Comments on: Distro Review: Linux Mint 7 Gloria http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/ Linux News, Reviews, Tips and Rambling :) Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:41:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dan http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-2/#comment-3472 Dan Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:53:31 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3472 @Deepak - That sounds very odd. There must be something going on between Totem/Rhythmbox and the sound layer, ALSA, OSS or perhaps Pulse Audio which sits on top. I would look at the players that work and compare their sound settings with the ones that don't work. See what differences you can find. That might uncover the cause. Beyond that I would advise asking on a big Linux forum like the Ubuntu Forums where know more. I don't think there's much else I can personally do right now. Good luck, hope you track the bug down! @Deepak – That sounds very odd. There must be something going on between Totem/Rhythmbox and the sound layer, ALSA, OSS or perhaps Pulse Audio which sits on top. I would look at the players that work and compare their sound settings with the ones that don’t work. See what differences you can find. That might uncover the cause. Beyond that I would advise asking on a big Linux forum like the Ubuntu Forums where know more. I don’t think there’s much else I can personally do right now. Good luck, hope you track the bug down!

]]> By: Deepak http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-2/#comment-3471 Deepak Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:08:39 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3471 Yes i tried all those basic things like checking the volume of the player and also checking the preferences/properties for sound, but am afraid everything looks fine. But one thing solved it, i I didn't try any other player other than rhythmbox and totem player which also didn't give any output. But after you told me i tried all the players and actually its playing perfectly fine in all of them though interestingly the problem persists still in the those two players i mentioned above. I would still like to know what would be the reason, and i have maxed the volume bars on the respective players too but still no use. Thanks for the reply! Yes i tried all those basic things like checking the volume of the player and also checking the preferences/properties for sound, but am afraid everything looks fine. But one thing solved it, i I didn’t try any other player other than rhythmbox and totem player which also didn’t give any output. But after you told me i tried all the players and actually its playing perfectly fine in all of them though interestingly the problem persists still in the those two players i mentioned above. I would still like to know what would be the reason, and i have maxed the volume bars on the respective players too but still no use. Thanks for the reply!

]]> By: Dan http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-2/#comment-3448 Dan Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:00:53 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3448 @deepak - That's weird. So sound is working on the system but for some reason the media player isn't sending it through. What media player are you using? Check that the volume on the player is up and it's not muted. Have you checked the settings in Pulse Audio as well to make sure it's not muted there? Just some things to try at first. Also have a look at a few different applications and see if that makes any difference. It might help track down where the problem is. Good luck! @deepak – That’s weird. So sound is working on the system but for some reason the media player isn’t sending it through. What media player are you using? Check that the volume on the player is up and it’s not muted. Have you checked the settings in Pulse Audio as well to make sure it’s not muted there? Just some things to try at first. Also have a look at a few different applications and see if that makes any difference. It might help track down where the problem is. Good luck!

]]> By: Deepak http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3445 Deepak Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:36:39 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3445 Hi Dan, I am back this time with another sound issue, but with Helena now :p I am able to hear every sound, the pings on my messengers and other sounds work perfectly fine, but i hear nothing when i play any music file though the scroll bar shows it is! I tried the alsamixer, but didn't work this time. :( Hi Dan,
I am back this time with another sound issue, but with Helena now :p I am able to hear every sound, the pings on my messengers and other sounds work perfectly fine, but i hear nothing when i play any music file though the scroll bar shows it is! I tried the alsamixer, but didn’t work this time. :(

]]> By: Dan http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3191 Dan Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:11:41 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3191 @max - I'm testing Mint 8 myself at the moment and it's really well made I agree. I've been a fan of Mint since version 4, before that it we finding it's feet a bit I felt. It's rocked hard since 2007. I think it's still the easiest distro for anyone to learn Linux with :) @max – I’m testing Mint 8 myself at the moment and it’s really well made I agree. I’ve been a fan of Mint since version 4, before that it we finding it’s feet a bit I felt. It’s rocked hard since 2007. I think it’s still the easiest distro for anyone to learn Linux with :)

