Linux

How to Install adobe flash player in ubuntu Firefox, Chromium

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Flash Player is one of the most important applications which allows you to browse all multimedia contains such as animations, media contents, flash games, videos, etc. It is available for all operating systems such Windows, MAC, Linux, Android and many more…

But the procedures to install it are different from one OS to another. In this guide, I will tell you how to Install Flash Player on Ubuntu.

Preliminary operations

To install Ubuntu Flash Player you need to select the Canonical partners’ repository from Ubuntu Software Center repositories.

For this, go to System Settings (the gear icon in the left sidebar) and click on the Software icon and updates. In the window that opens, select the Other software tab and, if it is unchecked then put the check mark next to the Canonical Partner item.

Finally, type the password of your user account on Ubuntu (the one you use to access the system) and press the Authenticate,  Close and  Reload buttons to save the changes.

Download Flash Player for Ubuntu

Now you are ready to take action! To install Flash Player on Ubuntu, connect to this web page using Firefox and click on the orange button available on the Software Center. Now choose to open the link using AptURL and install the plugin by clicking on the Install button and typing the Ubuntu administration password.

When finished, open Firefox or Chromium and try Web page that contains elements in Flash (eg the Flash Player test page ). If all went well, you will be able to see all the content without problems.

Flash Player for Ubuntu – what to do in case of problems

If it displays any error message during the installation of Flash Player for Ubuntu, then follow these steps:

  • Open the Ubuntu Terminal (you can easily find it by clicking on the button with the operating system logo and typing its name in the search field that appears at the top);
  • Give the command
    sudo apt-get purge adobe-flashplugin
  • Type the password of your user account, press Enter and wait for the command to execute;
  • Give the command
    sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install adobe-flashplugin
  • Wait for the Flash Player installation to complete;
  • Close the Terminal.

If you are unable to install Flash Player even from the Terminal, try to perform the manual installation of the plugin as explained below.

  • Connect to the official Flash Player site;
  • Select the .tar.gz entry for Linux environments from the drop down menu located at the bottom left;
  • Now click on Download button;
  • Wait for the download to finish;
  • Start the Terminal and type the following commands
cd /home/user/Downloads

where instead of

user

you have to type in your username. To move to the folder where you have stored the Flash Player installation package.

tar zxfv install_flash_player_11_linux.x86_64.tar.gz libflashplayer.so

where instead of

install_flash_player_11_linux.x86_64.tar.gz

you have to type the exact name of the file downloaded a moment ago from the Flash Player site. To extract the plugin from its distribution package.

sudo cp libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins

to copy Flash Player to the Firefox plugins folder.

If you’re using Chromium, Opera, or another Chromium-based browser and can not install the latest version of Flash Player then try uninstalling the old version of the plugin ( pepperflashplugin-nonfree, now no longer supported) and installing the new one. To do this, open the  Ubuntu Terminal and use the following commands.

sudo apt remove pepperflashplugin-nonfree flashplugin-installer

to remove old versions of Flash Player.

sudo apt update

to update repository packages.

sudo apt install adobe-flashplugin

to install the latest version of Flash Player.

After entering the commands, type in the Ubuntu administration password.

Now restart your browser to apply all changes. When finished, open Firefox or Chromium and try Web page that contains elements in Flash (eg the Flash Player test page ) and verify that everything went smoothly.

Fix no GRUB menu on dual boot windows 10

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Have you just re-installed Windows on a computer which also has Linux and when you turn on your PC but you are no longer allowed to choose which operating system you want to use?

Don’t worry, this is a fairly common problem and for this, you just have to restore GRUB and your problem will get solved with just a blink of eye.

Don’t you know what I’m talking about? I’ll explain it to you right away.

GRUB (acronym GRand Unified Bootloader) is the bootloader which is used by many Linux distributions, such as the famous Ubuntu, to manage the operating systems installed on the computer.

In other words, it is the software that looks at the operating systems are installed on the PC and allows you to choose which one to start after switching on the machine.

Restoring it is much simpler than it seems. To do that, you don’t need to format your computer’s hard drive or reinstall one of the operating systems already on your PC.

Follow the instructions below to restore the GRUB initial menu:

First step

If you want to restore GRUB because you installed Windows after Linux and now you no longer have the option to choose which operating system to start when the PC is switched on, follow the instructions below.

For this, you need to get a live version of Ubuntu or Boot Repair Disk, a “first aid” distros that contains the necessary tool to repair the Linux boot loader. Now download one of the two solutions I have just suggested to you, for Ubuntu.

If you are downloading Ubuntu then select the version from 32-bit or 64-bit operating system from the drop down menu and then press the button start the download.

If you want to download Boot Repair Disk just click on the boot-repair-disk-32bit.iso entry or the boot-repair-disk-64bit.iso entry(depending on whether you want to download the 32- or 64-bit version of the distro).

