[STICKY] Zorin 12.1(=Ubuntu 16.04.1) post install guide

[Before I begin - if you left click on 'SELECT ALL' which appears above the 'Code' this will copy the code below onto your Clipboard of your machine, ready to paste into your open Terminal window so there is no risk of typographic/keyboard errors on your part! )

Hi guys, back to see how long this works!

xx 1. Having an issue with 'Software Centre/er' not working/showing anything after installation? xx - Resolved by doing the process below in this updated post!

a. Open a terminal (Ctrl+ Alt+ T or Menu | Utilities | Terminal) and enter:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gnome

- you will be asked for your login password to elevate you to 'root' (=administrator - a bit like 'Run as ...' in that 'other' OS! ) You won't see any circles or asterisks so be careful inputting your password.

xx This will install all those useful utilities like synaptic package manager (synaptic), dConf Editor etc - and some unwanted programs - but more of that later. You will be advised that 'following packages will be installed ... ..,. and will use up x amount of space on your hard drive. Continue? [Y/n]:' - press Y on your keyboard followed by the Enter key. xx Note this will not work in 12.1 - you will have to install dconf-tools to get dConf Editor, and you will also need to install gnome-tweak-tool and gdebi separately too!

b. Whilst still in the terminal enter:

Code:

sudo synaptic

- you won't be asked for your password again as you are already elevated to 'root' in the current terminal.

Click on the search filter near the top and middle of the window that opens and search for the following packages in turn (one at a time):

appstream

gnome-software

gnome-software-common

libsnapd-glib1

In each case, you will see a green box to the left of same, indicating that they are already installed - we need to mark each one of these for re-installation by right-clicking the green boxes and selecting from the context menu 'Mark for re-installation' the green box will change to one with a curly yellow arrow. Once you have done the 'Mark for re-installation' to all the packages listed, click on 'Apply' at the top of the synaptic window. This will solve the issue of nothing showing up in 'Software'

c. Now go to Menu | System Tools | Software Updater - click on the 'stop' button' then click on 'Settings' button when it appears. Now go to the first tab and change 'software sources' (server for your country/region) and change it to 'Main Server'. Software Updater will need to reload due to changing server location and any updates needed will be shown - install and re-start if asked to do so.

2. Removing unwanted package that gnome install has created - the main one to remove is Evolution (this is an open source top-heavy equivalent of Outlook, also bloatware) - in a terminal enter:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge evolution

then:

Code:

dpkg -l|grep -i evolution

(source: http://askubuntu.com/questions/32231/ho ... tely#32234)

3. Remove Zeitgeist which is present in Zorin before Gnome was installed anyway:

Code:

sudo apt purge zeitgeist zeitgeist-core

(source: https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/help-re ... 4-1/9439/2)

4. Disable 'tracker' daemons.

Copy the script from here:

https://gist.github.com/Prezto/75d612ce ... 30df3a6410 into Gedit (Menu | Accessories | Text Editor)

Make sure that your text in the editor reflects EXACTLY as shown (blank line 6 and blank line 9 - DON'T add the line numbers:

Save As ... 'disable_tracker.sh'

Now if you try to run it by dragging the script to an open terminal you will find that your script will not run and you get a 'permission denied' message - so you follow the advice here:

https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/run-execu ... ll-script/ - scroll towards the bottom of the page and in the terminal enter:

Code:

chmod +x disable_tracker.sh

then run the script

Code:

./disable_tracker.sh

[Note: You can see 3. and 4. in your running processes tool, System Monitor - Menu | Utilities | System Monitor - which is what prompted me to get rid of them. I have tried to search a disable/removal of ssh, goa daemons (powernow.d) but not had much success. Why remove/disable SSH? well because of this:

http://thehackernews.com/2017/01/linux- ... lware.html - reported on Cup of Linux dot com

How to secure ssh:

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/ ... index.html]

Play safe and remove Remmina Remote Desktop and VNC via the 'Software' (formerly 'Software Centre/er')

Update: Just found out, unlike 12, 12.1 will not install all the missing apps after installing 'gnome'. You need to install dconf Editor separately;

Code:

sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

You will also need to install 'gdebi' Package manager in much the same way:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gdebi