Kubuntu Karmic Fun

In just a few days the next version of Kubuntu will be released. This last weekend I decided to install the release candidate. I planned a fresh install to take advantage of both ext4 and grub2. So, before starting the install I backed up my /home to an external hard drive. I then started the install.

At first I tried installing without booting into a live session. I liked the installer screen. It's the same whether installing from a live session or installing directly from boot. Everything was good, until my laptop shutdown. I was not carefully watching it, so I figured there was an error and attempted to install a second time. This time I was watching it when it shutdown. It was then I realized the problem. My laptop was really warm and shut itself down.

I decided to try a live session to see if the fan was working. It started running when I powered on the laptop, but stopped running as soon the splash screen came up. I managed to complete the install, using a battery powered fan to keep everything cool.

I then began searching for similar issues and found many with Acer laptops having CPU fan issues. There were a few scripts to run that would jump start the fan, those did not work for me. The one fix I did find was updating the BIOS.

I don't want go into any methods of creating a bootable cd/usb to update the BIOS since I wasn't able to get any of them to work. I did however have a beta version of windows (shhhh... don't tell). I was then able to update the BIOS.

Finally I installed kubuntu karmic and the fan issue is fixed. Now to restore the important files from my external hard drive.

Mike

References:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=3107212.0

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1295391

Why do they call it a desktop?

I just recently tested the ablility of KDE 4 to have different settings for each virtual desktop when it occured to me. I can use of my desktops as a simulated desktop, file cabinet and all. Open the file cabinet and drop a working folder onto the desktop, just like a real desktop, to work with the files. When the work is done it gets replaced. The advantage of KDE 4's 'Folder View' is that folders do not have to be opened to view or open contents within.

Mike

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A New Start?

Well, here we go again. I am testing out kblogger for KDE4. I haven't posted here in a long time. Being gone for most of last year and being busy working has minimized the free time I could expend to add stuff here.

Additionally, I have discovered that I can sync my iPhone calendar with my google account. This is a very wonderful tool, since I don't use windows and can't afford a mac. I even have to use my wife's laptop to update my phone.

Hopefully kblogger will allow me to keep this blog updated.