Install Ubuntu Desktop

Ref

Download Ubuntu

Create a live USB

Creating the bootable USB

  • Full format the USB drive (not quick format)

Universal USB

Next auto screens USB

Test Ubuntu in Live mode

  • At boot time, press F2 or F10 or F12 (depending upon your system) to access boot menu.
  • choose to boot from USB or removable media (by moving the USB up in the boot order)
  • Restart computer & choose "Try Ubuntu without installing"
  • Play with ubuntu, can install ubuntu from desktop command file also "install ubuntu -> Normal installation"..so on

Install Ubuntu

  • Restart computer & choose "install Ubuntu"

  • Good UI experience like windows

    • Choose language like "English"
    • Keyboard layout "English (US)"
    • Connect to Wifi
    • Choose Normal Installation & "Download updates while installing"
    • Choose "Erase Disk & Install Ubuntu" & "Use LVM(Logical Volume Management)"
      • Note : If dual OS is needed, choose "Install Ubuntu alongside Existing OS"
    • Set up Login User & Password

  • Partition

MountFormatsizeremarks
swapsize of RAMnormally 2*ram size (extra RAM)
/bootext41GB
/boot/efifirmware mode automatic
/homeext4customoptional user space
/ext4remaining spacemin 15GB , OS

Note : File System : FAT32 (vs) NTFS (vs) EXT4

Image references

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Mini PC Ubuntu

  • Consider Lenovo Think Center M tiny series
  • (F1) Enter BIOS settings
  • (F12) Choose boot priority option at runtime

Issue : Black screen while installation

  • Black screen is displayed before starting actual installation

Solution

  • (F1) Enter BIOS settings

  • Change the boot mode from UEFI to Auto

    • In Lenovo,
      • CMS (Compatibility mode) = enabled
      • boot mode = auto (so that both UEFI & legacy supported)
      • boot priority = legacy (by default boot in to legacy) //for us Ubuntu
    • Above setting should explicitly make "Secure boot disabled" else make manually

  • To install from USB, On Restart, (F12) Choose boot priority option (pen drive) with Legacy suffix

  • Ref

    • Before choosing "install ubuntu" in grub options, edit the option by tab or e (check suggested help).
    • In the command end, replace the words "quiet splash" with "nomodeset", press enter/ F10 (check suggested)

  • Now actual installation screen is visible Other info

Issue : Black screen while restart/ login

  • Renter into the system by TryUbuntuWithoutInstalling (by nomodeset style), go to drive where OS is installed then change following
  • In file '/etc/default/grub'
//earlier
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
//later
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"
//fine if this cmd fails
sudo update-grub
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair

  • click on Recommended Repair

  • (After installation recheck boot priority) By default enters in to Legacy (Ubuntu) OS after boot (as per boot priority), use F12 to switch between windows/ Ubuntu..etc

Screen resolution issue

  • In file '/etc/default/grub'
GRUB_GFXMODE=1920x1080
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep
sudo update-grub

Switch command line

ctrl + alt + f3 -> to switch command line ctrl + alt + f2 -> to switch UI back

//fix if any broken installation
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade --fix-missing
//check enabled services & disable not needed
systemctl list-unit-files --state=enabled

Sound drivers missing

//realtek audio drivers

  • ref

  • Check is sound device identified & alsa drivers used for it

sudo apt install inxi
inxi -SMA
  • Reinstall alsa drivers & restart machine
sudo apt-get install --reinstall alsa-base pulseaudio
sudo alsa force-reload
  • Lenovo specific
sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
//add following line & restart
options snd-hda-intel dmic_detect=0
  • install alsa mixer & check if any device muted in UI
sudo apt install alsa alsa-tools

Note : other packages like alsa-tools-gui, linux-sound-base, alsa-base, alsa-utils

Mini PC Screen Flickering

Disable linux frame buffer

  • ref

  • Determine if framebuffer is being used

//check some output exists
ls -l /dev/fb*
//check some output exists
grep -i "frame buffer" /var/log/syslog
  • In /etc/default/grub file, add 'vga=normal nofb nomodeset video=vesafb:off i915.modeset=0'
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash vga=normal nofb nomodeset video=vesafb:off i915.modeset=0"
sudo update-grub
sudo reboot

Xorg driver set up

  • (step1) Set intel driver
//already exists (still reinstall)
sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-intel
cd /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/
gedit 20-intel.conf

//add the following content in the new file & restart

Section "Module"
Load "dri3"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "intel"
Option "AccelMethod" "sna"
Option "TearFree" "true"
Option "DRI" "3"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
VertRefresh 60-77
# HorizSync 31.5-48.5
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
# DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
# Depth 24
Modes "1920x1080"
EndSubSection
EndSection

  • restart machine & check

  • (step2) if step1 doesn't work, do following also

//Remove dummy driver (which was installed for headleess pc)
sudo apt remove xserver-xorg-video-dummy
//If intel driver doesn't work, just remove xorg-video-intel & use vesa driver
sudo apt purge xserver-xorg-video-intel
//add following lines in 20-intel.conf file,remove earlier device section
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection

  • restart machine & check

  • If we check video graphics driver, it should use some driver for display like following

inxi -G
or
inxi -F
or
lspci -nn |grep -E 'VGA|Display'
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 630 driver: N/A
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: vesa unloaded: fbdev,modesetting
resolution: 1920x1080~N/A
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 10.0.0 256 bits) v: 3.3 Mesa 20.0.8

Note: vesa/ intel driver must be used for Display

  • (step3) if step2 doesn't work, do following
//add custom drivers & restart machine
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:oibaf/graphics-drivers
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
//if it works then fine else remove back & restart machine (it sets to default which works)
sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge ppa:oibaf/graphics-drivers
  • (Optional)If above option doesn't fix after restart then do following too
  • open terminal and run the following
gedit ~/.config/monitors.xml

//add the following content in the new file

<rate>77</rate>

Note : normally 60 HZ refresh rate is good enough, but identify the value by typing 'xrandr' in bash

  • xrandr ref

  • xrandr ref2

  • Press escape to see to grub mode options during boot (to see grub by default change settings in /etc/default/grub ). Type following command to see different supported resolutions

vbeinfo

Firefox flickering

link

Find graphics card model

lspci | grep VGA