Ubuntu Kylin desktop screen

I just did download Ubuntu Kylin 16.04 (32 bits) and I have problem with the screen. First, the taskbar is at the bottom.I want it to the left side...how do you do that. Next, the tool's icons are huge in size. How do you slim them down? How do you adjust the scree resolution? My screen is so zoom in that at the page where you can adjust the screen resolution only the top option appears. The others options (I guess there are some ?) can't be seen because you can't scroll down and the tool's icon are in the way. Thanks.

 

Hi Lesl2, here is a link to the Ubuntu Kylin website, which should answer many of your "how do I do ____?" questions.

http://www.ubuntukylin.com/

I haven't used Ubuntu Kylin before, so unfortunately I cannot help with "how do you move taskbar?" type of questions. But, I have a lot of Linux experience, and I can maybe help you with the screen resolution problem, if you answer a couple of questions for me:

1. What is your notebook's make and model? (for example "Dell Precision 15 5510")
2. What is your screen's correct resolution in pixels? (for example "1920x1080")
3. What is your notebook's graphics chipset or GPU? (for example "Intel Corporation HD Graphics P530"; if you aren't sure, you can find out with the Terminal command 'lspci')

 

Well...I guess I will wait to improve anything because I just discovered that there is a Linux Lite 1.0.8 that is a good replacement for Windows XP...which I had on that laptop before. (Seems they are now arrive to version 3.2)

 

What is "that laptop" please? Nobody can help you troubleshoot Linux on your hardware unless you tell us what your hardware is.

 

It's an Acer 3003 Aspire WLMI with Sempron AMD chip. I can't remember what the correct resolution for the screen was and not having XP anymore I don't know where to go in Ubuntu to get that information ? The screen in size is a 15.4 " WXGA (seems the resolution is
1280 x 800 (WXGA))

 

Is your computer this model?

https://www.cnet.com/products/acer-...in-xp-home-512-mb-ram-60-gb-hdd-series/specs/

If so, I recommend to recycle it and find a new computer. In my opinion/experience, your hardware specs are too low to have a good experience with Linux operating system in the year 2017. Maybe you could get a low-cost or free computer from family, friends, work, school, recycle shop, etc.?

Ubuntu recommends the following bare minimum hardware specs:

ps Microsoft has dropped all support for Windows XP and doesn't support your computer any more, either.

 

I use that laptop only as a backup when my other one get problems...maybe once a year if...that. My laptop is almost the one in your link. The only difference mine "HAD" XP Professional and a 80 GB HDD. Maybe you haven't seen but I did post above that I will most likely move to a Linux Lite version and dump the Kylin.

 

I recommend to use Linux in "Live" mode ("try without installing") or as a virtual machine ("inside of Windows") on your faster machine. Then you can experiment and learn with Linux at your leisure, on powerful hardware. Here are a couple of articles about running Linux virtual machine "guests" inside of a Windows "host":

http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Ubuntu-on-VirtualBox
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/virtualbox

There is even an online Ubuntu demo, you can try Ubuntu in your web browser! So many choices; Linux is all about freedom and choice.

http://tour.ubuntu.com

 

My laptop was stuck so I had to wipe-out the hard drive to keep going so...Windows XP is gone ( I don't have an install disc). I now have Ubuntu Kylin 16.04 but the screen is not the way I want it. If you Google Ubuntu... : "placing the task bar on the left side", all you get is: " placing the task bar to the bottom". I know now where to go to place it where I want but...the ^%%$##$ icons in the bottom task bar are so big that it prevents me to see the link I would have to click.

 

Try holding down the "Alt" key on your keyboard at the same time you click on the screen resolutions dialog box and drag it with your mouse. If that doesn't work, try "Windows" key instead of "Alt." Alt-click-drag (or Win-click-drag on some newer operating systems) might allow you to drag the screen resolutions window so that you can see the part that's getting cut off at the bottom.

I apologize but I don't have any troubleshooting suggestions for your display resolution. I've only been involved in Linux for the past 5 years or so, and your graphics card is simply too old for me to have any first-hand knowledge of that particular chipset, sorry.

 

I can easily tell you the source of problem:

In case you haven't realized, this laptop comes with an SiS integrated graphics, which is, I don't lie, very poorly supported in Linux. The situation is so bad it can be compared to VIA/S3 graphics and PowerVR-based Intel GMA, the latter one is particularly notorious.

Fortunately the one in your Acer (SiS 760) is easier to fix, read this thread in Ubuntu Forums for more info (post #1-2 are especially useful).

Now you have a few options:

1. Use Ubuntu 16.04 and apply fix as described in post #2, then hope for the best
2. Use Ubuntu 14.04 and its derivatives

If you're open to other distros or desktop environments:

1. Use other lightweight Ubuntu-based distros
2. Use simpler desktop environments (e.g. LXDE, Xfce, Enlightenment etc.)

Personally I'd go for Lubuntu or Xubuntu instead, Ubuntu is just too heavy for such a puny graphics chip.

