installing ubuntu, flash, errors, and more help needed

Taking advice of jGuru, I got the PC world magzine and installed Kubuntu on a new 80 Gb SATA HD i bought.
Well Linux is all great and Windows is suddenly feeling primitive, I am facing problems
Firstly, It's taking too long to load.and I am getting this error on loading.It loads fine though.
[4294708.295000]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2.
I get 8 of these errors, all with this format.
[429xxx.xxx000]]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2/3/4/5/6/7/0.

although it loads fine after this, but errors are bad.

secondly, I had to download Flash.now how do I install it?

thirdly, I seem to be unable to access my HD on which Windows was installed.Also, when I select any partition on Windows HD( there are four of them) I get the following error.

Could not mount device
the reported error was:

mount: can't find /dev/sda1 in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab

I need to access it because all my music is on that disk!!!

one thing I noticed was that Windows has become extremely slower when I first used live CD.
the windows HD is NTFS partitions.

fourth,I am unable to access my DVD rom drive.It seems like it hasn't detect it.

fifth, I need a C++ editor/compiler.Any ideas?

sixth,at 800x600, all these fonts seem to be too big.How do I change them?

seventh, is the help file good?

and lastly, the messenger (kopete) uses smiley set different from yahoo/MSN.how do I add more to it?

one more thing. I use the shortcut alt+s to quickly reply in Windows.However, in Konqueror, it leads to opening of Settings menu.Any ideas to change it?
waiting for the replies,
leo

Have you installed FireFox browser? Then get the plugins including Flash from here:
*addons.mozilla.org/firefox/plugins/
I 'll help & fix all your problems ,please hang on. I'm loading Kubuntu now.

Mounting Windows partitions:
------------------------------------------
Press Alt + F2 . This opens the Run command dialog box. Type 'System Settings' click on the 'Run ' button.
Now this opens the System Settings Window where you can configure you mouse, keyboard, monitor
resolution etc., Almost all.
For mounting files you need to get some details about them so in System Settings click on "Disks & FileSystems".
It displays & shows the partitions. Shows Windows partitions as vfat. Note it down in the order like hda1, hda2 etc.,

In your home folder create folders (by right-clicking->Create folder) like 'win_c', 'win_d', 'Win_e' etc.,

Run the Konsole (Terminal Window)
You need become the Root User:
$ sudo -s
$ mount /dev/hda1 /home/ubuntu/win_c
$ mount /dev/hda2 /home/ubuntu/win_d
$ mount /dev/hda3 /home/ubuntu/win_e

NOTE : Replace /home/ubuntu with your Login Name. If your Login name is 'ajay' then it will be /home/ajay/win_c
Now repeat the same procedure for the partitions you want to mount.

To change the Monitor Resolution:
-----------------------------------------------
Open System Settings , click on 'Display' and change it.

M

blackleopard92 said:
[4294708.295000]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2.
I get 8 of these errors, all with this format.
[429xxx.xxx000]]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2/3/4/5/6/7/0.

although it loads fine after this, but errors are bad.

Which is that partition hdc? t seems a problem with cd/dvd drive. If you have no idea post the output of

Code:

fdisk -l

and contents of the file /etc/fstab

blackleopard92 said:
secondly, I had to download Flash.now how do I install it?

Here's the answer from Macromedia site
1. Click the "Download Now" button. A dialog box will appear asking you where to save the Installer.
2. Save the Installer to your desktop and wait for the file to download completely.
3. Unpackage the file. A directory called install_flash_player_7_linux will be created.
4. Navigate to this directory and from the command line type ./flashplayer-installer to run the installer (Note: this can only be run from the command line). The installer will instruct you to shut down your browser(s).
5. Once the installation is complete, the plug-in will be installed in your Mozilla browser. To verify, launch Mozilla and choose Help > About Plug-ins from the browser menu.

blackleopard said:
thirdly, I seem to be unable to access my HD on which Windows was installed.Also, when I select any partition on Windows HD( there are four of them) I get the following error.

Could not mount device
the reported error was:

mount: can't find /dev/sda1 in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab

I need to access it because all my music is on that disk!!!
one thing I noticed was that Windows has become extremely slower when I first used live CD.
the windows HD is NTFS partitions.

Again output of you /etc/fstab file will be needed.

blackleopard said:
fourth,I am unable to access my DVD rom drive.It seems like it hasn't detect it.

Seems like that is /dev/hdc

blackleopard said:
fifth, I need a C++ editor/compiler.Any ideas?

gc++

blackleopard said:
sixth,at 800x600, all these fonts seem to be too big.How do I change them?

Sorry no idea.

blackleopard said:
seventh, is the help file good?

Which help file? If you are talking about man pages they are very good.

blackleopard said:
and lastly, the messenger (kopete) uses smiley set different from yahoo/MSN.how do I add more to it?

Try Gaim. IMO it's the best IM client for Linux. IT will solve smileys problem.

blackleopard said:
one more thing. I use the shortcut alt+s to quickly reply in Windows.However, in Konqueror, it leads to opening of Settings menu.Any ideas to change it?
waiting for the replies,

Don't remember been quite a while since I used KDE. Try peeking around in KDE control centre.

R

blackleopard92 said:
Taking advice of jGuru, I got the PC world magzine and installed Kubuntu on a new 80 Gb SATA HD i bought.
Well Linux is all great and Windows is suddenly feeling primitive, I am facing problems
Firstly, It's taking too long to load.and I am getting this error on loading.It loads fine though.
[4294708.295000]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2.
I get 8 of these errors, all with this format.
[429xxx.xxx000]]Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 2/3/4/5/6/7/0.

although it loads fine after this, but errors are bad.

Strange one, lets tackle it later.

blackleopard92 said:
secondly, I had to download Flash.now how do I install it?

Did you read and follow *help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

blackleopard92 said:
thirdly, I seem to be unable to access my HD on which Windows was installed.Also, when I select any partition on Windows HD( there are four of them) I get the following error.

Could not mount device
the reported error was:

mount: can't find /dev/sda1 in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab

I need to access it because all my music is on that disk!!!
one thing I noticed was that Windows has become extremely slower when I first used live CD.
the windows HD is NTFS partitions.

Add this line to /etc/fstab -

Code:

/dev/sda1 /media/windows auto defaults,umask=000 0 0

Assuming you have created a directory called /media/windows and your disk is sata, it should work.

blackleopard92 said:
fourth,I am unable to access my DVD rom drive.It seems like it hasn't detect it.

Strange, save this one for later too.

blackleopard92 said:
fifth, I need a C++ editor/compiler.Any ideas?

Code:

sudo aptitude install build-essential

Should do it. For an editor use vim or KWrite.

blackleopard92 said:
sixth,at 800x600, all these fonts seem to be too big.How do I change them?

You need to edit your xorg.conf to get you atleast 1024x768. Strange ubuntu did not detect it automatically. Attach your /etc/X11/xorg.conf in reply.

blackleopard92 said:
seventh, is the help file good?

Very.

blackleopard92 said:
and lastly, the messenger (kopete) uses smiley set different from yahoo/MSN.how do I add more to it?

I am sure there is a way to do that, by adding smiley themes. But problem with kopete is that it will not use the theme depending on protocol - it will use same theme for msn, yahoo, jabber.. So if smilies are of prime concern, i suggest you to install gaim, which can have different smilies as per the protocol.

Code:

sudo aptitude install gaim

blackleopard92 said:
one more thing. I use the shortcut alt+s to quickly reply in Windows.However, in Konqueror, it leads to opening of Settings menu.Any ideas to change it?

Try doing it in firefox.

Waiting for feedback,
Cheers !

the hdc error seems to due to my DVD drive.In fact, even windows has problem with it.Windows can't enable DMA on it, if I do it manually, it crashes.It works on a pathetic speed of 0.48x.
I have been trying to get Samsung people to change the drive, but they all say that it's your system problem.Maybe now they would listen.

