The "Linux questions (and other stuff)" thread

[saptech]

I can access both Internal and External SDCARDS with no problem. What a wonderful find for me. (Note this does not appear to work with the Latest Mageia 3 running KDE) I tried it with fedora 17 but not a later version.

I'm able to access my phone running Mga under both KDE4 & Gnome 3 as Mass Storage Device.

 

[9to5cynic]

Hmm.. I'll now have to try out KDE (or maybe opensuse)... I've been having a hell of a time with MTP.

My workaround:
>Install AndFTP
>Install Filezilla Server
>FTP files back and forth to windows
>Copy/Paste/Flash Drive to Linux [could use FTP too, but it's a bit slow and throws off my wifi usage statistics on my phone]

 

[Joelgp83]

Hmm.. I'll now have to try out KDE (or maybe opensuse)... I've been having a hell of a time with MTP.

My workaround:
>Install AndFTP
>Install Filezilla Server
>FTP files back and forth to windows
>Copy/Paste/Flash Drive to Linux [could use FTP too, but it's a bit slow and throws off my wifi usage statistics on my phone]

*Points you in the direction of libMTP*

Also, Samba for Android........

 

[El Presidente]

I've been mulling it over for a bit, but I've decided today's the day I clean up my hard disk a bit and give the Wubi install of Ubuntu a shot for a while with a view to full migration (if I like it) in a couple of weeks.

Installation seems relatively easy, so no issues there, but how easy is it to uninstall?

Also, is there an way to access stuff on my windows "partition" whilst in the Ubuntu install?

 

[argedion]

I've been mulling it over for a bit, but I've decided today's the day I clean up my hard disk a bit and give the Wubi install of Ubuntu a shot for a while with a view to full migration (if I like it) in a couple of weeks.

Installation seems relatively easy, so no issues there, but how easy is it to uninstall?

Also, is there an way to access stuff on my windows "partition" whilst in the Ubuntu install?

Never done the Wubi install. accessing windows files from Linux is not really an issue as its fairly easy to do. However accessing Linux files in windows is a no go. Personally I recommend doing a dual boot and running it straight from its own environment. Also a lot of other great distro's out there if Ubuntu is not to your liking

 

[El Presidente]

The wubi install was just to get my feet wet, it seems the easiest, quickest and safest option (for someone who is completely new to Linux). Once I'm comfortable, I'll probably give some of the other distros a try.

I've the 12.04 Ubuntu .iso downloaded. Once I've burned to disk does it give an option to repartition during install or do I have to do that myself before hand? The installation guide isn't very clear on how that stuff works.

Edit - Found it on the Wiki: https://help.ubuntu.com/12.04/installation-guide/amd64/backup.html

 

[Dngrsone]

There is a utility for viewing ext files from Windows, but it isn't the most elegant thing in the world... I keep a separate partition (NTFS) specially for data that may need to be accessed from both Windows and Linux.

 

[9to5cynic]

*Points you in the direction of libMTP*

Also, Samba for Android........

Yeah, last time I tried that (along with gMTP I think) they would only crash. :/

 

[mysticspiral]

When I plug in my android into any of the other systems I have tried I don't get to view my files like i am able to do with OpenSuse now. The others would only show the camera folder and thats it. or at least for me. I guess OpenSuse has MTP built in where as others don't seem to. Mostly I use Airdroid anyway don't like the cables holding me back but plugging in my phone to the computer this eve just to charge it a bit and bam found out OpenSuse does this for me. To Me its a great find Ever since ICS I havent' been able to do this. Not that I will use it that much because Airdroid rocks but still nice to know it exist somewhere. Now if your still confused take two of these and call me in the morning

I have been going through the same conflict . I will most definitely give it a try thank you.

 

[OverByter]

EP, instead of partitioning I would definitely recommend putting it on a separate drive, you can easily get by with a 250 GB drive for whatever distro you end up running.
OB

 

[El Presidente]

EP, instead of partitioning I would definitely recommend putting it on a separate drive, you can easily get by with a 250 GB drive for whatever distro you end up running.
OB

Another drive isn't an option unfortunately, I'm using a laptop and I can't afford, nor do I have space for an additional drive .

 

[argedion]

Another drive isn't an option unfortunately, I'm using a laptop and I can't afford, nor do I have space for an additional drive .

How familiar are you with partitioning? Do make sure you have recent backups before going that route. Also with a wubi install if memory servers me you don't have to partition its only when you go to actually install it.

 

[OverByter]

Another drive isn't an option unfortunately, I'm using a laptop and I can't afford, nor do I have space for an additional drive .

I thought that you might have one laying around, even with a laptop, you should be able to boot from an external, just have to change your bios settings. For partitioning I recommend Easus, used it on at least 6 drives without losing any files. Good luck, I think your gonna like it!
OB

 

[El Presidente]

How familiar are you with partitioning? Do make sure you have recent backups before going that route. Also with a wubi install if memory servers me you don't have to partition its only when you go to actually install it.

I thought that you might have one laying around, even with a laptop, you should be able to boot from an external, just have to change your bios settings. For partitioning I recommend Easus, used it on at least 6 drives without losing any files. Good luck, I think your gonna like it!
OB

Well, I went for a wubi install.

Gonna mess about with this for a while, get things setup & get a feel for Linux. I'll partition and do a proper install a couple of weeks down the line.

