Hi All   :-)

Testing 64studio:
How can you help?
How can 64studio help you?

1) Send\post any errors, issues you find to forum\mailing list.
Post as much info about your computer\system as possible.
This makes helping with the issues much easier & faster.
2) Send\post any positive findings. Things you like the most.
3) Help out on the forums, Share your knowledge.
4) Test the distro and post reports.
5) keep a clean spirit, open mind & respect for others feelings.
6) Don't be afraid to ask questions.
7) Write HowTo's help documents and guides

How can 64studio help you?

1) Keep the Forum up to date and user friendly.
2) Provide a community Wiki Page.

Tip: Copy\Paste or just Select\Paste.

Left click to "select" text from the forum page,
and middle click straight into a teminal.
Or copy the text from the post e.g.
"System Administration System Logs"
to a file.txt in your ~/ directory, e.g. system-logs.txt
and use cat.

$ cat system-logs.txt

This will show the contents of the file in the terminal,
again left click to "select" text from the terminal,
and middle click straight underneath to run the command.
There is no need to copy\paste when using GNU\Linux :)

$ grep grep system-logs.txt

Will show just the grep commands.

$ grep var system-logs.txt

Will narrow down the search.

1) Send\post any errors, issues you find to forum\mailing list.
Post as much info about your computer\system as possible.
This makes helping with the issues much easier & faster.
Debian GNU/Linux device driver check page
http://kmuto.jp/debian/hcl/index.cgi

To help you search your bash_history.
Increase your bash_history save size by
adding the following to your .bashrc

$ gedit .bashrc

export HISTSIZE=1000000 HISTFILESIZE=1000000

At the bottom of the file in the alias section add:

alias h="history|grep "

now run: ". .bashrc" without the quotes
(to save you having to log out & back in to your desktop)
Then you can search your bash_history with:

$ h sudo
$ h install
$ h remove
$ h gedit
etc.,

Ref .bashrc
http://paste.ubuntu.com/137987/

$ cp .bash_history bh090326.txt

$ grep sudo bh090326.txt
$ grep cp bh090326.txt
$ grep install bh090326.txt
$ grep remove bh090326.txt

$ h grep

$ cp bh090321.txt /media/data/backups/

grep & find inside many files in a directory.

If you have a directory with many files inside and you
want to search for a string in all the files inside. e.g.
I keep a directory with all my bash_history backups then:

cd /media/data/backups/

$ grep install *
$ grep remove *
$ grep sudo *
etc.,

When testing these tools can save a great deal of time.
The new install can be quickly configured to your preferences,
and build-software\favourite software reinstalled without fuss.
Today's .bash_history is tomorrows install routine.

http://www.shell-fu.org/

Package management using the terminal is one
of the main advantages of using the Debian system.

$ sudo apt-cache search "packagename"
$ sudo apt-cache show "packagename"
$ sudo apt-cache policy "packagename"
$ sudo apt-get build-dep "packagename"

$ sudo dpkg -l |grep "packagename"
$ sudo dpkg -l |grep 64studio
$ sudo dpkg -s 64studio
$ sudo dpkg -s dpkg
$ sudo dpkg -s apt

Without the quotes. If you've followed the last post
".bashrc .bash_history"

$ h cache
$ h show
$ h policy
$ h build-dep
$ h dpkg

To help find/remove unwanted software run:

$ dpkg --get-selections > software1
and again
$ dpkg --get-selections > software2

This will create 2 files in your ~/ directory,
software1
software2
These list the software installed, leave software1 alone.

$ sudo grep cups software2
$ sudo grep blue software2
$ sudo grep "packagename" software2
etc., only you know what is not needed.

$ sudo apt-get remove --purge "packagename"

Watch very carefully for shared libs and others apt
might try to remove. This method will also keep a .bash_history
of the software you have removed.
Check package dependencies with:

$ sudo dpkg -s "packagename"

$ cp .bash_history bh090327.txt

$ grep install bh090327.txt
$ grep remove bh090327.txt
$ grep dpkg bh090327.txt

Once you have removed software re-run:

dpkg --get-selections > software2

software1 (default_installed_software)
software2 (installed_software)

You could also research\install\remove the packages using synaptic.

Most users dont spend much time with system logs but
64studio "Testers" need to be able to report issues upstream
or post to forums. Better to be able to send details regarding
just the issues you are dealing with instead of the full system log file.
Because the forum uses Markdown Syntax it could be easier
to use a pastebin, see the link at the bottom of this post.

Main Menu > System > Administration > System Log.

or once you have key words search your logs using grep:
e.g. acpi

$ ls -a /var/log/

$ sudo grep acpi /var/log/messages
$ sudo grep hda /var/log/messages
$ sudo grep sda /var/log/messages

$ sudo grep acpi /var/log/syslog
$ sudo grep hda /var/log/syslog
$ sudo grep sda /var/log/syslog

$ sudo grep boot /var/log/boot
$ sudo grep boot /var/log/dmesg
$ sudo grep boot /var/log/kern.log
$ sudo grep boot /var/log/lastlog
$ sudo grep boot /var/log/messages
$ sudo grep boot /var/log/syslog

boot is just an example, use keywords that relate to the
query you are interested in e.g. CPU PCI USB usb device etc.,

$ dmesg
$ dmesg >64s30b3-dmesg.txt

The second command will create
64s30b3-dmesg.txt file in your ~/ directory

$ grep CPU 64s30b3-dmesg.txt
$ grep PCI 64s30b3-dmesg.txt
$ grep USB 64s30b3-dmesg.txt
$ grep usb 64s30b3-dmesg.txt
$ grep Warning 64s30b3-dmesg.txt
$ grep warning 64s30b3-dmesg.txt

$ cat /var/log/messages >64s30b3-messages.txt

Will create 64s30b3-messages.txt file in your ~/ directory

You can grep 64s30b3-messages.txt in exactly
the same way you did 64s30b3-dmesg.txt

System Administration Xorg.0.log

$ grep WW /var/log/Xorg.0.log
$ grep EE /var/log/Xorg.0.log
$ grep II /var/log/Xorg.0.log

$ cp .bash_history bh090327.txt
$ cp bh090327.txt /media/data/backups/

If you use these methods on your present install.
Today's .bash_history is tomorrows install routine.

http://paste.ubuntu.com/

Method to improve performance,
memory, security and boot up time.

"WARNING".....Do Not Remove these,
If you don't know what they are for.
This is a "GUIDE" Laptops and Desktop computers require
different services. Be very careful here!
Its always wise to make one change at a time.

$ ps -Al
$ lsmod

$ cd /etc/init.d/
$ ls -a

you will now see the services.

$ sudo update-rc.d -f SERVICE-NAME remove

For example to stop anacron service you can type command as follows:

$ cd /etc/init.d/

$ sudo update-rc.d -f anacron remove

check these out first, double check (google) service-name to sure. e.g. 
Ref:

http://fedoranews.org/mediawiki/index.php/Which_Services_Can_I_Disable%3F

http://www.debuntu.org/how-to-manage-services-with-update-rc.d

The links above are for reference.
Obvious services you can remove are eg, cupsys if you have no printer.
Please be careful. Research, and know what the services are for,
if not sure, leave them alone.

tty1 getty: is the console you woud drop to with
[ctrl]+[alt]+[F1].
tty getty is also required by the system,
but you probably wont use six of them.
To improve security reduce the tty getty's started at boot.
Also they are using valuable system memory\resources, check with:

$ top

(use "q" key to quit top)

$ ps -Al

Will show services\daemons running including tty1 tty2 tty3 etc.,

tty configuration: Reduce to "three" starting during boot.

$ sudo gedit /etc/default/console-setup
Change:
ACTIVE_CONSOLES="/dev/tty[1-6]"
to
ACTIVE_CONSOLES="/dev/tty[1-3]"
Then:
$ sudo gedit /etc/event.d/tty4
comment out: start on runlevel 2 (e.g.) #start on runlevel 2
comment out: start on runlevel 3 (e.g.) #start on runlevel 3
Do the same with
$ sudo gedit /etc/event.d/tty5
$ sudo gedit /etc/event.d/tty6

ReBoot for changes to take effect. Check configuration changes:

$ ps -Al
$ lsmod

"nvidia" driver with FastWrite and Side Band Address Enabled.

Depends: linux-kbuild-(your version).
Make selection for your nVidia driver version from here
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
Log out of your desktop & log into a console [ctrl] + [alt] + [f1]
as root. (or use sudo)
Change directory to where your nvidia driver downloaded.
cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf-backup
apt-get update
apt-get install linux-headers & linux-source (use your version).
apt-get install build-essential (64studio 3.0)
telinit 3
/etc/init.d/gdm stop
export CC=gcc-4.1 (needed for 64studio 2.1)
sh NVIDIA-Linux [Tab key] will autocomplete (use your version).
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf (change "nv" to "nvidia")
You may have to create a hybrid xorg.conf (see here)
Posts: xorg.conf & nVidia binary driver install
http://www.64studio.com/node/877
ReBoot
When you have the "nvidia" driver installed.
Check to see if FastWrite and Side Band Address is supported.

$ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/card
Fast Writes: Supported
SBA: Supported
AGP Rates: 4x 2x 1x
Registers: 0x1f000217:0x1f000104

$ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/status
Status: Enabled
Driver: AGPGART
AGP Rate: 4x
Fast Writes: Disabled
SBA: Disabled

$ sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
ADD to the file:

blacklist nvidia_agp
blacklist intel_agp

$ sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-kernel-nkc
ADD to the file:

alias char-major-195* nvidia
options nvidia NVreg_EnableAGPSBA=1 NVreg_EnableAGPFW=1

ReBoot:

$ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/status
Status: Enabled
Driver: NVIDIA
AGP Rate: 4x
Fast Writes: Enabled
SBA: Enabled

Using "nvidia" driver with FastWrite and Side Band Address Enabled.

gnome-terminal default size.

If you want change it's default size edit this file:

sudo gedit /usr/share/vte/termcap/xterm

change this line to alter the size settings.
The first is the default, the second setting
opens the terminal the full width of my screen.

:co#80:it#8:li#24:\
:co#158:it#8:li#24:\

Rescue mount partitions:

Using a livecd to rescue or repair a partition is one
of the best system tools available, I use SimplyMepis
as my rescue livecd. I also keep the downloaded iso
on my data partition and sometimes boot the iso directly: method:

$ sudo fdisk -l

$ sudo mount -o loop 
/media/data/iso-sm8/SimplyMEPIS-CD_8.0.00-rel_32.iso /mnt/

Now you have mounted the iso you can browse and
copy "initrd.gz" & "vmlinuz" from the iso
to your /media/data/iso-sm8/ directory to boot from.

$ cp /mnt/boot/initrd.gz /media/data/iso-sm8/
$ cp /mnt/boot/vmlinuz /media/data/iso-sm8/

$ ls -a /media/data/iso-sm8/
initrd.gz SimplyMEPIS-CD_8.0.00-rel_32.iso vmlinuz

Add an entry to /boot/grub/menu.lst

title ISO-SimplyMEPIS-CD_8.0.00-rel_32.iso - (boot iso)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /iso-sm8/vmlinuz vga=791 nosplash fromhd=/dev/hda3 
fromiso=/iso-sm8/SimplyMEPIS-CD_8.0.00-rel_32.iso resume=/dev/hda2
initrd /iso-sm8/initrd.gz
boot

The entries "hda" could be "sda" depending on your disk
and you will have to use your own partition numbers
e.g. root (hd0,?) and (/dev/hda?). Now you can
boot the "iso" from your menu.lst. The livecd will run from the iso.
This will mount the partition containing the iso.
This is useful for data recovery or repair.
"Don't" Format partitions when a partition is mounted
you will damage your disk. Boot the livecd as a livecd
to format partitions, and make sure no partitions are mounted
including swap. SimplyMepis allows you to do this from inside
the partitioning software.
If not, as root (sudo) use the swapoff command.

$ swapoff -a
or
swapoff /dev/hd? (sd?)

To mount one partition using another.

$ sudo mount -t ext3 /dev/sda4 /mnt/
$ ls -a /mnt/

Do your repair\recovery and then unmount the partition.

$ sudo umount /mnt/

/dev/sda4 is just an example, use hd? or sd?
depending on the contents of /dev/.....

Happy Testing :-)

Cheers! 
Dave.

irc: #ubuntu-classroom on irc.freenode.net
irc: #debian-multimedia on irc.debian.org
irc: #64studio on irc.freenode.net

http://www.64studio.com/forum


_______________________________________________
64studio-devel mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.64studio.com/mailman/listinfo/64studio-devel

Reply via email to