same thing with it but it never works. So I stick with what works! (silly me)

So anyway, much ado (keystrokes) about nothing.

If this fills in the gaps I left out before, cool. If there are questions, hit me up with em.

Thanks,
DC
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Bummer about your copy of not-so-genuine Windows. You can download any version of Windows out there, and burn it to a disc, but this entails going to one of those taboo pirate sitse; furthermore, you'd be getting a non-genuine copy again, so you'd have to resort to cracking it to get it to [by]pass validation.

You're not the first person I've heard of that bought a PC with Windows loaded onto it, and then it doesn't pass validation! That is absurd! Retailers and OEMs are NOT suppose to be hotloading Windows.
 
shemaiah

shemaiah

Senior Member
#23
Jan 28, 2011
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#23
Personally, I recommend as a first priority Linux Mint, then as a second priority Ubuntu. But any one of the two would do and installing and running either is pretty easy as they are the simple to use and in many cases even easier than windows. God bless
 
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Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#24
#24
shemaiah said:
Personally, I recommend as a first priority Linux Mint, then as a second priority Ubuntu. But any one of the two would do and installing and running either is pretty easy as they are the simple to use and in many cases even easier than windows. God bless
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Only do this if you feel comfortable with using either one, and keep in mind that you will have less hardware/software support/compatibility.

Personally, if you're machine was built for Windows XP, then I advise using Linux Mint, as it's system requirements are less demanding. Ubuntu is a solid OS also - it just has Windows Vista/7-like requirements.
 
daddycat

daddycat

Senior Member
#25
Feb 15, 2007
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#25
Thanks Khatru and Shemaiah for the helpful ideas!
 
distantshores

distantshores

Member
#26
Oct 18, 2009
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#26
I'm using Gentoo Linux, but I also have Ubuntu 12.04 installed, and Fedora and OpenSuse in virtual machines.

Installing a new version of Flash might depend on your distribution's package manager. Alternate, you might be able to get Flash on Adobe's website and copy the .so file to a place where your browser can find it. Gnash is an open-source Flash alternative, but this chat hasn't worked with it on my computer.

If you do reinstall Windows, it will probably overwrite GRUB with its own Bootloader, in which case you'll probably need to run something like

#grub-install /dev/sda --no-floppy
 
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distantshores

distantshores

Member
#27
Oct 18, 2009
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#27
Daddycat, does your computer have a sticker or label on it with a Windows license key? How did you get the computer in the first place? Windows 8 Consumer Preview is free right now, if you want to install Windows but lack money to buy a license. The interface is a bit different from previous versions (it has a Start screen instead of a Start menu, but you can still pin programs to the taskbar), but it worked reasonable well for me.
 
G4JC

G4JC

Senior Member
#28
Feb 9, 2011
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#28
NarrowRoadDisciple said:
Do you know the best way to manage the boot manager for a dual boot win 7 and linux system? I'm also installing Mint Linux.
I was using GRUB GNU and I had Ubuntu at first, but when i uninstalled ubuntu and installed Mint, GRUB decided to flop on me. Right now I just have my Win 7 Partition working.
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Try https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

Regarding Windows Key, why not just use Ubuntu and make it look like windows?
https://sites.google.com/site/phrankdachicken/home/ubuntu/
Note: I suggest using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, it has long term support and Gnome 2.0 (not the Gnome 3 and Unity Junk)
I did that trick to someones computer that got too infected and it worked great! They didn't even notice much difference once I made wine run all their windows apps and gave FireFox an internet explorer theme. ;)
 
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Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#29
#29
G4JC said:
Try https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

Regarding Windows Key, why not just use Ubuntu and make it look like windows?
https://sites.google.com/site/phrankdachicken/home/ubuntu/
Note: I suggest using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, it has long term support and Gnome 2.0 (not the Gnome 3 and Unity Junk)
I did that trick to someones computer that got too infected and it worked great! They didn't even notice much difference once I made wine run all their windows apps and gave FireFox an internet explorer theme. ;)
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This is all well in theory. Just keep in mind not every Windows app runs flawlessly in Wine. It's like running a Windows 98 program in compatibility mode in Windows 7. It doesn't matter how you skin the OS; in the end, it's not Windows.

