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Popular ideas Here are the last 6 months most popular ideas about Live CD installer.

Implementing software RAID at Desktop install is currently very difficult.  
Written by sulliventcj the 13 Apr 12 at 05:38. New
Currently, installing to a software raid setup with the Desktop flavored Ubuntu image is an ordeal. There is no UI option to do so. Instead, one must go through a convoluted process of setting up the partitioning with gparted, then create the arrays with mdadm, then install with ubiquity, install mdadm to the new Ubuntu isntallation, and then screw you if you want grub installed properly.

The point is, this is too much work to go through for a simple RAID setup. What's worse, this is almost certainly a detriment to adoption by businesses or OEMs.
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Solution #1: Create an "Advanced" menu when Ubiquity comes to the partioning screen.
Written by sulliventcj the 13 Apr 12 at 05:38.
Create an advanced menu at the partition creation screen that can be easily expanded, and used to create LVMs and RAID arrays. At most, all that would be needed is a GUI implementation of the RAID options already available in the Server and Alternative flavored images.
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Solution #2: Create partitions from live-cd, but include mdadm and lvm2 packages
Written by caligari the 24 Apr 12 at 17:28.
I've just installed Precise with RAID and LVM disk managament running live-cd before the installation. It was easy to do with "Disks Utility".

However, I had to install mdadm and lvm2 packages from live-cd (with apt-get on console) in order to Disks Utility execute the background commands.

Those packages (lvm2 and mdadm) should be included in the install live-cd since they are necessary to prepare an advanced installation.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

Automatic performace and Desktop environment sugestions  
Written by brunopereira81 the 30 Jan 12 at 15:50. New
Ubuntu should get a ratting system for desktop environments.

Sort of what Windows has at the moment but could evaluate CPU/HD/3D acceleration/MEM req/etc.


For users that have doubts about their system performance the tool could evaluate and make a suggestion for the user to switch to a lighter flavor of Ubuntu if the system fails under certain points.

This could be applied during the LiveCD installation or after an installation as a tool inside the system to troubleshoot performance issues for new users.
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Solution #1: Ubuntu tool to measure system performance and sugest changes to user desktop env
Written by brunopereira81 the 30 Jan 12 at 15:50.
A tool that would assess the system\'s performance and suggest to the user possible alternatives to desktop environments and programs / services he might be running.


Would be nice to have some tool that said: \"you can run 3D already but your are very short on memory and your HD access seems slow, running Unity on this computer might not be the best choice, here are the recommendations for your system: Xfce, LXDE, etc. Also turn this feature off, turn that service off...\"

I know that graphics are a bit hard to test on a live environment but a lot of hardware can be checked and performance measured during install.

Why not display some recommendation notes during install / after install?

Is that impossible to create?
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Solution #2: Build upon Ubuntu Friendly
Written by cheesehead the 4 Feb 12 at 13:02.
Ubuntu Friendly (checkbox) is a set of tools that check for system compatibility. As this testing application matures, the same tests can be expanded to provide ratings, too.

Two big benefits of starting with checkbox are the existing developer base and the existing database infrastructure...both already supported by Canonical.
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Solution #3: New Benchmark utility
Written by aw@kreawit.se the 6 Feb 12 at 12:27.
Compile a set of benchmarktests that is comparable with other Ubuntu-machines. A combination of lshw-gtk, gnome-disk-utility, sysinfo and hardinfo.

For example hardinfo shows your result of CPU-blowfish and compares it with other CPU:s.

Give CPU, Harddrive, GPU, RAM amount and performance points, save the points at ubuntu one so it can be compared with other ubuntu one connected machines or discussed at forums and with other people.

Lshw can tell what type of memory you have and if there is a socket empty for more.


See the 5 comments or propose a solution >>

The installer should allow to skip the installation of a boot loader  
Written by nicky the 9 Feb 12 at 08:37. New
(as far as I know, this suggestion is not version specific)

I'm running Ubuntu side by side with Debian on my laptop so I am capable of helping new users with Ubuntu-specific issues in the Danish Ubuntu-forum. However, since Debian is my primary OS, I would prefer to leave the boot loader in the hands of Debian, both under and after the installation of Ubuntu.

