Setting up Ubuntu Desktop

assuming the server stuff is done already

Installation

Know in advance if you want BIOS/CSM or EFI/SecureBoot

Also avoid ZFS if you plan to run a XEN host

Desktop network & firewall

See the FIREWALL section in better network for ubuntu and disable SSHD

    systemctl stop ssh
    systemctl disable ssh

System preparation

Tune your SSH client

Create a desktop user

useradd -m -g users -G adm,cdrom,sudo,plugdev,lpadmin USERNAME
passwd USERNAME

and eventually make things faster (sudo without password) on a workstation, as long as you are the only sysadmin in the box

grep :11: /etc/group
grep wheel /etc/group
groupadd -g 11 wheel
usermod -a -G wheel root
usermod -a -G wheel ADMIN

cat >> /etc/sudoers <<-EOF
%wheel  ALL = (ALL:ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL
EOF
#ALL = NOPASSWD: ALL

Enable ctrl-alt-backspace to kill X like in the old days

unset DEBIAN_FRONTEND
dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

    altgr-intl      English (intl., with AltGr dead keys)

allow ctrl+alt+del

Desktop environment

Take a pick

DWM
Unity – deprecated
MATE
Cinnamon
Budgie

And eventually setup Conky

Packages

Eventually make sure you’ve got a default desktop system in place –or– possibly switching from the Server version

apt install ubuntu-desktop

Additional packages for the command line

Then a few desktop-oriented ones

apt install \
    adwaita-icon-theme-full \
    chromium-browser \
    deluge \
    discount \
    firefox \
    gnome-tweaks \
    imagemagick \
    ipcalc \
    libheif-examples \
    mpv \
    pandoc \
    pm-utils \
    rxvt-unicode \
    scrot \
    speedcrunch \
    secure-delete \
    terminator \
    thunderbird xul-ext-lightning \
    wireshark \
    xautolock xtrlock \
    xterm

    # enigmail \
    # sylpheed sylpheed-plugins \
    # claws-mail \
    # filezilla \
    # vlc \

in case you want to reach file-shares

    # samba nautilus-share \

define your favorite tools

update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator
dpkg-reconfigure wireshark-common
usermod -aG wireshark USER

#gnome-tweak-tool gnome-shell-extensions
gnome-tweaks # --> Appearance...
rm -rf .config/gtk-3.0/
rm -rf .config/gtk-4.0/

Usage

Chromium w/o keyring

--password-store=basic %U

Don’t forget to install Ad Blockers on FF on Chrome such as

Ad Block Plus
uBlock Origine

Eventually enable mail checks

vi /etc/bash.bashrc

export MAIL=/var/mail/$USER
export MAILCHECK=1
/usr/bin/biff y

Moar applications

see apps

Additional notes

moar sysprep

systemctl stop blueman-mechanism.service
systemctl stop bluetooth.service
systemctl stop bluetooth.target

systemctl disable blueman-mechanism.service
systemctl disable bluetooth.service
systemctl disable bluetooth.target

this one remains up for pulseaudio or something (real time kit)

systemctl restart rtkit-daemon.service
systemctl enable rtkit-daemon.service

remove snap and shit

snap list
snap remove ...

apt purge snapd
systemctl stop var-snap.mount
systemctl disable var-snap.mount
umount /var/snap/
rmdir /var/snap/

apt purge ubuntu-advantage-tools

disable zfs snapshots

as user

systemctl --user start zsys-user-savestate.timer
systemctl --user enable zsys-user-savestate.timer

as root

mv /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/90_zsys_system_autosnapshot.disabled /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/90_zsys_system_autosnapshot

multiple displays

see video

station’s cron

now even on a workstation, you might want to enable outgoing email and daily scan your own servers

crontab -e

# full path required for sendmail on ubuntu
00 2 * * * /root/DAILYSTATION 2>&1

and grab the sample script from there

external drive

cfdisk ...
mkfs.ext4 -T largefile -m 0 /dev/...
e4label /dev/... NEWNAME
lsblk --fs --ascii

workstation networking

check your network settings handled by Network Manager

nmcli device show ens2

disable automount

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount-open false
gsettings set org.mate.desktop.media-handling automount false
gsettings set org.mate.desktop.media-handling automount-open false

check

dconf-editor

cifs

Setup your default workgroup when mounting windows file shares

    sudo apt install smbclient cifs-utils
    #smbfs samba
    vi /etc/samba/smb.conf

Troubleshooting

recent AMD boards

    amdgpu.exp_hw_support=1

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1244376/cant-get-internal-and-external-monitor-working-simultaneously-with-20-04-on-lap/1251457

iwl3945 power saving issue

experienced on IBM/Lenovo T60 / R60e

If you get this error in the logs while loosing iwl3945 wireless network connectivity

BSM uCode verification failed at addr 0x00003800+0 (of 900), is 0xa5a5a5a2, s/b 0xf802020
Unable to set up bootstrap uCode: -5

and this error when trying to UP the wireless network interface,

    SIOCSIFFLAGS: Input/output error

==> disable wlan power saving using NetworkManager

vi /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

wifi.powersave = 2

service NetworkManager restart
iwconfig wls3

kodi / ureadahead

(optional) you might also want to remove that one in case it is installed and not needed (it was spamming my logs)

    sudo apt remove ureadahead
    #sudo apt purge ureadahead

oem install

Choose the OEM auto-install if you need to delivery the computer to someone-else: finish-up the process as oem user, then click on the Prepare for shipping and the user will have a little setup wizard next boot.

Finish-up as OEM user, choose preferred mirror for packages

Control Center -> Software Sources

and apply updates using the little shield button in the systray.

install additional languages depending on target users

Control Center -> Languages

make sure Firefox is also available language-specific.

You’re now ready to click “Prepare for shipping” on the Desktop and reboot.

Note. few things are missing with this method e.g. Adblock for Firefox.

fix the boot-up freak show

what has failed during system startup?

    systemctl --failed
    systemctl list-units --failed
    #systemctl list-unit-files --failed

Resources

How to Add and Delete Users on Ubuntu 18.04 https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-add-and-delete-users-on-ubuntu-18-04

Ext4 https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ext4

4.3. Creating an ext4 File System https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/5/html/deployment_guide/s1-filesystem-ext4-create

Creating ext4 partition from console https://superuser.com/questions/643765/creating-ext4-partition-from-console