Zorin Lite post install guide (Lubuntu - LXDE How-To)

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE: ZORIN LITE VERSIONS 6,7 AND 8 ARE NOW OUT OF DATE.

Edit: Zorin Lite 9 (Lubuntu 14.04) is now available and is supported until APRIL 2017:

Get it here: http://zorin-os.com/free.html (Click on Zorin OS 9 Lite download link)

Edit: Zorin Lite 10 download link: It is only supported until January 2016!.

Get it here: http://zorinos.com/download10.html (Click on Zorin OS 10 Lite download link)

Hyperlinks don't work on this forum for some strange reason so you will have to scroll down to the section you want to view!.

List of topics covered by this guide:

Mouse pointer device settings tool:
Vision Impaired Support:
Additional Drivers Tool:
Adding apps to the LXDE startup list (Autostart):
Security and Firewall:
Set numlock on bootup LXDE (Lubuntu):
Keyboard & language settings:
Gdebi:
Graphic card drivers:
Sound:
Adding other user accounts:
Make yourself "root" for use in the File manager (PCManFM):
Tweak Tools:
Adding icons to the desktop:
Adding or Removing icons to/from the LXDE panel:
Panel Settings:
Adjusting Clock Settings:
Downloading and adding extra themes:
Accessing sub folders in "File Manager" (your home folder):
Create links to folders/files:
Take out "Zeitgeist":
Desktop Screenlets:
Adding an HP Printer:
Other Printers:
Tips & Tricks for LXDE:



IT IS IMPORTANT YOU FOLLOW THE UPDATE PORTION OF THIS GUIDE BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO YOUR SYSTEM, MAKE SURE IT IS FULLY UP-TO-DATE BEFORE YOU START!!!. CLICK ON THE LINK DIRECTLY BELOW THIS ADVISORY.

(See this link: http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/viewtop ... f=6&t=2247 )

Hi all,

this How-To (guide) is for people who have successfully installed Zorin Lite and wish to do some post install configuration, these are my preferences, you must decide whether you wish to use the same settings/method as mine!. (Please do not confuse Zorin Lite with Zorin 6 or 9 Final!!!.
Zorin Lite users please go here for tips about the Lubuntu desktop:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lubuntu/Documentation

and:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lubuntu/Setup

See also:

http://wiki.lxde.org/en/Main_Page


Start Synaptic and go to “Settings > File > Delete files after download so you don't have any rubbish (trash to the Yanks) in your cache after the installation of software.
Now go to “Settings > Repositories > Zorin Software and mark all available boxes and make sure that the download location is set to “Main”, move to the next window “Other software, and do the same tick thing, now go to "Updates" and do the same again. Close the Software Sources window and click on “Reload” > “Mark All Upgrades” > “Apply” and let it do its thing, restart your PC after the updates have finished. (Updates may remain blank but are already listed in "Other Software")

If you cannot find packages in the repositories, please download the .deb packages you want from here:

http://pkgs.org/

Make sure you download the correct package for your system, from the available packages listed under the Ubuntu OS, 32 Bit only on Zorin Lite, or you can download the all.deb packages which work on both 32 and 64 Bit systems!. (Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and14.04 LTS = Zorin 6 and 9. Lubuntu 14.04 = Zorin 9 Lite) ZORIN LITE IS 32 BIT ONLY!!!.


Mouse pointer device settings tool:

Install the following package to help with mouse pointer device settings:

Code:

gpointer-device-settings

http://incisiveradar.com/how-to-convert ... asic-disk/

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticsTouchpad

https://help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-h ... l#problems


Vision Impaired Support:

Download and install the package "kmag" with the following terminal command (Ctrl + Alt + t):

Code:

sudo apt get install kmag

Then you will find a new menu entry in the main menu:



Right click the menu icon to add to desktop!.

