Lubuntu install guide

So I guess if you're reading this I should first congratulate you for not being in denial about the future of PowerPC hardware.  You have obviously decided that your Mac's security and capability in the modern world is more important than your attachment to Apple OS.  In all sincerity I congratulate you on this because it’s a big step for most.

In my mind Lubuntu is both the best version for newbies along with one of the best for seasoned users that like minimal performance geared packages.  This is my perspective at least but I encourage everyone to seek out all that interests them in the PowerPC open source world.  As I have written in all my other Lubuntu related content it’s very easy to install but there are a few default events that don’t work as intended in the PowerPC build.

Before we start just remember that if you’re new to Linux you shouldn’t expect things to be perfectly smooth the first time.  You need to look at any issues that come up as a learning experience rather than getting frustrated and running back to an OS X only world.  The methods I explain work perfectly for me but they have all been acquired on PowerMac installs so your mileage may vary on other systems.  Any issues you have that are not covered here should be noted so I and/or others can help you figure things out.




Step 1 – Downloading and prepping the ISO

If you don’t already have it then you first need to download the Lubuntu 12.04 Live Desktop ISO found here.  Once you have it you will need a blank CD or DVD to burn the ISO to for installation.  You can also boot from USB via a thumb drive or other USB storage devices by following the instructions found here.  I do not recommend this method as it is not always reliable enough to get a full install done.  If you really have no blank optical disks and don’t want to buy any then USB is your remaining option.

This guide is built to assist those that are not yet comfortable with Linux installations so I have written everything with the live desktop image in mind.  For those that know Linux on a higher level the Debian installer based 'Alternate' ISO is a quicker more direct way of getting it on your system.  You can download the alt image here.  This is not recommended for newbies or anyone going in with any level of discomfort.  
 
The steps to burn the ISO to a CD/DVD are extremely simple.  Once the ISO is downloaded simply launch Disk Utility in Mac OS.  At the top click the burn button and then navigate to where you downloaded Lubuntu.  Select it and your burn speed and wait a few min for it to finish.  You may as well just leave the disk in the machine since you need to boot from it unless you want to label it first.

Now you have a bootable copy to install with.  You are now ready to do the deed so lets get on to the install.


Step 2 – Installation

Restart your Mac and hold down C on the keyboard to boot from the Lubuntu disc you just burned or by using the USB boot methods mentioned above.  You will be presented with a black screen that contains the yaboot info.  Just watch the show and don’t do anything till the GUI comes up.  You can hit enter or type 'live' followed by enter at the yaboot screen if you wish to shave off a few seconds, but this gives the same result as just waiting.  After the black screen you will see a white one which is initiating the video driver which will go black again for a second and then white again followed by a black Lubuntu screen with progress dots underneath.  After this you will see the Lubuntu desktop.  I am explaining everything that happens at boot because it will seem alien to some so I am giving you a heads up of a normal CD boot procedure.  If you have video issues then reboot the CD and at the yaboot screen type 'live video=ofonly' followed by enter.  

If you still have video issues and have a Radeon GPU use this command at the Yaboot screen:

live video=radeonfb:1024x768-32@60

Change the 1024x768 to your screens default res if it is not that.  32 refers to the colour depth and 60 refers to the screen refresh rate.  For best results confirm what all these are for the display in question.

If you have an Nvidia GPU you will need the Alt. Install image I mention in step 2.  Here is the alt install and here are the configuration instructions for after the install.

For those with ATI Rage 128 GPU you need to follow the instructions found here.

Once you’re at the GUI you can try it out for a bit before you install but keep in mind that the performance off the CD/DVD in no way reflects how it will run on your hard drive. When ready double click the Install Lubuntu icon in the top left.

First you will be asked to select your language then click continue.  This will be followed by the Install prep. panel which will tell you if you have an active internet connection.  If your internet is working then I highly recommend selecting ‘Download updates while installing’ because it will save you a lot of time post-install.  I also recommend you select to install the Fluendo audio codecs for the best possible audio experience.  Click continue.

Now you will see the install options window where you have the option to erase other OS and replace with Lubuntu or a simple erase and install if no other OS is present on the drive.  Below this you will see a ‘Something else” option which is what dual boot on one drive people will need.  Click continue.

In the next window select your Linux partition from the pull down and click ‘Install now’.  Installation continues.  Select your location when prompted soon after.  This helps with finding the closest mirrors for downloading updates or new packages along with keeping your time set properly.  Click continue.

Next you will be prompted to select your preferred keyboard layout.  The detect button in the bottom left never works so just ignore it.  Select your KB language on the left and the layout on the right.  It’s best to choose a Macintosh layout if you have an Apple KB so it puts all or at least most of the keys to their proper use.

The next step will be choosing your user name and password.  You also choose if you want auto login or not at this stage.  Click continue.  All you can really do now is watch the slideshow while it finishes up.  This is good to watch for Linux newbies or even people that are only new to Lubuntu.  It shows you several of the apps included in the package as well as a popular and supported alternative along with a lot of good basic info about Lubuntu.

When the installer is all done you will be prompted to restart.


Step 3 – The first hard drive boot and installing updates

If you chose to require a login at startup simply enter your pass and press enter.  There is a pull down at the bottom which also allows you to boot into ‘Lubuntu Netbook’ or ‘Openbox’.  The default will just say Lubuntu which boots into LXDE.  The Lubuntu Netbook is a sort of lighter weight variant on the Ubuntu Unity user interface  and I don’t recommend it.  Openbox is a lot less user friendly and usable out of the box so I recommend most stick to LXDE while they acclimatize themselves to Linux.  I will write an Openbox setup guide that is Lubuntu based in the near future.  No point in making you drink from the fire hose while still absorbing new things.

