Topics

1

OESF Wiki / Retired!

« on: August 21, 2015, 09:43:04 am »

Dear all,

just making it official. I no longer have the motivation or inclination to have anything to do with the admin of the wiki or the forum.

As regards the wiki: I believe that ibiblio are not 'serving' it up because the present version of the wiki software is insecure. I don't have the experience/expertise to upgrade the software nor the inclination to communicate with ibiblio to sort this out.

If there is anyone out there with the interest and commitment then please contact dz or offroadgeek to discuss the situation.


All the best

tux

   

2

OESF Wiki / Account Registrations Turned Off At Then Wiki

« on: June 13, 2012, 07:11:44 pm »

 In the past year or so the only account registrations at the Wiki have been from spammers and vandals. My chief activity on the Wiki over the past few months has been blocking these accounts and deleting their contributions.

Today I have attempted to turn off account registration except by sysops. It appears to have worked.  

If there should happen to be any genuine registree in the future please direct them to contact me via the forum pm system.

I will be emailing offroadgeek to let him know what I've tried to do.

I've clearly labelled the changes to LocalSettings.php so other sysops can turn registration back on if necessary.

Cheers each!!

3

Asus Eee PC / Alternative Distros

« on: March 07, 2008, 04:46:46 pm »

 I very quickly installed the advanced desktop mode to my eeepc, using the advice on the Eeeuser.com forums and wiki.

It wasn't long before I invested in a 16GB SDHC card and dual booted eeeXubuntu. I was quite happy with that and had it working quite nicely.

However the originator of the eeexubuntu project has gone missing. Perhaps he ran away  from all the demands for help from the dozier inhabitants of that forum!  

So I'm just trying to put xubuntu on and trying to follow the suggestions on those forums and that wiki.

So what other distros are people using or experimenting with?

Any tips, suggestions are more than welcome. There are so many duplicate threads over at Eeeuser.com that it is quite hard to find the genuine article.  

Cheers

I have a xubuntu dual boot working. After the xubuntu install I used the scripts from the ubuntu eee wiki and it seems to sort out the hardware issues, in particular the wifi drivers. The suggested webcam application seems a bit problematical.

4

Nokia Tablet / Itos2008 Beta For The N800

« on: December 13, 2007, 04:25:56 pm »

 The OS for the Nokia810 is now available as a beta release for the N800 machine. This link is to a website that tells you where to download the files and gives a link to the installation instructions: ITOS2008  

Hope this is of use to somebody here.

5

Site Suggestions, Requests, and Updates / Would Someone Sticky This For Us?

« on: December 12, 2007, 05:09:46 am »

 Please sticky the linked post in the Debian forum.

repository post

Thanks

  Thanks very much!  

6

Debian / Up To Date Repositories For Eabi Debian

« on: December 12, 2007, 05:06:10 am »

 The armel repositories are now available from the normal Debian mirrors.:


Here is a section of the Wiki Page which explains this:


The armel port is now available from the normal Debian mirrors (you can see the full list at Debian Mirrors).

An example using a mirror in Germany:

# official
deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian unstable main

# old sources
probably no longer available...
add this line if you want latest packages from oesf :

deb http://matrixmen.free.fr/zaurus/debian sid main contrib non-free


This is now up to date. Thanks to the Wiki page contributor and to the post from dkm which persuaded me to update this post.

7

Debian / Eabi Repositories Offline? Or Is It Just Me?

« on: November 27, 2007, 01:12:58 pm »

 Since yesterday the gnuab repositories have been inaccessible from BigZ using apt-get update. The same applies to applied-data repos. Is it just me? I've seen no other comments so I'm wondering.   The ones on jpmatrix's site are up and running....  

Just to emphasise: using EABI kernel, modules and filesystem courtesy of cortez and the ZDevil scripts....

Just as an extra: the only browser that works for me is dillo. YMMV

8

Site Suggestions, Requests, and Updates / Spammers At The Forum?

« on: November 12, 2007, 01:04:22 pm »

 I have noticed at least two posts by very new members that appear to be links to some sort of commercial sites. One was in the threads about bargains, one was in the thread about kopi/kapi. The one in the bargain thread was about mobile phones   and the one in the kopi/kapi thread asked people to send private messages.  

ISO, dz and Speculatrix would you have a look and see if I'm just being paranoid?   It would be a shame if we had to go back to 'vetting' new members but it might be needed if this is really the start of spamming the forum.  

Cheers

 

9

Debian / Post-install Steps For Debian Eabi With Installer

« on: November 03, 2007, 07:26:47 pm »

What needs doing after a successful installation of cortez-debian. I'm talking about the version of debian and the installer provided by cortez in this thread Debian Eabi With Installer.  