 

I did remove Ubuntu Kylin from my laptop and did replace it by Linux Lite 1.0.8 The problem now is with GIMP. I open an image that is 640 X 640 pixels and...it isn't square. It's like you take a picture of a soccer ball and what you get looks like a football (it's not as bad as that but)...to make my picture look square, I have to crop it down to 535 X 640. Any ideas?
P.S. another s..... that was happening with Linux Lite 1.0.8 was...you would type "o" and you would get "6" instead. Many letters on the right side of the keyboard would print as numbers. Did find out at Google that to solve that you have to press "Fn" and "numLk" at the same time...go figure?

 

Did you see OverTallman's post directly above yours, describing the exact fix to your specific graphics/resolution problem?

 

I did see his post but thought it was irrelevant because I don't have Ubuntu Kylin anymore. My problems with the icons being too big to move the task bar and such are all gone with Linux Lite. Now the problem is with GIMP. Unless I'm wrong, I think his post isn't related to my GIMP problem ?

 

OverTallman's advice wasn't irrelevant at all. It was the specific answer to your question. Until you install the correct driver for your graphics chipset, you will continue having graphics problems such as: circles stretched into ovals, squares look like rectangles, icons are too big, the bottoms of windows get cut off the edge of the screen, etc.

You were incredibly lucky to find a user who not only is familiar with your outdated hardware and understands the exact problem, but is also willing to spoon-feed you the solution. I suggest you reconsider OverTallman's advice very carefully (or follow my advice and put the old thing out of its misery, you have a newer/better notebook so why not use that instead).

 

The real problem is that the screen isn't displaying the correct resolution which should be 1280x800 (16:10 ratio), which can be expected with an SiS graphics since it's a real ***** in Linux.

What I can guess is your screen is displaying in 640x480 (4:3 ratio), stretching a 4:3 image to a 16:10 screen means the image is longitudinally stretched, so a circle would appear as an ellipse. It's not GIMP's fault, it's the fault of poorly supported hardware combined with wrong settings in xorg.

Linux Lite is also Ubuntu-based so the solutions for Ubuntu more or less work on Linux Lite too.

Also read @PrecisionBassed-san's reply:

However, I do think the proper SiS driver is active, it's just some tweaking is needed.

P.S. I still have to deal with a few Pentium II/III/4 desktops so that laptop really isn't too bad.

 

Thanks to both! I only use that laptop as a spare?back-up when my other one gets out of commission. I just wanted to have it ready {GIMP working) if I ever need it in a rush.

 

OverTallMan wrote:
Now you have a few options:

1. Use Ubuntu 16.04 and apply fix as described in post #2, then hope for the best
2. Use Ubuntu 14.04 and its derivatives

If you're open to other distros or desktop environments:

1. Use other lightweight Ubuntu-based distros
2. Use simpler desktop environments (e.g. LXDE, Xfce, Enlightenment etc.)

Personally I'd go for Lubuntu or Xubuntu instead, Ubuntu is just too heavy for such a puny graphics chip.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use a lightweight Ubuntu-based distro.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isn't it what Linux Lite is???...and if so, how it doesn't work correctly or..is it that with all those options (4) they all have to get that fix applied (not only Ubuntu 16.04) And precisely,can you tell me how you do that fix?

 

I did get that fix from another place...sadly, the link provided is dead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had the same problem. SIS graphics cards are made strictly for windows and they refuse to release a driver for them. Some guy created drivers for this very problem though, and you can download it at the following site.

http://www.winischhofer.eu/linuxsispart4.shtml#download

Just find the one that matches your card and download it. Then, since I'm not sure how familiar you are with Linux, press Alt and F2 simultaneously then type in gksudo nautilus. This will open a root browser. Be certain you don't delete or move something accidentally, being root can be potentially extremely dangerous to your system. Then go to file system, then usr, then lib, then xorg, then modules, then drivers, and copy and paste the downloaded driver into there. You may have to change the end extension of it to .so . I had to when I did this with my system.

This should fix your problem, but you will have to restart your system once you paste it in there.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a 19" Samsung monitor (1280 X 1024). I did plug it in my old laptop and everything is fine...no more football instead of a soccer ball. One wonder how come GIMP in Linux Lite can work O.K. on an external screen and not on the main laptop screen ?

 

Theoretically it should be fine: Linux Lite 1.0.8 is based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. But whether it's really the case in reality is another question, as I said, SiS graphics are PITA in Linux.

That means the driver can detect your monitor's resolution but not your laptop screen's resolution, then you can fix the problem by changing the xorg settings manually.

