All Questions
56,657
questions
434
votes
14
answers
853k
views
How do I start applications automatically on login?
How can I make an application automatically start when I have logged in?
- 25.4k
104
votes
11
answers
1.1m
views
How do I install applications in Ubuntu?
How can I install applications like Google Chrome on Ubuntu?
Are there any commands to install an application?
Index of answers:
Basic usage of APT, Synaptic Package Manager and Ubuntu Software ...
- 1,453
1449
votes
12
answers
4.4m
views
How do I install a .deb file via the command line?
How do I install a .deb file via the command line?
- 26.6k
768
votes
40
answers
1.3m
views
How do I remove old kernel versions to clean up the boot menu?
Every time I install a new Linux kernel, it gets left in the grub_config, making the boot menu longer each time.
I know I can manually search through the installed packages and remove them.
Does ...
166
votes
5
answers
540k
views
What is the correct way to install proprietary ATI Catalyst Video Drivers (fglrx) directly from AMD?
I am planning on doing a fresh install of Ubuntu and want to know what is the correct way to install ATI Catalyst Video Driver?
There are multiple valid answers for this question spanning over ...
- 9,865
162
votes
12
answers
548k
views
How to recover deleted files?
Are there any tools, methods, incantations to recover recently deleted files on Ubuntu?
If it makes any difference, I want to recover a Keepass 2.x database file. But would be better to have a method/...
- 7,876
144
votes
17
answers
164k
views
What are the differences between 32-bit and 64-bit, and which should I choose?
What is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit Ubuntu? I've heard the 64-bit platform performs better and can detect more than 4GB of RAM. Also, while some apps haven't ported to 64-bit yet, ia32-...
- 3,054
65
votes
6
answers
20k
views
What's a good back-up strategy for 1 desktop PC?
No, this is not a comparison of back-up tools, nor is it a solicitation on What to backup or Why and only a little bit about Where to backup and When to do it.
This is basically a strategy question: ...
- 34.3k
165
votes
10
answers
313k
views
How do I use 'chmod' on an NTFS (or FAT32) partition?
I have a script that I need to execute on an NTFS partition. The script's permission is set to 600.
I attempted to modify the permissions by running chmod 755 script.sh, which doesn't report a ...
- 32.2k
165
votes
9
answers
427k
views
How to roll back Ubuntu to a previous version?
I just installed a new version of Ubuntu and I want to roll it back to the previous version.
How can I do that? Is that even possible?
- 4,502
560
votes
15
answers
517k
views
How to prevent updating of a specific package?
Because of bug #693758 I'd like to prevent apt-get upgrade and Update Manager from updating the "libgtk2.0-0" package.
How can this be achieved?
- 57.1k
135
votes
3
answers
642k
views
How do I set 'nomodeset' after I've already installed Ubuntu?
I know that editing the boot options line and adding 'nomodeset' solves the problem of my laptop during LiveCD mode, what I don't know is how to set it at boot up through Grub2 after I've installed ...
- 5,505
577
votes
28
answers
923k
views
How can I install Sun/Oracle's proprietary Java JDK 6/7/8 or JRE?
I want to install Oracle's JRE and to update to the latest version with the Software Updater when they released. Is there a Ubuntu package that is provided by Canonical or Oracle?
Before release Java ...
- 10.2k
383
votes
10
answers
388k
views
How do I fix a "Problem with MergeList" or "status file could not be parsed" error when trying to do an update?
The computer gave me this output in a window:
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-...
user12250
1631
votes
27
answers
2.0m
views
How can PPAs be removed?
I've added many PPAs using the add-apt-repository command. Is there a simple way to remove these PPAs? I've checked in /etc/apt/sources.list for the appropriate deb lines but they aren't there.
This ...
- 17.3k
449
votes
22
answers
453k
views
Trouble downloading packages list due to a "Hash sum mismatch" error
When I check for updates, I get a "Failed To Download Repository Information" error.
This is what comes up under details:
W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/us.archive.ubuntu....
- 12.8k
760
votes
10
answers
1.6m
views
How to run scripts on start up?
How can I run scripts automatically when Ubuntu starts up so I don't have to run them manually after startup?