Please re-read the first post in that thread because it has been updated. Follow the steps carefully to ensure fewer problems during and post-install.

It is worth remembering that the kernel and modules used in this method, 2.6.23 at the moment, have been produced by cortez using the build system and source tree used by the Poky linux developers. I believe this is based on bitbake and the angstrom work. I think it is worth considering that there may be incompatabilities between this system and the angstrom kernel, modules and packages.  

I have successfully installed this system. However I did make an error in allowing the partitioner to format the new / partition. This meant that I had to copy the modules for the kernel across to the microdrive by using the method shown on the TitchyLinux site. I mean I had to mount the SD card and use this command: dpkg-deb -x (pathtofileon SDcard)zaurus_specific.deb . while being in the / directory of the microdrive.  


Does it matter if I use keymap.map as in ZDevil's Monster thread or the spitz.gz file from the TitchyLinux files in order to set up the keyboard? Would it be automatically set upif I hadn't let the partitioner format /?

What about the gui/X system? Where do I start looking? cortez says  get kdrive  from PokyLinux and install it. Then install the window maager of your choice.

One definite plus for this install, the hardware clock is sorted out without needing any clever tricks.

The wifi only had the post-install problem of blacklisting the hostap modules.  I have to do this post-install with all methods and varieties of debian, because all my wifi cards work with orinoco and fail with hostap loaded.

The dhcp in the installer works well!

It is much easier to work from the console if you install the openssh-server and login from a terminal on your desktop or use putty. It is vital to work this way when trying to get X to work. It is possible to have a Zaurus which loads X, but a non-working variety, and the only way to mend things is from a remote console.

Hope this thread is of use, especially to me  , to people who are testing this convenient way of installing an EABI + EABI debian system on their Z.

10

Debian / Zaurus-hardware-support-deb

« on: October 26, 2007, 04:13:43 pm »

 Well I set out to re-install the original way.  Then I started looking at zaurus-hardware-support.deb. It occurred to me that I could extract the files and play about. Well, basically all I have done so far is extract the bits and tar them up instead of making a deb package. I then copied my tar of the stuff onto the SD card and untarred to root of hard drive. The files include the modules needed. So I should be able to roll my own deb that will put the modules for the kernel I want to flash in the appropriate place and use the original method of install. This would be handy for using updated kernels on a first install. It might even let me have my wish about OABI kernel and OABI rootfs.  (Sorting the gui out is the killer there.)

I'm going through the commands in the postinst script manually and the setting of the hardware clock that some people were asking about is dealt with in that script.

Here are the commands for that:

# Fix hardware clock
ln -fs /dev/rtc0 /dev/rtc
/etc/init.d/hwclock.sh start

So there is something useful straight off.

There appears to be something wrong with the keymap commands though. I'll look at my swapped out microdrive and see what the difference is. There was something about a directory or file not existing....

 

11

Debian / Where We Are Now!

« on: October 23, 2007, 06:45:54 am »

 The recent comments about the use of the angstrom kernels and the Titchylinux rootfs raise a few questions. I mean the fact that the kernel is EABI and the system is OABI.   One suggestion has been to use the armel rootfs that is mentioned in the sound thread.

However, another direction has shown up in the C1000 and Debian thread.  

Here is the link that scottlfa gave: Pokylinux 2.6.21 Kernels. By the way his post gives very clear steps to setting up debian on the C1000, presumably adaptable to the 860 and 700 series?    

I've had the Pokylinux site bookmarked for a while but not had the time to look more closely. (I think there is a Pokylinux thread somewhere. ) The site is easy to navigate and all the files are easily accessible. The documentation seems fairly clear as well. It should be easy to download and set up their version of the development environment. Those who would like to roll their own kernels have clear instructions on obtaining the files ansd setting up the environment. (A bit of a contrast to another site we know!  )

It seems quite  a promising site in lots of ways. For example: if I flash the 2.621 kernel for my 3200 and follow the steps for getting the modules in the right place, I should have a working Titchy without the angstrom kernel.   Presumably the kernel and rootfs architecture should now match. Would this solve some of the problems with multimedia? (I must try it!) There are also rootfs files on that site. What would happen with those? What about the PokyLinux distribution? That is for some other brave soul to try!  

Hope to see some suggestions/comments when I get back from the real world!  

But I think it is well worth a good look round!  

12

Debian / Pinned Thread About Packages

« on: October 19, 2007, 03:51:28 pm »

 The thread with uploaded packages for use and for testing will become less useful and helpul if people post comments and requests there!  

The first post in the thread makes that point very clear! Please help us all by taking notice of those requests. In other words make requests for packages in the thread linked in the first post and make comments about packages that have been uploaded in a thread for that package. Please.  

At the moment there is a strange problem with some attachments. In particular, the ones in that thread have 'vanished'. The admins have been informed and are trying to restore them. Please be patient.

Cheers

 

13

Site Suggestions, Requests, and Updates / Request For A Sticky Thread In The Debian Forum

« on: October 16, 2007, 04:11:26 pm »

 
There is a thread in the Debian forum that would probably be useful to have stickied. The title is 'New Contribs + testing packages Right here!' or something like that
Any chance of a stickying for that thread?

14

Debian / Swapping A Large Cf Card For The Microdrive - With Titchy

« on: October 16, 2007, 01:51:27 pm »

 I don't think any one will be surprised that I'm brave to the point of rashness!

I've just shoved a 16GB sandisk into my 3200. Apart from the usual tricks of losing screws on the carpet and finding them again by kneeling on them, it was quite a smooth process.   Thanks to iamasmith's detailed post and pictures.  I'm not too panicked by the spare screw that I didn't find until after re-assembly!  

I did suffer a few pangs when the machine wouldn't boot though! Eventually I got some signs of life. It booted with the power supply plugged in, gave in with a kernel panic. But it did recognise the sandisk.

It was actually behaving as if coming out of suspend under Titchy and naturally enough falling over because the sandisk didn't possess the titchy files. That is partly my reason for posting here rather than in the hardware/modding threads.

Should I have fdisked the sandisk and set up a linux partition system before installing? Should I have flashed back to cacko or sharp before installing? At the moment the only 'normal' thing I have been able to do is to get into the fn+m+d menus. I'm using the 'clear the hard disk utility', which seems to be working, but obviously very slow with 16GB to go at.

My next step will be to see if I can get to the ok+power menu at restart. Hopefully I'll then be able to install Titchylinux. If not I'll try the fn+b+d menus to fdisk and partition the card.

Are these problems because I had Titchy flashed? What do you think?

I'll be keeping you posted and may well redo the surgery, to replace the 'extra' screw if nothing else.  

I think it is worth thinking about what you have currently flashed before trying this little adventure though.  


I'm off to watch some dancing...

I'll be back to report.

Well the boot screen correctly identifies the CF drive and the 16GB is reported correctly. I even managed to wake it up without external power plugged in. I suppose I'd better try the rescue system, if I can persuade the thing to let me in...Perhaps if I sacrifice Biff's goat!

15

Debian / Installing Debian Base, Without Needing A Network Connection!

« on: October 04, 2007, 04:53:58 pm »

 I'm copying a post of ZDevil here. I think the topic deserves a thread of its own!  

ZDevil wrote:

 Actually installing Debian can be as easy as installing Cacko, pdaXrom (non-uboot versions) and Angstrom.

There is an alternative way to install it without using networking.

*** The "10-step-self-help guide to enjoying a popular penguin" ***

Just start from here: http://www.bigbridgezau.sakura.ne.jp/dev/debian/

#1 Download 4 things and copy them to the root of SD:
updater.sh
gnu-tar
zImage-2.6.17-cpufreq-fastfpe.bin OR zImage-2.6.20-cpufreq.bin (This is the kernel; rename it to zImange.bin)
hddrootfs.tar.gz (This is the base system and Etch; rename it to hdimage1.tgz)

#2 Reboot the Z while pressing [OK] to enter the flash menu

#3 Just flash as usual by choosing "4" and then "SD" and then "Y"

#4 If things go well (they should), then kernel will flash and the big tarball will decompress to /dev/hda1. This may take an hour.

#5 Installation will complete itself and reboot the machine. Debian is ready to go!

#6 You can then do the postinstallation steps as descibed in "After installation" in the titchy linux wiki: http://wiki.neilandtheresa.co.uk/Titchy_Linux/Installing

#7 To upgrade from Etch ("stable" but a bit dated) and Lenny ("testing" and the new stuff), change "etch" to "lenny" in /etc/apt/sources.list

#8 apt-get update

#9 apt-get dist-upgrade

#10 Wow!

Plus two desserts:

#11 If you fancy playing with over/underclocking, grab the dvfm binary (not the armel.zip) from the japanese link above.

#12 If you feel like trying different (Angstrom) kernels, three versions are available: 2.6.17-fastfpe-cpufreq, 2.6.20-cpufreq, 2.6.22-cpufreq.
Remember to use the same updater.sh from the download location of the kernel!
More discussion this way: https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=24815.
And be CAREFUL: do NOT flash the kernel with the big installation tarball, because your disk may get reformatted and wiped clean and overwritten with a clean install!

End of quote!

Be cautious and make lists of your network files and sources.list. I didn't and it has been a little inconvenient!   Well done ZDevil!