Once you have logged into LXDE allow Update Manager to do it’s default thing and look for updates before you do anything.  Do not, I repeat, do not use Update Manager to install anything.  I have never seen it perform properly with any of the Ubuntu PowerPC builds.  Same goes with the Lubuntu Software Centre.  Close UM and go to the System Tools menu to open Synaptic Package Manager.  Synaptic will be your best friend in regard to all updates as well as finding new apps/packages.  It’s the only app you need for all these things and it works close to perfect on PowerPC Ubuntu builds.

Once you have Synaptic open I recommend reading the intro that pops up because it explains a lot of the basics of what Synaptic does and how to do them.  After you get rid of the intro you need to locate the stack of buttons in the bottom left of the main window.  Select the ‘Status' button and then in the sidebar directly above select ‘Installed (upgradeable)’.  Now click the ‘Mark all updates’ button at the top followed by clicking Mark in the window which opens after this.  Now click the ‘Apply’ button at the top followed by clicking Apply again on the popup.  If there are any package errors while installing Synaptic will let you know.  I get errors on occasion but they are all archive related which means that they sometimes become corrupted while downloading or installing.

Anytime you have an error there is a simple fix that is often one task but never more than two.  If it’s a simple broken dependency then this can be dealt with in Synaptic by using the broken filter to find it.  Sometimes you need to be more thorough by launching the LXTerminal in the accessories menu.  Type the following commands:

sudo apt-get clean

You will then be asked for your pass which will not look like you’re typing just like the Mac Terminal.  Press enter then type:

sudo  apt-get update

Allow it to finish to 100% before closing the terminal.  These same terminal commands can be used anytime you have an error with any update so write them down for future use if you cannot remember them.

After this you should logout and back in.  Launch Synaptic again and install whatever updates may be left that came after the error.  When those are done click close and you’re all up to date.


Step 4 – Customizing things to your needs

This is where it becomes all about your personal preferences and needs.  A good first step is to get to know the LXDE menu well and what is available to you in the default package.  This will help you better figure out what you need to add to your install to accomplish all you need.

Anything else you want to add can be done with Synaptic.  Simply launch it and click search.  This is where it gets confusing for some people because with certain searches you will get a lot of results with a lot of what seems unrelated stuff.  The easiest way is if you searched an app name to find the one that matches it in name.  Then double click it to select it and all the directly related packages.  Many things contain screenshots you can quickly download and view in the lower pane for a better idea of what you have found.  If you searched for a technology or driver then you will simply need to read the descriptions.  Once you get used to Synaptic it will be very easy to use but at first it can seem a bit confusing.  Be patient with your learning.

Sylpheed is the included mail app and it’s really not all that different from Apple Mail in layout and function.  If you prefer something like Thunderbird there is a modern updated version available in Synaptic.

The default browser in the PowerPC version of Lubuntu is Firefox rather than Chromium like the x86 version.  This is why there is a red circle with a slash through it down by the LXDE menu in the LXPanel.  Right click directly on the red circle and click 'Application Launchbar settings'.  This screenshot shows what to select followed by clicking remove.  You can also use this panel to add any apps you want to the launch bar.  The good news on the browser front is that after updating Firefox is at version 16.01 right now.  In my opinion FF is the best browser anyway because of how customizable it is.

If you’re happy with Abiword and Gnumeric for office related content then you’re already set but I prefer the LibreOffice suite.  I honestly find it just as productive as my MS Office 2004 suite on Mac.

A list of what I add through Synaptic:

• Kupfer – app launcher
• VLC
• LibreOffice
• GIMP – image editor
• MiniTube - MacTubes-like youtube player/downloader
• Shutter – screenshot utility
• Netatalk - greatest tool yet for Mac OS/Linux networks
• smbfs – SMB compatability and integration files
• Samba – file and print server

I know there are more but that’s the meat of what extra I need to add to have a fully capable system.  Lubuntu's LXDE comes very well equipped out of the box but there will certainly be things you need to add as needs come up that cannot currently be met with the included collection.

To help give you an idea of how things look:
Default look - My preferred look

I prefer to keep the LXPanel at the bottom hidden much like the OS X dock and use Kupfer in the same way as Quicksilver to launch everything.  Play around with the LXPanel settings, add your own wallpapers and just experiment with settings.  Learn what suits you if you don't already know.



One button mouse?  No problem

The default right click activation key is F12 and F11 for middle click.  

Since the time this guide was written I have made a new post explaining how to make the control key activate right click just like Mac OS.   It also goes into detail about changing middle click.  

The second part of the post gives greater detail on finding apps, installing along with updating the OS and apps.

Loose ends

 


Common issues

The most common issue people have is their airport card doesn't work out of the box and some also have sound issues.  I don't use wifi at all or own any airport cards so I cannot directly support this issue because I cannot recreate it.  My sound always works perfectly out of the box on Sawtooth and B&W G3 systems.  Those are the "Screamer" and "Burgundy" sound controllers respectively.  Some PowerBook and iBook users have also said there is no battery indicator by default.

The links below in my closing comments contain this info also but I will point you directly to the help for these three common issues.  

Wifi
Sound
Battery Indicator



Closing comments

This guide was written in my spare time over just a few days but there will be things that come up over time along with things I think to add to this.  The point is that there will be many revisions of this guide so keep checking back. 

I also want to hear any issues along with successes as well.  This will help me revise the info to suit more hardware because at this point all my Lubuntu experience is on two Sawtooth and a G4 upgraded B&W G3.  If you let me and others that come here know what is wrong then we can all work together to figure things out.  Also check the Ubuntu PowerPC FAQ and Known Issues pages for more info on issues and compatibility.

If anyone feels there is important info omitted here please let me know and I will add it.

Happy Linuxing!  Thats a word right?