UNetbootin

[Frank Golden]

You are right, 20 GB will be more than enough space for any distro out there. Does anyone know off hand what distro Parted Magic is based on? Reason I ask is, I can easily configure wireless on it and figured the distro it is based off of would do the same.Ian

Often the Network app that comes with Ubuntu etc. is a P.O.S. called Network Manager.There is a Networking app called WICD available in the repos that runs rings around Network Manager.Uninstall Network Manager after installing WICD if you want to switch.One of the first things I do with a new Ubuntu install is install WICD.One of the issues with Network Manager is that it requires the user login to NM every time you boot your machine.Anyway WICD is easier to configure.If your machine will do Wi-Fi with Parted Magic then it should do Ubuntu as well, at least mine will.Of course my Wi-Fi adapter is one of the Intel adapters.The Intel adapters are well supported in Linux.

[Frank Golden]

You used imagehost.org. Haven't heard of it before and I'm not sure what functions it offers. Imageshack and Imagebam give you automatic thumbnail code, so you can copy/paste the code into the forum and have it display a thumbnail linked to the full-size image.Oh, and back on topic, your partition schemes look fine, although I doubt you'll use 20GB for most of you distro installations.Happy installing!

Photobucket thumbnail code as well. Until recently the thumbnail produced was small, about 75-100 pixels.The latest version of their site software produces thumbnails like the ones posted here.I'll check with Photobucket to see if the thumb size is adjustable.I use Photobucket, the pro version ($25.00\year) for it's greater storage and lack of advertisments.

[Urmas]

There is a Networking app called WICD available in the repos that runs rings around Network Manager.

True. But ONLY IF you are using wired ethernet or wifi. If you are using mobile broadband, WICD is useless (unless you happen to use a DirectIP capable dongle or a MiFi router.)

One of the issues with Network Manager is that it requires the user login to NM every time you boot your machine

Again, true. But, again , ONLY IF you are using auto-login. Fix HERE.

[Frank Golden]

True. But ONLY IF you are using wired ethernet or wifi. If you are using mobile broadband, WICD is useless (unless you happen to use a DirectIP capable dongle or a MiFi router.)Again, true. But, again , ONLY IF you are using auto-login. Fix HERE.

Still prefer WICD.Don't use mobile broadband.Can Network Manager handle mobile broadband? Edited December 19, 2010 by Frank Golden

[securitybreach]

Still prefer WICD.Don't use mobile broadband.Can Network Manager handle mobile broadband?

Yup.... http://live.gnome.org/NetworkManager/MobileBroadband

[Urmas]

Can Network Manager handle mobile broadband?

Yes it can. And because just about everyone here is using 3G mobile broadband as "a second/backup/summer cottage connection", WICD is useless. VERY GOOD at what it does (eth & wifi), but useless – no point in using WICD for wifi and something like Gnome-PPP for 3G.

[ChipDoc]

It sounds like you D\L'd the entire database, Paul.The release should have been a 700MB .iso not 4 GB.

That's what I thought too, but it burned to DVD and worked just fine. Incidentally, I didn't get it through the torrents; I got it from the Ubuntu site (I'd post the link, but I've lost it... sorry).

[Frank Golden]

That's what I thought too, but it burned to DVD and worked just fine. Incidentally, I didn't get it through the torrents; I got it from the Ubuntu site (I'd post the link, but I've lost it... sorry).

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/natty/alpha-1/The only large file here is the 4.1 GB 64 bit DVD.

[ChipDoc]

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/natty/alpha-1/The only large file here is the 4.1 GB 64 bit DVD.

Yep, that's the one I was using. Didn't pay attention to the size until the dl was already underway.

[ichase]

Often the Network app that comes with Ubuntu etc. is a P.O.S. called Network Manager.There is a Networking app called WICD available in the repos that runs rings around Network Manager.Uninstall Network Manager after installing WICD if you want to switch.One of the first things I do with a new Ubuntu install is install WICD.One of the issues with Network Manager is that it requires the user login to NM every time you boot your machine.Anyway WICD is easier to configure.If your machine will do Wi-Fi with Parted Magic then it should do Ubuntu as well, at least mine will.Of course my Wi-Fi adapter is one of the Intel adapters.The Intel adapters are well supported in Linux.

