Ubuntu Kernel updates and Nvidia drivers problems

I have a PC with this on board nvidia chip:

00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2)

Many times, after system updates which includes kernel updates, X Window configuration for nvidia fails to start X Server.
From that scenario, I've found two possible solutions:
1) Use the command line installer, like these:

sudo nvidia-installer --update

These approach, of course assumes that you are connected to the Internet, which is not always true if you are using wireless, for instance, by default Ubuntu uses gnome's network-manager to start your wireless networking.

2) Use an alternative xorg.conf to start with a minimal configuration and use the System/Administration/Additional Drivers
Remembering 1998, my first year with Red Hat Linux 5.2, back then, I came up with this minimal X Window configuration, with vesa driver, which should work in most chipset.
By replacing

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

whith this one, you can start X Window from command line:


--- start xorg.conf-vesa ----

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier     "Monitor0"
        VendorName     "Unknown"
        ModelName      "Unknown"
        HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
        VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
        Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier     "Screen0"
        Device         "Device0"
        Monitor        "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth       24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load    "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "Layout0"
        Screen      0  "Screen0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier     "Device0"
        VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
        Driver  "nvidia"
        Option  "NoLogo"        "True"
EndSection

--- end xorg.conf-vesa ----

startx

And use the System menu to fix you NVidia Driver configuration. After downloading and installing the package, you will need a reboot, and voila, you're again with your NVidia Driver up and running.

IBExpert Personal on Wine - Ubuntu Linux

I was able to run IBExpert within Wine merging this two guides

IBexpert WINE Howto and the using_ibexpert_with_linux_and_wine.pdf provided by my colleague (thanks to Carlao).

0- Install wine from ubuntu repositories (I'm using Ubuntu 8.04)

$ sudo apt-get install wine

1- don't run ibexpert before doing next steps, if you did it, probably you need to delete .wine directory,

2- If you not already done, Install dcom98 as http://wiki.winehq.org/NativeDcom
(may be native dcom should be fixed to work with ibexpert).

3- replace riched20.dll and msls31.dll (copy from a win98 or winxp distribution)

4- in winecfg add native dll overrides for ibexpert: ole32, oleaut32, riched20

5- Downloaded gds32.dll and copy to wine's system32 directory.

6- Run

$ wine regedit

This opens the “Windows Register Editor”. Search for the contents in the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International key, and change the value
of “sShortDate” from “d/M/yyyy” to “dd/MM/yyyy” (without the quotation marks).

7- Finally run IBexpert installation
$ wine setup_personal.exe

8- Run IBexpert through desktop link or
$ env WINEPREFIX="/home/USER/.wine" wine "C:\Program Files\HK-Software\IBExpert\ibexpert.exe"

replacing USER with your unix username.

Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 LTS on HP Pavilion tx1000z

A fresh install does almost all the work. The only thing that I had to look for a work around was wireless adapter driver. Following this steps, I got it working with WPA encryption.

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-475963.html

For perfect external video outputs (SVCD and VGA), I installed NVidia's driver version 173.14.09, from this site:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_display_amd64_173.14.09.html

The only things that I have not tried, because I don't need them in a regular basis, are: modem, fingerprint reader and touchscreen.
Everything else works like a charm, including bluetooth, I can synchronize my Nokia 6300 with evolution's calendar! I will post a mini howto on the sync later. This feature really changed my life. :)