- 34.2k
20
votes
5
answers
68k
views
Why Doesn't a Bootable USB Boot
This question is asked often in Ask Ubuntu, sometimes with few hints about the situation.
Please provide a list of possible reasons to help troubleshoot the problem.
- 19.6k
358
votes
7
answers
2.9m
views
"Unable to locate package" while trying to install packages with APT
When I try to install any package through the command line, I get an error.
$ sudo apt-get install <package>
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state ...
- 3,703
71
votes
12
answers
62k
views
What if I accidentally run command "chmod -R" on system directories (/, /etc, ...)
I accidently ran
sudo chmod 755 -R /
instead of
sudo chmod 755 -R ./
I stopped it after a few seconds, but now I'm starting to have problems. For example, sudo isn't working anymore:
sudo: must be ...
- 1,383
575
votes
13
answers
2.6m
views
How do I install Guest Additions in a VirtualBox VM?
I've recently installed Ubuntu on Oracle's Virtualbox. Now I want to install the guest additions.
I started up my Ubuntu guest OS, clicked "Devices" and chose "Install Guest Additions". Nothing ...
- 6,183
298
votes
8
answers
406k
views
How can I fix apt error "W: Target Packages ... is configured multiple times"?
I just installed Ubuntu Gnome 16.04. I told it to save my documents - which worked. Some software had to be reinstalled. Now when I run sudo apt-get update I see this:
W: Target Packages (main/binary-...
- 32.9k
72
votes
9
answers
96k
views
How can I install Ubuntu without removing Windows?
I need my pre-installed version of Windows 7 (or any other version of Windows), how could I install Ubuntu without erasing it?
16
votes
3
answers
25k
views
Dual boot Win 8 / Ubuntu loads only Win
My computer is a Sony Vaio Notebook. I used Ubuntu and Win 8 with dualboot but windows somehow managed to remove the menu to choose the OS at startup. I think the BIOS is UEFI. Secure boot was ...
- 163
61
votes
6
answers
375k
views
E:Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages
I am not sure what caused this error, but here is what the whole error says, and also this is sitting as a notification, and preventing me from updating any software using Update Manager - Please ...
- 611
58
votes
7
answers
196k
views
How do I get a Realtek RTL8723BE wireless card to work?
I have installed Ubuntu 15.04 on my laptop with RTL8723BE Wi-fi card. But it is always disconnecting from network. I have tried echo "options rtl8723be fwlps=N ips=N" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/...
- 789
758
votes
11
answers
634k
views
How do I find the package that provides a file?
Simple enough question: is there some shell command (or GUI method) I can use that, given the path to a file on my system, tells me what package put it there? Assuming the file did in fact come from a ...
- 10.3k
196
votes
8
answers
124k
views
How to avoid using sudo when working in /var/www?
I want to stop having to use sudo everytime I work in /var/www. How can I do that? I simply want to put all of my sites into this directory and work with them without too much pain.
- 2,095
293
votes
22
answers
613k
views
How can I create launchers on my desktop?
In older versions it was easy to create a launcher on my desktop. All I had to do is right click on my desktop and select the "create launcher" option.
How can I create such launchers now?
- 3,952
234
votes
17
answers
1.2m
views
apt-get update fails to fetch files, “Temporary failure resolving …” error
Err http://archive.canonical.com natty InRelease
Err http://security.ubuntu.com oneiric-security InRelease
Err http://extras.ubuntu.com natty InRelease
...
- 2,473
181
votes
17
answers
613k
views
How to update kernel to the latest mainline version without any Distro-upgrade?
Currently I'm running Linux-3.0 and I want to update it to Linux-3.3.1 the latest stable kernel release as mentioned at http://www.kernel.org. Can I update to 3.3.1 in Ubuntu without any risk of ...
- 2,161
140
votes
7
answers
1.2m
views
Permission denied, are you root?
I get this error whenever I try to install programs using the terminal:
home@ubuntu:~$ apt-get install myunity
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (13: Permission denied)
E: Unable ...
- 1,586
102
votes
5
answers
267k
views
Why do I get "Required key not available" when install 3rd party kernel modules or after a kernel upgrade?
This issue happens only on UEFI systems with enabled Secure Boot.
When I try to install DKMS modules like VirtualBox, Nvidia, or Broadcom drivers, they do not install and I get Required key not ...
