Open a terminal and run:
cat /etc/lsb-release
that should tell you the Ubuntu version.
It’d also be good to know if it’s the 32 or 64bit version of Ubuntu, so what’s the output from:
uname -a
I’ll then tell you how to install Chrome/Chromium
Yes, but it’ll take a little work on your behalf … I’ll post instructions once you have answered the above questions.
[EDIT]
Almost forgot, also post the output from:
blkid
and
cat /etc/fstab
Mark I’ve done that but tried to log into this site on the notebook but it says my password is wrong and as I’m always logged in here trying to find out what it is. Tried to save the terminal results onto my data stick but it said I had no user rights to do that. I will try and see if my last pass thingy can tell me the password for this forum so I can log into it from the notebook.
Worst case scenario … use the forums reset password function, it’ll email you a password reset.
I can’t help you here because we never know your passwords … they are hashed.
Maybe your browser enters the password for you ? … if so you should be able to get your browser to tell you what it is … but unless I know which browser I can’t give you instructions.
If you’re using Chrome/Chromium, in the browser go to
chrome://settings/passwords
look for this forum in the list of saved passwords (linuxforums.org.uk) … then click the little “eye” symbol to reveal the password.
DO NOT post what it is here 
Found it on last pass, so on the notebook right now. Thanks. Here is the results from the terminal:
To run a command as administrator (user “root”), use “sudo ”.
See “man sudo_root” for details.
kari@k-X102BA:~$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=bionic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION=“Ubuntu 18.04 LTS”
kari@k-X102BA:~$ uname -a
Linux k-X102BA 4.15.0-36-generic #39-Ubuntu SMP Mon Sep 24 16:19:09 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
kari@k-X102BA:~$ blkid
kari@k-X102BA:~$ cat /etc/fstab
UUID=1827e01d-692c-4376-9166-bd72d5bd5b63 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
UUID=6563-5C0F /boot/efi vfat umask=0077 0 1
/swapfile none swap sw 0 0
kari@k-X102BA:~$
Ok I think I figured something else out about the notebook: it did accept the password now, but what it does if after I haven’t been doing something on it for a few mins, it goes back to the log in box which is a nuisance. I just wanna log in when I start it up and then stay logged in. Also its battery seems to have died as I have had it plugged in for well over an hour and when I took it off the power supply on the drawer in corner and moved it to my sofa with the Chromebook it went off. It is also slow to boot up when been off.
P.S the battery light is still red.
It may have gone to sleep rather than OFF … this will usually be set low (about 2 mins) in the power manager by default on battery power.
But if it turns out the battery is dying, there’s nothing I can do to help short of telling you to get a new one.
The “going back to the login screen” is probably a setting too … but I’d need to look up where screenlocking is set in Ubuntu … I’m more of a Peppermint aficionado
When you say “slow to boot when it’s been off” … do you mean after it’s shut itself down, or from a cold boot ?
Found the hard disk info:
500 GB
537 MB
529 MB free
32 bit.
It sure likes to snooze Mark lol. I wondered if it had been set to that too as its screen goes blank when it does it then it asks me to log in. Yes, I meant a cold boot is when it is slow to boot up. The Chromebook boots far faster! I know what you mean- I’m more used to Peppermint myself as I had that on that old HD laptop when you helped me load it on. I had Ubuntu on my old Dell netbook when I got that back in 2011 and then a guy from my LUG group put Mint on it, so not used Ubuntu since then.
Once you have had a good look at the system specs you might be able to tell me if you think the notebook would be faster and more efficient on Peppermint. I don’t mind Ubuntu but Peppermint seems a bit more logical the way it is set out on the desktop if you know what I mean.
I haven’t quite figured out where the battery icon is to tell me how much it is powered up either.
The Chromebook WILL boot far faster …
a) its OS is optimised for the hardware
and
b) It’ll have an SSD … I told you they make a massive difference
Anyway, if you no longer need password assistance, what else can I help with ?
Oh, by the way you’re running Ubuntu 18.04 64bit … so to install chrome, go here:
download the 64bit .deb version … then double-click the file you just downloaded to install it
[EDIT]
Once you have had a good look at the system specs you might be able to tell me if you think the notebook would be faster and more efficient on Peppermint.
A little yes, but not as much as you’d hope … it won’t boot much faster, but the OS itself will use less system resources so will likely ‘feel’ quicker at opening apps, etc.
As for faster boot … only an SSD is likely to make a real difference … hence why I was pushing you to get one
is this it
?