 

A friendly reminder that all support is about to end for Ubuntu 12.04 and it will become obsolete in April 2017.

https://www.ubuntu.com/info/release-end-of-life

So, best case scenario, you put in all that time and effort, you have an old slow computer with only 2 more months of support. Hence my original suggestion to recycle it and channel your resources into finding a better computer for your needs. I think an inexpensive laptop that comes with Windows pre-installed would be the perfect solution for you. Then if you want to experiment with Linux for learning purposes, you can do so at your leisure, confident that you have a functional Windows laptop for everyday use.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------then you can fix the problem by changing the xorg settings manually...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's like Chinese to me. Can you precisely explain how to do that?
With all I read, it seems to me that the way to go was to install Linux 14.04 which seems to contain the SIS graphic card fix. I did try to install Lubuntu 14.04 on Monday and it didn't work out. At the moment, I was told that I needed to be connected to the Internet but I couldn't so... I thought that was the problem. I did learn that to be connected to the Internet was only important if you wanted to download the updates at the same or if you wanted to installed the third party softwares. So,on Tuesday, I went again to download 14.04 but this time with Kubuntu 14.04. After 2 hrs , I still wasn't any close to be done and I had something else to do. I had guess that it would take a little more than 3 hrs to do it. So,on Wednesday I went again trying to install Kubuntu 14.04. After close to 4hrs ( and that was a simple clean install...HDD totally empty, no third party software and no update install at the same time), I went to Google to make a research and did find out a post from a guy complaining it took him 9.5 hrs to install 14.04....that was the end of it for me. Now, I'm going back to the Lite 1.0.8

You would say...why don't you go with Linux Lite 3.2 ? Well, I did try and it seems that thing will be a nightmare of time to install just like 14.04. One real wonder that at the very beginning of all this story, when I did install Ubuntu 16.04, why it took just about a little more than an hour to install?

 

Most Linux distributions can be tried in "live" mode, using a DVD or USB thumb drive. That way, you can take a "test drive" to see whether your hardware is supported, and if it isn't supported, you don't have to waste your time installing something that isn't going to work very well.

Here are a couple of additional resources that might aid you in your quest, if you are not finding the answers you need here at forum.notebookreview.com:

https://ubuntuforums.org/
http://www.linuxquestions.org/

 

Mission Accomplished! Thanks to Overtallman post, I did manage to get my 1280 X 800 resolution. Last week, after his post, I did try Lubuntu 14.04 . I can't remember what did happen but after a few minutes, the install did stop working. Today, after reading much, I decided to give it a go again and...it was a breeze. Less tha 30 min. You would click on things and they would move right away. Right off the bat, I knew things were right looking good (when your resolution is wrong things look so bad). So, no more soccer ball looking like football : ) Thanks again Overtallman !

 

Good to know it works for you

Lately I've been busy dealing with some of my gadgets (my AM1 mini-ITX HTPC, a re-purposed HP t520 thin client, my old Sony Xperia V, a Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830i, also had to set up my HP t5550 to mod the phones), so didn't have much time following the thread.

Now it gives me a bit of hope on my Neoware Thintune XS (which has an SiS 550 SoC) running Bodhi Linux. (As far as I know Bodhi is the only Ubuntu-based distro with non-PAE kernel available at stock)

 

Great news! Glad you got it working.

A friendly reminder that Lubuntu 14.04 support ends in April 2017.

 

Just before retrying Lubunty 14.04, I went for Bodhi 4.1 . It was the worst place ever! My resolution was 800 X 400 . They have a feature that allow to drag the screen from the pagebut... all I could do was to get even worse ...the 400 could be set even lower. Thanks again!

That laptop was running Windows XP so the support was already gone since April 2014 so it's still a plus. I might never touch it again. It's going to be put in mothballs and will be retrieve only if I have problem with my other one.

 

Interesting. I didn't realize the other LTS distros only got 3 years support. You just saved me some headache because I was just about to setup a voip server using a LTS, but I think I may go distro shopping now.

 

Some what confusingly, Ubuntu Server 14.04 will be supported 5 years, through April 2019.

Servers don't typically have a GUI (graphical user interface) so your graphics/resolution problem would be pretty much irrelevant with Ubuntu Server.

 

True.. the only thing I really use on it is SSH.

 

According to this announcement...

So yeah, you got that right.

 

I agree with the recommendation that one replace the laptop. 32 bit Linuxes are becoming marginalized support wise. And 4 GB RAM is becoming the happy beginnings of high performance 64 Bit Linux/BSD computing. There are a lot of nice $100 or under surplussed out business boxes like the Dell Latitude E5510 and E5520, the Lenovo ThinkPad T 410 and T420, the T 510 and T 520, these machines have Core i3 or Core i5 first or second gen CPU with 8GB RAM support and SATA support for hard drives or for SSD. Consider these options as they're inexpensive, easily had on eBay and great Linux boxes for cheap which perform very well. A T410 which I bought for under $100 in good running order (I had to buy a hard drive cradle and had a SATA 320 GB hard drive available to install). It has 4GB and a Core i5 CPU. Zorin Core 12 flies on it. With nice graphic support.