Debian Issues

[klinux]

Just finished installing Base Debian given by PCQ . got a couple of questions

Debian Took up all my previous Swap partions for itself . had three swap partitions for RH8,PCQ04,Xan and Suse . While installing deb it took those swaps for itself . so how do i disable it

Unable to login through X-Windows , even though i created a user . it isnt letting me login as root too , though i think this is a feature .

Loading Debian with Loadlin . Why does it alone need initrd : initial ram disk i think . others load with from load lin without it fine . but with debian and xandros , it give panic error .

I use explore 2 fs to , well explore linux partitions and extract vmlinuz(kernel images) for various linuxes . So all i get in that screen is hdc# and listing of numbers per linux partition . Now which file would i have to open to in the partitions to know which linux flavor is in the partition . For deb i found etc had a file named debconf or something , but xandros also has this . so is there any file which contains the flavor and version in the linux partition ?

I was given a choice to make seperate partition as primary , but it took it as /home . so i didnt create it . How can i change the free partition to Primary from Within Linux ??? this is to install Freebsd , which needs primary partition right ?

 

[pradeep_chauhan]

Why do you have so many swap ? For multiple linux installations one swap is enough. In the gdm click on actions config login manager and give the root password there enable root loggin. To load debian i use grub, loadlin no idea

 

[klinux]

Thanx , created swaps way back when trying out new flavours . had loads of space then . will try ur options and report

 

[pradeep_chauhan]

See the swap information is not persistant across boots so even if you have multiple flavors of linux installed on a machine then too at one time only one OS (linux) is running, so a single swap will do. On my PC i have GENTOO and DEBIAN sharing a single swap and boot partition another partition has the /home and this way one can add / remove any number of linux flavors on a single PC.

 

[GNUrag]

Debian Took up all my previous Swap partions for itself . had three swap partitions for RH8,PCQ04,Xan and Suse . While installing deb it took those swaps for itself . so how do i disable it

1) Permanently disabling swap:
# vi /etc/fstab -> and then remove those entries except one, of course

2) Temporarily disabling swap:
# swapoff /dev/hda6 -> temporarily disabling hda6 swap
# swapon /dev/hda6 -> then enabling it again

Unable to login through X-Windows , even though i created a user . it isnt letting me login as root too , though i think this is a feature .

# gdmsetup

Loading Debian with Loadlin . Why does it alone need initrd : initial ram disk i think . others load with from load lin without it fine . but with debian and xandros , it give panic error .

are you trying to load gzImage kernel or a bzImage kernel? As far as i think, loadlin utility works with gzImage kernels and not bzImage kernels.... i may be wrong also!!!

I use explore 2 fs to , well explore linux partitions and extract vmlinuz(kernel images) for various linuxes . So all i get in that screen is hdc# and listing of numbers per linux partition . Now which file would i have to open to in the partitions to know which linux flavor is in the partition . For deb i found etc had a file named debconf or something , but xandros also has this . so is there any file which contains the flavor and version in the linux partition ?

/etc/issue
This is the file which contains the login prompt for logging from the tty interface ( CTRL-ALT-F1 ) ... you may try to open this file, as this file stores the info about what version of operating system it is...

I was given a choice to make seperate partition as primary , but it took it as /home . so i didnt create it . How can i change the free partition to Primary from Within Linux ??? this is to install Freebsd , which needs primary partition right ?

Delete your logical partition. It will then show up as FREE Space... Then use a good utility like cfdisk to create your desired partition the way you like... linux fdisk is also good but its interface is very cryptic...

 

[klinux]

gr8 info guys . thanx

Fixed the swap prob , fixed the login prob . fixed correct resolution and got sound and integrated graphics detected .

Few more probs : not as urgent/serious as previous probs though

- While doing a "find files" i got two diff windows on two occasions , while clicking on the same short cut . one was a smaller windows , other was bigger with full path of place to be searched mentioned . tried again and getting only old ones . Is there desktop search kinda thing here too ?

- 6000+ apps installation is a HUGE headache . Why is debian so violent ??? so many conflicts while choosing apps . Synaptic is hell . Unable to choose all "not installed" packages at once , as some give dependency and some other errors . had to choose it in 10's and then move on to next ones .

