Ubuntu battery issue.

[Kannibal]

Hello. I have Ubuntu 12.04 LTS installed on Dell Inspiron N110 Intel i5 2430M CPU 4GB RAM NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M.
The problem is, Ubuntu is being quite a battery sucker. It always runs on accelerated graphics instead on Primary Intel one. I have windows 8 installed too. (Don't ask why did I install it. Long story.) My battery timings for windows are more than 4 hours. But on Ubuntu it runs an hour. Since it always uses accelerated graphics so heating is another issue. Ubuntu comes with Unity 3D. I tried it with 2D and then I switched to Gnome. Nothing works. What should be a better option? Either I should switch to any other distro? (In that case please suggest me a good one for development purposes.) or anything else I could do?

 

[Outrageous]

*Uninstall yer Ubuntu OS and you are done*

 

[Moss]

Upgrade to the latest beta.

 

[Phail]

If you're a fan of Ubuntu, get Lubuntu. It's a lightweight distro, it's pretty much recommended for battery life.

Although if you don't mind Debian, you might want to try Crunchbang Linux, or Peppermint Linux, which is based on both Debian and Lubuntu.
rumor has it Peppermint 2 is much faster than 3

 

[Kannibal]

*Uninstall yer Ubuntu OS and you are done*

Wow. That's helpful. To stop more people posting pointless suggestions, I actually require linux on my system. There are a lot of things you just can't do with your almighty windows.

 

[Outrageous]

Reinstall or upgrade yer Linux then.

 

[Phail]

Wow. That's helpful. To stop more people posting pointless suggestions, I actually require linux on my system. There are a lot of things you just can't do with your almighty windows.

You might want to read above.

Reinstall or upgrade yer Linux then.

Wow, we have an uber Linux pro over here.

 

[Kannibal]

If you're a fan of Ubuntu, get Lubuntu. It's a lightweight distro, it's pretty much recommended for battery life.

Although if you don't mind Debian, you might want to try Crunchbang Linux, or Peppermint Linux, which is based on both Debian and Lubuntu.
rumor has it Peppermint 2 is much faster than 3

I'm currently installing LXDE on Ubuntu. If this doesn't work, I'll go for Lubuntu. I never used debian tbh. Isn't it for Server machines?

 

[Phail]

I'm currently installing LXDE on Ubuntu. If this doesn't work, I'll go for Lubuntu. I never used debian tbh. Isn't it for Server machines?

Nah, it works for personal use just as well, although it might be slightly less user-friendly, especially if you got accustomed to Gnome 3.
Debian's latest stable release uses Gnome 2, they currently have a beta release on gnome 3, but then again, I wouldn't recommend Gnome 3 for laptops, since it's apparently the most 'expensive' desktop environment. That might as well be your problem, try a less-demanding GUI. I don't really know anything about LXDE.

Side note, Unity sucks.

 

[Zombie]

Open a terminal window. As root, run the command apt-get install fluxbox.

Then, still as root run ' nano .xinitrc '

Inside of nano (a text editor); add the line: exec startfluxbox

hit ctrl+O then enter to save. Run the command /etc/init.d/gdm stop

then run the command pidof gnome

kill -9 0001 (or whatever the PID of gnome is).

This will put you in a tty, you may have to log in again. Just enter your username and password then type startx and hit enter.

Spend a few hours customizing. Post screens. ???? Profit.

Spoiler

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[Flaw]

Open a terminal window. As root, run the command apt-get install fluxbox.

Then, still as root run ' nano .xinitrc '

Inside of nano (a text editor); add the line: exec startfluxbox

hit ctrl+O then enter to save. Run the command /etc/init.d/gdm stop

then run the command pidof gnome

kill -9 0001 (or whatever the PID of gnome is).

This will put you in a tty, you may have to log in again. Just enter your username and password then type startx and hit enter.

I think he wants an actual GUI, not bloody fluxbox.

 

[Zombie]

I think he wants an actual GUI, not bloody fluxbox.

Fluxbox provides everything you need. Stackable windows, alt+f1 to launch a terminal, and you're good to go.

If you're weird, you can even use a menu to launch programs.

 

[Flaw]

Fluxbox provides everything you need. Stackable windows, alt+f1 to launch a terminal, and you're good to go.

If you're weird, you can even use a menu to launch programs.

So you're telling me that instead of using the actual DE, you boot into fluxbox everytime at startup ? :|

Spoiler

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I guess it works for saving energy though. Didn't think of that.

 

[Zombie]

So you're telling me that instead of using the actual DE, you boot into fluxbox everytime ? :|

Spoiler

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I guess it works for saving energy though. Didn't think of that.

I don't even have a DM installed, let alone a DE.

When I actually do reboot, which is incredibly rare, I perform so many different much needed tasks it might be a few hours before I even startx.

 

[Flaw]

I don't even have a DM installed, let alone a DE.

When I actually do reboot, which is incredibly rare, I perform so many different much needed tasks it might be a few hours before I even startx.

Yeah, but some of us are normal beings of flesh and blood. :|

 

[Zombie]

Yeah, but some of us are normal beings of flesh and blood. :|

Normal? What? I don't even? On NB?

Fluxbox is ridiculously light on system resources. By ridiculous, I mean it. It uses less than 1mb of ram.

If you really want to get drastic, one can always try FVWM or DWM.

 

[Flaw]

Normal? What? I don't even? On NB?

Fluxbox is ridiculously light on system resources. By ridiculous, I mean it. It uses less than 1mb of ram.

If you really want to get drastic, one can always try FVWM or DWM.

By normal I mean slightly less fucked in the head than you =DD
I should try out my Sabayon's fluxbox as well for the lulz, I think it's pre-installed.

 

[Kakaisan]

Ok, I see where this is going: A lot of people notknowing what they're saying and just rambling about random stuff.
*sigh* Here goes.

The issue is, indeed, that Ubuntu will want to use your nVidia GFX card for everything, making your laptop heat up and battery run empty in no time flat. On Windows, the nVidia Optimus drivers are used to manage the use of both the integrated and dedicated GFX units. (AKA: Only using the dedicated unit when really needed or specified to)

On Ubuntu, similar drivers are available. The driver is called

You must be registered for see links

Install the driver, and watch your laptop cool down and battery life increase


(PS: I have Win 8 as well, and I like it )

 

[Zombie]

Ok, I see where this is going: A lot of people notknowing what they're saying and just rambling about random stuff.
*sigh* Here goes.

The issue is, indeed, that Ubuntu will want to use your nVidia GFX card for everything, making your laptop heat up and battery run empty in no time flat. On Windows, the nVidia Optimus drivers are used to manage the use of both the integrated and dedicated GFX units. (AKA: Only using the dedicated unit when really needed or specified to)

On Ubuntu, similar drivers are available. The driver is called

You must be registered for see links

Install the driver, and watch your laptop cool down and battery life increase


(PS: I have Win 8 as well, and I like it )

Switching WM's from Unity would have solved his issues as well as there would have been no conflict between hardware acceleration and software acceleration. Of course, as you're so incredibly knowledgeable, you would have known that.