How can I change the OS name from Ubuntu to something else?

Solution 1:

You really should not change the content of the /etc/lsb-release file.

As you have seen yourself, you will experience problems in applications like Software Center, as these programs need the correct release description. If you simply change this bit of information, the programs are unable to find the proper software repositories, because they are looking for something, which does not exist.

Reedit the file to the old values and Software Center will work again.

Solution 2:

You can do it my modifying the file lsb-release and issue as per your wish found on the etc dir.

Sample File for lsb-release:

cat /etc/lsb-release 
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=10.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=lucid
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 10.04.2 LTS"

Sample File for issue:

cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 10.04.2 LTS \n \l

Once you modified reboot the system. You can find the updated content.

Solution 3:

What Mughil said works and to make the software center work, I would do that in another way.

Sample File for lsb-release:

cat /etc/lsb-release 
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=10.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=lucid
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 10.04.2 LTS"

Just change the DESCRIPTION but not ID, RELEASE and CODENAME. And also do no modify /etc/issue file.