Little help with ACER AOA110Ab and Linux

Hi,

I would like to say that today is my 1st ever day of using linux so please be gentle.

I am trying to help a friend with his Acer netbook, it has firefox as the web browser (2.0.0.14 is the folder I have managed to find but not sure if that is current in the folder)

Now what is happening is if we try to use the web, firefox refuses to open, doesn't even come up with an error. Now I have downloaded a version and put it on my pen drive and if I run it from there I can get on the internet, so that to me says that there is an issue with firefox on the hard drive.

Can anyone help me either to copy the files from the pen drive to the same location as the one on the hard drive or how to uninstall the one on the drive and install the one on the pen drive please?

Information I have:

-Linux version is 2.6.23.9 lw (says Gnome as a logo, dont know if that helps)
-The file manager I managed to find is Thunar 0.9.0
-Location of hard drive copy of firefox is usr/lib/firefox-2.0.0.14

Thanks,

Doomie

Hello and welcome to the forums!

He should be able to go in and rename the hidden .mozilla folder found in his /home/his_user_name, then start Firefox so that the folder and configuration files rebuild themselves. If Firefox now works, he can reclaim any lost bookmarks from the renamed folder, then delete that folder if he wishes.

If he wants to install a later version of Firefox, it's best to use the default package tool for the distribution that he's running. Before doing so, renaming the current hidden .mozilla folder as indicated above might also be a good idea so that the new Firefox install is fresh and clean.

Thank you for the response ozar.

Can I ask, how do I get to the home/username folder. I have no idea how to get to it.

Thanks

Doomie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by doomie22

Can I ask, how do I get to the home/username folder. I have no idea how to get to it.

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In a Linux terminal or console, you could issue the following command to rename (move) it:

Code:

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mv /home/his_username/.mozilla /home/his_username/.mozilla.OLD

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... of course changing the his_username portion to whatever his current username is.


If you will be using a GUI file manager, set the file manager to "show hidden files" (probably in the "view" menu of the file manager), then navigate down to it.

Firefox 2? That's exact 2 generations behind.

Get a new distro... Debian Mint. Also you might not know, but you don't have to fetch and install software on Linux... that's Bill Gate's style. Here you have a 'software repository'

1. As it is a "netbook" some things are not as easy as with a laptop or desktop. Suggest: Go to Acer site, see if there is an upgrade for your friends machine for the total Linux system installed.
PS please advise what the name of the Linux system on the net book is at present.

2. There are many 'netbook' distributions now, they are ordinary distributions altered to remove 'bloat' so they work ok on the small memory of netbooks. e.g. Ubuntu netbook edition.

3. On your ordinary desktop, download and burn the ISO of two Linux distributions:
(Note it is an ISO file - do not copy use ISO burning part of your DVD/CD writer program)
3.1 Puppy Linux this can be used as a Live Linux system from a USB key to find many things and adjust on the netbook.
3.2 Too large for a net book, but useful for maintaining / fault correction of other systems, including dead Windows systems to recover data, is Knoppix Live Linux

regards
eionmac

Hi Doomie,

I suggest you use Lubuntu as new distro. That is Ubuntu with a light weight desktop. I use for quite some time now on a 110A. It is up and running in about 20 seconds. It is equipped with Chromium web browser. I've exchanged that with Firefox. The "desktop" can be chosen as on a real desktop or you can choose something called the Netbook Remix Desktop. That is up to you.

Lucck with it,

Drakeman.

@doomie22
Like Ozar says, you can rename the hidden .mozilla folder and re-run firefox.

From what I recall, acer used a custom version of linux on their netbooks which is based on an older redhat version (Linpus). Updates and support are a bit ropey for it.

Personally, I would rather use one of the more open netbook versions like ubuntu netbook or eeebuntu.
At least that way you get the latest software updates as well and everything is not hidden like with the acer version of linux.

Remember also, that nearly all the major distros have a netbook optimised version you can try.
You can try a live version of all of them running on a usb stick or sd card till he finds one he likes.

First, there are two very important things you should know about Linux.

1. a command line interface lets you do EVERYTHING!!! Don't be afraid to start using it and start learning about it. With the Gnome environment, right-clicking on the desktop will give you a menu with an item "open terminal" or "open command line console" or something to that effect. Please use this to start problem solving.

2. Every "flavor" of Linux has different commands for installing software. You need to learn what "flavor" of Linux you are using (called "package managers"). You posted this in "Other" so I assume you don't know.

An easy way to find out what Linux package manager you are using:
In the command line, type "rpm" and enter. If it says "rpm: command not found", you are NOT using a RedHat based Linux, but if it says anything else and you ARE using a RedHat type linux. Try typing "dpkg" and enter. If it says "dpkg: command not found" you are NOT using a Debian type Linux. If it says "dpkg: need an action option" (followed by a bunch of other information), you are using a Debian type Linux. Less common flavors are Gentoo (uses the "emerge" command) and Arch (which uses the "pacman" command).

Always use your package manager to install software.
Package managers automatically download software for you from the home website (e.g. from Ubuntu.com if you use Ubuntu which is a Debian-type Linux). Under RedHat based systems, the package manager command is "yum -i firefox". Under Debian based systems, the package manager command is "apt-get install firefox". Typing these commands in the command line will take care of your problems.

It is NOT a good idea to just copy software from one system to another.
While this can sometimes work, usually you will have some very obscure problems with "libraries" not being found. This is similar to Window's infamous "DLL not found" errors. If you use you package manager, it will make sure to automatically download and install all of the correct "libraries" you need. It also has security features to make sure software you download is virus-free (although it doesn't actually search for viruses, it uses "hash codes" to make sure the downloaded package has not been changed by some evil guy). Simply copying software from one computer to another without using a package manager is an excellent way to spread disease.

If your computer cannot connect to the internet...
then you have a different set of problems to worry about. To test if your computer can connect, make sure it is plugged into a working Network, then in the command line, type "ping www.google.com" or some other website you know for sure that you can access using a working computer. If you get a "ping: unknown host www.google.com" error, you have a network problem.

Finally, let me say welcome to Linux, you are in for a treat!
In Linux, EVERYTHING is customizable, even the Kernel itself. You are probably more familiar with Windows or Mac OS, which gives you only one type of graphical user interface. But in Linux, even the graphical interface is customizable! In Linux, we call GUI's the "Desktop Environment." You have a choice between "Gnome", "KDE", "Xfce", "Compiz", "Awesome", "Fluxbox", and many more. All of these applications are meant to put windows, file/folder icons, buttons, check boxes, scroll bars, menus, and an arrow-shaped mouse cursor on the screen. Gnome is the most common, followed closely by KDE. You can install both and switch back and forth between them without restarting. Lately, Ubuntu (a Debian type Linux) has combined Gnome and Compiz together to make a very beautiful interface that I think looks even nicer than Mac OS X.

Have fun! And please ask more questions.

If you're looking forward towards distro mixes, I've my own... I'll upload it for you if you like. What also matters is the reliability and QA, and on that Debian has no comparison. That's why recommended Debian mint.