UNR - How to change ext3 to ext2 + Graphic Driver

Hello fellas,

I tried installing the Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04 and yes, it's cool, but quite slow (8GB SSD + 512). I've read that I should change the ext3 for ext2, to minimize the ssd writes. I tryied to google it or search here in the forum, but the guides available didn't helped. So, I ask here:

How can I do it? In a very very noobie way.

The other question I have is that when I try to change the visual effects (in the Appearance tab), it does not work. I mean, I can see the effects, but the upper bar sometimes disappear or when I change to another program, some parts of the screen doesn't appear too. I guess that the graphic driver is not recognized or something like that... Anybody know something about this?

Last thing: I uninstalled Evolution Mail and Pidgin, but in the Favorites I still can see the icons. I tried to delete this items, but they are stick there. Any solutions?

Thanks for any help, guys. Cheers!

 

You should have selected to use ext2 during the install. Fortunately ext3 is "just" ext2 with a flesystem journaling extension, and the journaling can be disabled, leaving you with ext2, by using the tune2fs utility included with ext2 and ext3. Read about it here : http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux/ext2toext3.htm

Visual effects, or rather Compiz Fusion compositing doesn't play nice with the Ubuntu UNR Maximus and Desktoplauncher default userinterface. When using the default UNR desktop, you should disable the visual effect. If you change to the normal ubuntu Gnome userinterface, feel free to enable the visual effects to the maximum, giving you the cube, raineffect and any other Compiz Fusion eyecandy that you want.

 

Thanks for you prompt reply DutchDK!

I will try the ext3 to ext3 when I got home.

Regarding the visual effects, do you mean that the standard Desktop Ubuntu work fine with AAO 110?

Regards!

 

The standard Gnome based Ubuntu desktop works fine with the AAO A110. Whether it works fine with your eyesight, is something only you can determine, and might need the help of your optician to fix

 

Is there a big benefit (speed) in turning off journaling if you have an SSD? ie is it worth the effort?

Thanks

 

Define big benefit - what appears to one user as a big benefit, might not be so for another user.
The main reason people decide to not use a jounaling filesystem on an SSD, is due to the misunderstanding that the added write cycles a journaling filesystem does to the SSD will wear out the SSD (they have a limited amount of write cycles to each storage cell on the chip), faster than a UK elected parliamentarist can palm off the bill for a flatscreen TV on the government. That is not so. The AAO will have expended its usefull life before everyday use of the device with an Ext3, NTFS, Ext4 or other journaling filesystem will wear out the SSD.
The second most common reason people opt to not use a journaling filesystem on the AAO, is the percieved speed advantage during normal use of the device (I.E. opening apps, etc.)
The speed benefit of using ext2 over ext3 isn't that big, but the perceived difference for the average user is there, and that is all it takes for making it a benefit for the average user. Using ext2 makes it a bit more "risky" since recovery of files in case of a crash will be harder. But if you don't abuse the device, the risk is minimal, and the perceived speed benefit worth it.

Personally I prefer a journaling filesystem, for the security benefits it gives in auditing, as well as recovering from crashes, but that's just me - I know I will abuse the device, so its better for me to use ext3 or ext4, in order to recover any mishaps of my files.

 

Just mount the filesystem as ext2 (change the line in /etc/fstab). That way you can effortlessly switch back and forth should you change your mind. ext3 is just ext2 + a journal.

EDIT: I honestly don't know if there's any actual performance gain from not having to update the journal - even with the abysmal write-speed of the low-budget SSD - but OTOH running fsck against it after an unclean shutdown only takes a few seconds... and I can't recall ext2 ever causing data loss for me .