]]> By: Maxwell http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3190 Maxwell Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:34:30 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3190 I started out with a Ubuntu 9.04 Live CD that was delivered to me for FREE here in Nairobi, KENYA -- within 1 week. Amazing. That installed very well on my Toshiba L305-S5944 lappie -- everything was detected perfectly. I did the software upgrade to Karmic Koala without any problems. But I had a teenie issue with Gnome-panel applet because I was mucking around and so I couldn't get back to using my desktop. Then I heard about Linux Mint, read the plethora of reviews and happily installed the new release, Helena version 8. All I can say is WOW!!! Mint is the freaking sh!t -- period. My hats off to the Ubuntu team & Debian pioneers for making such a world class Operating System. I think 2010 is going to be the year of Desktop Linux. Already, Linux Mint 8 X64 is out and the reviews are very positive. I see Mint as taking Ubuntu and cleaning up a few warts here and THERE. Oh, I ran XP-SP2 in VirtualBox under Ubuntu and the speed was so fast. My setup is a 250 GB HD, 2.16 GHz Intel Duo Core, 2GB RAM, WIFI, etc. XP simply flew and then I showed it to lots of peeps down here in Nairobi -- and they LIKED it a lot. Suffice to say that I'm now sloowly installing Linux Mint 8 on laptops and desktops because people are fed up with antivirus and spyware apps hogging their Windows memory plus all those USB flash drive viruses/worms/trojans. As we speak, I'm writing this comment on the laptop of a CEO from a company down here. Her specs are: Toshiba Portege A600-135, Core 2 Duo U930 @ 1.20GHz, 250 GB HD, 2 GB RAM, Webcam, WIFI, Bluetooth, Finger Print reader, SD Card reader, etc. The only thing it probably doesn't detect is the stupid finger print scanner/reader. Big deal! I'm freaking amazed that it has the bluetooth icon showing that it's turned on but no devices are in sight. It simply saw the WIFI connection and then I added the WEP key --- connected to the Net with no problems. Then I browsed her Windows Vista partition and opened some of her Powerpoint presentions in Open Office 3.0 just to show her that she's not losing out on anything from Windoze. I showed her RythimBox, Gimp, F_Spot, FireFox (with FLash already woriking out of the box), Open Office Spreadsheet, Writer and some other goodies -- all ran crisp and looked great on her 1200 X 800 screen. And this is just a LiveUSB demo. I want her to get rid of X-Pee from her office PCs and this demo gave her something to think while she breaks for XMas. To conclude, Linux Mint has arrived and it deserves all the praises because its creators went the EXTRA mile to make everything run PERFECTLY out of the box. Oh, those Huawei USB 3G/EV-DO modems are automatically detected by Linux Mint (and Ubuntu too). Simply amazing. If I attach my Nokia 6070 EDGE celly to my laptop using a CA42 cable, Mint already sees it and I just have to enter the APN, user name/password for my mobile operator. Wicked!!! On Windoze, I have to bloody download a 35 Meg Nokia PC Suite just to connect to the Net. Eeew! I simply don't know what the Mint guys can do for version 9. Right now, version 8 (Helena) is as GOOD AS IT GETS. And I simply haven't felt the need to install VirtualBox on my lappie. I'm just waiting to find out if Ext4 is ready for prime time and then I'll switch from Ext3 file system. Cheers!! - Max (aka Max "The IT pro") I started out with a Ubuntu 9.04 Live CD that was delivered to me for FREE here in Nairobi, KENYA — within 1 week. Amazing. That installed very well on my Toshiba L305-S5944 lappie — everything was detected perfectly. I did the software upgrade to Karmic Koala without any problems. But I had a teenie issue with Gnome-panel applet because I was mucking around and so I couldn’t get back to using my desktop. Then I heard about Linux Mint, read the plethora of reviews and happily installed the new release, Helena version 8.

All I can say is WOW!!! Mint is the freaking sh!t — period. My hats off to the Ubuntu team & Debian pioneers for making such a world class Operating System. I think 2010 is going to be the year of Desktop Linux. Already, Linux Mint 8 X64 is out and the reviews are very positive. I see Mint as taking Ubuntu and cleaning up a few warts here and THERE. Oh, I ran XP-SP2 in VirtualBox under Ubuntu and the speed was so fast. My setup is a 250 GB HD, 2.16 GHz Intel Duo Core, 2GB RAM, WIFI, etc. XP simply flew and then I showed it to lots of peeps down here in Nairobi — and they LIKED it a lot. Suffice to say that I’m now sloowly installing Linux Mint 8 on laptops and desktops because people are fed up with antivirus and spyware apps hogging their Windows memory plus all those USB flash drive viruses/worms/trojans.

