Boot-Repair is a program to solve and repair problems related to GRUB Bootloader caused due to our negligence. It can repair GRUB in few clicks thanks to it’s simple graphical User interface making easy even for not-so-geeky users.

Boot-repair restores access to any operating system that has been lost, and removes entries which are no longer valid. It allows you to restore the Master Boot Record if it has been previously saved. Then, lets you select the partition or disk on which to install the GRUB, and finally allows you to swap the boot order of the various systems installed.

How to repair GRUB Bootloader

Boot-Repair can be used in general session but you need it most during emergency when you have lost access to Ubuntu. So, it is obvious that you use it by running a session on Live CD of Ubuntu.

Then install Boot-repair

Open a terminal and type:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa yannubuntu / boot-repair

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-boot-repair

After successful installation, you can access it from Applications Menu.

Select the options accordingly to fix the problem. For example, you may select OS to Boot by default (in case of multiple operating system) or manually purge GRUB or place GRUB into SDA. Click Apply, OK to continue.

When you are done, confirmation window will pop-up and you will have to restart the system. Boot-Repair is indeed a good solution to fix general GRUB Bootloader issues occurring frequently. You can also Download Boot-Repair from Launchpad.

Boot-Repair Restores GRUB Loader and MBR to get back access to Ubuntu

They all do one single thing – synchronize contents from your phone with your PC. Most of these suites provided by the vendor are Windows-only ( or sometimes support Mac too ).

What if you are running your favourite Linux distro? Do you boot Windows to use these suites? Or try running them from WINE (which probably fails to work)?

There is actually an open source phone manager for Linux. It’s called Gammu (strange name, I know!). Gammu is actually a command-line tool to manage your phone. A fine-crafted GUI is also available. It’s called Wammu.

With Wammu, you can do almost all the things the vendor-supplied PC suites offer: View call logs,contacts,calendar,messages; backup all your phone data and much more!

Does my phone supports it?

Most of the phones are supported by Wammu. For the complete list, see – List of phones supported by Gammu

Installation

Installing Wammu is very easy. Just open terminal, and type the following:

Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install gammu wammu

Fedora: sudo yum install gammu wammu

Using Wammu

Wammu requires additional permissions to listen on the USB ports. So we recommend you starting Wammu as a root user from Terminal.

Just type

Ubuntu and Fedora: sudo wammu

Then connect your phone with USB cable or Bluetooth and select the proper port (you might have to try all listed there).

Note – Wammu cannot scan the ports unless you start it under root user. You must always start wammu as a root user as above

P.S: Even if your phone isn’t listed on the website, but your vendor name is, it is very likely that Wammu supports your phone. My W595 wasn’t listed but Wammu readily connected with all the features activated.

Universal Mobile Phone PC suite ( Phone Manager ) for Linux

Windows Longhorn was the operating system on which Microsoft began work shortly after the completion of Windows XP . Unfortunately, the project never made it’s debut on the market exactly as intended and ended up on the fact that a few years later we received a system in the form of Windows Vista.

We have already seen how to bring Windows 7 like Taskbar on Ubuntu with Group Tabs and Stacks. Here is something which can completely transform Ubuntu into Windows like interface.

Longhorn Linux Transformation Pack beta is a GUI for Ubuntu, which changes the system interface similar to Windows Longhorn. The project is being developed for many months, but only now jumped into the beta phase. The latest release of Longhorn Linux comes with the installer. Also, introduces Linux Aero Glass Overlay effects and the Windows icons. In addition, you can use the sidebar with gadgets.

How to transform Ubuntu into Windows

Download Longhorn Transformation Pack and extract the ZIP into a folder. Double click on install.sh and choose run in Terminal when prompted.

This will install following applications and themes:

• GnoMenu and Longhorn menu theme
• Aero-style GTK themes
• Windows icons
• Windows fonts
• Screenlets and sidebar
• Nautilus-elementary
• RGBA (transparency) enabled GTK
• Emerald theme

Note: This is still in Beta state and doesn’t guarantee perfect installation. You should install only if you know how to remove installed components afterwards if something goes wrong.

Transform Ubuntu into Windows with Longhorn Linux Transformation Pack

As we discussed earlier, Linux should be tried but people get daunted thinking it is too advanced. There are distros specific to newbies and geeks.

According to Wikipedia,

There are currently over six hundred Linux distributions. Over three hundred of those are in active development, constantly being revised and improved.

So, lets start with the various distros available.

