Check if package is installed in Ubuntu/Debian/Mint

To check if a package is installed on Ubuntu/Debian/Mint, do:

$: dpkg -s dkms

This will display information if dkms is installed.

Reference(s):
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/find-out-if-package-is-installed-in-linux/

Monodevelop does not start on Linux Mint 17

I have installed Monodevelop using Software Manager in Linux Mint 17. It seems like all went okay but nothing was working. It turns out that missing dependencies was the culprit. To fix it do the following:

$: sudo apt-get install mono-complete
$: sudo apt-get install gtk-sharp3

Reference(s):
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/25791149/monodevelop-will-not-start-in-mint-17

Cleanup or purge configuration files from packages

When removing packages, like sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-guest-utils, it may leave configuration files in the system. This can be verified by running dpkg -l | grep 'virtualbox' for example. If the first string shows rc (removed, configuration files present) then purging is necessary, like so:

$: sudo lshw -class memory

List installed package(s) in Debian based distro

Show installed package that has a string 'virtualbox'

$: dpkg -l | grep 'virtualbox'

Installing Linux Mint 12 on Virtualbox

Linux Mint 12 was released last 2011-11-12. The release made it to the top of the list in Distrowatch.com. Looking at the outside, Linux Mint 11 and Mint 12 are almost identical except for minor verbiage change.

Linux Mint 12 comes with the following major software:
kernel:  3.0.0-12-generic
X Org:  1.10.4
GNOME: 3.2.1
Firefox: 7.0.1

Below is my configuration of the guest machine:

General
Name: mint12
OS Type: Ubuntu

System
Base Memory: 1024 MB
Processor(s): 1
Execution Cap: 100%
Boot Order: Floppy, CD/DVD-ROM, Hard Disk
VT-x/AMD-V: Enabled
Nested Paging: Enabled

Display
Video Memory: 12 MB
3D Acceleration: Disabled
2D Video Acceleration: Disabled
Remote Desktop Server: Disabled

Storage
IDE Controller
  IDE Secondary Master (CD/DVD): Empty
SATA Controller
  SATA Port 0: mint12.vdi (Normal, 20.00 GB)

Audio
Host Driver: Windows DirectSound
Controller: ICH AC97

Network
Adapter 1: Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop (NAT)

Serial Ports
Disabled

USB
Device Filters:
0 (0 active)

Shared Folders
None


Note: I am using the default configuration except for the memory. I should have enabled 3D acceleration support and increase video memory. But I would like to compare how it compares with the older versions of Linux Mint.

Without too much ado, below are screencapture of Linux Mint 12 install at strategic points

 

Figure 1. Boot up screen

 

Figure 2. Live CD - ready to install to HD

 

Figure 3.  Select language of the installed system

 

Figure 4.  Preparing to install Linux Mint

 

Figure 5. Installation Type

 

Figure 6.  Drive to install Linux Mint

 

Figure 7. Time zone settings

 

Figure 8. Keyboard layout

 

Figure 9. Non-root user

 

Figure 10. Installation complete

 

Figure 11.  Login screen, looks nice

 

Figure 12. Linux Mint 12 desktop

For those familiar with VirtualBox and who have been following along on latest distributions will probably notice that I should have enabled 3D acceleration during the installation. This specially so for GNOME 3.x series window managers.

Enjoy!!!

Is it just me or GNOME 3 based distributions are getting buggy

Is it just me or GNOME 3 based distributions are getting buggy?

I have tried Ubuntu 11.10, Linux Mint 12, Fedora 15 (I should update to Fedora 16 soon), but I can't help but complain about the performance of this latest distributions virtualized using VirtualBox. Or is VirtualBox that's getting really buggy??? :(

Ubuntu 11.10 feels really slow, clicking on an application using Unity takes forever to bring up the applications main GUI (even gedit is slow). Linux Mint 12 while looks nice but also is problematic. Clicking on Mint Menu shows blank items ... and it only shows up the entries once I wiggle the mouse around. Picture speaks a thousand words, so see below.

Figure 1. Mint Menu shows blank on the left side :(

Another issue I have observed with Linux Mint 12 is that the menu gets out of sync. So like if select Internet it does not move focus to it. But the items to the right gets updated. Again, see below for a screen capture.

Figure 2. Menus are out of sync

Fedora 15 while useful but feels really slow. My host machine is a Core 2 Quad CPU clocking at 2.50 GHz. Yes, the guest is only allocated one core and 1GB of memory, but Linux should not need more than that. Or at least it should be comfortable to use it using that configuration.