Thanks Frank, the Wi-Fi in question on this lappy is the internal that came with the lappy. Realtec Chipset 4318. Will definitely DL WICD, I tried using Ndiswrapper but when I added the .inf file, it said it was not valid. Really fustrating how an indy distro can configure Wi-Fi right off the CD loading into RAM but a distro such as Ubunto (Let's face it, it's the most popular most beefed up distro out there) can't out of the box. Must say I am so far impressed with UE 2.8, except for the Wi-Fi issue I was able to hook it into Ethernet and perform the 320+ updates, so will look forward to seeing how much better it is after that. :)Hope everyone is coming off a great weekend!!!! :)Ian

[Frank Golden]

Yep, that's the one I was using. Didn't pay attention to the size until the dl was already underway.

Otay that explains it.

[ChipDoc]

Really fustrating how an indy distro can configure Wi-Fi right off the CD loading into RAM but a distro such as Ubunto (Let's face it, it's the most popular most beefed up distro out there) can't out of the box. Must say I am so far impressed with UE 2.8, except for the Wi-Fi issue

That's really interesting, Ian. This is exactly the thing which sold me on UE 2.8.Though I have some WiFi or other built into my laptop, I don't have WiFi service. Mine is wireless broadband which is notoriously difficult to configure in Linux. Not on UE 2.8 though. I was expecting a long hard slog to get it connected, but it auto-magically detected my Pantech modem, asked me a couple of questions about my carrier and login info, and BANG it was connected! I fell in love with UE 2.8 then and there.Sorry your experience was so different.

[ichase]

Well the issue is, this is a Broadcom chipset. 4318 to be exact. There is a group that has been working really hard to get broadcom chips working in Linux. Its the b43 project. Though they say that by just typing into terminal

sudo apt-get install b43-fwcutter

in Ubunto will automatically prompt you to download and install the correct firmware, all I got was that b43-fwcutter was installed and was updated and never prompted me to DL the firmware. Oddly enough, I had read that in some cases the STA drivers will work even though the 4318 chipset does not fall in the BCM43xx group of supported chipsets. So I followed the directions, DL the required firmware, extracted and installed in terminal and when I went to System>Administration>Additional Drivers they did not show up on the list. So, I will continue researching this and see what I can come up with. I have also read that Ndiswrapper is useless when dealing with the broadcom chipsets.

[securitybreach]

Ichase: Here is another method that basically describes how to manually add the drivers: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/...ver/bcm43xx#b43 Scroll down to "No Internet Access"

[ichase]

Ichase: Here is another method that basically describes how to manually add the drivers: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/...ver/bcm43xx#b43 Scroll down to "No Internet Access"

Thanks Josh, yeah, I actually already had that link printed out and manually installed the drivers via the DVD with no such luck. I have been reading and reading and reading and one thing I definitely found out is there is an issue with Ubuntu 10.10 (Which UE 2.8 is built on) when it comes to the broadcom chipsets.One strange problem that I am having and I have not read where anyone else is having this problem is when I go to "System > Administration > Additional Drivers, the b43 or the STA drivers do not show up. The only driver that shows up is "Software Modem" both the b43 and STA drivers have been installed, they extracted and I did not receive any errors making me believe they have not.My next step is going to be to go into synaptic and remove everything b43 and STA related and start from scratch. OR.....I can just wait for the USB wireless adapter I ordered yesterday that states it is Linux supported and this all very well could be a moot point. But I am hard headed and not one to quite or throw in the white towel of defeat so I am determined to figure this out. All the best,Ian

[securitybreach]

Have you tried ndiswrapper with the window driver?

[ichase]

Have you tried ndiswrapper with the window driver?

Yes, ndiswrapper does not play well with broadcom chipsets.

[securitybreach]

Yes, ndiswrapper does not play well with broadcom chipsets.

