Installing KUbuntu 13.04

EXPERIMENTAL

This is still in the experimental migration stage - unless you specifically need to install KUbuntu, stick with installing OpenSUSE (11.4) on all new AOG PCs.

Some of the instructions on here have been taken from the installing OpenSUSE page/s. I've tried to simplify it and add specific KUbuntu problems/solutions. Due to the popularity of Ubuntu, a lot of software for linux has been written specifically for this OS (e.g. Makerware for the 3D printer), and whilst it may be possible to port over to OpenSUSE machines, the easiest/simplest solution is to fold and just use Ubuntu. The scope is to see if one/few PCs can be integrated into the AOG network with KUbuntu without much hassle.

Pre-installation checklist

- List of installed software by you and others who use the PC (skip if new PC)

- Back up locally (not on network drives) stored files (skip if new PC)

- Have access to bios setup/boot menu - very relavent for new PCs. If locked, contact university information service (IS) to come and unlock it, or better still, request it before placing PC order.

- Get information on PC CPU (32-bit/64-bit) and get correct KUbuntu disk (i586/x86_64)

- Make sure PC has DVD drive or find a portable one (can be installed with USB pen too)

- Get information on hard drive specfications. You might want to also request IS to partition your hard drive/s (at least two), with MS Windows on one, and the other/s blank.

Installation screens

I. Boot setup

Often F2, sometime Del, could also be some other strange key shown when PC is starting up, press and wait for setup screen. Locate boot menu and put disk drive to the top of the boot list, save and exit.

II. Install menu

After a bit of a load time on the Kubuntu splash screen, select install KUbuntu (this screen may be bypassed by the installer)

1. Welcome

Select language 'English' and click on 'Install Kubuntu'

2. Preparing to install kubuntu

Should show drive space availability (tick) and internet connection (cross). Tick 'install this third-party software'. Click 'continue' (bottom right)

3. Installation type

Select manual and continue.

4. Prepare partitions

You may have Windows pre-installed and want to keep it. It will most likely show up as device:/dev/sda1 type:ntfs. It this isn't partitioned (determined with HDD bar at top showing 100% Windows) and you want to keep windows, seek help! Otherwise you can delete this partion.

If you kept the Windows partition, mount the partition by selecting it, clicking 'change...';

- windows: keep the same partition size, use as 'ntfs' (or whatever the type showed up as earlier), DO NOT tick format, and set mount point as '/windows/C/'. Click 'ok'.

The other partition/s will need to be split into three. Select the 'free space' partition and click 'add';

- swap: select 'primary', size is double your RAM, location is 'beginning', use as 'swap area', click 'ok'

- root: select 'primary', size is '40960MB' (adjust for small HDD), location is 'beginning', use as 'Ext4 jfs', mount point is '/', click 'ok' (it will automatically format)

- local: size is the rest of available disk space (default), location is 'beginning', use as 'Ext4 jfs', mount point is '/eee', click 'ok' (will auto format)You'll also need to select your boot loader location, this will be you're root device (partition), most likely '/dev/sda3', but check on the list. Also recheck that windows format box is not ticked, it will be a hassle to get it back. Click on 'install now' in the bottom right.

5. Where are you?

Region is 'Europe', Time zone is 'United Kingdom time', click continue.

6. Keyboard Layout

Layout is 'English (UK)', Variant is 'English (UK)' (unless its different), click continue.

7. Who are you?

Your name is your computer name (should be known or ask someone), username is '---', password is '---', your computer's name is '---'.

8. Installation complete Take out the KUbuntu disk, click restart.

Post install

At this point, you may want to switch back the boot list in the bios setup (HDD first) but its not essential (or in some cases, prefered). Let the GRUB menu load and select/auto-select 'Kubuntu GNU/Linux'.

- After splash screen, login using the details you provided during setup.

- You may want to add/remove widgets to get confortable with the layout of the desktop - add a default panel using right click menu. Use panel settings to move it, also remove the original one.

Initial config

Multiple screens: Open 'system settings', 'display configuration', and drag monitors to left/right and set primary display (yellow star).

Faster display: Open 'system settings', 'desktop effects', 'advanced' tab, change qt graphics system to 'raster' (also maybe turn off v-sync). This may be important for integrated graphics PCs (and for not blowing your own brains out because of the slow response).

Setting SU: Open 'terminal' (konsole) and enter; sudo sh passwd

Getting on the network

First things first, getting on the network. Open 'system setting' and 'network settings'. Under 'network connections', 'wired tab' (assuming a wired connection), select the wired connection you've plugged into and 'edit'. Under 'IPv4' tab, method is 'manual', IP address you should know (e.g. 128.243.74.XXX), subnet mask is '255.255.0.0' (default), gateway is '128.243.1.1', dns server are '128.243.40.11, 128.243.40.12, 128.243.21.19', click 'ok'.

This will ask you to set a password for the KDE wallet. Use '---'. Select 'proxy' and 'use manually specified proxy configuration', http proxy is 'http://optics.eee.nottingham.ac.uk' and the port is '62267'. Click 'ok'. You should now have access to the internet.