Will's questions

When I boot up ubuntu, the desktop is non-responsive (as in the desktop area, not unity etc, only what nautilus covers) and when I try and open nautilus it refuses to open. I have to kill it and then restart it for it to work. This works sometimes for a bit, sometimes it's fine, sometimes it even locks the whole system up. I put a script to kill nautilus on startup, however this doesn't work. This has happened 3 times today (on 3 different installs, I reinstalled each time) upon reboot after installation everything worked fine, it was only after updating did this problem occur. Any ideas how to diagnose/fix this? It's driving me nuts -_- (happens with nautilus and nautilus-elementary)

EDIT: It seemed the desktop works fine, until I launch nautilus, then everything starts to become unresponsive, memory leak?

I Have this init.d script which I am trying to get to startup with ubuntu however it wont run at startup. It does work when i type "sudo /etc/init.d/couchpotato start" though. Any ideas on how to get it starting at boot?

#! /bin/sh

### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          CouchPotato application instance
# Required-Start:    $all
# Required-Stop:     $all
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: starts instance of CouchPotato
# Description:       starts instance of CouchPotato using start-stop-daemon
### END INIT INFO

############### EDIT ME ##################
# path to app
APP_PATH=/usr/local/sbin/couchpotato

# path to python bin
DAEMON=/usr/bin/python

# startup args
DAEMON_OPTS=" CouchPotato.py -q"

# script name
NAME=couchpotato

# app name
DESC=CouchPotato

# user
RUN_AS=root

PID_FILE=/var/run/couchpotato.pid

############### END EDIT ME ##################

test -x $DAEMON || exit 0

set -e

case "$1" in
  start)
        echo "Starting $DESC"
        start-stop-daemon -d $APP_PATH -c $RUN_AS --start --background --pidfile $PID_FILE  --make-pidfile --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
        ;;
  stop)
        echo "Stopping $DESC"
        start-stop-daemon --stop --pidfile $PID_FILE
        ;;

  restart|force-reload)
        echo "Restarting $DESC"
        start-stop-daemon --stop --pidfile $PID_FILE
        sleep 15
        start-stop-daemon -d $APP_PATH -c $RUN_AS --start --background --pidfile $PID_FILE  --make-pidfile --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
        ;;
  *)
        N=/etc/init.d/$NAME
        echo "Usage: $N {start|stop|restart|force-reload}" >&2
        exit 1
        ;;
esac

exit 0

If I want to make a backup of my entire OS (including but not just my home directory), how do I go about this?

Is it as simple as backing up everything in / and then when if I suffer a crash, just copying the files back over?
Will this cover grub, and how do I actually do this when the system is inoperable?

When i update apt-get the universe repo takes ages to download, I usually max out at around 130kbps which can easily download ~4mb in under a minute yet it skips between going an bytes per second and under 30kpbs (and i'm not running anything that leaches my bandwidth when i update). Updating on lucid was fine and took under 10 seconds why does it now take about 10 minutes...

will@UbuntuBox:~$ sudo apt-get update
Hit http://archive.canonical.com maverick Release.gpg                          
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ maverick/partner Translation-en              
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net maverick Release.gpg [316B]                     
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick Release.gpg [198B]                 
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en          
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security Release.gpg                   
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/main Translation-en   
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com maverick Release.gpg                              
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en              
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ maverick/partner Translation-en_US           
Hit http://archive.canonical.com maverick Release                              
Get:3 http://ppa.launchpad.net maverick Release [57.3kB]                       
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en_US           
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com maverick Release                                  
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main Translation-en_US       
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/multiverse Translation-en    
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/multiverse Translation-en_US 
Hit http://archive.canonical.com maverick/partner i386 Packages                
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com maverick/main i386 Packages                       
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/universe Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates Release.gpg              
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/main Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/universe Translation-en
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed Release.gpg
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/main Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/universe Translation-en
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-security/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security Release
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/universe Translation-en
Ign http://im.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-proposed/universe Translation-en_US
Get:4 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick Release [57.3kB]
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/main Sources                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/restricted Sources            
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/main i386 Packages            
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/restricted i386 Packages      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/multiverse i386 Packages      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com maverick-security/universe i386 Packages
Get:5 http://ppa.launchpad.net maverick/main Sources [3,051B]                  
Get:6 http://ppa.launchpad.net maverick/main i386 Packages [6,396B]            
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates Release                      
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed Release                     
Get:7 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/main Sources [829kB]               
Get:8 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/restricted Sources [4,361B]        
Get:9 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/universe Sources [4,186kB]         
Get:10 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/main i386 Packages [1,491kB]      
Get:11 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/restricted i386 Packages [6,000B] 
Get:12 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/multiverse i386 Packages [183kB]  
Get:13 http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick/universe i386 Packages [5,786kB]  
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/main Sources                 
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/restricted Sources           
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/universe Sources             
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/main i386 Packages           
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/restricted i386 Packages     
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/multiverse i386 Packages     
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-updates/universe i386 Packages       
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed/restricted i386 Packages    
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed/main i386 Packages          
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed/universe i386 Packages      
Hit http://im.archive.ubuntu.com maverick-proposed/multiverse i386 Packages    
Fetched 12.6MB in 7min 54s (26.6kB/s)                                          
Reading package lists... Done