As we speak, I’m writing this comment on the laptop of a CEO from a company down here. Her specs are: Toshiba Portege A600-135, Core 2 Duo U930 @ 1.20GHz, 250 GB HD, 2 GB RAM, Webcam, WIFI, Bluetooth, Finger Print reader, SD Card reader, etc. The only thing it probably doesn’t detect is the stupid finger print scanner/reader. Big deal! I’m freaking amazed that it has the bluetooth icon showing that it’s turned on but no devices are in sight. It simply saw the WIFI connection and then I added the WEP key — connected to the Net with no problems. Then I browsed her Windows Vista partition and opened some of her Powerpoint presentions in Open Office 3.0 just to show her that she’s not losing out on anything from Windoze. I showed her RythimBox, Gimp, F_Spot, FireFox (with FLash already woriking out of the box), Open Office Spreadsheet, Writer and some other goodies — all ran crisp and looked great on her 1200 X 800 screen. And this is just a LiveUSB demo. I want her to get rid of X-Pee from her office PCs and this demo gave her something to think while she breaks for XMas.

To conclude, Linux Mint has arrived and it deserves all the praises because its creators went the EXTRA mile to make everything run PERFECTLY out of the box. Oh, those Huawei USB 3G/EV-DO modems are automatically detected by Linux Mint (and Ubuntu too). Simply amazing. If I attach my Nokia 6070 EDGE celly to my laptop using a CA42 cable, Mint already sees it and I just have to enter the APN, user name/password for my mobile operator. Wicked!!! On Windoze, I have to bloody download a 35 Meg Nokia PC Suite just to connect to the Net. Eeew!

I simply don’t know what the Mint guys can do for version 9. Right now, version 8 (Helena) is as GOOD AS IT GETS. And I simply haven’t felt the need to install VirtualBox on my lappie. I’m just waiting to find out if Ext4 is ready for prime time and then I’ll switch from Ext3 file system.

Cheers!!

- Max (aka Max “The IT pro”)

]]> By: Manny http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3059 Manny Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:31:47 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3059 Hi Dan, Thanks for the quick reply and info. Hi Dan,

Thanks for the quick reply and info.

]]> By: Dan http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3049 Dan Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:11:17 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3049 @Manny - I don't think there is no. Mint isn't just Ubuntu with extra repos it's a lot more. So you can't just add the Mint repositories and change the packages, it would need a fresh install. I've never heard anyone say different. It might be possible they could make a migration tool but I don't think anyone has to date. I would recommend doing a fresh install. Back up your data and you can copy some application settings over with the hidden folders in your home directory. Have a look at this article for a bit of advice on that - <a href="http://www.mygnulinux.com/?p=178" rel="nofollow">http://www.mygnulinux.com/?p=178</a> @Manny – I don’t think there is no. Mint isn’t just Ubuntu with extra repos it’s a lot more. So you can’t just add the Mint repositories and change the packages, it would need a fresh install. I’ve never heard anyone say different. It might be possible they could make a migration tool but I don’t think anyone has to date. I would recommend doing a fresh install. Back up your data and you can copy some application settings over with the hidden folders in your home directory. Have a look at this article for a bit of advice on that – http://www.mygnulinux.com/?p=178

]]> By: Manny http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3044 Manny Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:47:50 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3044 Hi Dan, Is there a way to change Ubuntu into Linux Mint, without having to do a fresh install? Hi Dan,

Is there a way to change Ubuntu into Linux Mint, without having to do a fresh install?

]]> By: Dan http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/06/mint7/comment-page-1/#comment-3018 Dan Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:59:18 +0000 http://danlynch.org/blog/?p=1001#comment-3018 @Deepak - Glad your sound issues are fixed :) For the log off problem you'd be best asking on a proper forum (this is a blog really) where more people can help. Try the ones I mentioned before and also try the <a href="http://linuxoutlaws.com/forums" rel="nofollow">Linux Outlaws forums</a> from our podcast. We have some good people in there. Good luck with it. @Deepak – Glad your sound issues are fixed :) For the log off problem you’d be best asking on a proper forum (this is a blog really) where more people can help. Try the ones I mentioned before and also try the Linux Outlaws forums from our podcast. We have some good people in there. Good luck with it.

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