Computer FAQs & Tips

Configure default Boot Loader

In most cases, users are installing Ubuntu as dual boots to their Windows. By default the system will boot to Ubuntu. Now they want to the default boot to Windows.

This post is showing you how to configure the default Boot Loader on Ubuntu.

The file which you need to modify is /boot/grub/menu.lst

Now use the following command to edit

sudo vi /boot/grub/menu.lst

Scroll to (almost) end of file, you will see a list similar to example below
Read more…

There are a few options/commands you can use to find out which version of Ubuntu you are using. They give very similar information which you wanted to know but present in different format.

Command line:

cat /etc/lsb-release

Example:

manet@ubuntu:~$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=8.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=intrepid
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 8.10"

Command line:

lsb_release -a

Example:

manet@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 8.10
Release:        8.10
Codename:       intrepid

Command line:

cat /ect/issue

Example:

manet@ubuntu:~$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 8.10 n l

Command line:

cat /proc/version

Example:

manet@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.6.27-9-server (buildd@rothera)
(gcc version 4.3.2 (Ubuntu 4.3.2-1ubuntu11) )
#1 SMP Thu Nov 20 22:53:41 UTC 2008

If you are using Ubuntu version 7.10 or above, you can install PHPMyAdmin using apt-get.

I assume that you have apache and php installed on your system.

The following steps is guiding you to install PHPMyAdmin and get it running

1. Run this command
   

   sudo apt-get install phpmyadmin

2. Edit this file
   

   sudo vi /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

3. Add this line

   Include /etc/phpmyadmin/apache.conf

4. Save file and exit
5. Now go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin
6. Login using your mysql root account and make sure all the databases/tables are showing

In my previous post, was showing how to upgrade to Ubuntu Server 7.10.

Now I am writing a new post on how to upgrade to Ubuntu Server 8.10. The steps are very similar, however there’s a slight changes in upgrading to 8.10.

I notice, when I was trying to upgrading from 7.10 to 8.10, I cannot go directly to 8.10. I have to

• Upgrade from 7.10 to 8.04 then
• Upgrade from 8.04 to 8.10

From 7.10 to 8.40, I just have to do the same steps as described in my previous post.

Now upgarding from 8.04 to 8.10, I have to do the following

Update Repository database

1. sudo aptitude update
2. sudo aptitude upgrade
3. sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Upgrade

1. Run: sudo aptitude install update-manager-core
2. Edit file /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades and set
   Prompt=normal
3. Run: sudo do-release-upgrade
4. Follow the instructions on-screen

The traditional 7-zip only works in Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista. Now there is a port of the command line version to Linux/Unix call p7zip.

Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu. It’s fairly easy

First you probably need to updated your repositories list (optional) with the following command

sudo apt-get update

Now install p7zip with the following command

sudo apt-get install p7zip-full

When you want to use a new version from the distro doesn’t mean you have to get rid of the existing version of you system and reinstall a fresh new one and you will have to run through installing all required packages/applications for your work. Simply just take the advantage of the upgrade facilities provided by Ubuntu distro.

At the time of writing, I am upgrading Ubuntu Server from version 7.04 to 7.10
First make sure, current system is most up to date.

Perform update with the following commands.

1. sudo aptitude update
2. sudo aptitude upgrade
3. sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

If you feel that there’s more updates to be done, just repeat the 3 steps until no more update availalbe.

You system is now ready to upgrade to the next version. Perform upgrade with the following commands.

1. sudo aptitude install update-manager-core
2. sudo do-release-upgrade

Enjoy :)