Ok, linux n00b here. Installed stock Ubuntu 16.04 yesterday on a shared partition with OS X in my hackintosh rig. I've got a lot of issues that I'm trying to piece together here... I know my way around terminal from OS X and i do Windows IT support in my day job, but I feel like I'm totally lost. Here are the things I'm struggling with right now:
installing Steam - downloaded steam, it would not launch with Ubuntu's launcher (neither did Chrome, for that matter). So I install it using dpkg, it complains about dependencies. I install dependencies with apt-get install -f, then install with dpkg, fine. Find the folder it installs to, but when I try to launch, it just blinks for awhile and that's it. The application is in /usr/share/applications. No idea why it won't launch.
Installing nvidia drivers - downloaded the relevant .run file from nvidia, but when I open it, it just hangs in a window until I force quit. Can't get it to extract or anything. After researching it a bit it seems like once I figure out why it's not extracting I will need to quit out of my GUI and install from CLI, but I'm not really sure how to do that, and I haven't found any step by step instructions on doing so.
I swear I am not a dumbass, like I said I know my way around Windows and Mac OS X no problem, but man this is making me feel super nubbish lol.
I'm working on the issue now and it seems like maybe the reason steam won't start is because I don't have proper drivers installed. So hopefully solving one will solve the other.
When I go to my applications folder and type 'steam', here's the output I get: Running Steam on ubuntu 16.04 64-bit STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(0) libGL error: unable to load driver: nouveau_dri.so libGL error: driver pointer missing libGL error: failed to load driver: nouveau libGL error: unable to load driver: swrast_dri.so libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast
No, it's on its own partition. Yeah I didn't phrase that very well, my bad. Ubuntu and Mac are both booting just fine with no issues from the same physical SSD. I also have win10 running on a second SSD in the same case. No problems with bootloaders or anything.
I think I just didn't wait long enough after initiating the .run file from nvidia... it finally moved past the 'not responding' screen and is doing something. It's insanely slow though... taking about 15 minutes or so to go through it.
Instead of using dpkg did you ever just try running sudo apt-get install steam?
I don't know for sure, but doesn't dpkg not resolve dependencies automatically?
If you just do sudo apt-get install steam it should install fine... The GUI package manager is kinda balls I hear and has some difficulties with packages sometimes.
If he chose "include 3rd party shit" during the initial install I would imagine it should probably be there. Maybe even if he didn't, but honestly don't know.
Worked flawlessly for me on xubuntu 16.04 (and 14.04 prior) so idklol.
Well... you've literally done everything wrong (dont worry everyone does), apart from installing Linux (that was good).
You "downloaded" steam.. what do you mean? Why didnt you install it cia the package manager?
Why didnt you install the nvidia drivers via the package manager? Where did you find instructions that said to run a .run file?
Its generally a bad idea to start messing with programs outside of the package manager, the dont get dependencies properly, break things, and dont update when they should.
What @Eden said, however I would argue that not everything can be attained via the package manager. Sure, if it can be in the package manager, cool, but if it cannot then don't be afraid of getting things outside the "safe-zone" all you have to do is to know what you are doing.
When your new, everything can be done via the package manager. Nvidia drivers are available via the package manager, so is steam.
the steam error your getting may (no idea) be because you didnt install the nvidia driver from the package manager. Usually the driver error steam gives is because its on a non ubnutu system and you need to delete files from it. That might be the case consdiering you manually installed the nvidia drivers, you can try deleting certain files from steam see here https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Steam/Troubleshooting#Steam_runtime_issues
Steam installs its own libraries called the "Steam Runtime". These librarires conflict with some included but you should be able to fix this by running find ~/.steam/root/ \( -name "libgcc_s.so*" -o -name "libstdc++.so*" -o -name "libxcb.so*" -o -name "libgpg-error.so*" \) -print -delete. Also you should be installing both the steam client as well as the drivers from the repositories. For steam you can run sudo apt-get install steam and for the proprietary you can just do it through the software center (I think the optional drivers option though I would not swear by that as I Haven't used ubuntu in while and I dont have much experience with the new gnome software center in 16.04). You should also be able to install steam through the software center though last time I tried that with the old software center it didnt work
By "downloaded" I mean I went to steampowered.com and clicked 'install steam'.
Same with nvidia drivers - I went to nvidia's web site, selected my platform, clicked download, then double clicked on the file.
The reason why I did this, of course, is because i come from the land of Windows / OS X and that's how I would install things on those platforms. I am aware of the existence of a 'package manager' in linux but unfamiliar with how to find things in it and unaware of why it would be preferable to downloading software from a vendor's web site.
Going into the 'software and updates' control panel of Linux, I see now that there is an nvidia driver available there. Ubuntu installs the 'nouveau' driver by default even if the '3rd party stuff' box is checked, but it looks like the nvidia alternative is present there. Or maybe it's only there because I ran the .run file from nvidia's web site, not sure.
Can you explain to me how to search for and find a specific package in the package manager? For instance a specific driver version for a specific card?
You can use the package manager through command-line frontends like apt-get and aptitude, or you can use a GUI. The Ubuntu Software Center is just a GUI frontend for the package manager but it's not that advanced and is mainly used to install GUI apps. For something more advanced you can use Synaptic which you should be able to find in the software center.
I know ubuntu has a "additional drivers" program that will help install nvidia drivers, im not overly familiar with the software center, if its like gnomes, its reasonable (assuming its up to date) just open and search for steam and nvidia (nvidia may or may not appear in it, but is in the additional driver app)
Cant give more accurate info than that as im not running Ubunut and don't have a VM of it at hand.
If you're new to Linux and running one of the 'buntus, there is a fantastic tool called the Software Boutique, also known as the Ubuntu MATE Welcome Screen. You can pick it up in GNOME Software, the graphical "app store" included in 16.04. It's a convenient, slick collection of some of the most popular programs available, including several non-free programs such as Steam, Chrome, and Skype. If you're coming from the Windows or Mac worlds, and don't have a philosophical opposition to non-free software, it does provide a lot of convenience, handling all of the dependencies and such for you, and you don't have to mess with PPAs or anything like that. Eventually, you'll want to learn the Linux way to do things, but as a transition tool, I find it helpful. In fact, I'd like to see more distros follow the Ubuntu MATE team's lead and either adopt their tool or provide something similar. Give it a shot.
You use Software and updates and the Software package built into Ubuntu for both Nvidia drivers and Steam. And yes my 670 is over the hill these days but it works :P