Once the download is complete, copy the ISO file to a disk or USB stick.

Now burn the ISO image of Ubuntu or Boot Repair Disk on a DVD use the software that I have recommended in my guide on how to burn ISO (eg ImgBurn ). You can also copy it on a USB stick using the free UNetbootin to install ubuntu from your USB.

Once you have your bootable CD or USB stick with Ubuntu or Boot Repair Disk, boot from the latter and follow the steps that are shown in the following sections of the guide.

Note: I recommend the second option between CD and USB stick, but it is not mandatory. Please note that if you use a computer based on the UEFI system (and not the old BIOS) you must use the 64-bit version of Ubuntu/Boot Repair Disk.

Ubuntu

If you are using a live version of Ubuntu, start the operating system from the first screen and then Try Ubuntu option without installing it from the next.

Then, enable an Internet connection by connecting your computer to the router via an Ethernet cable or by choosing one of the Wi-Fi networks available in the menu at the top right (the icon of the Wi-Fi clutches).

Once you have established your Internet connection, open the Terminal and type the following by pressing the Enter key successively and typing the password for your user account.

  • To add the Boot Repair program repository to the Ubuntu software sources (press Enter to confirm the operation)
    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
  • To update the Ubuntu software source database
    sudo apt-get update
  • To install and start the Boot Repair utility.
    sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair

In the window that opens, click the Recommended repair button, wait a few moments to restore GRUB and click OK to save the changes. Then restart the PC and GRUB should be back in its place.

Boot Repair Disk

If you are using Boot Repair Disk, select your language from the initial language selection menu, start the distro (select the 64bit version or 32bit version option from the next screen, depending on the version you are using) and wait for it to start automatically the Boot Repair utility.

Then click on the Recommended repair button, wait a few moments to restore the GRUB bootloader and press OK to save the changes. At this point, restart your computer and you should again be able to choose which operating system to boot between Linux and Windows.

In case of problems

Main solutions

Have you installed Ubuntu (or another Linux distro) but GRUB does not appear? Does it start Windows directly instead?

In this case, if you believe you have a computer based on the UEFI system, restoring the bootloader may not be useful.

What you need to do is access the UEFI firmware settings by pressing F2 or any other key indicated in the computer startup screen, look for the UEFI Boot Option Priority settings, Boot Option Menu or Boot priority order and select GRUB (or Ubuntu ) as the boot loader to be used when the PC is switched on.

Another possible solution to the failure of GRUB is to access the Windows Command Prompt, type the command

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi

and press the Enter key on the PC keyboard.

This will force the Windows boot manager to “see” the GRUB information in the EFI hard disk partitions (the one containing the data useful at the start of the various operating systems).

If you can not access the UEFI firmware configuration panel by pressing F2 or another key when the computer is turned on, try to act directly from Windows 8/8.x and later. Let’s see how.

  • If you are using Windows 8/8.x, click the Start button, type the term settings in the search field that is shown to you and select the PC Settings icon from the search results. Then click on the items Update and Recovery and Recovery in the left sidebar, press the button Restart now that is under the heading Advanced startup and wait for the screen to appear with the Windows startup options.
  • If you are using Windows 10, click on the Start button, click on the Settings icon (the gear wheel on the left) and then press the Update and Security icon. At this point, click on the Restore item on the left, locate the words Advanced Restart and then press the Restart now button and wait for the sender to appear with the system startup options.

Now select the Troubleshooting, Advanced Options, UEFI Firmware Settings and Startup settings and you should be able to access the UEFI firmware settings.

You can also deactivate fast boot function of Windows 8/8.x and later to access the GRUB menu. To do so, access the Windows Control Panel (the classic one), search for the term power in the search bar at the top right and click on the Change button behavior of the power buttons.

Now, click on the Change settings currently unavailable, uncheck the item Activate Quick Start and press Save Changes to save the settings.

Many UEFI-based computers have the so-called BIOS Legacy Mode which is a special boot mode that lets you emulate old BIOS and use compatible operating systems only with the latter (like older versions of Windows and Ubuntu).

In some cases, it may happen that you have installed Linux in BIOS mode instead of UEFI and this causes the inability to start Windows. In fact, it is not possible to dual-boot two operating systems if they are installed in different modes (one in UEFI mode and one in BIOS Legacy mode).

To solve the problem and restore the dual-boot you have to convert the installation of Linux to the same mode in which Windows is installed: You can do it with the Boot Repair utility of which we talked about at the beginning of the guide.

  • To convert Linux to UEFI mode you need to start Boot Repair and activate the panel with the Advanced options, then select the GRUB Position tab, put the check on separate Partition/boot/efi and click Apply.
  • To convert Linux to BIOS Legacy mode, start Boot Repair and activate the panel with Advanced Options, then select the GRUB Position tab, uncheck the separate Partition/boot/efi item and click Apply.

Finally, enter into the UEFI firmware configuration panel and choose whether to start the computer in UEFI or Legacy mode.

Other possible solutons

Keep in mind, however, that the ones I just suggested are just some of the possible ways to restore GRUB, those useful to solve the problem in most cases. However, there are specific situations where it may be necessary to follow some other procedure or integrate other steps to those we have just seen together.

To resolve any doubt on the question, I strongly encourage you to ask for help on the official forum of the Linux distro you use (eg the Ubuntu forum ): there you will surely find someone able to help you.

Also try to take a look at the official Ubuntu wiki where other procedures are described to solve boot problems in dual-boot systems.

How to install Ubuntu in computer step by step guide

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After having heard so much from your “techie” friends finally, you have decided to try something different and to install Linux on your computer.

Linux is an alternative operating system to Windows and macOS which is based on the open source philosophy. Its source code can be viewed, edited and redistributed by everyone freely.

There are several versions, called “distributions” or “distro”, most of which are 100% free. Among these, one of the best known is Ubuntu that in recent years has managed to win many supporters thanks to its extreme ease of use and good compatibility with the hardware currently in circulation.

Another very important thing to stress is that Ubuntu includes very famous applications such as LibreOffice, Mozilla Firefox and is compatible with other software that surely you will have learned about Windows like Chrome, GIMP, JDownloader and many others.

In short: if you want to find out how to install Linux, try Ubuntu and we assure you that you will not regret it.

There is no easier and more convenient way to approach the “penguin” operating system.

What do you say then? Are you ready to start?

If your answer is affirmative, take some free time and read on: find all the instructions you need right below.

Minimum requirements and preliminary operations

Before you get to work and try to install Linux on your PC, make sure you have everything you need to get this done.

A PC compatible with Ubuntu

 

As already mentioned above, Ubuntu is compatible with most of the computers currently in circulation. However, it is better not to take unnecessary risks and carefully check the compatibility of your hardware with the operating system distributed by Canonical.

The minimum requirements to run Ubuntu are the following:

A processor with 700 MHz or higher, at least 512MB of RAM, 5GB of disk space and a graphics card with support at a resolution of at least 1024 × 768 pixels. These are the recommended requirements to enjoy the Ubuntu experience at full: a dual-core CPU at 2 GHz or higher, 2GB of RAM, 25GB of free disk space.

Regarding support for graphics cards, sound cards, network cards, printers and other hardware components, you can use software like Speccy for Windows that can identify them all very quickly.

A good Internet connection

 

The ISO image of Ubuntu weighs about 1.5GB. Moreover, during the installation process of the distro you will be offered the possibility to download from the Internet the latest available updates and third-party software that are not included by default in the operating system, such as MP3 codecs. In short: to download Ubuntu and everything necessary for its operation you need a good Internet connection.

A DVD or USB stick on which to copy Ubuntu

 

Depending on your preferences – and the hardware equipment of your PC – you can choose to install Ubuntu via a DVD or via a USB stick. In the first case, you can use any empty disk.

In the second, however, you need a flash drive with at least 2GB of free space. The key is formatted, so it must not contain any important files.

A properly configured BIOS / UEFI

 

To boot the DVD or USB stick with Ubuntu, you may need to enter the BIOS or the UEFI configuration panel of your computer and change some parameters in the latter.

The UEFI, if you do not know it, is an evolution of the traditional BIOS that is found on most PCs sold with Windows 10 or Windows 8.x pre-installed. It’s easier to use than the old BIOS, but it includes security measures that can prevent the Ubuntu installer from starting.

If you are using a fairly recent PC, then go to the UEFI configuration panel to deactivate the secure boot function, which prevents the startup of operating systems that do not have a digital signature (practically all operating systems other than versions more recent Windows).

In some cases, moreover, you may need to activate the BIOS Legacy function that allows you to emulate the operation of the old BIOS on UEFI-based PCs.

But be careful, by activating the Legacy BIOS mode you will lose the possibility to create a dual-boot system with Windows (you will have to continuously switch from the BIOS mode to the UEFI depending on the operating system to be started).

You can find more details about these features and how to change them in my tutorial on how to enter the BIOS / UEFI.

A backup of the data on the PC

 

The installation of Linux does not automatically delete the files on the disk (it does so when you choose to format the destination disk), but before proceeding it is always advisable to backup your files. Get an external hard drive or very capacious USB flash drives and create a backup of documents, photos, videos and other files.

How to download Linux

Now you can take action and download Ubuntu on your PC. Before proceeding, however, know that there are two versions of this distro: the standard and the LTS (short for Long Term Support).

The Long Term Support versions have extended support lasting 5 years and are issued every 2 years, the standard ones are issued every 6 months and have a 9 month support.