- any alternative to synaptic ? When clicking on Synaptic Package Manager from the menu . it asks for the password , even though i am root and once entered it does nothing . have to manually go to /usr/sbin and click on synaptic . isnt apt availabnle within deb ?

- unable to mount drives / partitions as user , even though user is added in groups root and adm . it shows the cdrive (fat32) but when clicking on it shows cannot access error . Tried changing permissions to /mnt/cdrive , just wont change ? what should be done here ? am able to browse in root and from other users with su to root

- modem aint detecting , will try to configure thought , worked in xan and fed .

- how the heck do u finish the klotski game with the "W" shaped blocked , which is vertical ??? Its just impossible to remove the Big Rect block outta the "W"s path .

- WIERD PROB : the partition i installed debian in was an old ntfs partition abt 20 gb . split it to 10 gb and left 10gb free . now the partition i installed debian in hdc15 is showing up in windows 2000 as a drive , but with no properties ie all shows zero . i think this is also causing my system process to shoot up to near 99% thus causing system slow down . do i have to reformat the whole debian partition again ??? this prob is only in 2k and not in xp/

I see dead Drives.

Malcolm Crowe: In your windows?
[Cole shakes his head no]
Malcolm Crowe: While you're booting?
[Cole nods]
Malcolm Crowe: Dead drives like, in windows 98 ? In 2000 ?
Cole Sear: Browsing around like regular drives. They don't see ext3. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead.
Malcolm Crowe: How often do you see them?
Cole Sear: All the time.

 

[GNUrag]

- While doing a "find files" i got two diff windows on two occasions , while clicking on the same short cut . one was a smaller windows , other was bigger with full path of place to be searched mentioned . tried again and getting only old ones . Is there desktop search kinda thing here too ?

Forget those GUI apps (if you believe me) and stick to command line utilities for making your computing more efficient and just getting your thing done! in general.

Most UNIX distributions come with this nifty utility called locate . This utility maintains a database of all the files on your system. Then you can just give a command like $ locate apt.conf and it will tell you in 3 seconds that apt.conf is located in /etc/apt/

Locate utility uses a database for location of files on system. This database can be built using # updatedb as a root user. Normally you should give updatedb command every 10 days.

Further read: $ man locate

- 6000+ apps installation is a HUGE headache . Why is debian so violent ???

Its 8000+ actually... I used to think that 8000+ packages is like heaven but you're saying otherwise... Remember there are people who complain about not enough software being available for GNULinux .... I always remind them that Debian maintains an archive of 8000+ applications and that too for 11 linux based architectures and 4 non-linux architectures (Hurd, BSD).

so many conflicts while choosing apps . Synaptic is hell . Unable to choose all "not installed" packages at once , as some give dependency and some other errors . had to choose it in 10's and then move on to next ones .

If you've decided to install all the packages on your DVD then this can be a bit troublesome. But you shouldn't be in such position. Normally you would select a package and its dependencies would get installed. Though i also feel there should be an option to Select All packages

Dont ever install all the packages off your DVD. You'll get a completely messed up system. Just install what you want.

- any alternative to synaptic ? When clicking on Synaptic Package Manager from the menu . it asks for the password , even though i am root and once entered it does nothing . have to manually go to /usr/sbin and click on synaptic . isnt apt availabnle within deb ?[/b]

That should not happen! ... better first do a $ su and then run synaptic Or otherwise, you can run apt manually. Synaptic is just a front end to APT

# apt-cdrom add
# apt-get install whatever

tip: you can use space-bar to select your packages and arrow key to move further down the list. This will speedup your package selection process.

- unable to mount drives / partitions as user , even though user is added in groups root and adm . it shows the cdrive (fat32) but when clicking on it shows cannot access error . Tried changing permissions to /mnt/cdrive , just wont change ? what should be done here ? am able to browse in root and from other users with su to root

Your /etc/fstab is not proper. Read its manpage. You might want to add an optional umask=000 option in the fstab file.

- modem aint detecting , will try to configure thought , worked in xan and fed .

internal/external ?

- how the heck do u finish the klotski game with the "W" shaped blocked , which is vertical ??? Its just impossible to remove the Big Rect block outta the "W"s path .

