Canon MG4250 installation on Mint13

The instructions presented here are a more compact version of the ones provided in this blog, and improved for Linux Mint (but should suit well also to Ubuntu). For more detailed infos please refer to the link above.

1. Download the latest printer and scanner drivers (see links)
2. Exctract the two files:  in a Terminal type
   ls *mg4200series*.tar.gz | xargs -i tar xzf {}
3. Open the printer driver folder:  cd cnijfilter-mg4200series-3.80-1-deb/
4. Run the installation:  ./install.sh  and follow the instructions on the terminal.
5. Open the scanner driver folder:  cd ../scangearmp-mg4200series-2.00-1-deb/
6. Run the installation:  ./install.sh
7. Since no launcher is created in the Menu, right click on the menu button and select "Edit menu" got to the category you desire to see the scanner in (e.g. "Graphics") and then click the "New item" button. Put whatever you desire under name and comment, and the following in the "Command" field:  scangearmp
8. If the first time you launch the scanner an error appears, just proceed and click the button saying "Update scanner list"; wait a while, then your scanner should appear.

This should be all. As mentioned above, for more detailed instructions please refer to the guide linked in the first phrase.

Changing GRUB options

If you want to change some options of the GRUB boot loader, like for example the timeout for the default option, or the order of the various options, this is what you have to do:

• type  sudo gedit /etc/default/grub  in a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T) and insert your password
• edit the timeout expressed in seconds at "GRUB_TIMEOUT" or the default option at "GRUB_DEFAULT" (the number is the position of the desired option in the boot loader, starting from 0)
• in the Terminal type  sudo update-grub  to update the GRUB configuration file

Automatically mount NFTS partition

In order to automatically mount an NTFS partition on Ubuntu/Mint you just need to know where it is located on the file system: to do that, open "Disk utility" from the Menu, select the hard disk containing the desired partition, select the partition and look what is written near the label "Device", usually it's something like /dev/sdaN with a number instead of N.

Assume it is for example /dev/sda4, and that you want to mount it in a folder named "Files", then:

• type  sudo gedit /etc/fstab  in a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T) and insert your password
• at the end of the file add two lines as follows:
  # My automatically mounted partition
  /dev/sda4 /media/Files ntfs defaults,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 1
• save and close

The next time you'll reboot, it will be automatically mounted! =)

[SOLVED] Could not download all repository indexes

If updating your software gives you one of the following problems

Could not download all repository indexes

The repository may no longer be available or could not be contacted because of network problems. If available an older version of the failed index will be used. Otherwise the repository will be ignored. Check your network connection and ensure the repository address in the preferences is correct.

Could not refresh the list of packages

ERROR###ERROR###ERROR###ERROR###ERROR###ERROR###ERROR

W:Failed to fetch http://packages.medibuntu.org/dists/precise/Release.gpg  Could not connect to packages.medibuntu.org:80 (67.215.66.132). - connect (110: Connection timed out),

W:Failed to fetch http://packages.medibuntu.org/dists/precise/free/binary-amd64/Packages

Unable to connect to packages.medibuntu.org:http:

Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org precise Release          

Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org precise/free amd64 Packages/DiffIndex

Err http://packages.medibuntu.org precise/free amd64 Packages

  Unable to connect to packages.medibuntu.org:http:

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.medibuntu.org/dists/precise/Release.gpg  Could not connect to packages.medibuntu.org:80 (67.215.66.132). - connect (110: Connection timed out)

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.medibuntu.org/dists/precise/free/binary-amd64/Packages  Unable to connect to packages.medibuntu.org:http:

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

it's because medibuntu packages are no more available, and thus can't be updated, but are not automatically removed from the packages which have to be updated. With this single command that I found here you can definitively eliminate this annoying problem: in a terminal type

sudo sed -i '/^deb http:\/\/packages.medibuntu.org*/d' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*.list

insert your login password, and it's done! =)

[SOLVED] Add custom characters to keyboard layout in Ubuntu

After a lot of attempts, which were not definitive, I finally managed to add some custom characters to my keyboard layout which were not included, avoiding to switch form one layout to another for just some characters.

Here I use as example how I added some German characters (ä,ö,ü,...) on my Italian layout.

• temporally change your layout with a similar one:
  Menu -> Keyboard Layout ->  Layout -> + -> chose a different one from your current (I chose English UK)
• open a terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
• type cd /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/
• type ls to see all the layouts, and identify which one your was (in my case it, in the following steps substitute it with your layout)
• make a backup copy: sudo cp it it.backup
• open the file: sudo gedit it &
• identify the key you want to edit: if for example you want to add the "ä" as third option on the "A" key, search for the lines which contain "a" and "A" at the beginning; in this case it is:
      key <AC01> { [a, A, aring, Aring] };
• substitute the third element ("aring" or whatever you have) with "adiaeresis" and eventually the fourth with "Adiaeresis" in order to get an "Ä"; this in ALL lines (there can be more of them for different layout settings) where that specific key appears. 'A' key lines should then look like
      key <AC01> { [a, A, adiaeresis, Adiaeresis] };
• add other desired characters as well; if you don't know their code (e.g. "adiaeresis"), just look for them in that language's layout
• save & close
• in the Terminal type sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration and follow the on-screen instructions
• then type sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup and follow the on-screen instructions
• close all programs and reboot: sudo reboot
• after logging in go again to Menu -> Keyboard Layout ->  Layout, remove the previously set layout and add your default one; now, following the above example, you should be able to get an "ä" by AltGr+A and an "Ä" by SHIFT+AltGr+A

[SOLVED] Mint13 - Nvidia GeForce GT540M optimus (64 bit)

Nvidia graphic cards with Optimus technology (such as GeForce GT540M) may take to errors in case of installation through the official Nvidia .run file or apt-get install nvidia-current, and result in a horrible VGA screen resolution (in the best cases).