The Chromebook WILL boot far faster ..a) its OS is optimised for the hardware
and
b) It’ll have an SSD … I told you they make a massive difference
Yes it’s got an SSD- I thought that must be it! Mark one day in the future when I do have the funds I’ll get one of those Dells you told me about and have an SSD put on it.
Anyway, if you no longer need password assistance, what else can I help with ?
I think I do in that I found the power settings and set the following:
dimscreen when inactive- off
blank screen- never
but this one I dunno what to set it to:
automatic suspend when on battery power
when the power button is pressed: do I choose power off or nothing?
I still don’t know if that will stop it going back to the log in box?
Oh, by the way you're running [b]Ubuntu 18.04 64bit[/b] .. so to install chrome, go here: https://www.google.com/chrome/ download the 64bit .deb version .. then double-click the file you just downloaded to install it
Thanks I’ll do that- it’ll be much easier and familiar for me to be using Chrome. I got so used to it now.
Oh and on the power setting it had a bar for battery charging and it was on 0.
Once you have had a good look at the system specs you might be able to tell me if you think the notebook would be faster and more efficient on Peppermint.
A little yes, but not as much as you'd hope .. it won't boot much faster, but the OS itself will use less system resources so will likely 'feel' quicker at opening apps, etc.As for faster boot … only an SSD is likely to make a real difference … hence why I was pushing you to get one
Oh well if Peppermint won’t make much difference I’ll keep it on Ubuntu for the time being since my bro went to the trouble of getting rid of Windows 8 on it and putting Ubuntu on it. I’ll see how fast it runs for a week or two and if it isn’t cutting it I will ask for your help with loading Peppermint onto it if that is ok. I don’t plan to save much files on it as I save things on my google drive mostly and also have a portable Maxter HD. Can this machine take an SSD drive? If it can then I wouldn’t really need a Dell laptop as I am really only using this for my tutoring for the web cam, the scanner and a printer when I get one- it will be mostly my “work” netbook as the screen is too small for me to comfortably read a lot of articles and do typing etc on it. Altho Libre Office is way better than google docs!
No that isn’t it, this is it:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/X102B-10-1-inch-Touchscreen-Laptop-Black/dp/B00FC55SVO
It says its a touch screen, but no idea what that means lol. It’s supposed to have 4GB RAM- how can I find that out?
Mark, I am still around but gonna have a shower and get under the duvet in bed with my elec blanket as I’m too much of a Scrooge to put the central heating on as I don’t like paying big gas bills! I’ll be back in about 25 mins. It’s cold in my lounge!
Yes it has a standard SATA hard drive, so can take an SATA SSD … dunno how easy it’d be to fit though, those little things tend to need to be completely stripped down to get at the hard drive.
I’ll post tomorrow how to disable the screenlock as i’m gonna need to do a bit of homework on Ubuntu … and I’m off to bed myself now.
Oh the Polish guy in the computer shop in town knows how to take netbooks/notebooks/laptops apart and put in new parts. I would have to show him the notebook and see what he thinks. Ok well I will load on Chrome and also leave you some more q’s of things I want to have done if I can’t do them myself. Thanks Mark.
Hey Mark I know you have gone to bed, so this is for when you log on here tomorrow. I downloaded Chrome but it didn’t want to launch then I found that Ubuntu doesn’t have the package manager like Peppermint but Ubuntu software and Chrome was there so downloaded it and I have got it up and running with all my files, log ins, Atavi bookmark manager etc synched. That was easy. Linux still has Extreme Tux Racer! Just added that. I love that game lol. I’m liking Ubuntu! I am getting the hang of it. I love Linux distros- they are all little different to each other but they are not hard to figure out.
Is the Chrome .deb in your Downloads folder ?
if so, what is its full name ?
And can you post the output from:
dpkg -l | grep light-locker
Yes the Chrome for Linux was in the Ubuntu software folder. It’s fab Mark! It downloads the software so quickly. I found all the packages I wanted there- Skype, Tux Racer, Audacious, VLC, Audacity etc and some video making ones too. I will have a q about making videos at some point soon when I’ve tried those out- I will see if I can make the vids I have in mind on those.
I also figured out the start up- when I press the power button it goes to a screen that has a drawing of some sort of animal on it and arrows move up and down. Well what you have to do is press escape and then the log in box slides up and once the p/w is entered I am logged in and it goes to my desktop. So it is faster to log in than I thought.
I still was not able to find how much RAM is on there or much info about the battery. It does look to me that the battery has died as the light is always red and if I remove the power supply to the mains it shuts down.
I was also unable to remove the Google Chrome download you gave me for the terminal, so I will switch the notebook on and give you those terminal commands you asked for a bit later.
Okay I’m confused … I thought you said you weren’t able to install Chrome on it yet ?