Hell, i'm learning how to play klotski

- WIERD PROB : the partition i installed debian in was an old ntfs partition abt 20 gb . split it to 10 gb and left 10gb free . now the partition i installed debian in hdc15 is showing up in windows 2000 as a drive , but with no properties ie all shows zero . i think this is also causing my system process to shoot up to near 99% thus causing system slow down . do i have to reformat the whole debian partition again ??? this prob is only in 2k and not in xp/

I dunno why your system is going slow... Better remove Windows to get rid of culprit and put an end to all your problems...

 

[klinux]

I keep getting this error repeatedly while booting into any linux flavour

hub.c port 1 over-current change
hub.c port 2 over-current change

this happens in fed till i reach xwindows

and while installing debian , which has text based installer , so i am not able to get the install options in the seconda phase , even if i try alt+1 ,alt+2, alt+3 .

Anyway i can get a hijack this kinda file of the booting sequence ??

Wierd Issue : What ever username i create initially during install . one character of the name is deleted while trying to login after complete installation . eg If i create the name klinux while installing . it ends up as
klinu . this has happened twice and that was y i got the errors while login in

second . The option used to enable root login (some xdm or kdm login preference something ) , asks for the root password , but doesnt allow logging into root right after installation . It only brings the installation screen after a reboot .

Is there alternative to Package managers in both gnome and kde . Gnome one is tough to choose apps . In kde after choosing u have to rememebr the names of conflicting apps , search and then unmark them one by one . Why cant there be an option to just install or skip files with errors . would be easier to manage instead of being there throughout the installation . This is for deb files i think , read in help file for kpackage that rpms have dependency options .

BITTORENT LIVE CD ISSUE : While trying to use the bittorent live cd given a while back . Unable to mount the Fat32 / NTFS partitions . says ntfs.sys file missing . Tried the install icon on the desktop , but it shows failed after scanning .

 

[cool_dude_prav]

mee too!

Hey GNU, I too am not able to login as root when i start the xwindows as gdm.... although i am thro' kdm....
Try it yourslf... close xwindows....
at the shell prompt.. type gdm to load gdm and then startx...

tada... unable to login as root...

wht's the prob?

 

[klinux]

was installing pctel modem drivers . but the setup asks for kernel source at /usr/src/linux . another tip was given to create a dummy .h file . that didnt work too .

Check kpackage . only 2.6 kernel source is given . Is that it ? while installing i just went the default way . checking the mag i think 2.4 kernel would have been installed . how to check . anyways . only source kernel 2.4 there on dvd is patch for 2.4 . would that be enuf ???


the error while installing the pctel modem

debian:~/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.7-9/pctel-0.9.7-9# ./setup
checking for running kernel version...2.4.27
checking for ptserial...ptserial-2.4.7.c
checking for gcc...3.3.4
searching for kernel includes...found at /usr/src/kernel-headers-2.4.27-1-386/include/
checking for modversions.h.../usr/src/kernel-headers-2.4.27-1-386/include//linux/modversions.h
checking for kernel_version...UTS_RELEASE is 2.4.27-1-386
detecting your modem..../configure: line 53: 0x(rev + 0 : syntax error in expression (error token is "(rev + 0 ")
** compilation error
please read the FAQ about reporting compilation problems
and report this problem.
debian:~/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.7-9/pctel-0.9.7-9#

error while installing other packages with kpackage

After unpacking 1872kB of additional disk space will be used.
perl: warning: Setting locale failed.
perl: warning: Please check that your locale settings:
LANGUAGE = "en_IN:en_US:en_GB:en",
LC_ALL = "en_GB",
LANG = "en_IN"
are supported and installed on your system.
perl: warning: Falling back to the standard locale ("C").
locale: Cannot set LC_CTYPE to default locale: No such file or directory
locale: Cannot set LC_MESSAGES to default locale: No such file or directory
locale: Cannot set LC_ALL to default locale: No such file or directory
Selecting previously deselected package grep-dctrl.
(Reading database ...