Now if you want it to start with the system, open "Default applications for LXsession" and add (paste) this command to Autostart: "kmag -caption %c %i" and it will always autostart!:

Code:

kmag -caption %c %i

There is also "Orca" (Screen Reader)?:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gnome-orca

Autostart code: "orca --replace"

Code:

orca --replace

See also:

https://www.kde.org/applications/utilities/kmag/

https://help.gnome.org/users/orca/stable/


Additional Drivers Tool:

If you require additional drivers for things like your WiFi adapter or Graphics card (or other hardware), you will find the Additional Drivers Tool in the Zorin Lite Menu (See pic):




Adding apps to the LXDE startup list (Autostart):

Step 1 using Chromium Browser as my example:

click on Zorin Menu > Internet > Right click "Chromium Browser" > Properties > File Properties > Desktop Entry > Command and highlight (copy) the command showing in the command window:



Step 2:

Zorin Menu > Preferences > Default applications for LX session > Autostart > paste the copied command at the top where it says "Add" and once pasted, click on "Add" > Done and restart your PC!:




Security and Firewall:

The default setting for the firewall is "OFF" (yes! I know), to switch it on, open System Settings > System > Firewall and simply throw the switch (password required!) to the "On" position, when you reboot, it will (should ) be active:



Excellent video here:

https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/firewal ... -15-04/580

See also:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gufw

If GUFW is not installed, in a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + t) with this command:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gufw

AntiVirus software:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus

Easy terminal (Ctrl + alt + t) install for ClamAV:

Code:

sudo apt-get install clamtk

which will also install a GUI despite this old info:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ClamAV

List of security topics:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CategorySecurity


Set numlock on bootup LXDE (Lubuntu):

Open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + t) and paste the following command(s):

Code:

sudo apt-get install numlockx

Code:

echo "/usr/bin/numlockx on" >> /etc/xdg/lxsession/Lubuntu/autostart

Keyboard & language settings:

To set your keyboard language correctly, click on the country button (by default "US" for some reason?) to the left of the clock with a right mouse click and go to > "Keyboard Handler Layout Settings":



Once done; a menu will appear and you need to make a couple of changes, firstly, take out the tick of the box "Keep system layouts". (very important) and put a tick in "Do not reset exisiting options".



To add a layout; simply click on the button "ADD" and another window will open with layouts from all over the world, make your selction and click on OK once done:



To remove unwanted keyboard layout, simply mark the one(s) you don't want and then click on "Remove".:



To use the country flag for your layout, simply click on "Show layout as" and then select "Image" and use the numbered buttons at the bottom for the size you want:



To install other languages,: Zorin Menu > Preferences > Language Support and enter your password when asked!. Please also see the main language "How-To" here:

http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/viewtop ... f=6&t=1699


Gdebi:

Gdebi (pre-installed in Zorin OS 9 Lite) lets you install local deb packages resolving and installing its dependencies. apt does the same, but only for remote (http, ftp) located packages. To install a ".deb" package using gdebi, simply right click the downloaded package and "Open with" > Gdebi and let it do its thing, it will require your password unless you have made yourself "root".

To install Gdebi via the terminal, paste the following command:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gdebi

Graphic card drivers:

Now install your graphic card drivers, in Zorin OS 9 Lite, the additional drivers tool is now intergrated in Synaptic, open Synaptic > Settings > Repositories > Additional Drivers and select the recommended proprietary driver, older ATI card drivers may not be available and I advise you to use the onboard drivers if you have an older ATI graphics card!. (THE ADDITIONAL DRIVERS TOOL MAY NOT WORK SO BE WARNED, SEE BELOW!)

For those who wish to use WiFi (Wlan), you may find that there are drivers listed in the tool if your WiFi adaptor was not automatically configured during install!.

Attention Nvidia card owners, there might be a problem with pages going blank on you, please see this link although this shouldn't happen in the Lite version:

http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/viewtop ... f=5&t=2490

Additional Drivers Tool Zorin Lite 9 (Intergrated in Synaptic software manager):


In Zorin 9 Lite (Lubuntu 14.04); use the highest number driver in the list for Nvidia and install using Synaptic as the tool normally doesn't work, as an example, I would choose the package "nvidia-331" for my card. (I cannot comment on ATI drivers sorry!) If you view the Nvidia thread (see link above), it tells you how to install your drivers manually!.

Restart your PC afterwards!!!!!.

It is important to restart your PC in "Recovery Mode" and select "Network" (Cable Only!!) and then run "DPKG" and after you have done the updates (Mesa, Xorg etc!), restart your PC with Ctrl + Alt + Del, don't click on "Resume" !!.

If the above doesn't work for whatever reason, as soon as you reboot your PC, start Synaptic > Reload > Mark All Upgrades > Apply and then restart your PC again!. (Yes! I know!!)

The above is a just in case scenario and may not even be necessary but I advise you to do it nonetheless!!.


Sound:

I suggest you install the following packages for good sound/playback management:

Code:

sudo apt-get install sox libsox-fmt-all faac flac paman

You will find "paman" (Pulse Audio Manager) under the "Sound & Video" menu. Make a link on your taskbar/panel (see below about adding/removing icons) or desktop!!. (This is really needed as the sound manager is very very basic in Lubuntu!)

Sound Troubleshooting Procedure

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Sound ... gProcedure

http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Softwar ... fectSetup/

Adding other user accounts:

you should also install the package "gnome-system-tools" which will add an icon in the main menu under "Users and Groups", armed with this tool you can setup accounts and how the guest accounts react with the OS, you can select how much access the guest has with regards to network or printing and other areas of the PC!!.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/66718/ho ... and-groups


Make yourself "root" for use in the File manager (PCManFM):

To make yourself "root" in Lubuntu if you need to do something as root in the file manager, press "Ctrl + Alt + t" which will open a terminal and type:

Code:

gksu pcmanfm

The above command will give you "root" (God Mode) powers in the file manager, as long as you leave the window open, you can do things like change permissions and copy system files, once you close the file manager, your root powers are automatically recinded!!.

In a normal Ubuntu desktop that uses the Nautilus file manager, the command would be "gksudo nautilus" and as you can see; the above command varies greatly from that!.


Tweak Tools:

There are only 2 real tweak tools for Lubuntu, one is "Openbox Configuration Manager" and the other is "Customize Look and Feel" , both of which can be found listed in the main menu under: Start > Preferences.





To globally change the Lubuntu (LXDE) desktop icons, open > File Manager (your home folder!) > Edit > Preferences > Display and select the icon sizes you want:



Adding icons to the desktop:

Simply open the main menu (Zorin Button bottom left) and hover over the app icon you need and right click it and then on "Add to desktop", done!


Adding or Removing icons to/from the LXDE panel:

To add or remove icons to the LXDE panel, do as follows:

Right click the panel > "Add/Remove Panel Items" > "Applications Launch Bar" > "Edit" > Select desired icon(s) from "Available Applications" > "Add" > "Close" when finished!.










Panel Settings:

If your panel looks a bit odd, I suggest you use the "System theme" to make it look better:

Right click the panel > Panel Settings > Appearance > Background > System theme.




Adjusting Clock Settings:

Please go here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lubun ... ngTheClock


Downloading and adding extra themes:

Stacks of themes here which are really easy to install!:

http://www.noobslab.com/p/themes-icons.html


Adding other themes is not as daunting a task as you might think, you only need to select a GTK2 theme from here:

http://gnome-look.org/index.php?xconten ... 5d2d6b8062

There are several themes to choose from, select your desired theme and opt for the save option and save it to downloads.

Open your downloads folder and right click the package and select "Extract Here" and the package will create a folder with the theme name, so download "Greybird-Mint" as an example and extract it to your home folder, you will now see a blue folder bside the original Tar package.

Press F4 and a terminal will open:


Type the following in the terminal to create your ./themes folder: mkdir ~/.themes This command has now created a folder for all your future themes.

Now you need to move/copy that new folder containing the theme to the new themes folder. With the terminal still open, type: cp -r Greybird-Mint ~/.themes/
You will now have a theme in the folder which you can use by opening "Customise Look and Feel" and select the desired theme.

Summary:

1. Download desired theme to downloads folder and right click "Extract Here".
2. Press F4 to open a terminal
3. Type: mkdir ~/.themes (You only need to do this once, if you download more themes, just do the following command)
4. Type: cp -r Greybird-Mint ~/.themes/ (Greybird-Mint is an example, the file name is very important so make sure you type it exactly the way it is written!)
5: Open "Customise Look and Feel" and select desired theme.

A more detailed explantion is available from The Peppermint Linux website as well as several other tips:

http://peppermintos.com/guide/customize/
(Thanks guys!)

