Packages automatically uninstalling?

[Bob Jonkman]

Hi all:  I've just put Ubuntu 8.10 on a new (to me) computer, and had a bit of problem 
with GRUB. Using GPARTED I managed to set the correct bootable partition (sda1, to be 
mounted as /boot, with sda2 as /), then running off the live CD I managed to get GRUB on 
the bootable partition.  

It took many attempts to get GRUB to actually load Ubuntu.  I found I had to perform the 
GRUB incantations manually:

  root (hd0,0)
  kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=/dev/sda2
  initrd /initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
  boot

This properly loaded Ubuntu, loaded X, and everything was good.  Wouldn't work 
automatically, even with a proper menu.lst file.

I finally ran Synaptic, and found that GRUB had not been installed.  Q: Why not?

Once GRUB was installed I copied the STAGE files  &c. to /boot/grub, and ran the 'install-
grub' script.  Everything now works (but no splashimage).

The computer has only 512 MBytes memory, so I gave it a 1 GByte swap partition.  It has a 
snappy ATI graphics card, so I'm running Compiz/Fusion and I've spent most of the day 
spinning the cube.  What fun!  

With four applications on four sides of the cube it's awfully slow to switch between 
applications.  I thought it might need a larger swap partition and tried to find GPARTED 
in the menus.  Not there.  

Looking at Synaptic again, I find GPARTED is no longer installed.  Q: Why not?  Is it not 
installed by default?  Was I running it off the live CD without realizing it?

--Bob.
-- -- -- --
Bob Jonkman <bjonkman at sobac.com>         http://sobac.com/sobac/
SOBAC Microcomputer Services              Voice: +1-519-669-0388
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