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kb:linux:studio14p04workstation

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Ubuntu Studio 14.04: Production Workstation Install

Table of Contents

Please Note: This document uses both the Command Shell and the Root Command Shell. That is why when Terminal Commands are given below, the command prompt that is expected (ending either in $ or #) is at the beginning of each line − so do not copy & paste that 1st character.

Manually Create the LVM Partions

Doing the below will erase all data on the physical drive that GParted is used to setup! This should be done only once, when first loading Linux – as any reload would use the existing LVM Volumes, with the option to not Format/Erase the lts14-home (/home) user home directories.

GParted → to create the /boot & Physical LVM partitions

  • IF Linux was already installed on a “to be repurposed” hard drive, stop using the swap partition so the drive can be repartitioned.
    • If Linux was installed using LVM → select the lvm2 pv partition → Partition » Deactivate
    • if Linux installed w/o LVM → select the swap partition → Partition » Swap off
  • Device » Create Partition Table (This will cause all data on the HDD to be lost.)
  • Create a 2000MiB ext2 Primary Partition (to be used by /boot … suggested label is bootlvm)
I have seen systems that cannot be updated when /boot somehow runs out of space, while some extremely old (DOS based) utilities might have trouble when the boot partition gets to just under 2GiB (2048MiB). So hopefully 2000MiB is the “safest” boot partition size to use on a large hard drive. (I expect a production Workstation to have a HDD between 240GB to 3TB.)
  • Create an lvm2 pv partition using the remainder of the drive space. (pv01 is a suggested Label for this.)
Using the top of window menu, it is necessary to Select “Edit” » “Apply All Operations” to actually make these changes to the Hard Drive, before Quitting the GParted utility.

Terminal Commands → to create the LVM volumes

The below is assuming that at least a 240GB hard drive is used for this. Also, with how LVM works, leaving any remaining space unused – to permit resizing (enlarging) LVM Volumes as needed, creating other “purpose specific” Logical Volumes, etc.– is very desirable. 

$ sudo -i
# blkid     # to confirm LVM2_member is on /dev/sda2
# vgcreate lts14 /dev/sda2
# lvcreate -L 40G -n root lts14    # 40GiB Volume for the Linux OS
# lvcreate -L 16G -n swap lts14    # 16GiB Swap
# lvcreate -L 160G -n home lts14    # 160GiB for the User home directories
# exit
$ exit

1st Boot Install of Ubuntu Studio 14.04

Note: Above I have created the LVM Volumes, but I have not created the file system on them. Since Ubuntu Studio 14.04 is “LVM aware”, that just means the 1st time Ubuntu Studio is installed, the Format boxes need to be CHECKED when running the Installer.
  • Run the “Install Ubuntu Studio 14.04” application on the desktop
  • Select Language then “Continue”
  • When HDD space & Internet connection requirements are satisfied:
    • Download updates while installing ← UNCHECKED
    • I nstall this third-party software ← CHECKED
  • Ubuntu Studio installation options:
    • CHECK ubuntustudio-photography & ubuntustudio-publishing
    • UNCHECK everything else
  • Installation Type →select “Something else”
    • “Device for boot loader installation:” → /dev/sda
    • /dev/sda1 → Ext2 … /boot
    • /dev/mapper/lts14-root → Ext4 … /
    • /dev/mapper/lts14-swap → swap area
    • /dev/mapper/lts14-home → Ext4 … /home
IF you are doing a reinstall on the same LVM volumes, and there is data on the LVM /home volume from the previous install, make certain that the '“Format” box for lts14-home is UNCHECKED to preserve the user files– including any per-user system/program configuration files– during the reinstall.
  • Select the correct Time Zone, then the correct Keyboard Layout
  • Enter the appropriate information for Your Name, Your Computer's Name, etc.
  • Click the button to Reboot the computer once the installer is finished.

