Member Avatar for theemerchant

Hey Guys, Ubuntu just released it's 9.10 version called "karmic Koala". I'm still on the process of updating my old OS but I heard a lot of great things about it. One even mentioned it is a great competitor for Windows 7.

Does anyone have something to share about the Koala?

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Quick practical notes for anyone deciding whether to move to Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" based on the thread: experiences here are mixed — and report smooth runs, while saw regressions on some hardware. Below are safe, actionable steps to help with an upgrade or fresh install, plus targeted troubleshooting that addresses the common pain points raised.

If planning a fresh install (or to recover after an upgrade), back up user data and package state first. Save the package selections and apt sources so you can restore or compare installs later:

# save currently installed package list
dpkg --get-selections > ~/pkg-selections.txt

# back up apt configuration and sources
tar czf ~/apt-sources.tar.gz /etc/apt

# quick user-data backup (replace names/paths)
rsync -a --progress /home/youruser /media/backup/

Graphics problems tied to kernel mode setting (KMS) are a common cause of regressions. If you hit blank screens or mode switches, test with a non-KMS boot option and inspect kernel/X messages:

uname -r
dmesg | grep -i -e i915 -e drm

Temporarily add nomodeset or i915.modeset=0 to the kernel line from GRUB to see if the session boots; use the Live CD/USB to confirm hardware behavior before committing.

Netbook users should consider the Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) Live image first — it’s optimized for low-resolution screens and performed well for on an Asus 1005ha. If you prefer the old IM stack, you can reinstall Pidgin after install (Empathy is the default), but test messaging and telepathy backends before removing defaults.

If stability is critical, delay the upgrade until you can test on your hardware or until a point release addresses regressions. When asking for help, include uname -r, Xorg logs (/var/log/Xorg.0.log), and dmesg output to speed diagnosis.

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Member Avatar for gerard4143

Hey Guys, Ubuntu just released it's 9.10 version called "karmic Koala". I'm still on the process of updating my old OS but I heard a lot of great things about it. One even mentioned it is a great competitor for Windows 7.

Does anyone have something to share about the Koala?

Tried installing it and...Well lets put it this way, if I wasn't so entrenched in Mandriva I would have switched.

Member Avatar for Crash~Override

I like it! Its a good release. Ubuntu is doing a great job!!

I have used ubuntu desktop release as well as the UNR (Ubuntu Netbook Remix) 9.10
I really like the UNR 9.10

It worked flawlessly right out of the box on my Asus 1005ha netbook.

Member Avatar for jbennet

Karmic is very buggy compared to jaunty, it seems a bit rushed to me - there are quite a number of regressions caused by changes to the kernel (KMS mainly), specifically, of you have an intel video chipset (945GM for example) you are likely to encounter a number of issues. Going to skip this release, myself (im currently on LTS anyway)

On the plus side though, it does give faster boot and improved hardware support (unless you are hit by the aforementioned regressions).

Edited by jbennet because: n/a
Member Avatar for khakilang

Its still work on my old notebook and even perform slightly better. Its flawless, stable and secure. There is no other reason why I need to go back to Window. It got browser, Open office, Movie player and MP3 player, Image processor and Empathy. That's all I need for my day to day usage. The only that is still poor is the gaming side. That is 1 area Window win. Well you can't have everything I guess.

Member Avatar for theemerchant

So far, K Koala has been impressive in my opinion. I also love the idea that they converted to using empathy instead of pidgin, which makes everything more lighter than the usual.

I did an upgrade from my 9.04 kubuntu, but I heard a lot of people saying installing it fresh is the best way to make sure we get to enjoy the koala experience. I might try installing it fresh one of these days.

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