HOWTO Ubuntu mini ram

[christooss]

I found this guide little outdated. So I will try to write my own. My interpretation of formmer howto.

0.1 AUTOMATE SCRIPT

I made a automate script for this howto. Script is based on Automate Script for New Users

1. Installing everything
1.1 Hoary
I imagine that you have Hoary CD already in your CD unit. Reboot computer and when installation screen shows, write server and then press <return>

Go through whole installation process. And when you find yourself in console login and then write

$ wget http://ahacic.5gigs.com/miniram.sh

$ sudo sh miniram.sh

When whole proces is done you have all programs listed in this howto installed.

1.2 Breezy

$ wget http://ahacic.5gigs.com/miniram-breezy.sh

$ sudo sh miniram-breezy.sh

Warning

Breezy automate script doesnt install w32codecs! You can install them with enabling marillat repositories which are in my sources.list which you downloaded with automate script. When you removed # at line with marillat. Type

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install w32codecs

After that you can remove marillat repostiories from sources.list
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.2 MANUAL INSTALLATION

If yoo want to install without script this is how you do it

1. Install WM

I imagine that you have Hoary CD already in your CD unit. Reboot computer and when installation screen shows, write server and then press <return>

Go through whole installation process. And when you find yourself in console login and then write

$ sudo su -

This will put you in permanent sudo sudo status. So you don't have to write sudo over and over again.

1.2 Adding extra repositories

write

# wget http://ahacic.5gigs.com/sources.list
# cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list_backup 
# cp sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list
# apt-get update
# apt-get upgrade

1.3 Next step to install x.org

# apt-get install x-window-system-core

This will install you X server X.org in Ubuntu. Then you have to install Window Manager. I prefer ICEWM But you can choose any of the WM-s. you have got plany listed at this link

# apt-get install icewm

Now we have to install wdm llogin manager.

# apt-get install wdm

You can still choose to install xdm with:

# apt-get install xdm

Now we have working enviroment but with no GUI application. You can now login with command

# wdm

2. Application install.

2.1 We need terminal

# apt-get install xterm

2.2 File manager tool
text based

# apt-get install mc

Gui based

# apt-get install emelfm

2.3.2 GUI Internet browser and mail client
With mozzila you get them both together

# apt-get install mozilla

if you want realy something fast instal Dillo browser and Sylpheed mail client

# apt-get install dillo
#apt-get install sylpheed

Now opera is free of charge you can DL it at
http://opera.com/free/

2.3.2 Text based browser and mail client
For browser you can use lynx

# apt-get install lynx

and for mail client you can use mutt+procmail+fetchmail+gnupg
You can find tutorial howto setup this thing at this link
Another page about Mutt. Click at this link
2.4 Text editing tool

# apt-get install nedit

# apt-get install abiword

Nedit is gedit replacement and abiword replaces OpenOffice Writer.

Please DON'T USE OPENOFFICE

Why? Beacause it takes to god thamn long to start

2.5 Spreadsheet editor

# apt-get install gnumeric

Replacement for OOo Spredsheet

2.6 CD burner

# apt-get install graveman

I use mkisofs and cdrecord - These two are already installed on Ubuntu server
On this Link you can find howto burn with mkisofs and cdrecord.
Anyway this is it. We have complete system installed

2.7 Multimedia
You are missing media players aren't you. Please read www.ubuntuguide.org for installing other applications. But I don't recommend you to install anything else on low-ram system. But its you choice. If you must install media players Install xmms and xine

# apt-get install beep-media-player xine-ui

and codecs

# apt-get install w32codecs

2.8 Gaim
It has IRC MSN Jabber etc. support

# apt-get install gaim

2.9 FTP

# apt-get install gftp

2.10 PDF reader

# apt-get install xpdf

If I missed something or if I made a mistake let me know.
2.11 Bittorrent client

# apt-get install bittornado

If you want GUI

# apt-get install bittornado-gui

I hope this howto helped you.

Sorry for my bad english

[poofyhairguy]

I would use regular Mozilla over epiphany. Epiphany is the "official" browser of Gnome, so I bet it installs Gnome stuff.

[christooss]

Yes I changed that. I found that epiphany demands mozilla firefox installed

About GNOME: If you install abiword you get gnome libs installed. So if there is an alternative....

[poofyhairguy]

Originally Posted by christooss Yes I changed that. I found that epiphany demands mozilla firefox installed About GNOME: If you install abiword you get gnome libs installed. So if there is an alternative....

gnumeric too. They are part of the "Gnome Office"

I guess the way around it is a lighter editor (leafpad) or a heavier one (openoffice).

[Kyral]

It strikes me that this method could also be used for a "Gentoo Style" install (installing only the packages YOU want, total customization) without having to go through Stages or compiling

[christooss]

Hm I rather see gnome libs on my comp than installing OOo on miniram system.

It "scares" me that mozilla-firefox and OOo need a ubuntu-desktop package

[poofyhairguy]

Originally Posted by christooss Hm I rather see gnome libs on my comp than installing OOo on miniram system.

How light is koffice?

[christooss]

I think this is not an option beacause it installs kdelibs.

[christooss]

116MB of Hardisc. That light Sorry but i don't know how much Gnome office takes. Beacause default Ubuntu system has some of the libaries installed. I think its the same size. But we dont need sql base installed or do we?

[spacemonkey]

I'm trying to use this install method to setup Ubuntu on an old PII server I've got lying around, and I've run into some problems. I installed x-window-system-core, then fluxbox, then xdm, as suggested, but when I try to log in using xdm, it says there are no window managers found....something about /home/user/.Xsessions. I went ahead and installed xterm, then when I logged in using xdm, it just went to xterm, no window manager though. From there I can start fluxbox, by typing it in the xterm, but it still won't start right into it from xdm. Any suggestions?

EDIT:
Nevermind...I fixed it. I just added a .xsessions file in my home dir, and in it a put "fluxbox" in it, now logging in via xdm results in fluxbox starting.