 

[klinux]

Ok addition error while installing the modem . this is while installing the pctel-0.9.6 modem driver . the ./configure works fine and gives an output , but the next make gives the error below . pctel-0.9.7 still gives error in my previous post . I went according to the steps in the readme and faq of pctel-0.9.6 . So where is the fault ??????? whats step next ???

Making all in src
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.6/pctel-0.9.6/src'
Making all in module
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.6/pctel-0.9.6/src/module'
rm -f *~ \#* .*~ .\#*
rm -f ptmodule.o
rm -f ptmodule.o
rm -f ../../modules/pctel.o
gcc -D__KERNEL__ -Werror -Wno-trigraphs -fno-common -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -O2 -fomit-frame-pointer -fno-strict-aliasing -pipe -fno-strength-reduce -DMODULE -DMODVERSIONS -DEXPORT_SYMTAB -DHAL_PCT789 -I../../include -I/usr/src/linux/include -include /usr/src/linux/include/linux/modversions.h -DPACKAGE_NAME=\"\" -DPACKAGE_TARNAME=\"\" -DPACKAGE_VERSION=\"\" -DPACKAGE_STRING=\"\" -DPACKAGE_BUGREPORT=\"\" -DPACKAGE=\"pctel\" -DVERSION=\"0.9.5\" -DSTDC_HEADERS=1 -DHAVE_SYS_TYPES_H=1 -DHAVE_SYS_STAT_H=1 -DHAVE_STDLIB_H=1 -DHAVE_STRING_H=1 -DHAVE_MEMORY_H=1 -DHAVE_STRINGS_H=1 -DHAVE_INTTYPES_H=1 -DHAVE_STDINT_H=1 -DHAVE_UNISTD_H=1 -c -o ptmodule.o ptmodule.c
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.6/pctel-0.9.6/src/module'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Modem/pctel-0.9.6/pctel-0.9.6/src'

 

[cool_dude_prav]

OK another debian issue....


How to change the settings in the LILO boot?

Like what to be default boot and the timings..?

GNUrag... please RSVP

Also...

I have a winmodem which got detected earlier in muh Fedora Core 1...

Zit possible for me to install it in debian... help!!!!!!!!

 

[pradeep_chauhan]

Why use LILO ? Use GRUB its more configurable and more powerfull. I suggest that you update to GRUB.

 

[cool_dude_prav]

hey!!!!!!!!! are ya sure its possible for me to shift to GRUB while im running debian?????

Still zit possible for using LILO...?

Still waiting for GNUrag's reply...

 

[GNUrag]

pradeep is very right. You should shift to GRUB, since it is way better than LILO in many regards. You'll have to use it to believe it.

Default timings of LILO boot can be configured by changing the parameters in /etc/lilo.conf .. Or if you have Webmin installed then you dont have to mess up with config files. All the system setup can be done from the web browser..

 

[cool_dude_prav]

How do I change over to GRUB with muh Debian Woody 3.0 ?

Please provide detailed knowledge....
Esp. GNUrag's advice welcome...

 

[GNUrag]

Please provide detailed knowledge....

Read these GRUB manuals:
*www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/ref-guide/s1-grub-installing.html
*www.gnoware.org/ebooks/HTML/Linux+Win9x+Grub-HOWTO.html
*www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/Installing-GRUB-natively.html

if you can't understand then ask.

Esp. GNUrag's advice welcome...

Why is it so? We have many people in this forum who know more than me

 

[cool_dude_prav]

My next Debian Issues are....

Unable to install Sound using AlsaSound provided by the Intel site...

Unable to decide which packages to install.. Someone plz mention on which to...

Zit possible for me to upgrade muh kernel to say 2.6 from the current 2.4 , without too much trouble?

I have heard tat WinModems can be installed on Linux using certain drivers.. Links plz.

 

[pradeep_chauhan]

Wht are you stuck with woody? I would suggest that you move to sarge or sid the package lot there is much more fresh and are updated faster. Also most of your problems will be automaticaly sorted out.

 

[cool_dude_prav]

Boo hoo!!! Wat to do? I d/l the entire 9 cds coz the site said tat sarge was unstable!!!!

Please help me wth Woody itself.. Coz I have to wait another month for Sarge ... Coz ill d/l with muh BSNL bband conn..