Linux-Hardware Digest #645, Volume #12 Sun, 9 Apr 00 09:13:07 EDT
Contents:
Re: I am a reseller and need help ("Robert W. Cunningham")
Re: Linux sucks? Maybe not. (William McGrath)
Re: high altitude modern systems performance ("Robert W. Cunningham")
installing a second hd controller (William McGrath)
Re: Linux and Wake-on-LAN NIC feature (William McGrath)
itouch keyboard remapping ("Michael M. Tung")
Re: HELP: Can't make PS/2 mouse work (Mark Bratcher)
Hayes Accura on Mandrake 7 (Josh)
Actiontec 56k internal PCI Call-Waiting modem. ("Tony")
Re: I am a reseller and need help (=?ISO-8859-1?Q?R=FCdiger?= Arp)
Re: find out the dma? (stupid soundcard question) (Marc D. Williams)
Re: ftape and Colorado DJ35 (aka: Jumbo 350) (Marc D. Williams)
USR Courier mystery ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Robert W. Cunningham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: I am a reseller and need help
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 09:26:53 GMT
The Nice One wrote:
> I may know squat about linux but I am willing to learn more than Joe average
Forget about what you do or don't know about Linux. Your expertise in PC
hardware systems is what is needed most, and THAT is what will make the lives
of your customers who want to run Linux MUCH easier.
After all, no matter how much you do or don't learn about Linux, what matters
most is how well your customers succeed with their new Linux-compatible
systems.
You may want to work up some kind of support deal with a local Linux users
group or other Linux experts (3 hours of phone support for $30 or something).
Maybe some hand-holding during a club's Linux Install Fest. Or maybe set up a
local newsgroup just for your customers. There are lots of ways you can help
your customers with Linux without having to learn it yourself. Maybe start
your own Linux Learners Group that meets in your store!
I guarantee you will have greater motivation to learn Linux when your
Linux-compatible systems start flying out the door! Worry about it then.
-BobC
------------------------------
From: William McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.networking,comp.os.linux.portable
Subject: Re: Linux sucks? Maybe not.
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 02:51:55 -0700
I assume that this includes the problem of all the H L Menckens out there?
Bill
Small is beautiful. Keep it simple.
> Arjan
> --
> For every complex problem there is an answer
> that is clear, simple, and wrong. -- H L Mencken
>
------------------------------
From: "Robert W. Cunningham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems
Subject: Re: high altitude modern systems performance
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 10:02:53 GMT
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems Michael Hofmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>wrote:
> > Kenneth Mankoff wrote:
> >>
> >> Hello everyone,
> >> I live at 10,000 feet and have had all systems newer than a 486DX33Mhz
> >> computer fail me. Since november, this is:
> >>
> >> * 3 Dell Inspiron 7500 latptop motherboards (450Mhz). 2 months to failure
> >> * 3 Dell Inspiron 7500 hard drives (12 to 18 gig). 2 months to failure.
> >> * one gateway latop internal modem. 3 days to failure
> >> * one 200 Mhz (overclocked) Gateway tower (2 days, then writing to zip and
> >> floppy drive in linux failed)
> >>
> >> Running for days (and years):
> >> 486 DX 33Mhz desktop
> >> 286 5Mhz desktop
> >>
> >> I know airplane computers have radiation sheilds. I also know i have a 3%
> >> higher chance of cancer than the average altitude of the global population
> >> (or maybe it was sea level)
>
> > Ken,
> > I find it hard to believe your problems are really altitude related. 10k
> > feet doesn't sound extremely high to me either. But then I could be
> > wrong.
>
> Yes, you're wrong. Here's some cut 'n' paste from seagate.com:
>
> Environmental Specifications
>
> [...]
>
> Operating Altitude (max)
> 3,048 m
> Operating Altitude (min)
> -305 m
> Nonoperating Altitude (max)
> 12,210 m
> Nonoperating Altitude (min)
> -305 m
> Acoustics
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> Hard drives' heads fly on a cushion of air.
> If there isn't enough of it they crash.
Actually, the hard drives mechanisms should not be the problem, if the computer is
stationary. It may be a problem for notebooks, but I doubt it. I suspect the disk
drive
circuitry is the more likely point of failure. But, just in case I'm wrong, place your
drives in shock-proof mounts, and/or place the entire PC on a foam pad.
The greater problem is due strictly to radiation. There are two fundamental ways CMOS
circuits fail due to cosmic rays:
1. SEU: Single Event Upset.
The charge on an individual transistor or gate is changed, and the current state is
lost or
changed. There is no permanent damage to the circuit, but the affected information is
lost.
Which means the CPU may hiccup, or you may get a memory error, but each is fully
recoverable.
If you use ECC memory, an SEU can occur and be repaired without affecting your system
one
little bit. There are no x86 CPUs that have this capability, though there are some
custom
space-qualified CPUs that provide ECC for each register and data path. When an error
occurs,
at worst an instruction will have to be repeated, if anything at all needs to be done.
2. SEL: Single Event Latch-up.
In this case, the charge barrier between the circuit and the IC substrate breaks down
- the
cosmic ray creates a new conduction channel between power and ground. Excessive
currents
will immediately begin to flow, and will not stop until the circuit is turned off. If
power
is removed quickly enough, no permanent damage will be done, and leaving the system
off for
10 minutes will allow the charge channel to dissipate.
When the conduction channel opens, it will create local heating, since it is acting as
a
rather poor resistor. If the current flow is low (i.e., the conduction channel is
narrow),
the circuit may be able to continue to operate relatively normally, with the only hint
being
a slight temperature rise and a slightly increased power consumption. However, it is
also
very likely that enough heat will be generated locally that the circuit will start to
"cook",
destroying nearby circuitry, which can in turn lead to a massive failure cascade,
burning out
the chip.
Satellite systems have "glitch" detectors on the power supply that monitor for the
current
spikes due to SELs, and immediately de-energize the affected circuit to prevent damage.
Which explains why most space systems have redundant systems running all the time, but
few
"spares". You never know which one you may have to shut down next.
Of course, the smaller the circuit feature, the thinner the IC layers are, and the
easier
they are for a cosmic ray to damage. If the PIII is viewed as being made with
pencil-width
lines, the 486 was made with lines as wide as sidewalks. The larger the design
feature, the
"harder" the circuit will be.
Together, these effects are known as SEEs (Single Event Effects), because they occur
when
just a single cosmic ray hits the chip. Similar things can occur when radioactive
contaminants in the IC or the package release an alpha particle, but these effects have
largely been eliminated as technology has improved.
The other form of radiation effects, known as "Bulk Effects", has to do with the
accelerated
aging of silicon in a radiation field, and is of very little concern unless you happen
to
live in the Van Allen Radiation Belts.
So, what can you do to extend the lifetime of your PC?
1. Keep it in the basement. The earth absorbs lots of cosmic rays. There is not much
you
can do on your own to add effective shielding to the PC itself.
2. Keep it turned off as much as possible.
3. Get a CPU and motherboard with a temperature monitor, set the alarm very low, and
turn the
PC off at the first hint of trouble.
4. Use ECC DRAM. Costs about 10% more, but in your situation it will be a bargain.
Enable
any ECC alarm your system may have. (Remember, ECC can only fix one error, but it can
detect
and inform you if more are seen.)
5. If possible, add circuitry to monitor the power consumption of each part of your
system.
If you are handy with electronics, it should cost less than $50 in parts. This will
probably
be fairly useless as an alarm, but it should help you detect trends over time,
indicative of
cumulative damage.
6. Stay with old technology, or invest in "Rad-hard" components. You may want to
visit the
website of SEI (Space Electronics, Inc.), a specialist in making commercial parts
usable for
space (and high radiation) applications. NASA has several web sited dedicated to this
topic
as well.
7. We are near the peak of the eleven year solar radiation cycle. Avoid using your PC
during the day. If you live at extreme northern or southern latitudes, you may be
completely
out of luck in this respect, since the earth's magnetic field funnels the sun's
particle
radiation there 24 hours a day..
But even if you did all of the above steps, you will not be immune to damage. At
best, you
will only reduce the odds somewhat.
Oh, I forgot one more:
8. Move to sea level. ;^)
-BobC
------------------------------
From: William McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: installing a second hd controller
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 03:17:53 -0700
Hi,
How should I go about installing a second ide-disk controller on an
antique 486-33 ? I have two of the older single channel isa controllers
(2cards x 1channel x 2drives) both of which work and I'd like to install
an extra drive. So far linux only sees one controller.
Bill
Small is beautiful. Keep it simple.
------------------------------
From: William McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.networking
Subject: Re: Linux and Wake-on-LAN NIC feature
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 03:23:34 -0700
Thks,
Bill:)
Small is beautiful. Keep it simple.
On Thu, 6 Apr 2000, Jim Jerzycke wrote:
> A man of few words!
> We need more on the NG's!
> regards,jim
>
>
>
------------------------------
From: "Michael M. Tung" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: itouch keyboard remapping
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:37:27 +0200
Hi! I am using an itouch keyboard under Linux, and wish to make use of
the additional keys (in the upper right corner: opening email, etc.).
The first thing would also be to reprogram the obsolete windows key...
Does anybody know how have experience in remapping an itouch keyboard.
Is there, for example, a corresponding configuration file for xkeycaps
available?
Thanx, Mike
------------------------------
From: Mark Bratcher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: HELP: Can't make PS/2 mouse work
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 06:44:49 -0400
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Do you have Xconfigurator? If you don't mind going through the whole
> setup (video, etc.) it should set up a PS/2 mouse for you. It works great for
> my logitech anyway.
>
I tried Xconfigurator as well. It didn't even ask me about the mouse.
But it set up some values in XF86Config which I had already tried by
hand and it didn't work.
I'm just wondering if psaux is built correctly. I noticed that if I try
to do something by hand like "gpm -t ps2" with /dev/mouse set to
/dev/psaux I get an error about not being able to find module
char-major-10-1.
--
Mark Bratcher
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
=========================================================
Escape from Microsoft's proprietary tentacles. Use Linux!
------------------------------
From: Josh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Hayes Accura on Mandrake 7
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 11:30:13 GMT
I don't know if anyone can help or not, but I am trying to find out why my
Hayes Accura 56K pcmcia card will not work in Mandrake 7. I have had it
running fine in RedHat 6.0 for almost a year now, and it worked fine in
RedHat 5.2 before that.
If anyone knows of a way to get it going, or has an idea how to point me
in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.
thank you,
Josh
--
Posted via CNET Help.com
http://www.help.com/
------------------------------
From: "Tony" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Actiontec 56k internal PCI Call-Waiting modem.
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 06:35:52 -0500
Here is what i found from the maker of my modem Actiontec. After a couple of
e-mail to them and a visit to their site here is what makes this modem work
in Linux. It is an easy to aquire modem. You can find it at mmost major
electronics stores. It Work Great. And this modem is easy to go out and get
if you are willing to spend a little money to get Open Linux online. Here is
Actiontec's solution for their 56k Internal PCI Call-Waiting Modem...
Log on to Linux as root. Then from the KDE desktop click the terminal
icon(the one that looks like two computers in the taskbar). Then type in the
following command:
cat /proc/pci
The following is an example of information to look for when the computer
return it to the screen:
Bus 0. device 12, function 0:
Communication controller: Lucent (ex-AT&T)
Microelectronics Unknown device (rev 0).
Vendor id=11c1. Device id=480.
Medium devsel. Fast back-to-back capable. IRQ 11. Master capable.
No bursts. Min Gnt=252.Max Lat=14.
Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xe0800000 [0xe0800000].
I/O at 0xa000 [0xa001].
I/O at 0x9800 [0x9801].
I/O at 0x9400 [0x9401].
Write down the first I/O range this example shows that I/O is 0xa000. The
values may vary dependng on the system. Then Type:
setserial /dev/ttyS3 port 0xa000 spd_vhi skip_test auto_irq autoconfig
and hit enter. If there are no errors, then type:
setserial /dev/ttyS3 uart 16550A
and hit enter.
[Note : If you recieved errors during any of the preceding then you should
check to make sure that the modem is in a PCI SLOT THAT CAN NOT ALSO BE A
ISA SLOT. My Compaq 5152's board has a slot that can be a PCI or ISA slot.
This is what caused my original problems with setting up this modem. Simply
removing the card from the PCI/ISA slot and placing it into a STRICTLY PCI
slot solved the problem of my I/O errors during my original setting up of
this modem. This is the only help I have for solving the I/O errors that you
might recieve during the setup of this modem.]
Select /dev/ttyS3 as the device in whichever dial-up communication program
you're using. It should now initialize and operate.
Edit the rc.local or rc.serial file located in the /etc/rc.d directory. Add
the two setserial lines at the end of the file. Save and reboot the system.
THE ABOVE WORKS FOR CALDERA OPEN LINUX 2.3 WHEN YOU HAVE AN ACTIONTEC
INTERNAL 56k PCI CALL-WAITING MODEM.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS OF
LINUX(OTHER THAN CALDERA).
If you are using the S.u.S.E distribution, this can be done by adding the
command to /sbin/init.d/serial according to your needs.
If you are using Debian distribution, go to the /etc/rcS.d directory. Edit
the file called S30setserial and add the two setserial lines.
------------------------------
From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?R=FCdiger?= Arp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: I am a reseller and need help
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:44:27 GMT
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Urspr=FCngliche Nachricht <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Am 08.04.00, 13:59:46, schrieb "The Nice One" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> zum=20
Thema I am a reseller and need help:
> Ok I am a computer reseller in Dunedin New Zealand but I need some
> help/feedback about a proposed system I am hoping to offer as a Linux =
box.
> My major barrier to doing this is that I know almost squat about=20
linux(all
> distributions).
> What I need is for someone out there to check out this link here
> http://jcdcomputers.tripod.com/id62.htm
> if you just check out the hardware how does this sound for a system.
> For the price remember that a NZ$ is approx US50c
> Thanks in advance
hi dave,
go see=20
http://www.suse.com
click Hardware DB -> take me to HDB
There's a profound HW compatibility list.
Some hints:
Yes, don't use ISA components.
Start basic system with 64MB...
Use one of the systems you want to sell yourself first
hope it helps,
rude
ps: nice, this dunedin
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Marc D. Williams)
Subject: Re: find out the dma? (stupid soundcard question)
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:38:37 GMT
On Wed, 5 Apr 2000 21:44:41 -0400, Kerne Fahey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>I have a linux box running 2.0.36, with a nice SB 64 soundcard I'd like to get
>working. As we know, to compile in support for a soundcard, one needs A) the
>irq, B) the I/O channel, and C) the DMA channel.
>
>I can get the first two with cat /proc/pci . How, however, can I find out
>the DMA? I don't have the card's manual, and it doesn't seem to be mentioned
>anywhere in the bios [Award].
>
DMA info is in /proc/dma. Mine shows
1: Sound Blaster8
You could also try `cat /dev/sndstat' which might work. If you do get
something you'll see stuff like this in the `Card config' section.
This shows the sound card using DMA 1 (drq 1) also.
Card config:
Sound Blaster at 0x220 irq 5 drq 1
Roland MPU-401 at 0x330 irq 9 drq 0
(SB MPU-401 at 0x300 irq 5 drq 0)
OPL-2/OPL-3 FM at 0x388 drq 0
--
>>ANIME SENSHI<<
Marc D. Williams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.oldskool.org/~tvdog/ -- DOS Internet & Tandy 1000
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Platform/8269/ -- Win3.x Makeover
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Marc D. Williams)
Subject: Re: ftape and Colorado DJ35 (aka: Jumbo 350)
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:38:38 GMT
On Mon, 03 Apr 2000 15:08:27 +0100, Ritchie Fraser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>Help...
>
>I've read the documentation that comes with ftape, and see that the
>Colorado Jumbo 120 and
>250 are both supported. I have searched the usenet, and web and am still
>none the wiser as to
>the compatability of my tape drive..
>
>Is the Jumbo 350 supported?
>
According to the docs it is supported (not a lot of info though).
We need to know what version of ftape you're using and what is it
that doesn't work.
--
>>ANIME SENSHI<<
Marc D. Williams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.oldskool.org/~tvdog/ -- DOS Internet & Tandy 1000
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Platform/8269/ -- Win3.x Makeover
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: USR Courier mystery
Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:26:57 GMT
I want to replace internal 33.6 modem with external USR Courier V.90
modem.
I have installed dozens of modems but the following is a mystery to me.
Internal ISA noname modem runs fine.
External USRobotics Courier (last 2 years running flawlesly as a leased
line
modem) handshakes perfectly, but after exchanging a few packets back and
forth it seems to fail to authenticate.
(of course USR is switched to dialup operation).
Both modems are using /dev/ttyS0 and IRQ4, so I swap them (and COM1
support
turned on and off in BIOS) as needed. NOTHING else is changed.
This is my /etc/ppp/options:
connect /etc/ppp/worl
/dev/ttyS0
115200
crtscts
modem
asyncmap 0
defaultroute
debug
kdebug 4
name [EMAIL PROTECTED]
This is /etc/ppp/worl:
/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/ppp/worl-chat
This is /etc/ppp/worl-chat:
ABORT BUSY ABORT "NO CARRIER" ABORT "NO DIALTONE" "" ATZ OK
"ATX3L2DT0971100811" CONNECT ""
This is /var/log/messages after chat has successfully finished:
Apr 6 16:16:45 prudek pppd[583]: Serial connection established.
Apr 6 16:16:45 prudek pppd[583]: Using interface ppp0
Apr 6 16:16:45 prudek pppd[583]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyS0
Apr 6 16:17:10 prudek pppd[583]: Hangup (SIGHUP)
Apr 6 16:17:10 prudek pppd[583]: Modem hangup
Apr 6 16:17:10 prudek pppd[583]: Connection terminated.
Apr 6 16:17:10 prudek pppd[583]: Connect time 0.5 minutes.
Apr 6 16:17:11 prudek pppd[583]: Exit.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
------------------------------
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End of Linux-Hardware Digest
******************************