- 90.1k
49
votes
4
answers
110k
views
Bluetooth Broadcom 43142 isn't working
Bluetooth is on but can't find or be found by any other devices.
Output of sudo service bluetooth status:
● bluetooth.service - Bluetooth service
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth....
- 593
40
votes
8
answers
66k
views
Nothing shows up in the terminal when I type my password
When I'm about to install a program in the terminal it wants the password:
[sudo] password for xxx:
But when I start to type my password nothing happens. What should I do?
- 401
39
votes
3
answers
133k
views
How do I fix this "E: Type '*' is not known on line * in source list ..." update error?
Every once in a while I see users having issues to update due to errors like this:
E:Type 'ain' is not known on line 1 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/some-ppa.list'
with varying types/line ...
- 64.8k
20
votes
6
answers
83k
views
Can't format my usb drive. I have already tried with mkdosfs and gparted
I have a MicroSD card in a USB adapter (which plugs into a USB port on my machine, and acts like a USB flash drive). I was using Unetbootin to make this a bootable USB flash drive with Kubuntu. But I ...
- 219
14
votes
4
answers
45k
views
Unable to mount Windows 10 partition; it "is in an unsafe state" [duplicate]
I have both Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Windows 10 Pro installed and I use them both very often.
Sometimes, when using Ubuntu, I can see and use Windows partitions also. But sometimes, I cannot. I dont know ...
- 143
39
votes
5
answers
162k
views
"Install alongside" option missing. How do I install Ubuntu beside Windows using "Something Else"?
Whenever I startup from the LinuxLive USB, and try to install Ubuntu 12.04, it only gives me two options instead of the usual 3 or 4. My options are "Replace Windows 7 with Ubuntu" and "Something Else"...
- 833
142
votes
8
answers
272k
views
How do I install and manage GNOME Shell extensions?
How do I install GNOME Shell extensions?
Is it possible to update, remove and manage the extensions?
- 42k
189
votes
12
answers
636k
views
Graphics issues after/while installing Ubuntu 16.04/16.10 with NVIDIA graphics
I installed or upgraded to Ubuntu 16.04, but I'm having some problems with my graphics card.
The display is blank
The display flickers
Items on the screen do not display correctly
Certain programs ...
- 19.4k
979
votes
17
answers
2.1m
views
How to add a directory to the PATH?
How do I add a directory to the $PATH in Ubuntu and make the changes permanent?
- 11.1k
81
votes
4
answers
474k
views
How do I install additional drivers?
I've just installed Ubuntu and I need either video, wireless, or some sort of other manufacturer (non-opensource) driver. How can I run the tool that will fetch all of these for me? I'd like graphical ...
- 71.8k
10
votes
1
answer
13k
views
Package dbus is not configured yet
While attempting to upgrade (sudo apt-get upgrade) Ubuntu 12.04, I had a pair of packages that would throw the following apt-get install errors for the dbus dependency:
dpkg: error processing dbus (--...
- 433
420
votes
30
answers
680k
views
What kinds of desktop environments and shells are available?
This question exists as it fills a specific criterion. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on Ask Ubuntu and ...
190
votes
5
answers
188k
views
Is there a power saving application similar to Jupiter?
I'm trying to install the Jupiter power settings app but, I read it is no longer compatible with the new kernel. Is there a similar program or a way to manage the power settings on 13.04?
- 2,571
130
votes
3
answers
36k
views
Why should users never use normal sudo to start graphical applications?
I've read the comunity "RootSudo" documentation and am interested in this line:
You should never use normal sudo to start graphical applications as Root.
Why? What is the difference? Please ...
- 4,081
121
votes
5
answers
145k
views
What's the difference between a Long Term Support Release and a Normal Release?
What are the differences between an Ubuntu Long Term Support release (LTS) and a normal release?
- 58.8k
186
votes
15
answers
479k
views
How do I install Java?
How do I install Java, including in my browser, so websites with Java work?
28
votes
2
answers
59k
views
How to prepare a disk on an EFI based PC for Ubuntu?
My computer has UEFI based BIOS and I want to start over from scratch.
The PC came with Windows installed - I later installed Ubuntu alongside.
I want to completely re-build my whole disk and ...
- 31.2k