Which, in a way, is good, since Linux is superior in terms of functionality, IMO. ;)
 
shemaiah

shemaiah

Senior Member
#30
Jan 28, 2011
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#30
distantshores said:
Daddycat, does your computer have a sticker or label on it with a Windows license key? How did you get the computer in the first place? Windows 8 Consumer Preview is free right now, if you want to install Windows but lack money to buy a license. The interface is a bit different from previous versions (it has a Start screen instead of a Start menu, but you can still pin programs to the taskbar), but it worked reasonable well for me.
Click to expand...
Personally, I don't recommend Windows 8 coz system requirements have gone up and many apps are yet to be upgraded to the new metro style. Only get it if you want to test stuff not as an OS to use day to day.
 
distantshores

distantshores

Member
#32
Oct 18, 2009
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#32
Based on what I've seen, Windows 8 system requirements are lower than for Windows 7. Windows 8 definitely boots quickly, even from a cold start (not the fake-shutdown/hibernation that they use to claim that it starts in 8 seconds). Of course, it's not finished, and it's most likely that its boot time will double or triple after a service pack or two and a bunch of program installations.

I've installed it on a few of my computers, and while I rarely use it because it's still not quite as compatible with my programs as I would like, it is reasonably good.
 
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Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#33
#33
Thumbs down for that metro UI integration. I'm glad there's an opt-out for that, from what I've heard (I would sooner uninstall it altogether).
 
NarrowRoadDisciple

NarrowRoadDisciple

Senior Member
#34
Jan 15, 2011
736
28
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#34
Forget Metro UI it's just annoying... and the name Metro implies things that I really dont want to be a part of :p

Ok guys got an issue. Just installed Ubuntu 12.04
Installed some 253 updates
Installed flash player
Installed Konqueror

And now... in firefox there is no option to allow camera and mic
In Konqueror, the flash access box pops up, but there is no way to click anything. Any ideas?
 
distantshores

distantshores

Member
#35
Oct 18, 2009
60
0
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#35
It's been a while since I booted into Ubuntu, so... (boot into Ubuntu)... sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade... I will tell you whether I can duplicate the problem.

Generally typing, though, have you tried checking your Flash settings in Firefox? Adobe has information about that here:

Adobe - Flash Player : Settings Manager
 
distantshores

distantshores

Member
#36
Oct 18, 2009
60
0
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#36
This fixed it for me:

1. Go to Adobe - Flash Player : Settings Manager - Website Privacy Settings panel.

2. Make sure that you clicked the picture of the eye in the screen.

3. In the list of websites at the bottom of the settings window, click christianchat.com.

4. Click "Always Allow" above it.

5. Try again. If it doesn't work, blame Adobe. It's probably their fault. Things usually are.
 
G4JC

G4JC

Senior Member
#37
Feb 9, 2011
668
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#37
Personally I don't like running Flash on Linux at all. Not only is it a sin according to the FSF, but it's generally a security and performance risk. Stick it in Wine or VirtualBox if you must. I keep mine safely in VirtualBox. :)
You can even install the extras package in safe-mode to make integration seamless. Then just add a Soundblaster driver, get yourself a USB Microphone/Headset, allow USB passthrough and wallah instant Windows ontop of a much better operating system. Plus if it catches a virus you just revert back the save state. Pure awesomeness!...

VirtualBox Seamless Mode: The only way to virtualize | TechRepublic
 
distantshores

distantshores

Member
#38
Oct 18, 2009
60
0
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#38
G4JC said:
Personally I don't like running Flash on Linux at all....
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I used to do that, except I used Flash in Ubuntu in Virtualbox. Really, though, while Flash is a bit of a security risk, depending on where you go, I doubt that it warrants all that trouble. If you're really paranoid, why not make a user account that is a member of as few groups as possible, su into that account, then run your web browser and flash as that user? I used to do that for Wine. As long as you deny that user read/write access to your user directory and write access to your other directories, you should be fine.

You could try Gnash or Lightspark as Linux Flash alternatives, but I think that don't work with Christianchat.
 
S

Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#40
#40
NarrowRoadDisciple said:
Forget Metro UI it's just annoying... and the name Metro implies things that I really dont want to be a part of :p

Ok guys got an issue. Just installed Ubuntu 12.04
Installed some 253 updates
Installed flash player
Installed Konqueror

And now... in firefox there is no option to allow camera and mic
In Konqueror, the flash access box pops up, but there is no way to click anything. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Did you happen to update Firefox first? By default, all the Linux distros seem to come with an outdated version of FF.
 
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