Kubuntu Help

Hey guys,
I installed Kubuntu 7.10 yesterday and have had a few problems - however I started to love KDE.
My previous only experience of Linux is Linux Mint (damn I got to update my sig). Mint is probably the most out of the box and play distro's u can get. With Kubuntu, I've found its very different.

My main concern is updates. In mint there was something called mintupdate which was basically like windows update. I can't really find a similiar program in Kubuntu. In adept manager, I've enabled all the repositries therefore being able to download all software. However, thousands of programs are listed. Are all these updates?

Another thing is I don't know if my nvidia drivers are installed. When hovering over desktop icons and other icons, they always flicker. I suspect this is because I've yet to install the nvidia drivers. Anybody help me here? How do I check I have the nvidia drivers and which one's do I install, there is is three in adept and others on the nvidia website and some others in synaptic - which one is the correct one?

Also, how to enable special effects such as orca or beryl? Does Kubuntu come with a special effects program by default?

Lastly, I can't seem to view my windows stuff in Kubuntu. Is there anyway I can do this?

Thanks guys, jam.
Sos for the long list of questions but I'm pretty confused.

 

There is an update manager its somewhere under the system panel, just look around. It normally pops up when updates are available.

Again in the panel menus there is something called restricted device manager or something along those lines. Launch that and it will et you install proper nvidia drivers.

You have to install compiz , compiz settings manager to get special effects, once installed via synaptics it will be available under appearance I think.

Search synaptics for ntfs-3g for the windows problem, also boot into kubutu after properly shutting down windows, if you do ahard restart the partitions wont show up.

If you like KDE and MINT soo much then why not try Linux Mint 4.0 KDE edition, from what i've heard its really great

 

I installed Mint KDE and some of the controls are goofy for the stuff jam12 is working with. I recommend sticking with Kubuntu.

If you are working with Gutsy, try working through this kubuntu guide:

http://kubuntuguide.org/Gutsy

It is the easiest way to get your system up, running and optimized. You can cut and paste commands into the terminal which makes everything a lot easier.

 

You need to install the package restricted-manager-kde to install NVIDIA drivers.

 

"thousands of programs are listed. Are all these updates?"

No. Not if you're looking around at the list of available programs in Add/Remove or if you're in Synaptic Package Manager and looking at the huge list of programs. Open up Synaptic Package Manager and ask it to show "All" programs. You'll see a little box to the left of each program. Click on "Help", then "Icon Legend". You should get a table of icons, showing what each of those boxes represents - programs you already have installed, not installed, marked for upgrade, etc.
As blackbird mentioned, if you're connected to the internet, the update alert will pop up within three or four days saying "Updates are available". All you have to do is click on the update icon and the process starts automagically.
Seeking out new applications to download and install is where the "Add/Remove Programs" or Synaptic Package Manager comes into play.
In Synaptic, did you go to Settings, then Repositories, and put a checkmark next to the (restricted) and (multiverse) lines? Unless you tell Synaptic that it's OK to visit these repositories some things won't be available to you.

Also, what blackbird said, go back to the Windows side of your HDD and let Windows shut down normally. Then go back to Kubuntu. You should see an icon on the desktop indicating your Windows partition. If you hibernated Windows, then turned off the notebook because you forgot Windows was still running, or killed it quickly by holding down the main power button, the Windows partition won't be there on the Linux desktop.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.
I've sorted out the nvidia drivers. I couldn't find resticted manager in the panel menus so tried typing it in the terminal and it worked.
I've also sorted out my windows partion.

I've installed compiz-kde and compiz settings manager but I can't seem to get it to work. The settings for compiz are in Kmenu > settings, however the effects selected don't function. What else do I have to do.
Also, how do I make my computer connect automatically to the internet. I always have to manually connect.

One last bug issue, is that when ever I boot into Kubuntu I always get an error message, something on the lines of "Kdesudo will now exit" . How do I fix this? Is Kdesudo neccessary for Kubuntu to function?

Thanks again,
Jam.
Btw, I understand the adept-manager now!!

 

Viking....which ones? Heck, I actually made Kubuntu look like Mint like replacing KDE menu with the Tasty Menu....much cleaner.

 

Whichever ones you want.

I usually run through the Ubuntu guide and treat it as a big menu of suggestions.

 

BTW people, don't bother posting any more answers to my questions since I'm getting rid of Kubuntu. I've only noted out some of the problems in this thread and have got fed up with it.

Thanks guys though for your help. It did help me in the issues I'd said but there are a number of others in that I'm sure another distro won't have the problems.

-Jam.