At write time there wasn't a single working solution, but many different forum discussions each solving a subpart of the problem. Now that I managed to solve it, I report here all and only the necessary steps to finally use your Nvidia graphic card on your Ubuntu/Mint OS.

Note: tested on Mint13 64bit.

Important: follow all the steps in order, inserting password when prompted, always confirming

REMOVE PREVIOUS NVIDIA INSTALLATION ATTEMPTS:

• open a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
• type sudo apt-get purge nvidia- and press 2times TAB fast; with the arrow up key reselect the command and complete it with each of the found options
• type sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.* then enter
• type sudo reboot then enter. The system will REBOOT! (close open programs/files before)

INSTALL BUMBLEBEE

• open a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
• type sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable then enter
• type sudo apt-get update then enter
• type sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia linux-headers-generic then enter
• type sudo apt-get install virtualgl-libs:i386 then enter
• type sudo usermod -a -G bumblebee $USER then enter
• type sudo update-initramfs -u then enter
• type sudo gedit /etc/init/bumblebeed.override then enter
  write:
      start on    (runlevel [2345])
      stop on     (runlevel [016])
  save and close;
• type sudo reboot then enter. The system will REBOOT! (close open programs/files before)

TEST IT

• open a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T)
• type optirun glxspheres then enter

Please let me know if it was successful for you. If some step gives you problem and you go on skipping it please let me know too! You don't need to register in order to comment!

Note: this guide solves also the following problems:

• You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server.
• Could not apply the stored configuration for monitors
• The Bumblebee daemon has not been started yet or the socket path /var/run/bumblebee.socket was incorrect

Program to merge, split, rotate and select pages from multiple PDF documents

Are you using Ubuntu, Linux Mint or other similar distributions? Do you need a program to work on PDF pages? Here is the best one that you could use: PDFchain.

To install it just open a Terminal (CTRL + ALT + T), type
sudo apt-get install pdfchain
and insert your password to enable root privilege.

When the program is installed just search for "pdfchain" in the menu: you will then be able to import one or more PDF files, select pages from them, copy them, rotate them, give them an order, even encrypt the output. Then you can merge everything in a single output PDF document.

It's really fantastic! Have a try and enjoy it!

How to add hibernate option to Mint 13

If you have installed Mint 13, one of the first things you'll notice is that there is no hibernate option in the shutdown window.
Although there is no way to add the option from GUI, you can simply do it by following these instructions:

• open a Terminal (CTRL+ALT+T) and type sudo gedit /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/com.ubuntu.enable-hibernate.pkla (or another text editor instead of gedit); then insert your password in the terminal
• add the following lines at the end of the file, then save:
  

  [Re-enable hibernate by default]
  Identity=unix-user:*
  Action=org.freedesktop.upower.hibernate
  ResultActive=yes

Now (or in some cases after restart) you will see the hibernate option when you click the poweroff button..

Ubuntu - Enter password for keyring ‘Default’ to unlock

If this window (or a similar one) appeared while launching an application, here is what you've got to do:

Enter password for keyring ‘Default’ to unlock

An application wants access to the keyring ‘Default’, but it is locked

• FOR LINUX MINT & maybe recent Ubuntu (please let me know)

     0.   -->

1. In the menu, search for Passwords and keys; open it
2. In the "Passwords" tab you should have a folder Passwords:login
3. Right-click on it and select "Change password"
4. Insert your password in "Old password" and leave blank "Password" and "Confirm"

IMPORTANT NOTE: A security-information window will appear, but you can ignore it: your login password won't change, so your computer is still protected.. Maybe other users, once computer is logged in, can access those applications wich require a keyring password, but I think that if you leave someone your pc logged in, you trust them, don't you?

• FOR UBUNTU version 11.04 (and others? please let me know, also if it is correct)

   "An application wants access to the keyring 'Default', but it's locked."
   (thanks to a reader for his/her comment)

1. In the menu, under Applications search for Passwords and Encryption Keys
2. Right-click on Default-user, and then "delete"
3. Right-click on Login-user, and then "set as default"
4. The above NOTE is valid here too.

• FOR UBUNTU versions up to 10.10 with GNOME instead of UNITY

1. Go to  Applications –> Accessories –> Passwords and Encryption Keys
2. If in the "Passwords" tab you see "Passwords: default" select it, then  Edit -> Remove
3. File –> New –> Password Keyring
4. Insert 'Default' as name, and a password (not necessarely the login one)
5. Now you'll be asked the previously set password every time you log out; to avoid this you can leave the password blank.
6. The above NOTE is valid here too.

Was the post not useful to you? Here some possibly useful links: