How To: Install Lightscribe on Ubuntu

2008-05-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

This guide will help you install the base Lightscribe software and the 4L Disk Labeling software on a 32-bit or 64-bit Ubuntu install.
Note: The test Lightscribe DVD burner was an LG 18x Super Multi DVD Rewriter. It is a dual-layer SATA drive. I run Ubuntu Hardy Heron amd64, but this should work on any version of Ubuntu. Let me know if you have success or problems with this method.

Note: One downside is the 4L labeling software has to be run as root. There isn't a way around this as of yet.

Open a terminal.
1. Create a temporary workspace in your home directory.
Note: You can delete this directory when you are finished installing the software.

mkdir workspace
cd workspace

2. Download the 32-bit .deb files and an icon for Lightscribe

wget http://download.lightscribe.com/ls/lightscribe-1.12.37.1-linux-2.6-intel.deb
wget http://uploads.mitechie.com/lightscribe/4l_1.0-r6_i386.deb
wget http://lawrencecomputing.dyn-o-saur.com/lightscribe/lightscribe.png

3. Install the .deb files
Important: Make sure to do these steps in this order (lightscribe then 4L)
For 32-bit:

sudo dpkg -i lightscribe-1.12.37.1-linux-2.6-intel.deb
sudo dpkg -i 4l_1.0-r6_i386.deb

For 64-bit:

sudo dpkg --force-architecture -i lightscribe-1.12.37.1-linux-2.6-intel.deb
sudo dpkg --force-architecture -i 4l_1.0-r6_i386.deb

4. Fix the missing liblightscribe.so.1 error

sudo ln -s /usr/lib/liblightscribe.so.1 /usr/lib32/
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/liblightscribe.so /usr/lib32/
sudo ldconfig

Note: The program should run now. You can test this by running:

gksudo 4L-gui

5. Copy the icon file into Ubuntu's shared icon directory

sudo cp lightscribe.png /usr/share/pixmaps/4L-gui.png

6. Create a shortcut to launch the 4L Disk Labeler as root
a. Right Click on the Ubuntu Menu Bar and choose Edit Menus.
b. In the left pane labeled menus choose either "Sound & Video" or "System Tools".
c. Then, click new item.
Enter this information into the window:

Type: Application
Name: Lightscribe
Command: gksudo 4L-gui
Comment: Label a disc with Lightscribe

Note: You can automatically generate an icon by leaving out the gksudo from "gksudo 4L-gui" in the command field. You must add gksudo to the command or the program will not be able to burn discs. Ubuntu will search for an icon in /usr/share/pixmaps with the same name as the command. Alternatively, you can click the spring icon and browse for the Lightscribe icon.

Note: You can burn a label twice if it is not dark enough. Don't worry about the orientation of the disc, the drive will align it for you.

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How To: Install Lightscribe on Ubuntu