Installing Lucid Lynx

For what its worth, Lucid Lynx didn’t generate positive initial buzz, and for the first time since Ubuntu 5.04, I didn’t download and install latest version of Ubuntu. I had read comments that there are problems with latest version (that too LTS – Long Term support) of Ubuntu, so I decided to hold back.

Then couple days ago, I got hold of an ISO someone had downloaded, and installed successfully. (They came to me asking about why ssh wouldn’t work for them – As you might already know, Desktop edition doesn’t ship ssh server by default. It was matter of minutes to download ssh via apt-get, and they were up and running – and now to your regularly scheduled program) So I decided to give it a shot. Soon I realized, my decision to hold off was correct.

Attempt to boot from LiveCD

First of all, it took really long time for LiveCD to boot. I mean it did show the GUI splash screen quite quickly, but then for a really long time, it kept showing Ubuntu, and a progress bar (as dots/circles) None of the terminals were accessible via Alt+Fn.

Unable to recognize the existing Partitions

When it did boot, it was unable to recognize the partition table. Further troubleshooting showed that “Disk Utility” program under System->Administrator was able to read the partition table correctly, and identified the partitions correctly, but GParted (and embedded Partition Manager for the installer) could not. They showed entire disk as available. But a picture is worth a thousand words. See this image (I’ve not captured this, several others are facing the same problem) .

To be fair, this issue is well documented in Release notes here. But it still doesn’t change the fact that there was no way to preserve existing partitions and install Lucid on existing empty partition.

Some link of the internet asked to uninstall “dmraid” package, but it didn’t help. I didn’t have RAID anyway.
Next, back to the person who had successfully installed it from the same ISO. Turns out he installed it via Wubi. So I decided to try that.

Wubi woes

Now I ran into “permission denied” issue. After copying the files in target folder from CD, it would exit. Unhiding AppData folder didn’t help. Finally I downloaded wubi.exe, and copied an ISO and Wubi.exe in same newly created empty folder. This seemed to have worked – but make sure that if you want Wubi to use local ISO – Disable the internet or better still, remove the ethernet cable (as I did) else Wubi will go out and try to download the entire image before it starts installing.

This time it went much further – installed Ubntu successfully (or so I thought) and provided me a choice to reboot now, or later. After I reboot, I selected Ubuntu from Windows Boot loader list. It “continued” the installation, but at he stage where it gets time from network time server, it was stuck in a loop “No root partition defined” there were no option other than OK. Interestingly, the installation progress bar showed 272% (Yes more than 100%)

Finally … Success (sort of)

Luckily I didn’t have a precious data, and machine was my secondary machine, so I could afford to repartition the entire disk. That is what I did. I already had brand new ISO, This time I booted from USB drive, so that I didn’t have to worry about bad CD. I selected to repartition the disk from the Lucid Installer. Rest of the install went very smooth.

Conclusion

It is really sad that all three issues (permission denied, unable to recognize partition table, and no root partition defined) are widely reported. Only the first one (permission denied) has a work around that worked.

Image courtesy : jeffpro57

I can’t take it anymo….

I was wide awake when I heard the above words around midnight yesterday (it was 21 minutes past midnight to be precise)

For a while I didn’t realize what is going on, or who is saying this … Then I realized that it was my cell phone saying this. (No, I wasn’t hallucinating.) Recently I bought  a Nokia 5800 xPressMusic phone.  I downloaded this software called “Green Charging Save Energy“.

The Description reads :

Green Charging is an application that will assist you in saving power and hence, assists in curbing Global Warming. This unique application will be useful when the user will charge his/ her phone. The application will notify the user (with sound effects) when the battery is fully charged. Green charging will also share other important information like the battery status, stand by time and talk-time (in %). Why Green Charging? Saves Money Prevents Global Warming For a Greener Planet

So what had happened was that battery meter on my cell phone was showing only single bar since the morning. Thanks to this application, I knew that even if the indicator said low battery, it would definitely last me the entire day (and it did). So finally when I was about to sleep, I hooked the cell phone to the charger. Generally I turn it off just when I am about to fall asleep, but yesterday I forgot. So after say about an hour or so, the battery was fully charged, and I was told “with the sound effects” that I need to turn off the charger.

Here are some of my views of the whole thing:

• I think it is a great application. Even if I am not convinced if leaving the charger ON even when phone is not connected, consumes/wastes electricity, I think it is generally great idea, not to overcharge the cellphone battery.
• It is said that one should charge the battery only after it is fully (or near fully) drained. This helps prolong the battery life, and avoid “memory effect“.  The app is very useful is helping me decide whether I really need to charge the battery immediately or can I wait.
• While “I can’t take it anymo…” has a dramatic effect, it may not be appropriate sound effect for all the cases. There isn’t any obvious way to turn off the sound effects or to change it to something less dramatic. (Is someone from Impetus Infotech listening ? )

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How To : Turn off Email Notifications in Outlook

When I moved from manager’s role to that of Technical contributor, I realized that for Individual contributor, getting a continuous span of undisturbed time is very important to get something worth while done. At times like this, email notifications can be distraction that needs to be turned off.

Most of us are conditioned to respond to (or at least read) every email sent you immediately. But over a period of time, you realize the not every email needs immediate attention. While communication is important, the method need not always be email. If something is really time critical, (I have observed that) people you reach you by other means as well (apart from the email they sent you) Other emails are important by not time critical.

Default settings in outlook are to notify you (in multiple ways) of new email in your inbox. But do not need to know about each and every single email the instance it reaches your inbox. You can turn off these distractions by turning off the email notifications completely. But it is hidden very well by Microsoft

To turn off these notifications, navigate to the following location:

Tools->Options->Preferences->Email Options->Advanced Email Options

Now you will see screen similar to the one below. Uncheck all these check boxes.

While the above screen shot (and the location to reach this option) is taken from Outlook 2007, Options for other versions of outlook shouldn’t be very different.

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