Installing Firefox 4 on Ubuntu...

1) Adding ppa to repositories

    $ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

2) Update repository

    $ sudo apt-get update

3) Reinstall package to latest version

    $ sudo apt-get --reinstall install firefox

Note:
Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 32-bit and Linux Mint 10 64-bit.

Customizing plymouth login screen background, fonts and gtk...

1) Open terminal, copy and paste the following command.

    $ sudo cp /usr/share/applications/gnome-appearance-properties.desktop /usr/share/gdm/autostart/LoginWindow

2) Close terminal and log out. Once at login screen you'll see an Appearance pop up. Make your changes and log in.

3) Now to disable Appearance pop up from login screen. Open terminal, copy and paste the following command.

    $ sudo unlink /usr/share/gdm/autostart/LoginWindow/gnome-appearance-properties.desktop

Note :
Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 and Linux Mint 10.

Huawei modem undetected on Ubuntu 10.04...

Scenario:
Plug-in modem, Ubuntu detect it as data storage only instead of modem. Only happen on Ubuntu 32bit, working as expected on 64-bit version.

Solution:
Install usb-modeswitch package.

    $ sudo apt-get install usb-modeswitch

Note:
Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 32-bit Desktop and Netbook Edition.

Installing VMware Player 3.1.1 on Ubuntu 10.04...

Screenshots...

1) Install build-essential and linux-headers (for my case I skip this step because I had these two packages installed before)

$ sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-`uname -r`

2) Change the installer mode

$ chmod +x ./VMware-Player-3.1.1-282343.x86_64.bundle

3) Execute the installer

$ gksudo bash ./VMware-Player-3.1.1-282343.x86_64.bundle

When popup appear, click Install.

Note:
Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx and Linux Mint 10 64-bit.

Update (20/11/2010)
Command to uninstall.

sudo bash vmware-installer -u vmware-player

Update (01/03/2011)
Tested VMWare Player 3.1.3 on Linux Mint 10 64-bit

Installing latest ATI display driver on Ubuntu...

Before start, please uninstall the previous version driver if there's any because the installer doesn't have the capability to auto uninstall. Otherwise proceed to installation step.

To uninstall, open terminal and run this command:

$ cd /usr/share/ati
    $ sudo sh ./fglrx-uninstall.sh

Then restart your machine.

To install, open terminal, go to the installer location and run this command:

$ sudo sh ./ati-driver-installer-.run

Follow the instruction. Once completed run this command:

$ sudo /usr/bin/aticonfig --initial

Restart your machine.

Note:
I did the installation process in "recovery mode". That's the only way the correct driver will get install. Otherwise it'll use the previous existing driver (sucks!!!).

Honestly, I hate ATI graphic card. The only reason I'm using it is because I urgently need a laptop and Dell doesn't have an option other than Mobility Radeon HD 4xxx series for it Studio XPS product line.

It's a shame that my ATI card with 1 GB memory can't even get the effects below to work but my NVidia 7600 GS with 256 MB memory perfectly can. ATI driver for Linux really sucks!!!!

1) Win 7 virtual machine on VMWare Player with Accelerate 3D graphics option on, is not working in fullscreen mode
2) Compiz Blur effect not working
3) Compiz Water effect not working
4) Compiz Fire effect not working

Update (28/03/2011)
I've been using CCC version 10.10 with driver packaging version 8.783 on Linux Mint 10 64-bit. So far it's the best driver. All the effect mentioned above working as expected (especially Gaussian blur). For VMWare machine with Aero effect to work on fullscreen, need to disable Compiz.

Update (11/10/2011)
For 64-bit installer to work, you must install the 32-bit library (ia32-libs).

Ubuntu 10.04 on HP Mini 110, no wireless and audio from speakers...

Note (21/10/2011):
Settings below are not required for Ubuntu 11.10. Everything work out of the box.

Solution:
for wireless:
Download package from https://launchpad.net/~markus-tisoft/+archive/rt3090/+files/rt3090-dkms_2.3.1.3-0ubuntu0~ppa1_all.deb install and reboot.

for audio:
Run the command below then reboot

    $ sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-alsa-lucid-generic

Update 14/11/2010:
Just found out that after updating the system, wireless is broken again. To fix this, reinstall rt3090-dkms package.