If anyone can help i would be massively appreciative of that Will

I just upgraded to the 10.10 RC earlier and had a few problems with graphic drivers (x didnt start) But i have remedied that now. When i run 'sudo apt-get install -f' i get this:

will@UbuntuBox:/mnt/slax$ sudo apt-get install -f
[sudo] password for will: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libmono-wcf3.0-cil openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-core
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libmono-wcf3.0-cil
The following packages will be upgraded:
  openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-core
2 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
16 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/32.5MB of archives.
After this operation, 1,929kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
(Reading database ... 201565 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace openoffice.org-calc 1:3.2.1-6ubuntu2~10.04.1 (using .../openoffice.org-calc_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement openoffice.org-calc ...
xz: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt
dpkg-deb: subprocess <decompress> returned error exit status 1
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/openoffice.org-calc_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
 short read on buffer copy for backend dpkg-deb during `./usr/lib/openoffice/basis3.2/program/libscfiltli.so'
dpkg: regarding .../openoffice.org-core_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb containing openoffice.org-core:
 openoffice.org-core conflicts with openoffice.org-calc (<< 1:3.2.1-7ubuntu1)
  openoffice.org-calc (version 1:3.2.1-6ubuntu2~10.04.1) is present and installed.
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/openoffice.org-core_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
 conflicting packages - not installing openoffice.org-core
Unpacking libmono-wcf3.0-cil (from .../libmono-wcf3.0-cil_2.6.7-3ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
dpkg-deb (subprocess): data: internal gzip read error: '<fd:0>: data error'
dpkg-deb: subprocess <decompress> returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libmono-wcf3.0-cil_2.6.7-3ubuntu1_all.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/openoffice.org-calc_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/openoffice.org-core_1%3a3.2.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libmono-wcf3.0-cil_2.6.7-3ubuntu1_all.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Any idea how i can get the broken packages fixed? Cheers, Will

When I boot grub doesnt show up (only ubuntu installed) I would like grub to be shown for a second or 2 (shift doesnt seem to bring it up). My main problem is that grub boots into what i assume to be recovery mode, I can login as myself and startx but that is obviously a right pain. Could someone please advise me on how to remedy this problem?

Grub.cfg:

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="1"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
    saved_entry=${chosen}
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-25-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba ro   quiet splash
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-25-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.32-25-generic ...'
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba ro single 
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba ro   quiet splash
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba ro single 
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1cd98d8a-97b3-4f25-9da2-e7128ef6dcba
    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
  if keystatus; then
    if keystatus --shift; then
      set timeout=-1
    else
      set timeout=0
    fi
  else
    if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
      set timeout=0
    fi
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

I would like to set a few of my folders with a specified zoom level and set to icon view (e.g. my ebook folder) Is there anyway to do this?

When I try and upgrade I get packages that are kept back, when I use dist-upgrade they will be upgraded however I get this warning:

Current status: 5 updates [-1].
will@will-desktop:~$ sudo aptitude dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information      
Initialising package states... Done
The following packages are BROKEN:
  libdrm-nouveau1 
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libkms1{a} 
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libdrm-dev libdrm-intel1 libdrm-radeon1 libdrm2 
5 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/245kB of archives. After unpacking 2,077kB will be freed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  libdrm-nouveau1: Breaks: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (< 1:0.0.16) but 1:0.0.15+git20100219+9b4118d-0ubuntu5 is installed.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

Remove the following packages:
xserver-xorg-video-all
xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

Score is 188

I don't know whether to upgrade or not, looks like it might break my video

I'm trying to get the zoom wheel on my wacom bamboo to work. Though i have very little idea of how to do so. I tried using xinputwacom (i think) however it moaned it was missing something. Is there anyway of running wacom-tools on 10.04?

A bit more reading here on wacom-tools http://who-t.blogspot.com/2010/09/wacom-support-in-linux.html

I've just sorted out the tearing in videos on my PC following this guide:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1390284

However before this i had a wonderfully performing cube, Nice smooth and no/very little tearing (at least only around the sides) Now however the cube feels slow when rotating and i get some sort of tearing (white lines) underneath my gnome panel when 'landing' on a desktop Any ideas how i can return to the previous performance of the cube without turning sync to VBlank off?

I want to run pulseaudio from startup to deal with system sounds etc and be able to run jack from qjackctl for use with audio applications (LMMS, ardour, rosegarden etc) I'm having issues when i start up, the sound applet does not allow me to control the volume. When I click sound preferences it says "waiting for sound system to respond" yet the sound still plays in rhythmbox etc.

Where can I get XBMC for Ubuntu?

I have the team-xbmc ppa added however they have no packages, is there an older deb or is there somewhere where i can get the source and build myself?

I'm having trouble with vlc, when i try and adjust the volume with my scroll wheel it doesn't change the volume, in settings x-axis control is set to volume control so i can't understand why it wont work

Any ideas? Cheers

I want to take a stab at creating my own layouts for conky, but I'm having trouble finding any recent guides.

If you know of any, I would be grateful if you could post some links.

When i right click to bring up a menu, for example on the desktop, i have 'open terminal here' which i know should have a terminal icon next to this however it doesn't. Any ideas? I had a poke around in gconf-editor but didn't have much luck (though i didn't try very hard ;)

Thanks

I've just bought a game (Machinarium) which does not come with a deb file neither is it a ./configure, make etc type of application. I can just run it. Where is the best place to put it so i can create a launcher and keep it out of my home directory?

i.e. I'm basically asking where are applications are installed and should i put this game there.

Thanks!

Hey, Im trying to install Wolfenstein E.T however it comes up with this error message when running, Saying its missing Libgtk-1.2. In the repos there is only libgtk2.0 any ideas how i can get around this problem?

I'm not sure whats happened but when i try and listen to a song in an album just after the song has finished and should go onto the next track it starts to play stereophonics (the same album) rather than the next track, has anyone else had this problem!?

I recently removed and reinstalled pulseaudio and now I can't get my sound applet back on my panel.

Any ideas how to get it back?

How does one refresh thumbnails in nautilus? In my videos folder I have some MKVs and only half of them have the movie border and a excerpt from the movie and the others (also MKVs encoded in the same way) just have the ordinary film icon.

(F5 doesnt do it.)