Guys I just installed Ubuntu 10.04 last night and I have been struggling to get it to work.

Here are my current misfortunes:

1.) Ubuntu won't use my built in speakers(I can use headphones just fine though.)
2.) Microphone wont work
3.) Wont detect wireless card.(To get around this I am using a USB wireless adapter....but still, it would be nice to use the one built in the computer.)

Right-click on the speaker icon in the top menu bar and select "Sound Preferences". Click on the Hardware tab and select the hardware you want to use. Ditto for the Input and Output tabs. In the Hardware tab, select the appropriate profile for the external speakers, and then you can test them with the "Test Speakers" button. I do this to switch between speakers, headphones, or bluetooth headset.

what about trying to update the driver? as i mentioned in the other thread. have you tried? or do i have to try for you?

@rubberman: does my suggestion of trying to use a new driver for the wifi card have merit? or am just locked into Windows Dogma? does linux even use drivers?

Try updating to 11.x from 10.x, it has a much newer kernel and better H/W support.

@jbennet thanks, but in another thread honeybadger says they don't like the way the new version looks/works

Yes, the new Unity interface is slightly crappy. But other than that, it is much better.

If Unity is the only problem, install another distro that is based on ubuntu, I recommend Kubuntu. Xubuntu seems popular too, or Mint.

To get the best drivers, the easiest is just to make sure you have the latest version of a distro (and kernel). For the interface or desktop environment, it's a matter of choosing the distro that you like best, and some, like Kubuntu, are very highly customizable.

Yes, the new Unity interface is slightly crappy. But other than that, it is much better.

I reinstalled Windows 7, and installed Ubuntu inside VirtualBox. All the problems went away, my Ubuntu running inside VirtualBox has sound, camera, microphone etc. I guess it had problems finding the right drivers when it was the main operating system, but with Windows 7 running in the background it had no problems running anymore.

Still it would have been nice for it to be the other way around though:
Ubuntu > Windows 7 Virtual.......not Windows 7 > Ubuntu Virtual

But it's ok, I am running Ubuntu with a full screen inside VirtualBox:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGlCdxKx0gI&list=FLAB1Dh8q0J3E4eVUDraOQfw&index=2&feature=plpp_video

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