Cheers for the Easus recommendation, when I'm ready, I'll give that a go.

 

[Joelgp83]

If you're running Vista or later, I'd recommend using Windows' own "Disk Management" tool to do the partitioning.

All you have to do is launch it, select your drive, right-click>shrink partition, and enter in how much you wanna chop off the windows drive.

As for entering amounts, a good rule of thumb is to enter in the number of gb you want, followed by three zeroes (e.g., 80 gb = 80000 in the dialog box).

 

[fixitevilson]

What's the best audio- (OGG/M3U) streamer available on Linux? I've tried VLC, and I have gotten clear sounding audio one time, and haven't gotten it again. Any ideas of what I should use?
I was using Ubuntu.

 

[palmtree5]

If you're running Vista or later, I'd recommend using Windows' own "Disk Management" tool to do the partitioning.

All you have to do is launch it, select your drive, right-click>shrink partition, and enter in how much you wanna chop off the windows drive.

As for entering amounts, a good rule of thumb is to enter in the number of gb you want, followed by three zeroes (e.g., 80 gb = 80000 in the dialog box).

Actually, if you want exactly 80 GB, enter 81920

 

[MoodyBlues]

What's the best audio- (OGG/M3U) streamer available on Linux? I've tried VLC, and I have gotten clear sounding audio one time, and haven't gotten it again. Any ideas of what I should use?
I was using Ubuntu.

Really? VLC is my go-to media app. It's never failed me. I use Kubuntu and Bodhi.

I wonder if there are certain plug-ins and/or other VLC-related files that aren't installed. I'd fire up Synaptic and then search for VLC; look at anything that comes up and doesn't show that it's installed. Read its description and then decide if you want/need to install it. Or just install them all if you're lazy. Then report back.

 

[fixitevilson]

Really? VLC is my go-to media app. It's never failed me. I use Kubuntu and Bodhi.

I wonder if there are certain plug-ins and/or other VLC-related files that aren't installed. I'd fire up Synaptic and then search for VLC; look at anything that comes up and doesn't show that it's installed. Read its description and then decide if you want/need to install it. Or just install them all if you're lazy. Then report back.

I guess I gotta install Ubuntu in a VM, and I'll do that. As of right now, I kinda need to have at least one Windows machine [and I have 2], for school purposes (Long story, I had to redo a PowerPoint for Spanish class because of saving a MS-PowerPoint in LibreOffice on Ubuntu)

 

[MoodyBlues]

I guess I gotta install Ubuntu in a VM, and I'll do that.

I can't help you with that, as all my computers are pure Linux. But others can help!

As of right now, I kinda need to have at least one Windows machine [and I have 2], for school purposes (Long story, I had to redo a PowerPoint for Spanish class because of saving a MS-PowerPoint in LibreOffice on Ubuntu)

I have no experience saving M$ PP files in LibreOffice, but I guess I was under the impression that it should work fine. Would you like to explain a bit about what happened, how you saved it, whatever?

 

[palmtree5]

I guess I gotta install Ubuntu in a VM, and I'll do that. As of right now, I kinda need to have at least one Windows machine [and I have 2], for school purposes (Long story, I had to redo a PowerPoint for Spanish class because of saving a MS-PowerPoint in LibreOffice on Ubuntu)

Why not put Windows in a VM?

 

[fixitevilson]

Why not put Windows in a VM?

I Am kinda lazy, that's the main thing. Also, I like the ease of accessing the other windows networked drives.

 

[Dngrsone]

I can't help you with that, as all my computers are pure Linux. But others can help!


I have no experience saving M$ PP files in LibreOffice, but I guess I was under the impression that it should work fine. Would you like to explain a bit about what happened, how you saved it, whatever?

Yeah, last time I tried to mix LibreOffice and Power Point, it didn't go well, either...

 

[mikedt]

I use a lot of presentations that were originally created in M$ Powerpoint, that I download from Baidu Wenku. Sometimes they work fine in LibreOffice, and don't have to change anything. but often there are formatting issues that have to be fixed. It's usually when they contain Chinese characters, or an image might be misplaced and is obscuring the text. It's not really a big problem for me now, because I'm always making changes to them anyway, to make them suitable for my lessons. And then I save them as .ODP, the native format.

I'd rather do this because I prefer not to be using Micro$oft products these days, if I can avoid it. Think I've come to detest Micro$oft almost as much as Moody now.

 

[fixitevilson]

I have no experience saving M$ PP files in LibreOffice, but I guess I was under the impression that it should work fine. Would you like to explain a bit about what happened, how you saved it, whatever?

It happened in a PowerPoint file that I made for Spanish class, (About the Country of Chile) for my Spanish class. Everything ran smoothly, editing in Windows at school. Everything changed at the last second. When I finished up with the presentation before I left for school, I was using Ubuntu 12.04 (It was a fresh release, about a month old). I forgot to check to see if it would work in PowerPoint 2007 (My school is old Microsoft software users). That day, I was confident that I had it perfect, and I plugged in my USB Flash Drive (A SanDisk Cruzer Micro 2GB), and went to the file, and Office said my file was corrupt.

Looking back, I should have brought my Linux-based netbook to school, and done my presentation on that machine, heh heh.

Pretty much, if I want to do any presentations, and I'm using Linux, I'm gonna be sure that I have a Linux machine with me.