Personally, we recommend the LTS, even if they have some function less than the standard versions (or better, later acquire the features introduced in the standard Ubuntu releases).

If you are ready to start, then open the Ubuntu website and click on the Download it now button. On the page that opens, select the version of Ubuntu you want to download from the first pull-down menu, the 32-bit or 64-bit option from the central drop-down menu (depending on whether you want to install the 32 or 64 operating system version bit) and click on the Start download button to download the ISO image of the operating system on your PC.

 

How to copy Linux to a DVD or USB stick

When the download is complete, you must decide whether to copy Ubuntu to a DVD or USB stick. If you want to use a DVD, insert the disk in the burner and burn the ISO image of Ubuntu (eg  ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso ) with any program suitable for the purpose.

We recommend the free ImgBurn software, but there are many others that you can use. To find out how to burn ISO files in detail, you can consult a guide to the topic we wrote some time ago.

 

 

If your computer does not have a DVD player and you want to copy the ISO image of Ubuntu on a USB stick, you can use the free Rufus software that supports all the main Linux distros, all the latest versions of Windows and many LiveCDs related to antivirus, software for partitioning etc.

To download Rufus on your PC, connect to its official website and click on Rufus 2.xx in the middle of the page.

Then start the file  Rufus-xx.exe, click on the Yes button and, in the window that opens, select the drive for the USB stick on which you want to copy Ubuntu through the dropdown menu Device/Unit.

When the operation is complete, click on the diskette icon located at the bottom right, select the Ubuntu ISO image and make sure that in the drop-down menu Partition and target system type and File System there are selected the Schema items, respectively MBR partition for BIOS or UEFI and FAT32.

Then put the check mark next to the Quick Format option and click on the Start, Write in ISO image mode and Yes buttons to start copying the files on the USB stick.

 

Note: if you have a computer based on a 32-bit UEFI system (like many medium-low-end convertible tablets), to start the Ubuntu stick you may need to download the bootia32.efi file from this web page and insert EFI\BOOT folder of the flash drive.

If you can not boot with the stick, try inserting the file we just suggested in the latter and/or re-create the Rufus stick by selecting the GPT partition scheme for UEFI option in the Partition scheme and system type menu destination and choose the dd mode to write data to the unit.

How to install Linux

Now you are ready to  install Linux on your PC. Remember that installing a Linux distro on your PC does not mean eliminating Windows, at least not necessarily, as the new system will create a new partition on the hard disk of the computer where you will place and every time you turn on your PC you can choose to start normally Windows or start Linux.

The only precaution you need to have is to leave some free space on your hard drive so that Ubuntu can install itself without problems (20/25 GB should suffice).

At this point, insert the disk or USB drive of Ubuntu into the PC and restart it to boot from Linux.

If the computer does not detect the drive that was copied to Ubuntu and normally starts Windows, you must enter the BIOS/UEFI and set the CD / DVD drive or USB drive as the primary boot drive.

The whole procedure is well illustrated in my tutorial on how to enter the BIOS / UEFI.

After booting, you should find yourself in front of a language selection screen after a quick upload. Choose your language  (using the arrow keys and the Enter key) and select the option to install Ubuntu.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can also choose the option to try Ubuntu without installing it and then proceed with the installation of the operating system on the PC by clicking on the icon on the desktop.

 

After starting the Ubuntu installation process, select your language item from the left sidebar and click the Install Ubuntu button.

Then put the check mark next to the items Download updates during the installation of Ubuntu and Install third-party software so that the system is already complete with all updates and basic multimedia codecs after installation and click on the Next button.

If you do not have an active Internet connection, you may not even check and make updates after installing the operating system.

 

If everything is spun smoothly, at this point Ubuntu should detect the presence on the Windows PC and ask you what you want to do: Install Ubuntu next to Windows, delete the disk and install Ubuntu or Other (to manually manage the partitions, only for experts).

So put the check mark next to the item to install Ubuntu keeping intact Windows and go forward.

 

At this point, use the mouse to move the graph through which to select the size of the partition to devote to Ubuntu and complete the installation of Linux on the computer indicating your  geographical location (for the time zone), the layout to use for the keyboard and setting the combination of user name and  password to  be used to access the system.

 

Also completed this step? Now just wait for a few minutes. When the installation is complete, restart the PC, remove the disk or USB drive from Ubuntu and you will have the possibility to choose which of the two operating systems to start each time the PC is powered on.

 

If you want to install Linux instead of Windows, select the option Delete disk and install Ubuntu in the initial setup phase or, if you are quite knowledgeable about it, select the Other option to manually manage disk partitions (thus having the possibility to create new ones, delete or format existing ones).

In case of doubts or difficulties, contact the Ubuntu community that is numerous and always ready to help new users who want to “dive” into the world of Linux.