See also:

http://box-look.org/index.php?xcontentmode=7402


Accessing sub folders in "File Manager" (your home folder):

When you open your home folder, on the left is the normal view but it doesn't show the route to the sub folders should you want to access them.

Click on the dropdown menu arrow to the right of the word "Places" which is near the top in the left hand window, then select "Directory Tree" and your sub folders will now show up on the left hand window:





Create links to folders/files. Please click on the link below:

See also:

http://wiki.lxde.org/en/PCManFM

http://wiki.lxde.org/en/PCManFM#Desktop_Icons.2Flinks


Take out "Zeitgeist":

Zeitgeist is a form of spyware that logs user activity, if you want to stop/start it, open "Desktop Session Settings" (Start Menu > Preferences > Desktop Session Settings) and take out the tick in the box, the next time you start, Zeitgeist should not be active!!. You can of course, use this tool to stop/start other functions!!. (Be careful what you do though!!) YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ZEITGEIST INSTALLED UNLESS YOU INSTALLED THE MAIN "GNOME" PACKAGE!.



Desktop Screenlets:

If any of you want to install a desktop screenlet; the best way to do it is to use the screenlets package with which you can select several screenlets for your desktop, paste the following command in a terminal to install the full screenlets range:

Code:

sudo apt-get install screenlets-pack-all

Once installed, you will find "Screenlets" under > Zorin Main Menu > Accessories > Screenlets. Select a screenlet and tick the box "Start/Stop & Auto start on login".



If you inted to use the "Clearweather" screenlet, you will need to go here http://www.weather.com/ and type in your location and apply that to the Clearweather "Weather widget settings" per the pic, you need to copy and paste the code shown in the address bar:





Right click the Clearweather desktop screenlet > Properties > Options > Weather > Zip > Paste or type the WOEID code (Where on Earth ID) > Apply and you should end up with something like this:




Adding an HP Printer:

firstly, update your system fully per this guide if you haven't already done so and this applies to all printers linked here!:

http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/viewtop ... f=5&t=2247

Secondly, install the package (after finishing updates!) "hplip-gui" and make sure your printer is connected and powered up.

Open the app "HPLIP-Toolbox" which you will find under Main Menu > Preferences and start the app, it will guide you though the set-up process, there are a couple of similar icons so watch out for that!!.











Other Printers:

For Canon Printers, please see this:

For direct downloads from Canon, go here as Canon Asia is the best place as Aisa are big time Linux users!:

http://support-asia.canon-asia.com/?personal

See also:

http://ubuntuportal.com/2011/12/how-to- ... buntu.html

and :

http://supportdrivers.info/canon-pixma- ... mac-linux/

Install the PPA using the terminal commands provided then update your software sources list and choose your drivers from the list.

(I only have an HP printer so I cannot be sure if the above will indeed work but assume it does!!)


For Samsung printers:

Deb package PPA here but I don't know whether it is still actual:

http://www.bchemnet.com/suldr/

Or:

https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... ngprinters

http://askubuntu.com/questions/170880/h ... ng-printer

For Lexmark printers:

http://support.lexmark.com/index?page=c ... &locale=en

See also:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Hardw ... rkPrinters

For Epson printers:

http://download.ebz.epson.net/dsc/search/01/search/

(You need the .deb packages for 32 bit only when using Zorin Lite/Lubuntu!)

Brother Printers:

Open Synaptic package manager and type "brother" in search and mark all the packages that you can see and install them, then open System Settings and add your printer in System Settings > Hardware > Printers > Add.

See also:

http://support.brother.com/g/s/id/linux ... edirect=on

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-retail-deta ... 31276.html

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport ... ersBrother


Tips & Tricks for LXDE:

http://wiki.lxde.org/en/Main_Page

http://lxlinux.com/

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Lubuntu/Documentation

This is a work in progress and is not finished. Be back later!! Watch this space!!.

Regards Wolfman

Attention: Zorin 9 Lite is based on Lubuntu 14.04 and is supported UNTIL April 2017.


My Zorin 9 Lite desktop:



If you have any requests or comments, please feel free to PM me, DO NOT send requests for help with Zorin OS Lite via PM, post any questions about a problem or problems; on the Help & Support section of the forum!.

Thread updated!.