Did we succumb to release schedule? Or is GNOME 3 is still in a state of influx? Or VirtualBox is getting really buggy?

Linux Mint 11 Installation Screen Capture tour

Linux Mint 11 (Katya) was released 2011-05-26. As usual it comes with all the goodies but this time user can download an ISO without all the codecs. Below shows version numbers of the major packages.


Release: Linux Mint 11
Code name: Katya
Linux: 2.6.38-8-generic
GNOME: 2.32.1
X.Org X Server 1.10.1

So here goes how the installation looks like.

Figure 1. Boot screen, looks really nice and clean

Figure 2. Linux Mint 11 Live CD desktop

Figure 3. Install to hard drive, select English as language

Figure 4. Preparing for installation

Figure 5. Allocate drive space

Figure 6. Erase disk and install Mint

Figure 7. Select time zone

Figure 8. Select keyboard layout

Figure 9. Create user

Figure 10. Install complete, ready to reboot

Figure 11. Login screen

Figure 12. Linux Mint 11 desktop

Linux Mint 10 screen capture tour

Linux Mint 10 (Julia) was released Nov 12, 2010 which feels like eons ago in Linux land. But hey I wanna play around with it before I jump to Linux Mint 11.

Overall feel is good, installation was uneventful. The interface is pretty clean and well structured. This is what I like best with Mint. Anyway, this is old news but would like to keep a log of how the installation screen looks like. Below are the screen captures.

Of course Linux distribution comes with thousands of utilities but I think the following are worth to mention:

Linux kernel: 2.6.35

GNOME: 2.32.0

X org: 1.9.0

~ts

Install LinuxMint 9 on VirtualBox

This is both a screen-shot tour and guest addition installation in Mint 9, GNOME edition. Installing Mint 9 (Isadora) is very easy. Easier than Windows 7 and please don't talk about installing Windows XP. Installing patches in Windows XP takes forever. Anyway, head to Mint 9 download site to grab Live CD (with GNOME DE).

Create a VirtualBox guest machine for Linux Mint 9, see below for my configuration:

General
 Name: mint9
 OS Type: Ubuntu
 
System
 Base Memory: 512 MB
 Processor(s): 1
 Boot Order: CD/DVD-ROM, Hard Disk
 VT-x/AMD-V: Enabled
 Nested Paging: Enabled

Display 
 Video Memory: 64 MB
 3D Acceleration: Disabled
 2D Video Acceleration: Disabled
 Remote Display Server: Disabled

Storage
 Storage Controller
  IDE Secondary Master (CD/DVD):
   Empty
  Storage Controller 1
   SATA Port 0: mint9.vdi (Normal, 80.00 GB)
Audio
 Host Driver: Windows DirectSound
 Controller: ICH AC97

Network
 Adapter 1: Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop (Bridged adapter, Microsoft Loopback Adapter)
 
Serial Ports
 Disabled

USB
 Device Filters: 0 (0 active)

Now power up VirtualBox guest machine and mount Linux Mint 9 ISO.

Figure 1. Mint 9 LiveCD, double click on "Install Linux Mint" icon located on the desktop to start installation.

Figure 2. Select appropriate language.

Figure 3. Select correct time zone.

Figure 4. Select keyboard layout. You can take the suggested layout or let the installer guess the keymap or you manually select it.

Figure 5. Since this is a virtual machine, I personally feel like partition layout is not a big deal so I would continue with the default values.

Figure 6. In this screen, supply user account information. Note that you can also configure this user to automatically login to the desktop environment.

Figure 7. Now we are ready to rock n roll. Click on install.

Figure 8. Install complete!!! That was easy.

Figure 9. Here is how the login looks like.

Figure 10. Welcome to Mint 9!!!

Figure 11. And here is the much talked about Mint Menu.

Next would be install VirtualBox guest additions to make it to run faster, dynamically resize guest window, shared folders, etc.

From VirtualBox GUI, select Devices | Install Guest Additions... This will virtually insert the ISO into the CD/DVD. To mount it the GUI way in Mint, do hit on Menu | Computer. Then double click on the CD/DVD. Then drop to GNOME Terminal (Menu | Terminal ) and follow the following instructions.

$ cd /media
$ cd VBOXADDITIONS_3.2.0_61806/
$ sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run
$ sudo eject
$ sudo reboot

There you go!!! Enjoy...

~ts