Lubuntu not working fully (what linux ever does? )

[thevenerable2]

Please can somebody help me get at least one linux distro working for me for just once in my life?

I have had 'reasonable' success with Lubuntu, as its pretty much the only one that wouldn't hang during the instalation process.

It would be great if my function keys worked though so I can adjust the screen brightness.
It would also be useful to download skype, but i cant find it.

please help or i may just have to give up on linux forever.

p.s.
please don't give difficult instructions like 'get the grub or go to sudo'
I have no idea and just want to simple use my computer without having to learn a new language.
If this isnt possible in linux, then i will have to stay with windows for sure (im happy to do that, but its not ideal for slow netbooks)
I just thought i'd get a faster experience on my netbook with linux,,,, but cant even get it up and running... pretty much the same story every time give it another try, year in, year out.

Thanks

[sandyd]

Please can somebody help me get at least one linux distro working for me for just once in my life?

I have had 'reasonable' success with Lubuntu, as its pretty much the only one that wouldn't hang during the instalation process.

It would be great if my function keys worked though so I can adjust the screen brightness.
It would also be useful to download skype, but i cant find it.

please help or i may just have to give up on linux forever.

p.s.
please don't give difficult instructions like 'get the grub or go to sudo'
I have no idea and just want to simple use my computer without having to learn a new language.
If this isnt possible in linux, then i will have to stay with windows for sure (im happy to do that, but its not ideal for slow netbooks)
I just thought i'd get a faster experience on my netbook with linux,,,, but cant even get it up and running... pretty much the same story every time give it another try, year in, year out.

Thanks

Try the below

Run in a terminal

gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

Edit the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line so that it looks like below and save, then close the window

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_osi=Linux"

Run

sudo update-grub

(your password wont show up, but its being entered)

Reboot, and your function keys for brightness should be working.

[thevenerable2]

thanks

but how do i edit the grub line?
how do i save?

[buzzingrobot]

I don't use Skype, but it shows up in a search of the Ubuntu repos.

[sudodus]

It would also be useful to download skype, but i cant find it.

please help or i may just have to give up on linux forever.

You can install Skype either from the Lubuntu Software Center or from Synaptic (programs with graphical user interface) or from the command line in a terminal window

sudo apt-get install skype

[thevenerable2]

i thnk i installed skype.. i can see it in synaptics package manager when i do a search
but i have no idea where to find the icon to open it?
this is a crazy system

I still have no brightness funcionality when i tried your directions
parhaps you can be a bit clearer, something didnt work.

after rebootoing i did notice that my keyboard layout has changed back to us when i wanted english.

thanks for the help,
my god this linux is shoddy

[buzzingrobot]

i thnk i installed skype.. i can see it in synaptics package manager when i do a search
but i have no idea where to find the icon to open it?
this is a crazy system

Synaptics is a program that is used to install software hosted in the Ubuntu servers, aka repositories. It displays a list of all the packages available in those repos. If you have installed Skype, Synaptics will display a checkmark to the left of its entry.

Once programs are installed, they should be listed in the menu. Linux programs typically do not populate the desktop with icons when they are installed.

[sudodus]

Lubuntu has the text editor leafpad where standard Ubuntu has gedit, so use this command line to start the editor

gksu leafpad /etc/default/grub

and edit 'as usual' with the mouse, arrow keys, text keys etc. Save with ctrl + s or use the dropdown menu (File -- Save).

Otherwise you can follow sandyd's advice in post #2.

[thevenerable2]

Lubuntu has the text editor leafpad where standard Ubuntu has gedit, so use this command line to start the editor

gksu leafpad /etc/default/grub

and edit 'as usual' with the mouse, arrow keys, text keys etc. Save with ctrl + s or use the dropdown menu (File -- Save).

Otherwise you can follow sandyd's advice in post #2.

but i dont know exactly what where and how im supposed to edit

please give a step by step guide


anyway.. to be honest, and dont mean to sound ungreatful,
but i was going to try to find a fast , and easy to use linux distro, then put it on my dad's netbook also.

but just looking at the linux version of skype now its downloaded, its not good, and is more confusing than the standard skype.
All these 'my mum using linux' videos must be fixed.
My mother and father would be completely lost on here, as i almost am.

I dont mean to be ungreatful i just dont know what to do,,
i keep trying to come back to linux and i keep getting frustrated and dissapointed.
The only thing it seems to do well is run a web browswer nice and fast.

sorry.. but im at my wits end with this again

thanks for the help
and hopefully it wont contain even more confusing answers

good news is i found skype, bad news is i have no mic
please help with that too

i guess setting up linux as a full os is an impossible dream, but maybe i can have it on my netbook as a fast system, but it MUST be able to do simple things like brightness adjust, mic, uk keyboard etc..
these are just so standard i cant beleive it has so much trouble?

[sudodus]

Try the below

gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

Edit the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line so that it looks like below and save, then close the window

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_osi=Linux"

Do this edit: Identify the line and add the red text.

Run

sudo update-grub

(your password wont show up, but its being entered)

Reboot, and your function keys for brightness should be working.

but i dont know exactly what where and how im supposed to edit

please give a step by step guide

and hopefully it wont contain even more confusing answers

good news is i found skype, bad news is i have no mic
please help with that too

i guess setting up linux as a full os is an impossible dream, but maybe i can have it on my netbook as a fast system, but it MUST be able to do simple things like brightness adjust, mic, uk keyboard etc..
these are just so standard i cant beleive it has so much trouble?

What do you mean you have no mic? Do you mean that the mic is not recognized by Lubuntu? In that case I suggest that you install
pulseaudio and pavucontrol, and use pavucontrol (a program with a graphical user interface) to identify the microphone and tweak the settings so that it works properly.

You can install pulseaudio and pavucontrol with the same tool as you installed skype.

-o-

Many people are happy using linux; there is a threshold, or steep learning curve in the beginning, but soon things will be familiar and quite easy to perform. Finally, you must remember that linux is free, so there are no huge economic resources for polishing the software like in Windows and MacOs.

Don't give up, continue trying, but if you find after trying hard, that you want to return to Windows, it is also OK. After all, most people use Windows in desktop and laptop computers.