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At the moment even I'm using Natty version of Ubuntu, my virtualbox machine auto change the UI of startmenu that I would find the searchbox any more.

I'm looking for way to search & execute applications quickly like I do in Windows 7 - rather than looking for it by nake-eye with the classic menu

Please help if you know how. Thank you.

enter image description here

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  • 1
    whilst not exactly a direct answer to your question - if you use something like "launchy" - you can search for applications and files from one window which you can start from a hotkey... you might want to consider this option and leave your menu as is rather than replacing it. launchy.net
    – fossfreedom ♦
    Oct 25, 2011 at 9:29

5 Answers 5

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Try to install Unity 2D:

It's similar to Unity but built on Qt and doesn't need compiz to run. So, you will never miss it.

Another way to fix things is to figure out what happened to 3D-support in your Virtual Box. Seems like it turned off and that's why you got GNOME2 desktop as fallback.

BTW, don't install Gnome Shell if you not sure what are you doing. All things in 11.04 built on top of GNOME 2 and it will be hard to get back to Unity or Unity 2D if you install GNOME 3. It's ok to use Gnome Shell in 11.10.

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  • You've just 1 reputation but your knowledge should be hundreds ^_^ It works for me to install Unity-2D. Thank you!
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 27, 2011 at 3:57
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Try the Mint Linux startup menu, there is a search box and it looks like it will fit your needs

enter image description here

There is a PPA for nauty so you can just add it and install it using these commands on a terminal

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/mintmenu && sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mintmenu

Credits got to webupd8.org for maintaining the PPA.

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  • It's a nice suggestion! I'll try. But I need to have a way back ie. is it possible to return to the current menu aftern switch to Mint one?
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 25, 2011 at 9:14
  • yeah, they are different packages, wont even share configs ie: you can have the 2 at the same time
    – Bruno Pereira
    Oct 25, 2011 at 9:30
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Gnome Do will provide the features you require http://do.davebsd.com/

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Both Gnome 3 and Unity provide a box with searching capability like that in Windows 7.

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  • @Werewolfsp Then how can I get Unity/Gnome3 in my current auto-changed startmenu?
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 25, 2011 at 8:32
  • windows 7 has feature which Ubuntu and other Linux have
    – Deepak Rajput
    Oct 25, 2011 at 8:46
  • @Rajput I don't see the relation of your comment to my post :( Yes, I know there is/are; thank you but how to get the search box :D ?
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 25, 2011 at 8:50
  • I don't know which version of Ubuntu you are using. If you were using Ubuntu 11.04 or 11.10, you would have got unity already. As for gnome 3. May be 'sudo apt-get install gnome-shell' would help you. Gnome 3 is new and the ATI driver (private) doesn't work quite well with it.
    – Werewolflsp
    Oct 25, 2011 at 8:59
  • @Werewolflsp I use 11.04 Natty version as stated in my post. And I also, the Unity disappeared after my system update right after I set up Ubuntu in my VirtualBox. So the problem is how to turn it back right?
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 25, 2011 at 9:09
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You also might try Alt + F2. Brings up a search box where you can enter either names of apllictions or exact paths. Woks in Gnome 2 by default

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  • I try Alt+F2 to seek for Update Manager but the list is empty right after I type update :) So I guess Alt F2 is not working for me.
    – Nam G VU
    Oct 26, 2011 at 3:17
  • yea, unfortunately some programs are called different internally thanthe name presented to the user. typing "update" does nothing for me as well. but typing "goo" brings up chrome and google earth for me, for example
    – Evgeni
    Oct 30, 2011 at 11:55

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