• Debian : The distribution on which most of today’s distros are based upon (more than 120). Its greatest advantage is its stability and its ability to upgrade without rebooting. Though its releases get outdated fast, as it is published once every 1-3 years.
• Ubuntu : The most popular linux distribution today period. It is a debian based distro, with a huge community. Such a large community equals great support. There are numerous forums where any question or doubt can be answered. It also has an extremely large software repository. Ubuntu is highly recommended for beginners who want to get a taste of linux, It also supports propriety nVidia and ATI drivers. It has a 6 month release schedule. It can also be installed within Windows with WUBI.
• Linux Mint : It is a distro based on  Ubuntu, is referred to by many as “improved ubuntu”. Mint is more user friendly than Ubuntu and includes various tools called “mint” tools for enhanced usability. It has enhanced graphical features but those require a graphics card. It also includes media codecs, DVD playback support and many additional features. Mint is also highly recommended for beginners, but not so much for advanced users.
• Fedora : It is an openly developed project developed by Red Hat. There are 2-3 releases in a year. A special feature is that its mainly designed by the Red Hat team along with some outside contributions. It is known for its innovation and great security  features.
• OpenSUSE : It is an open source program sponsored by Novell. It is known for Yast – a simple graphical system administration tool and uses the rpm package format. However, it is seen as resource heavy and a bit slow.
• Slackware : Known as the oldest linux variant. This distro is meant solely for advanced users and not recommended for beginners. It is a great distro to learn the ins and outs of linux. It is highly stable and bug free and has a simple text based installer.
• Gentoo : It is a linux distribution which allows the users to compile the linux kernel and applications from source code directly on their system. This makes it a highly optimised and always up to date. It offers great customisation and tweaking opportunities. This is also not recommended for newbies.
• Pinguy OS : It is a distro based on Ubuntu which is meant solely for the newbies. Any advanced user will be sorely disappointed as it really does not feel like Linux. It has more of a Windows feel with many desktop enhancements, docks, plugins, multimedia codecs and more.

This is certainly not a complete list of linux distros, but the most common ones. Some common distros like Red Hat are not features here because they are commercial and not free.

We will continue with more articles on linux. If you have specific questions, please feel free to ask.

Source : Distrowatch

Popular Linux Distros, Choose the one right for you

What the common user does not understand, is that Linux has come a very long way from those days in which it was completely reliant on the dreaded command prompt. These days some distros of Linux exist, which are simpler than Windows.

We have actually compiled a list why you should try out linux.

• It is absolutely free : The greatest advantage is that its free. Linux is open source i.e. it is developed, maintained and upgraded by the community. Compare it with the price of Windows 7 Ultimate ($320) and Mac OS X Snow Leopard ($29).
• Software is also free (most of them) : What would the most commonly used software on a computer be? An office application (Microsoft Office Professional $500), photo editing (Adobe Photoshop CS5 690$) and so on and so forth. So, basically you get the idea. Linux has free and highly capable alternatives for each of them – Open Office and Gimp are nearly as good as their paid counterparts any day.
• Linux rarely (if ever) crashes : If you have been using Windows all these years, then you will be very familiar with the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) and hanging. Earlier Windows versions 98 upto XP had the unfortunate problem of crashing when least expected, thereby leading to loss of data. This problem has been minimized in Windows 7 but it still does crash sometimes. Linux on the other hand, if you have not been tampering with the core kernel files will not crash period.
• Anti virus software not necessary : Linux viruses are extremely rare and an anti virus can be done away with, while a Windows system connected to the internet without an antivirus gets infected within half an hour.
• Varieties to choose from : Linux comes in various flavours or distributions (distros in short), each appealing to a different user group. Windows also has various flavours – home, professional, ultimate etc. but these are the same with each being a subset of another in terms of features included. Linux distros on the other hand are completely different from one another.
• Open source customization : Linux is open source i.e. its code is freely available. Thus, if you know some coding, you can modify the operating system to your exact requirements. You can even build and distribute your own Linux distro. Take that Windows ! Check out Linux Wallpaper Mega Pack.

Truthfully, this list is endless. I cannot even begin to enumerate all the reasons why you should give linux a try. Though I hope I have been successful in convincing some of you.

In future articles, we will cover Linux right from the basics, starting from the various Linux distros and which is right for you, how to try it before installing, installing linux, what to do after installing etc.

If you have any queries, or would like an article covering a specific topic, please contact us.

Why you should try Linux? Benefits and Advantages of Linux over Windows

This Mega Collection Wallpaper pack includes all the Ubuntu and Fedora official wallpapers in the 4:3 and 16:10 formats including Extra wallpapers.

The pack is 81MB and uploaded on two mirrors. What more can I say, they are just awesome!

Download Linux Mega Wallpaper Pack – Mirror 1 | Mirror 2

Ubuntu, Fedora and Most Linux releases Official Wallpapers Pack Download

DockbarX is Gnome taskbar applet with grouping and group manipulation, Though the developer of this applet says he never wanted to make clone of Windows 7 but what all matters to us is productive functionality which DockbarX offers.

Here are some screenshots:

Not just Group tabbing but also, you get menu options on right click for pinning like Windows 7.

How to install Windows 7 taskbar on Ubuntu

Run following commands one after another in terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:dockbar-main/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

Then right click on current taskbar > Add to Panel > Select DockbarX Applet and press Add button.

DockbarX preferences lets you customize behavior with Shortcut keys, Looks and Appearance with Themes and more!

via Ubuntu Life

Windows 7 like Taskbar on Ubuntu with Group Tab and Stacks | DockbarX

Of course, as we might have already guessed, the netbooks will be built by a third party, as the Google Nexus One smartphone, but will feature the Google Chrome OS.