After 1st Boot Configuration of Ubuntu 14.04

  • Bring up the update manager (waiting on the top bar) and Select to “Remind Me Later” about installing updates
Linux Mint uses .deb files to install packages and updates. So for any location that uses multiple Linux computers, downloading these .deb files once, then storing them locally on the network, can make a tremendous difference to how fast installing programs or doing updates happens. (Only the 1st computer has to waaait for the needed .deb files to download from the Internet.)
  • enable using a squid-deb-proxy server – if there is one on the local network
  • sudo apt-get install squid-deb-proxy-client
    • Make certain “-client” is at the end of the above command! (Don't install a 2nd .deb server!)
  • “System” » “Software Updater” ← Use the Update Manager to do all updates.
  • System Settings » Language Support
    • IF “Language support not installed completely” then select “Install”
  • Ubuntu Software Center ← Use the “More Info” button for each application installed
    • install p7zip → CHECK “Non-free rar module for p7zip”
      • Search for “p7zip” → Select the one with “7zip compression/decompression tool” as the description
    • Install VLC media player
    • Install Xubuntu Restricted Extras → UNCHECK Adobe Flash plug-in
      • Search for “restricted” to find this (make certain to install the one for Xubuntu)
    • Install Non-free firmware for Linux kernel drivers
      • Search for “firmware nonfree” to find this
    • top of window menu → “Edit” » “Software Sources”
      • “Other Software” tab → CHECK “Canonical Partners” & “Independent” (4 boxes total)
      • “Updates” tab → “Notify me of a new Ubuntu version:” set to “Never”
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh    # to enable playing purchased DVDs
$ sudo apt-get install shimmer-themes xubuntu-community-wallpapers
$ sudo ln -s /usr/share/xfce4/backdrops/ 'Pictures/System Wallpaper'   # make above easy to find
$ sudo apt-get remove xscreensaver xscreensaver-data
$ sudo apt-get install light-locker light-locker-settings
$ sudo apt-get install gksu leafpad    # used to make text file editing easy
$ gksu leafpad /etc/X11/xorg.conf    # copy & paste the following into bottom of the file
Section "ServerFlags"
    Option "BlankTime"   "0"
    Option "StandbyTime" "0"
    Option "SuspendTime" "0"
    Option "OffTime"     "0"
    Option "DontZap" "false"
EndSection
$ gksu leafpad /Fix_Xfce_Desktop.sh    # copy & paste the following into this empty file
#!/bin/bash
# Fix the Xfce 4.10 Desktop "Behaves Badly"
xfwm4 --replace
exit
$ sudo chmod +x /Fix_Xfce_Desktop.sh
$ sudo apt-get install cryptsetup    # support for Linux encrypted drives
$ sudo apt-get install cifs-utils    # needed to mount network drives
$ sudo apt-get install libav-tools    # missing due to unchecked options
$ sudo reboot
  • Settings Manager » Desktop
    • Background → White Hexagon w/ Blue Ubuntu Studio symbol
    • Menus → UNCHECK Desktop Menus items
    • Icons → CHECK only Removable Devices
  • Settings Manager » Appearance
    • Style → Bluebird
    • Icons → Ubuntu Studio (already selected)
    • Fonts » Default Font → Droid Sans 10 (already selected)
    • Settings » Event sounds → CHECK “Enable event sounds
  • Settings Manager » Removable Drives and Media
    • Storage
      • CHECK Mount removable drives when hot-plugged
      • CHECK mount removable media when inserted
    • Multimedia
      • CHECK Play audio CDs when Inserted
      • Audio CDs Command: audacious cdda:// ← to auto-play Audio CDs when inserted
      • CHECK Play video CDs and DVDs when inserted
      • Video CDs/DVDs Command: vlc -f dvd:///dev/sr0 ← to auto-play DVDs (full-screen) when inserted
  • Settings Manager » Power Manager
    • General Options
      • When the power button is pressed → set to “Shutdown”
    • On AC » Monitor
      • Switch off Display → Never
      • Put Display to Sleep → Never
  • Settings Manager » Light Locker Settings
    • Blank screen after → set to 118 minutes
    • Switch off display after → set to 120 minutes
  • Settings Manager » Workspaces » Number of Workspaces
    • 1st workspace name → On Internet
    • 2nd workspace name → On this PC
  • Panel Preferences » Panel 1 → Remove
  • Office » Extra Office Applications → CHECK libreoffice office productivity suite (metapackage) » OK
    • $ sudo apt-get install libreoffice-style-sifr
  • Set Firefox homepage to https://www.google.ca
  • http://www.google.com/linuxrepositories/ → download the correct .deb file & install Google Chrome
    • in Downloads right-click the .deb file » open with Ubuntu Software Centre » Install Package
    • run Chrome → UNCHECK Make Google Chrome default browser → Start Chrome
    • run Chrome again → Don't ask again → skip for now
  • download the correct .deb file & install the “Google Voice and Video Chat” Plugin
  • Panel audio icon » Sound Settings » check/configure the audio controls/settings
kb/linux/studio14p04workstation.txt · Last modified: 2016/01/13 20:35 (external edit)

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