Kubuntu hard disk problems

Kubuntu Linux is very nice indeed; it’s based on Debian. But, interestingly, I’ve had to switch over to Debian due to a problem with excessive hard drive activity on Kubuntu, which has been causing a perpetual clicking noise from the drive here.

I found some discussion of this on the Ubuntu Forums, with at least one suggestion that this was a problem with the version of the kernel used in version 7.04 of the Ubuntu based Linux distributions, “Feisty Fawn”. Whatever the reason, the last thing I want to do here is to lose a brand new 500Gb drive due to unnecessary disk activity. And I don’t want to faff around changing kernel versions at the moment.

Now, the most notable thing is that, for me, Debian was easier to get up and running than Kubuntu, yet Kubuntu is supposed to be the easier of the two. For example, on Debian the music player Amarok plays .mp3 files straight after installation. With Ubuntu/Kubuntu, you need to perform some additional steps to get it working.

Due to a licensing disagreement with Mozilla, Debian ships with IceWeasel and IceDove rather than Firefox and Thunderbird. This can easily be changed, however.

So, no crazy clicking disk noise, and an easier setup. I’ll be sticking with Debian in the meantime, though I’ll probably try a couple of other distributions just to see what they have to offer.

Technorati Tags: debian, linux, kubuntu, ubuntu

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 14th, 2007 and is filed under linux, firefox, mp3.

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8 Responses to “Kubuntu hard disk problems”

1
Matthew Jabs
May 25th, 2007 16:54

Hey Baxter:

I think I’m going to add you to my blogroll.

Anyway…have you tried PCLinuxOS? They just released their new 2007 version a few days back. I’m still on the last TR4 release which has been AWESOME for me.

After trying other Linux desktops for months at a time…this is the first time I’ve ever thought…there’s no way I’m going back to Windows…but this time I do. I also will stop distro hopping now that I’ve found this distro.

Give it a shot & let me know how you like it.

I did a Google search on your site for “PCLinuxOS” and didn’t have any results, so I figured you hadn’t tried it yet. Also, I have written a few posts on the distro on eJabs, you’ll have to check those out…I won’t link to them here, you can just search them out. They’re both fairly recent.

Anyway…off to add you to my Blogroll.

Matt of eJabs
2
Baxter Tocher
May 25th, 2007 17:13

Matt, thanks for the suggestion.

I haven’t tried PCLinuxOS, though I’ve certainly read good things about it in Linux Format magazine. If there’s a live CD version that I don’t need to install, I may give it a whirl.

I’m really enjoying using Debian, and I’ve only booted into Windows once in the past two weeks!
3
Matthew Jabs
May 25th, 2007 17:21

When you download PCLinuxOS it is an .iso that is both a LiveCD & an install CD all in one, so you can try it out, then install it if you want.
4
Baxter Tocher
May 25th, 2007 17:31

Ah, cool - thanks. I’ll definitely try it out in that case.
5
total-spender
May 27th, 2007 18:18

Not sure how confident you are with Linux, but if you’re confident using the command line give Arch linux a spin. I was never a fan of Ubuntu.

I just stumbled upon your blog via Stranger In Suwon.
6
Baxter Tocher
May 27th, 2007 18:23

Thanks for the suggestion, total-spender. I hadn’t heard of Arch Linux, but I’ve just taken a look at the website. I’ll bookmark it as a possibility.
7
Linux
November 26th, 2007 18:33

yeah did you solve the problem?
8
Baxter Tocher
November 26th, 2007 18:36

Hey, Linux - nope. But I haven’t tried the newest version yet.

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