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Install Google Earth on Ubuntu 8.04

Recently I blogged about installing Adobe Acrobat reader by way of the Medibuntu repository.  This got me thinking about some of the other great (albeit non-free) software that is available there.  Here I’ll review how to add the Medibuntu repository and then how to install Google Earth!

Configure the Medibuntu Repository

Setting up this third-party repository can be done by way of a few quick commands:

sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update

This will add the Medibuntu repository, import the Medibuntu GPG key and make the new packages available.

Install Google Earth

To then install Google Earth simply use:

sudo apt-get install googleearth-4.3

You should now have Google Earth added to your “Applications” menu and, assuming your video card supports the requirements, you’re ready to virtually travel the planet!

One thing that I did find which helped greatly regarding performance was disabling the atmosphere rendering.  This can be done via:

View > Atmosphere : uncheck

If, for some reason, Google Earth doesn’t load properly or crashes on your machine you could try to revert to an older package version which seems to have less issues.  To do that use:

sudo apt-get install googleearth-4.2

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  1. abi surd
    June 25th, 2008 at 09:11 | #1

    I installed Adobe Reader as explained in the previous blog. It worked fine. Thanks
    So I tried Google Earth also. It installed all fine. But whenever I try to launch it, it shows its splash screen and then logs me out and throws the login screen. It kills all my present tasks, like Firefox and telnet sessions.

  2. June 26th, 2008 at 04:07 | #2

    Thanks for the tutorial.

    Is there a reason, why the package “googleearth” still contains version 4.2? why not the most recent one?

  3. kopolee11
    June 30th, 2008 at 08:50 | #3

    abisurd:

    I had the same problems. However, luckily for me all I had to do was update my NVIDA graphic drivers, and then the problem was fixed. Maybe this will help you.

  4. Bob
    July 6th, 2008 at 10:17 | #4

    Hi:
    When I enter “sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update” I get the following, ”
    E: Type ‘ — 11:oo:51–’ is not known on line 1 in source list /etc/apt/source.list.medibuntu.list.
    What happened?

  5. yohsep
    July 6th, 2008 at 11:36 | #5

    santiago

  6. July 16th, 2008 at 03:04 | #6

    I Failed install google earth, help pls…
    ————————–

    –15:57:06– http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
    => `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list’
    Resolving http://www.medibuntu.org... 87.98.242.110
    Connecting to http://www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80… failed: Connection timed out.
    Retrying.

    –16:00:16– http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
    (try: 2) => `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list’
    Connecting to http://www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80… connected.
    HTTP request sent, awaiting response… 510 Not Extended
    16:00:34 ERROR 510: Not Extended.

  7. Ian
    July 20th, 2008 at 05:01 | #7

    I managed to get rid of version 4.3 which wouldn’t run and re-install 4.2 which is fine but I can only run it by typing “googleearth” in a terminal. How can I put it in the applications list and/or create a desktop shortcut?

  8. Malaz
    August 12th, 2008 at 10:19 | #8

    Probably too late, but it’s pretty simple.

    To put it into your applications list, right click on your main menu and select ‘Edit Menus’. Go to one of the sub-menus, like Education. Select ‘New Item’ and fill in the following:

    Name: Google Earth
    Command: googleearth

    Click on the launcher icon to select an icon for google earth. There are a number of globe-like icons already on your system, so just use one of those.

    Google Earth is now in your main menu. You can copy the launcher to your desktop or panel by dragging it from your main menu to the desired location.

  9. Malaz
    August 12th, 2008 at 10:27 | #9

    To the author:

    Your apturl link is for the googleearth package, but the install instructions say to install googleearth-4.3.

  10. September 1st, 2008 at 09:47 | #10

    eu quero instalalar o google earth

  11. neba
    September 13th, 2008 at 13:04 | #11

    everything installs just fine until it comes to the end user agreement. It shows up on the terminal and I don’t know how to get passed that. There is a ‘ok’ button. I try clicking on it, and nothing. Pls help.

  12. lemaitpa
    September 21st, 2008 at 04:50 | #12

    Use down arrow key to read licence.
    Use tab key to select ok button then press enter key.

  13. fragray
    September 21st, 2008 at 10:29 | #13

    RE : everything installs just fine until it comes to the end user agreement. It shows up on the terminal and I don’t know how to get passed that. There is a ‘ok’ button. I try clicking on it, and nothing. Pls help.
    Got the same problem!!!

  14. September 24th, 2008 at 01:35 | #14

    on my ubuntu 8.04
    - install finish
    - gdm crash when start google earth on init…stage.
    how to fix it?
    thank

  15. bj
    September 29th, 2008 at 15:37 | #15

    please let me instaled this without no problems

  16. Viduthalai
    October 25th, 2008 at 04:48 | #16

    Hi,
    i installed google earth following ur protocol. the 4.3 version didn work again i tried the 4.2 as u said. unfortunately, this is alos not working. when i open google earth, the window opens with a white dots on a black back ground and nothing else comes. i tried typing some place name n didn work.
    i use ubuntu 8.04 (64 bit). mine s a core 2 duo processor with 2gb ram. plz advise me

  17. December 15th, 2008 at 11:17 | #17

    I ran the install as per instructions above. In my terminal window is the EULA, at the end of this is I cannot close this window and I do not know how to accept the EULA. Pretty much stuck at this point – what do I do next to finish the Google Earth install?

    Thanks.

  18. December 15th, 2008 at 12:17 | #18

    I resolved my issue – all is well.

  19. Sam
    December 15th, 2008 at 19:25 | #19

    Neither 4.3 or 4.2 work on my computer, both just crash and put me at the log-in page

  20. Lupi
    December 27th, 2008 at 11:47 | #20

    It worked very well. Thanks.

  21. Richard Whitley
    January 6th, 2009 at 15:04 | #21

    Awesome, that dang eula was killing me, i couldnt get around it, and i closed the window, luckily when i tried to run another command it said something was locked was another program using it, then it told me to run the config a thing, and went right back into the agreement, thanks to your help, its installed and running :)

  22. January 13th, 2009 at 02:30 | #22

    Same problem as Viduthalai, when I open Google Earth 4.3 I get a black screen with white dots. Typing anything in the Fly To box does nothing. No errors, nothing. I use Ubuntu 8.10 64-bit.

    I tried downgrading to version 4.2 and this does work. It runs, but frequently crashes (just closes). Please assist!

  23. johnnym
    March 31st, 2009 at 20:49 | #23

    Excellent, all went smooth!!!!! thanks!

  24. Kool Kool
    August 7th, 2009 at 05:52 | #24

    Plz help download it and i didnt find it in applications wha should i do

  25. khan
    September 21st, 2009 at 00:14 | #25

    Thanks very much GOOD and EXCELLENT WORK.

  26. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:40 | #26

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  27. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:44 | #27

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  28. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:44 | #28

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  29. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:46 | #29

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  30. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:46 | #30

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  31. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:50 | #31

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  32. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:50 | #32

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.

  33. Henry
    December 10th, 2009 at 09:50 | #33

    Wonderfully helpful, thanks for taking the time to help those of us who need it. Google Earth on my old laptop. I'm in heaven.