But during the installation of Ubuntu, after language and updates have been chosen and when choosing "Something else" as installation-type, one have to choose a place for the boot loader in the drop-down menu named "Device for boot loader installation:".
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Solution #1: Allow the installer to skip the installation of grub2
Written by nicky the 9 Feb 12 at 08:37.
In my opinion, the most simple solution would be to include an extra entry in the drop-down menu which would instruct the installer not to install a boot loader.
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Solution #2: Autodetect, then ask
Written by cheesehead the 18 Feb 12 at 21:36.
Most bootloaders can be edited fairly easily. Grub1, grub2, and syslinux, for example. all keep menu data in predictable locations and editable formats.

Most users shouldn't need to care about which bootloader they use, or if it should be replaced, or how to update the options. The bootloader probe logic should be smart enough to determine if replace/upgrade of the bootloader is needed, of simply if a new menu option can be appended.

---
"We found an existing bootloader pointing to an existing Windows install on partition 3.

At startup, do you want to:
[ ] Start Ubuntu every time
[ ] Start Windows every time
[ ] Ask me every time

You can easily change this in ...blah blah blah"

See the 4 comments or propose a solution >>

Automatic repartitioning to a UEFI-partition during install  
Written by manne1984 the 29 Feb 12 at 21:43. New
I feel that the Ubuntu installer should be able to re-partition the harddrive so I, as an end-user with only modest knowledge of the command line, could benefit from having my UBUNTU OS working with the UEFI-firmware and not falling back to a legacy-mode which is provided by the firmware. After searching on the net and using this guide; https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFIBooting I was able to create the required partitions with some hassle. The booting process is quicker, not text-based and it seems as if the power-manager features work now.

If I'm correct in this brainstorming, this hidden and little known-feature (by regular end-users, like me) is beneficial to the over-all computing experience with greater compatibility between the OS and the hardware.

Should the installer instruct the user about this option?
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Solution #1: Implement repartitioning with UEFI-partition included.
Written by manne1984 the 29 Feb 12 at 21:43.
By making the installer and the disk utility responsible for the automatic partitioning of the drives implementing a reworked UEFI-partition, not dependable of the initial vendor's UEFI-partition. Clearly mentioning the complete re-configuration of the system.

See the 2 comments or propose a solution >>

A NAS version of Ubuntu server  
Written by dsp the 12 Apr 12 at 22:52. New
It will be good with a NAS version of Ubuntu server. a Ubuntu version of FreeNAS. The problemet with FreeNAS is that it runs on OpenBSD platform and not Linux. There is no distributions of LINUX with target the NAS marked.


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Solution #1: UbuntuNAS
Written by dsp the 12 Apr 12 at 22:52.
All the packets is precent i Ubuntu server alredy. the to things with is missing is
1. a great web interface to the server management, including a disk management.
2.Under the installations of Ubuntu server the opportunities to choose a NAS version.

The NAS version should install the web interfase and the packets that fits NAS purposes

See the 5 comments or propose a solution >>

Add /home/* backup/restore capability to ubiquity  
Written by Resistance the 3 May 12 at 01:46. New
This idea was proposed by the the Launchpad user bodhi.zazen, as part of a feature request bug against the update-manager package. Bug Squad members asked that this section be removed from the feature request in order to triage the feature request bug (which contained both minor and major change recommendations initially, with the idea in this post being the major change):

Idea:
Ubiquity looks for a backup of /home and offers to restore /home from backup. If no backup exists, it offers to create one, to be stored on external media or another partition.