The Chrome operating system has already been tested by Google on Asus, Dell and Lenovo computers and there are reports that are suggesting that the Chrome OS is now being tested on two new netbooks which have been codenamed as Mario and Andretti.

According to the leaked reports, the company is soon expected to have two prototypes of the Chrome netbooks and before their release, will be handed to the testers. According to Google, it has already mentioned that the Chrome OS is expected to be released in the end of 2010, thus the netbooks can emerge not before early 2011.

The Chrome OS is actually Linux based and open source and relies on web-based applications and the cloud. The OS will allow the user to store whatever the user needs in the cloud and they shall have access to their data from any system having the provision of an internet connection. Thus, user mobility is greatly facilitated by the OS.

Google Chrome OS Netbooks Mario and Andretti in 2011?

How to install latest uTorrent 2.2 on Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat?

1. Install WINE which makes possible to run Windows application on Linux (Ubuntu).
Go to System > Administration > Synaptic Package manager. Search for Wine and mark it for installation and hit Apply.
Installation will be completed in few minutes.

2. Download uTorrent latest version from uTorrent Downloads. Now, right click on the downloaded file utorrent.exe and go to it’s properties.Check the box in front of “Allow executing File as Program” . You are marking that utorrent.exe as Executable script.

3. Done! Open the file with WINE by right clicking on file and select- Open with Wine Windows Program Loader. The uTorrent client interface is in front of you.

How to install uTorrent Server on Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick

On popular demand, uTorrent have released a native uTorrent Server which is web based control. It is not a stand alone client but on Web UI and on forums it was written that it is not recommended for beginners but I say- Try it.

1. Download utorrent-server-3.0-21701.tar.gz (version may vary) from uTorrent downloads.

2. Extract that TAR.GZ file to a folder. Double click on the file named utserver

3. On web browser (Say Firefox) Type the following in address bar: http://localhost:8080/gui/ It will ask for username and password which can be anything (user – admin and leave Password blank) to see the uTorrent Server Web UI.

By default the content gets downloaded to the directory where you have extracted uTorrent Server. To change the default download directory, Go to Preferences > Directory and change the Move completed downloads to location.

How to install uTorrent client & Server Web UI on Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick

Because :

1.There are no 3D games for Linux.

2.Used by Geeks only.

3.For any thing, must executed by command line.

So, friends it’s time to change your perspective about Linux. Now just double click, you can do any thing in Linux. As for myself, I am also Linux fan but love “double click” not “command line”. In the next few lines I want to show you the side that many of us do not know. Linux has both criteria  of games, high end and well, not so high end.  This is not a joke, most  games size between a few MB’s upto about 8 GB. The following websites will tell you more about the LINUX based games:

1. Live.linux-gamers.net

In this Website you can download ISO files of the games. This creates Live CDs/DVDs or you can Mount the games onto a virtual drive, and play those games.

To visit this site click here.

2. Supergamer.org

This Website is similar  as the previous one, but here you have an extra option that you can buy Live CDs/DVDs also. On this Website you can every game and it sizes more than 2 GB. And some new games of 8GB also.

To visit this site click here.

3. Happypenguin.org

This Website contain huge number of light games. There you can find new games daily. In this site games size is not more than 100 MB.

To visit this site click here.

4. Linuxgames.com

This website has most number of popular games which I know of. This site’s games collection is pretty good and information about every game’s feature.

To visit this site click here.

5. Games.linux.sk

On this Website you can find simple games created in C, C++ or some other language. From this site you can download source code for the games. You just need to compile these codes to obtain the desired game.

To visit this site click here.

6. Tuxgames.com

Here you can buy some high end games which run on the LINUX platform. This site contains few awesome games, but for those looking for free downloads you will only be able to get the demo versions of the games.

To visit this site click here.

7. Lgdb.org

This Website has Linux game data base, there you can find upcoming games of Linux as well as there rating. There you can download those games or get links to the official site where you can download those games.

To visit this site click here.

8. Freedownloadaday.com

On this site you can download free 3D games, which are only  Arcade games or FPS(First person shooter) games or Racing games strictly.

To visit this site click here.

9. Gameboom.net

This site has maintained there exclusivity  on games. There you can find filter options which helps you to select games according to your choices. This Website does not update daily but on a  monthly basis. Every month they show their best game of the month which is embedded with in a download link.

To visit this site click here.

10. Linuxgamingworld.com

This is a news site for Linux games where you can find news about game development and there is a category known as the “Games catalog”. In which you will find list of Recently and Commercially supported Linux Games.

To visit this site click here.

Conclusion

According to me there are two Website which stands out in the crowd. For high end games the  “supergamers.org” and for general games as well as news the “lgdb.org“.

Now for those who have come all the way to the end on the blog, I guess you will have something to tell others when you hear about LINUX being a non game-able platform you will be able to tell them about the above mentioned games. Enjoy LINUX it comes virus and Spam free.

Top 10 Game Download Websites For Linux