Who told you that? It used to be the only way to get a broadcom driver working.

[ichase]

Who told you that? It used to be the only way to get a broadcom driver working.

I can't quote any one particular individual because I have read it countless times, but I tried adding the .inf file and it was a no go.

[securitybreach]

Well I know I had to try out different versions of the driver when I used ndiswrapper but that has been a while. What you are probably thinking about is people suggesting to use the open source Broadcom drivers instead of the windows ones but that does not always work the way it should (slower).

[ichase]

Well I know I had to try out different versions of the driver when I used ndiswrapper but that has been a while. What you are probably thinking about is people suggesting to use the open source Broadcom drivers instead of the windows ones but that does not always work the way it should (slower).

I considered that, and was only able to find one .inf driver for my lappy. I am sure there are more, but honestly did not know where to look. So who knows, I very well may be able to get ndiswrapper working. There are so many posts about this very topic with hundreds of different terminal entries all claiming to be the "FIX" for this issue. DL this driver, DL that driver, STA, b43, kernal upgrades, kernal builds etc etc. Some people come back with "Thanks, that fixed my problem" to most saying, they are worse off then they were before.Especially with very little CLI experience, and not knowing how to undo what I have done, I am leary of trying all of these terminal entries only to screw something up due to conflict. KWIM? Ian

[securitybreach]

What I do not understand is how other users are reporting the Broadcom 4318 drivers working in Ubuntu via system>administration>additional drivers. It makes no sense..... http://art.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10243461

[zlim]

I remember teacher/Julia got it going so I searched. Here are some old threads.http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.ph...;hl=ndiswrapperhttp://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.ph...;hl=ndiswrapperI could never get it to work on my HP laptop. The wireless was not built in. I had a PCMCIA card with a broadcom chip.

[ichase]

What I do not understand is how other users are reporting the Broadcom 4318 drivers working in Ubuntu via system>administration>additional drivers. It makes no sense..... http://art.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10243461

I'm right there with you Josh, I have installed all of these drivers to the letter. UE 2.8 installs the b43-fwcutter and the patch when you install from the DVD and when I open up additional drivers even after re-booting after each driver install, I still only see the "Software Modem" as the ONLY driver to activate.At this point, like mentioned before, the only thing I can come up with at this point is to uninstall everything b43 and STA and start over. Could I have made an error, sure, but I was so careful in performing each step, I feel pretty confident I did everything correctly.I don't have a good answer at this point as to why the drivers are not showing up. Ian

[securitybreach]

Thanks for the links Liz!!

I don't have a good answer at this point as to why the drivers are not showing up. Ian

Me neither Ian Time for a different distro perhaps....

[ichase]

Thanks for the links Liz!! :thumbsup:Me neither Ian Time for a different distro perhaps....

Well I have another partition on this HDD just waiting for another distro. Have been so busy lately that I have put the installing of a new distro on that partition as well as the partioned external. Now I need to make the decision as to which one. I did hear that Mandy 2010.2 is coming out tomorrow??? Ian Edited December 22, 2010 by ichase

[ichase]

Well Josh, again I am not certain as to exactly what I did, but when I typed in Terminal

Sudo modprobe b43

My wireless was established. I had previously gone into Network settings, typed in the network name and the passcode with no luck there, but alas, a small window popped up stating I was logged into my network, then another box prompted me to install the b43 proprietary driver (that was not there before) I installed it and now I have about 72% signal.Keeping fingers crossed that when I reboot, the network re-appears.Ian

[securitybreach]

Ahh the module was not loaded, it all makes sense now.

[securitybreach]

If it did not stick after a reboot, you may need to add an entry in /etc/modules.

[ichase]

If it did not stick after a reboot, you may need to add an entry in /etc/modules.

This was going to be my next question. When I rebooted, I did not have wireless. Once, I typed sudo modprobe b43 I had it. So I figured there would be a way to run a script that would run this command automatically upon boot.Do I need to create this script/entry into this folder or will I be editing an existing file?Thanks,Ian