Rationale: Many users out there who are not experienced sysadmins either install new versions of Ubuntu on top of older versions, or upgrade using the LiveCD environment. In both cases, people have an (occasionally) unexpected loss of data. This loss of data results in posts going to AskUbuntu.com or ubuntuforums.org for help in recovery, which can be very hard.
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Solution #1: Autodetect and ask
Written by Resistance the 3 May 12 at 01:46.
Incorporate a method into the installation system to detect if a version of Ubuntu already exists on the drive selected for installtation, offer to create a tarball of /home/* and/or other directories that can be selected by the user, create the tarball, and then have the user save to external media, or to another partition on the drive. This would then automatically back up the user's /home/* user data and any other items specified during the backup procedure.

As well, incorporate a method after installation to ask the user whether or not they have a backup of which they want restored to the newly installed system. Then, allow the user to choose the backup (in a tarball) to restore to the system, thereby allowing easier restoration of data for new users.

See the 4 comments or propose a solution >>

Make it easier to put multiple .iso images on a siggle USB flash device easily  
Written by Andrej84 the 23 Apr 12 at 16:57. New
Ubuntu Alternate/Server installer cannot be copied simply to a USB flash device then install it. The installer failes when it tries to detect the "CD-ROM".
Without external tools more installer (except desktop CD what contains Casper) cannot be put on a same USB flash device.
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Solution #1: Modify CD detect script in initrd
Written by Andrej84 the 23 Apr 12 at 16:57.
I suggest to modify the CD detect script in initrd, it has no effect on the existing install methods, but with this modification the user will be able to put more installer to the same USB device and after booting from the USB device he can choose in grub2 menu the one what he want to install.


i suggest to add the following inside the initrd (install/initrd.gz) to file var/lib/dpkg/info/cdrom-detect.postinst right after the installer logs that it's searching for the installation media:


if db_get cdrom-detect/custom-usb && [ "$RET" = true ] && db_get cdrom-detect/uuid && db_get cdrom-detect/fs && db_get cdrom-detect/path; then
log "Trying to mount directory on custom USB drive"
device=$(db_get cdrom-detect/uuid; echo "/dev/disk/by-uuid/$RET")
fs=$(db_get cdrom-detect/fs; echo "$RET")
log "File system: $fs"
path=$(db_get cdrom-detect/path; echo "$RET")
log "Path to be mounted: $path"
mkdir /media/custom_USB
if mount -t $fs -o ro,exec $device /media/custom_USB && mount --bind /media/custom_USB/$path /cdrom 2>/dev/null; then
log "Mount of the directory on custom USB drive succeeded."
if [ -e /cdrom/.disk/info ]; then
log "CD-ROM mount suceeded: directory on custom USB drive"
mounted=1
db_set cdrom-detect/cdrom_device $device
db_set cdrom-detect/cdrom_fs $fs
break
else
log "CD-ROM mount failed: directory on custom USB drive"
umount /cdrom 2>/dev/null || true
umount /media/custom_USB 2>/dev/null || true
rmdir /media/custom_USB
fi
else
log "Mount of the directory on custom USB drive failed."
fi
fi


In this case the installer will mount that directory what contains the content of the unpacked ISO if the kernel got the neccessary parameters from grub2.

Example for the grub2 config entry:
menuentry "Ubuntu 10.04.4 Alternate 64-bit"
linux /boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64/install/vmlinuz root=UUID=2338807b-3bb0-4372-b00d-a4b59dcc6d25 file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed cdrom-detect/custom-usb=true cdrom-detect/uuid=2338807b-3bb0-4372-b00d-a4b59dcc6d25 cdrom-detect/fs=ext2 cdrom-detect/path=boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64 quiet --
initrd /boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64/install/initrd.gz



cdrom-detect/custom-usb should be true.
cdrom-detect/uuid should be the UUID of the partition what contains the unpacked ISO.
cdrom-detect/fs should be the file system type of the partition what contains the unpacked ISO.
cdrom-detect/path should be relative path (from the USB flash device) what contains the unpacked ISO.


The advantages of this method:
- User will be able to choose the installer what he wants to start from a single USB flash drive (or external HDD)
- It doesn't affect the existing installation methods
- no other software is needed in initrd (like awk what has other dependecies)
- The installer is portable, only grub2 config needs to be rewritten if the user re-format the USB device or copy the installer to another device
- it increases the installer by less than 1 kB


I don't see any disadvantage for this method.