Installing Subversion server on Ubuntu...

I need a source control in my local network. No need for fancy http or https. Custom svn protocol should be sufficient.

1) Install Subversion

    $ sudo apt-get install subversion

2) Create directory for my repository

    $ mkdir /home/dirn/svn
    $ cd /home/dirn/svn
    $ mkdir my-repo

3) Create repository by using svnadmin command

    $ sudo svnadmin create /home/dirn/svn/my-repo

4) Create a new group called subversion

    $ sudo groupadd subversion

5) Add your username and www-data into the group

    $ sudo usermod -a -G subversion www-data
    $ sudo usermod -a -G subversion user_name

6) Set permission

    $ cd /home/dirn/svn
    $ sudo chown -R www-data:subversion my-repo
    $ sudo chmod -R g+rws my-repo

7) Edit svnserve.conf file

    $ nano /home/dirn/svn/my-repo/conf/svnserve.conf

8) Uncomment the following line and save the file

    # [general]
    # password-db = passwd

9) Edit passwd file

    $ nano /home/dirn/svn/my-repo/conf/passwd

10) Add your svn username and password and save the file

    username = password

11) Run svnserve service

    $ svnserve -d --foreground -r /home/dirn/svn

12) To access the project repository, run the following command

    $ svn co svn://hostname/my-repo my-repo --username user_name

Note:
Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 64-bit and Linux Mint 10 64-bit.

How to always use a text-based location bar in nautilus...

Open terminal and type the command below

    $ gconftool-2 --type=Boolean --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_location_entry true

To switch back

    $ gconftool-2 --type=Boolean --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_location_entry false

How to fix plymouth bootup resolution...

After installed proprietary driver for NVidia or ATI, plymouth bootup screen has turned large and ugly. Here's how to fix it

1) Install v86d and hwinfo package

    $ sudo apt-get install v86d hwinfo

2) Check maximum resolution supported when running Plymouth

    $ sudo hwinfo --framebuffer

3) Edit the resolutions in the GRUB2 files

    $ sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

Assuming your monitor can support 1280x1024, otherwise change it to whatever resolution supported by your monitor
4) Change the text below

    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

to

    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1280x1024-24,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap"

then look for the text below

    #GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

and change it to

    GRUB_GFXMODE=1280x1024

5) Edit another file

    $ sudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/modules

6) Add the following line at the end of the file

    uvesafb mode_option=1280x1024-24 mtrr=3 scroll=ywrap

7) Run

    $ echo FRAMEBUFFER=y | sudo tee /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/splash

8) Update Grub

    $ sudo update-grub2

9) Generate new splash screen

    $ sudo update-initramfs -u

No sound from headphone jack...

Model: Dell Studio XPS 16 - 1647 (reported on 1645)
OS:
Linux Mint 17 - Qiana (64-bit)
Linux Mint 13 - Maya (64-bit)
Linux Mint 10 - Julia
Ubuntu 10.04 - Lucid Lynx

Symptom: no sound when plug-in headphone

Solution:
1) open alsa-base.conf file

$ sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

2) add the text below to the file (last line)

options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m6

3) restart your machine

Note:
Tested on Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 64-bit.

Update (19/11/2010):
Tested on Linux Mint 10 64-bit.

Update (15/11/2014):
Tested on Linux Mint 17 64-bit.

Installing Quake 3 Arena Demo on Ubuntu...

1) Download the installer from Id Software

    $ wget ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/quake3/linux/linuxq3ademo-1.11-6.x86.gz.sh

2) Allow the file to be executed as a program

    $ sudo chmod 755 linuxq3ademo-1.11-6.x86.gz.sh

3) Post Dapper, dash is a default shell for Ubuntu. We need to change this to bash before installing the game. To do so, open terminal and at home folder execute the following command and select <No>.

