ALL2EZ

I’ll probably back up my Firefox extensions and profile if I ever have to reinstall, but in case I forget, here’s a snapshot of the add-ons I use:

Firefox Extensions

Update: I also installed the FEBE and CLEO extensions to make backing up these add-ons easy.

Unlike the Windows and OS X counterparts, the Ubuntu menus are completely customizable. I like to go in and add some things that are hidden by default and maybe take out a few things that I’ll never use. Like it’s predecessors, Hardy Heron makes this painfully easy. I just right click on the Applications menu and choose edit menus. This brings up all of the menu possibilities in a kind of tree view where I can check or uncheck items as I see fit.

To further test the results of my last post about auto-mounting a hard drive partition in Ubuntu Linux, I’m going to add a guest user named ‘friend’ and see if it has access to the drive.

I’m gonna do it the graphical way:

System > Administration > Users and Groups : Unlock : Add User

I’m just leaving the default privileges and then logging in with the username ‘friend’. As planned, clicking on the /s folder tells me I don’t have permission to open it.

Unfortunately, though, I’ve stumbled upon a BIG problem. Switching between users is almost totally broken. Either the trackpad dies and becomes completely unresponsive, or the screen goes totally black. This happens when I use the ‘Switch User’ option or the ‘Log Off’ option. After attempting to switch users, my only recourse is to completely reboot. Luckily, almost no one else ever uses the computer, so fixing this isn’t a priority. After I get the things I do use working, I’ll revisit this problem.

UPDATE: I did some research and the only thing remotely helpful with that problem was a post on the Ubuntu Forums. I can use the ‘Lock Screen’ and then hit the ‘Switch User’ button that shows on the login box to get in as a different user. This seems to work a couple times back and forth before things go bad. This really sucks, but as I mentioned before, it’s not a priority for me.

UPDATE: As I realized that I need to log off and log back in frequently, this problem has been driving me crazy to the point that I decided to reinstall. My initial test before installing anything (except synergy and the wifi driver) results in no issues with logging in and out and having different users switch back and forth. I’m going to be testing this after each step in my setup, so that if the problem recurs, I might have some idea what causes it.

I’ve decided to put off the bluetooth bs for now. Instead I’m going to install Innotek VirtualBox and restore my backed up XP virtual machine (vm) so I can some play poker on Full Tilt (all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy).

I’m going to follow the guide at Ubuntu Geek because they have the most recent tutorial I could find (posted about 18 days ago). Since I’ll probably want to check for updated instructions if I have to do this again, I’ll just link to it rather than repost their directions.

Note: I am somewhat surprised (but not shocked) to see that Virtual Box now belongs to Sun. If I remember, I’ll look into the details of the acquisition later.

Before reinstalling Ubuntu, I backed up the .VirtualBox directory from my home folder. To restore my vm’s, I’m copying the vdi file (which contains the vm) from my backup drive into the .VirtualBox folder that was just created automatically by the program. I’ve never tried this before, but some people here said it would work, so I’ll give it a go.

At the main VirtualBox screen, I click New and follow the directions on the screen (there is an option to select my existing vdi file).

Ok, apparently this doesn’t work. Launching the vm gives me a blue screen, so I disable all of the hardware options, and get a message about a critical error. I guess I get two F’s for the day. I’m frustrated so I’ll be putting this one off until further notice.

I hate to do it (again), but I’m gonna give the Ubuntu setup a rest and just go play cards on my Vista machine. Maybe someday everybody will make a Linux version of their software and I won’t have to do this anymore!