JGuru said:
Mounting Windows partitions:
------------------------------------------
Press Alt + F2 . This opens the Run command dialog box. Type 'System Settings' click on the 'Run ' button.
Now this opens the System Settings Window where you can configure you mouse, keyboard, monitor
resolution etc., Almost all.
For mounting files you need to get some details about them so in System Settings click on "Disks & FileSystems".
It displays & shows the partitions. Shows Windows partitions as vfat. Note it down in the order like hda1, hda2 etc.,

In your home folder create folders (by right-clicking->Create folder) like 'win_c', 'win_d', 'Win_e' etc.,

Run the Konsole (Terminal Window)
You need become the Root User:
$ sudo -s
$ mount /dev/hda1 /home/ubuntu/win_c
$ mount /dev/hda2 /home/ubuntu/win_d
$ mount /dev/hda3 /home/ubuntu/win_e

NOTE : Replace /home/ubuntu with your Login Name. If your Login name is 'ajay' then it will be /home/ajay/win_c
Now repeat the same procedure for the partitions you want to mount.

it's giving permission denied error.And I have logged into root.

here's is the output of fdisk -l

Code:

root@adi:~# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        2422    19454683+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            2423        9728    58685445    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5            2423        4844    19454683+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6            4845        7266    19454683+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7            7267        9728    19775983+   7  HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1           6       48163+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2   *           7        9399    75449272+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb3            9400        9729     2650725    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5            9400        9729     2650693+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

contents of /etc/fstab -

Code:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
/dev/sdb2       /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
/dev/sdb5       none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/hda        /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0

I am going to delete Kubuntu and install ubuntu, because of easier "installation" of software in ubuntu.

Don't use SamSung DVD drives use Sony it is the best. I use Sony DVD drive.
I'm using it for the last 2 years. You can write CD/DVDs at the fastest speed.
DMA is enabled. Not even a single problem or errors.

R

Well, ubuntu or kubuntu is a personal preference, try both, use whatever you are familiar with - GNOME or KDE.

Why did you not add the line i said, to /etc/fstab ?

Code:

/dev/sda1 /media/windows auto defaults,umask=000 0 0

That must work, and you will not get permission errrors. You should not mount such disks in /home, as this is not the normal place. /media will also be HAL compatible, so it will appear in the Places menu in gnome or in "Storage Media" in kde.

Also, give appropriate replies if the other suggestions worked, in order to help everyone else on the forum too !

hmm..
Cant u enable dma in it??
i hope ubuntu has hdparm but i dont know, grab its sources from freshmeat or find and install it from somewhere in apt,
then do,

hdparm -d1c3u1 /dev/hdc

read hdparm manuals, for other options.

rohandhruva said:
Well, ubuntu or kubuntu is a personal preference, try both, use whatever you are familiar with - GNOME or KDE.

I am familiar with Explorer...
But gnome seems similar to Explorer, so maybe a little time on it for becomming comfortable.But KDE seemed more powerful...

Ubuntu gave me option to mount windows partiton, so there is no problem on that part.However, I would love to know how to manually mount them,
There is still some space left that hasn't been mounted.

rohandhruva said:
Also, give appropriate replies if the other suggestions worked, in order to help everyone else on the forum too !

I am sorry, but I couldn't appply your soln.Because my father needed to use to PC, and my Windows installation had become corrupt.So I spent the whole last night getting Windows back into working condition.

However, I am still facing the DVD(hdc) problem.It slows booting by almost 30 secs.The only was I found out of it was to disconnect my HD.
Is there any way to stop ubuntu from trying to dectect it?

You should disable hardware detection during booting. Remember if you do this and
if you add any new hardware , the appropriate drivers won't be loaded & it won't
work!! This is very risky. There is a problem with your DVD drive. Have it replaced
with a good one.

JGuru said:
You should disable hardware detection during booting. Remember if you do this and
if you add any new hardware , the appropriate drivers won't be loaded & it won't
work!! This is very risky. There is a problem with your DVD drive. Have it replaced
with a good one.

I would hardly use ubuntu for normal work for around 2 weeks or so.Hence I do not have to worry about new hardware issues.
so, how do I disable hardware detection?

I'm sorry that's not recommended for beginners. You need to edit the System
files and if things go wrong you won't be able to boot!! Replacing your DVD drive
with a good one , since it's faulty.

S

To mount an NTFS partion check out this guide -

*everythingelse.wordpress.com/2006/07/19/89/

BTW, DMA is enabled by default in Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper

While booting Ubuntu. when Ubuntu detects your DVD drive. Just press 'Ctrl + C'.
Release the keys after DVD drive checking is done. This skips the DVD checking
process. I hope you get the point.