Q&A Ubuntu contributor Mike Basinger

Recover or Reinstall

Question: Hi Mike, I was given a second-hand computer with Ubuntu preinstalled. I don't want to change the OS because I like Ubuntu, but the guy who gave me the machine doesn't know the password. How can I recover or reset it?

Steven

Answer: Stephen, Linux is a very secure operating system, and although a l33t h@ck0r could possibly hack an Ubuntu PC with direct machine access, your best bet is to reinstall Ubuntu. Installing Ubuntu is easy – a DVD with the latest version of Ubuntu is included in this magazine, along with a guide to walk you through the process.

Hot Spot

Question: Hi, As I was sick of suffering crashes and BSODs on my Windows 7 laptop, I decided to install Ubuntu because I heard it was safe and stable. I have installed the latest 13.04 version and my machine is HP DV7 6b13s. But, there are certain drivers that don't work; I don't get any sound when I connect my headphones. I also can't adjust the screen brightness when I press the keys. The fan on the laptop seems to be always on and it heats up a lot. With Windows 7 I used a program that came with the laptop called HP Cool Sense, but, if I understand right, I can correct the temperature thing from the command line. The problem is don't know how.

I look forward to hearing from you. Juan

Answer: Juan, I could not find any information on HP DV7 6b13s, but many people, including my wife, are using Ubuntu on other HP DV7 computers just fine. I would try installing the current version of Ubuntu, which is Ubuntu 13.10 at the time of this writing. Then, if you are still having problems, please file a bug report on your machine hardware. The best way to do that is to run the following in a terminal window: