Debian On C3xxx (merged Topics), ... & the state of the art Options

[ZDevil]

I've just posted a simple benchmarking report (Sandisk Extreme III CF 16gb vs. Hitachi microdrive 6gb) using apdarm here:
http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...93&#entry167593

And here are more rough speed test results under Lenny (1st launch, subsequent launch):

CODE

xfce4 ...... 26 sec, 26 sec
abiword ...... 33 sec, 15 sec
gnumeric ...... 20 sec, 14 sec
gimp ...... ?? (1st time is configuration), 54 sec
sylpheed ...... 13 sec, 12 sec
iceweasel ...... 90 sec, 30 sec

@adf: Have you tried another SD card? I also ran into problem with extracting the CD image to one of my SD cards (which has been abused severely).

[adf]

I've just posted a simple benchmarking report (Sandisk Extreme III CF 16gb vs. Hitachi microdrive 6gb) using apdarm here:
http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...93&#entry167593

And here are more rough speed test results under Lenny (1st launch, subsequent launch):

CODE

xfce4 ...... 26 sec, 26 sec
abiword ...... 33 sec, 15 sec
gnumeric ...... 20 sec, 14 sec
gimp ...... ?? (1st time is configuration), 54 sec
sylpheed ...... 13 sec, 12 sec
iceweasel ...... 90 sec, 30 sec

@adf: Have you tried another SD card? I also ran into problem with extracting the CD image to one of my SD cards (which has been abused severely).

I haven't yet.
Hopefully I can get info on how to avoid the auto formatting before I try again. My problem, though seems to be that the boot loader doesn't recognize my 16G cf.
I suspect that this is either a problem with the card--which seems unlikley as it has been working perfectly,or a problem with the formatting, or possibly a problem with the debian hw support extraction from my sd to my hd.

what I hope to try:
prevent auto format in updater (don't know how)
repartition and format my sd, try another sd and a fresh dl (can't do til later this evening)
replace the 16G CF with a 6G MD (would rather not)

What else might help?

[Capn_Fish]

When the setup asks for what set of packages to install (laptop, standard, server, multimedia, etc.), which, if any, are necessary/recommended to select?

[ZDevil]

When the setup asks for what set of packages to install (laptop, standard, server, multimedia, etc.), which, if any, are necessary/recommended to select?

Just choose "standard".

[Capn_Fish]

OK, thanks.

EDIT: Hmm...It seems to be frozen trying to download the packages. Is there a way to restart just that step without doing the whole install again?

EDIT2: Never mind...Just wait for it to time out

[Meanie]

I've just posted a simple benchmarking report (Sandisk Extreme III CF 16gb vs. Hitachi microdrive 6gb) using apdarm here:
http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showt...93&#entry167593

And here are more rough speed test results under Lenny (1st launch, subsequent launch):

CODE

xfce4 ...... 26 sec, 26 sec
abiword ...... 33 sec, 15 sec
gnumeric ...... 20 sec, 14 sec
gimp ...... ?? (1st time is configuration), 54 sec
sylpheed ...... 13 sec, 12 sec
iceweasel ...... 90 sec, 30 sec

@adf: Have you tried another SD card? I also ran into problem with extracting the CD image to one of my SD cards (which has been abused severely).

I haven't yet.
Hopefully I can get info on how to avoid the auto formatting before I try again. My problem, though seems to be that the boot loader doesn't recognize my 16G cf.
I suspect that this is either a problem with the card--which seems unlikley as it has been working perfectly,or a problem with the formatting, or possibly a problem with the debian hw support extraction from my sd to my hd.

what I hope to try:
prevent auto format in updater (don't know how)
repartition and format my sd, try another sd and a fresh dl (can't do til later this evening)
replace the 16G CF with a 6G MD (would rather not)

What else might help?

the problem is that the manid of your cards needs to be compiled into the kernel in order for it to boot off it and since your card is not standard to the Zaurus it most likely did not get included during compilation of the kernel. you just need to recompile the kernel with your card's manfid added

[adf]

the problem is that the manid of your cards needs to be compiled into the kernel in order for it to boot off it and since your card is not standard to the Zaurus it most likely did not get included during compilation of the kernel. you just need to recompile the kernel with your card's manfid added

That would explain why the card id is blank in the emergency menu too, wouldn't it (the emergency systenm kernel wouldn't have much by way of extra device info)?

SO.. that raises 2 questions and 2 possible outcomes

1a How do I get the manufacturer's ID without pulling the card?
it is an A-DATA 16GB Compact Flash Model SPEEDY CF 16GB 40x

1b How do I compile this kernel with support for this drive? or is anyone else inclined to do so?

2a possibly I will have to swap out the card for a 6GB microdrive to run titichy?

2b Or I just don't run titchy.

hmmm. I'd really prefer to keep the card in, and I'd like to give titchy a whirl.

[dlj0]

How does "lenny" different from "testing", or are they just they same?

They are the same -- for now. Etch used to be testing, until it was released as the new stable. Now, lenny is testing. "unstable" is always named sid, after the kid in Toy Story who broke everyone's toys.

[dlj0]

that is my suspicion-- that the auto formatting in the script isn't handling my drive.I have replaced the original MD with a 16GB CF, which has worked just fine for pdax.
The problem is that I reformatted the "drive" using the emergency system and then got the same result, and have no idea how to make the debian installer NOT format my drive.

the drive is getting formatted as 1 big partition--and that might be the problem.possib
Are there any partition requirements,like boot flags or anything of the kind?

incidentally, I can't find anything other than "clear the hd in the diag menus

What I'd like to do, but lack the knowledge, is format the drive manually, and see if it goes. how can that be done without reflashing several times?.

To get the installer to not format, I would try to edit the installer script. I haven't done so, but it ought to be possible.

If you, you could send that 16g drive to me for extensive testing.

I was able to re-format the drive my way, using the debian installer that appeared during the installation. But if it barfs before it gets that far, you may be forced to fiddle with the installation script.

Or, you could ask Neil, who I imagine is about to get inundated with questions.

[dlj0]

Hey, pdaXrom works! Perhaps it is not as polished, but it does work!

I don't want to denigrate either pdaXrom or Angstrom. pdaXrom was a big jump from OE for me. But it was a friggin' nightmare to try to upgrade from beta 1 to the 098 (or whatever it is/was). I could not do it. I semi-bricked my toy twice in trying, for a whole day. Angstrom then came to the rescue, and it's installation and stability are great. But that project is so focused on development and extension to various machines that the user, the guy like me who wants to install what he needs and go, is left with too many packages that are just broken, and never get fixed. Tex, firefox, lyx, wifi-radar, and many other mission-critical packages for me were broken when I first installed, were well-known to be broken, and are at the same stage they were in March. Can you print from Angstrom? Use bluetooth? Just a second. I have a bluetooth card here I couldn't use in either Angstrom or pdaXrom. Let's see. OK, some setback, but I don't know what modules to load for my Belkin F8T020 adapter.

The bright idea of titchy is to just concentrate on getting a working kernel (which do exist, all ready to go), basic utils and config, and an X server --- just for one or two machines, too, and then set it up to use the largest "feed" (distribution) available. Makes sense to me. You don't have to bust your balls trying to "port" firefox or tex, either of which would be a monumental task. They are already there, tested by thousands of users.

Of course, my attitude is helped by the fact that I've used debian for years and years.

[Capn_Fish]

I get "Temporary failure resolving 'debian.neilandtheresa.co.uk' when doing an apt-get update. How should I fix this? I can't ping it either, or anything (except my router, everything else says "ubknown host xyz"). Suggestions?

[Meanie]

I get "Temporary failure resolving 'debian.neilandtheresa.co.uk' when doing an apt-get update. How should I fix this? I can't ping it either, or anything (except my router, everything else says "ubknown host xyz"). Suggestions?

you should fix you router/replace it, or change to use static ip addresses instead of dhcp since your leases do not automatically renew themselves effectively....

[Meanie]

Hey, pdaXrom works! Perhaps it is not as polished, but it does work!

I don't want to denigrate either pdaXrom or Angstrom. pdaXrom was a big jump from OE for me. But it was a friggin' nightmare to try to upgrade from beta 1 to the 098 (or whatever it is/was). I could not do it. I semi-bricked my toy twice in trying, for a whole day. Angstrom then came to the rescue, and it's installation and stability are great. But that project is so focused on development and extension to various machines that the user, the guy like me who wants to install what he needs and go, is left with too many packages that are just broken, and never get fixed. Tex, firefox, lyx, wifi-radar, and many other mission-critical packages for me were broken when I first installed, were well-known to be broken, and are at the same stage they were in March. Can you print from Angstrom? Use bluetooth? Just a second. I have a bluetooth card here I couldn't use in either Angstrom or pdaXrom. Let's see. OK, some setback, but I don't know what modules to load for my Belkin F8T020 adapter.

The bright idea of titchy is to just concentrate on getting a working kernel (which do exist, all ready to go), basic utils and config, and an X server --- just for one or two machines, too, and then set it up to use the largest "feed" (distribution) available. Makes sense to me. You don't have to bust your balls trying to "port" firefox or tex, either of which would be a monumental task. They are already there, tested by thousands of users.

Of course, my attitude is helped by the fact that I've used debian for years and years.

i agree with all you have said. but the kernel imho is still missing a few important features. once those are added/fixed then it would be almost perfect except for the speed which hopefully switching to the armel feed should fix once it has been fully ported.

[Capn_Fish]

I get "Temporary failure resolving 'debian.neilandtheresa.co.uk' when doing an apt-get update. How should I fix this? I can't ping it either, or anything (except my router, everything else says "ubknown host xyz"). Suggestions?

you should fix you router/replace it, or change to use static ip addresses instead of dhcp since your leases do not automatically renew themselves effectively....

I am currently using a static IP address. Given that, is there anything I can do outside of fiddling with my router? It worked mostly fine in pdaXrom.

EDIT: Using dhcp fixed it.

[adf]

I can certainly agree that the kernel is missing at least one important feature--it doesn't recognize my internal CF