Before this post I already uploaded this idea to Hungarian Ubuntu blog, you can see the formatted codes there: http://ubuntu.hu/node/29874
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Solution #2: Add Mutisystem to USC
Written by mitcoes the 24 Apr 12 at 11:52.
Multisystem is a Ubuntu software - it does not work well at any other distro even debian - that you can install via PPA.

It allows you to make multi ISO USBs pendrives, and it is faster than CD/DVDs installations and cheaper if you like to test several distros.

I think that to put it at the default USC packages first and after that even at the CD/DVD iso, it would be great.

Even better if you put a /boot default partition with the Xubuntu* ISO inside and an entry at the GRUB2 menu, in order to reinstall the system if there are any great problem, keeping /home and making it fast as hell.

* I say Xubuntu because it is compatible with ATI, Unity, gnome Shell and Cinnamon have issues with ati proprietary drivers, and Kubuntu is no longer a Canonical sponsored product.

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>

Make LVM aviable for Desktop Install CD  
Written by Xwarman the 10 Mar 12 at 12:26. New
For the reason HDDs become bigger and bigger it would be interesting for more users in the future to use LVM. I found it frustraiting and more dangerous to use the alternate install disk just to manage a lvm.
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Solution #1: Make LVM Management avaible to desktop-install cd
Written by Xwarman the 10 Mar 12 at 12:26.
Make LVM avaible to manage in Desktop-Installer of Ubuntu. Create new optional dialogs. As minimum, desktop installer should be able to recognize existing LVMs. If there is one, it should be possible to configure, manage and install directly as any other installation and partitioniring method of the desktop installer.

Add a comment or propose a solution >>

Make GRUB's menuentry for Windows partitions less geeky  
Written by brm the 9 May 12 at 21:47. New
My wish is to simplify the language referring to Windows partitions in /boot/grub/grub.cfg. The current language is in terms that only a Unix geek could love: "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)." This does not contribute to resolution of bug #1.

I am an advanced intermediate user of Linux, so I know exactly what the line means. But a less experienced user of my multi-boot machine might well be confused. I would prefer "compromise" language: for example, "Microsoft Windows 7 (installed on /dev/sda1)."

This way, the *ix user knows which is the Windows partition; the Windows user sees a term that s/he recognizes.

Following an answer to a Launchpad question on this point, I am submitting this idea both to brainstorm and as a wishlist bug.
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Solution #1: Simpler language in GRUB menuentry
Written by brm the 9 May 12 at 21:47.
language such as "Microsoft Windows 7 (installed on /dev/sda1)" would be recognizable to a user more familiar with Windows as well as providing useful information to a more experienced Linux user.
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Solution #2: only an Ubuntu option without any extra string
Written by siddhantone the 11 May 12 at 19:26.
Instead of all three options i.e. Ubuntu, recovery mode and memory test, only an Ubuntu option will be better without any extra string i.e. (installed on /dev/sda1),(installed on /dev/sda2)
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Solution #3: More self explaining language in GRUB menuentry
Written by puxkggn the 13 May 12 at 14:22.
Thus getting something like:
"Microsoft Windows 7 (loader) (installed on /dev/sda1)"
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Solution #4: Add "Advanced options" at the bottom of the list
Written by turbolad the 22 May 12 at 11:14.
To make the GRUB boot options more user friendly and less daunting to new users, who have installed Ubuntu alongside Windows, a simpler GRUB could be implemented and the "technical" stuff available from "Advanced options". GRUB could look simpler by default, like this:
__

Boot options

Ubuntu 12.04
Ubuntu recovery and troubleshooting
Windows 7
Advanced options
__

Behind "Advanced options" could include the memtest86, previous Linux kernels and partition information can be shown, such as showing Windows 7 installed on /dev/sda1 and so on. Newbies don't understand what "/dev/sda1" means!

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>