    $ sudo dpkg-reconfigure dash

4) Execute the installer

    $ ./linuxq3ademo-1.11-6.x86.gz.sh -target ~/programs/q3-temp

5) If the installer is returning an error like below

    Warning: unknown mime-type for "archive" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "integrity..." -- using "application/*"
    Error: no such file "-r"
    Error: no such file "-n"
    Error: no such file "Verifying"
    Error: no such file "archive"
    Error: no such file "integrity..."
    tail: cannot open `+6' for reading: No such file or directory
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "-r" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "Error" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "in" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "check" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "sums" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "1808389199" -- using "application/*"
    Warning: unknown mime-type for "1300192087" -- using "application/*"
    Error: no such file "-r"
    Error: no such file "Error"
    Error: no such file "in"
    Error: no such file "check"
    Error: no such file "sums"
    Error: no such file "1808389199"
    Error: no such file "1300192087"
    Press Return to close this window ...

6) Simply execute the command below and re-executing the installer

    $ export _POSIX2_VERSION=199209

7) During the installation, if there's a permission denied error on the targeted bin folder, simply create the folder manually using terminal or nautilus and proceed with the installation

    /
        /home
            /your-username
                /programs
                    /q3-demo
                        /bin

8) Launch the game

    $ programs/q3-demo/q3demo.x86

9) If there's no sound, check sound initialization section from the output, if it's the same as below

    ------- sound initialization -------
    /dev/dsp: Broken pipe
    Could not toggle.

10) Edit bootmisc.sh

    $ sudo gedit /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh

From

    ...
    case "$1" in
    start|"")
    do_start
    ;;
    ...

to

    ...
    case "$1" in
    start|"")
    do_start
    echo "q3demo.x86 0 0 direct" > /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss
    echo "q3demo.x86 0 0 disable" > /proc/asound/card0/pcm0c/oss
    ;;
    ...

11) Restart your machine (there should be a way to restart the service alone)

12) Launch the game with parameters shown below

    $ programs/q3-demo/q3demo.x86 +set s_musicvolume -1

13) Remove installer temp folder

    $ rm -r programs/q3-temp

14) Change back shell from bash to dash by selecting <Yes>

    $ sudo dpkg-reconfigure dash 

Note:
Installation steps tested on Ubuntu 9.04, 9.10, 10.04 and Linux Mint 7

Update (04/12/2009):
/etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh has been removed from Ubuntu 9.10.

Solution:
Add echo "q3demo.x86 0 0 direct" > /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss into your game launcher script.

    #!/bin/sh
    # Needed to make symlinks/shortcurts work.
    # Run Quake III with some default arguments

    cd "/home/your-username/programs/q3-demo"
    sudo echo "q3demo.x86 0 0 direct" > /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss
    quake="./q3demo.x86"
    "$quake" $*
    exit $?

Update (03/06/2010)
To install on Ubuntu 64 bit, need to add linux32 to the command

    $ linux32 ./linuxq3ademo-1.11-6.x86.gz.sh -target ~/programs/q3-temp

Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx 64 bit.

Update (27/08/2010)
If suddenly the sound gone and you couldn't get it back, open terminal and test this command:

    $ sudo echo "q3demo.x86_64 0 0 direct" > /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss

If you're getting this error

    bash: /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss: Permission denied

Just set the correct permission to the file and you're done. Tested on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx 64 bit.

Update (18/11/2010)
Installation steps working correctly on Linux Mint 10. However I'm having difficulty executing the binary. Getting error "bash: ./q3demo.x86_64: No such file or directory". Still trying to figure out what went wrong.

Update (19/11/2010)
I almost forgot. Quake 3 Arena demo is a 32 bit application. Since I'm using Linux Mint 64 bit, I need to install 32 bit library to make it work. The library was pre-installed on Ubuntu 64 bit, but that's not the case for Linux Mint. Above issue solved!!!

    $ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

Now there's one more issue left. The sound. /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/oss file seems missing.

Update (20/11/2010)
Just found out that the ubuntu developers decided the majority of people don’t need OSS support, so they compiled the kernel without it.

Quake 3 without sound in Ubuntu 10.10
Ubuntu 10.10 no /dev/dsp

Damn!!!