Sam Lesher Linux Tips and Tricks 2008-05-19T20:46:40Z WordPress http://www.samlesher.com/feed/atom/ Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Ubuntu 8 - problems with ‘.local’ DNS addresses]]> http://www.samlesher.com/ubuntu/ubuntu-8-problems-with-local-dns-addresses/ 2008-05-19T20:46:40Z 2008-05-19T20:46:18Z After installing Ubuntu 8 Hardy Heron at the office, I was having trouble reaching the ‘.local’ DNS entries we have on our internal network. Here’s what I did to resolve the problem:

$ sudo vi /etc/nsswitch.conf

Replace:
hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] dns mdns4

with:
hosts: files dns

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Words per minute]]> http://www.samlesher.com/uncategorized/words-per-minute/ 2008-03-01T03:44:38Z 2008-03-01T03:44:38Z 86 words

Speedtest

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Install Fedora 8 on a Dell Vostro 1500]]> http://www.samlesher.com/fedora/install-fedora-8-on-a-dell-vostro-1500/ 2008-01-18T20:43:38Z 2008-01-16T22:10:15Z I attempted to install Fedora 8 on a Dell Vostro 1500. I booted from the DVD, then started the installation in graphical mode. The install froze at:

running install...
running /sbin/loader

To get around this, I restarted the computer, booted from the DVD, highlighted the installation in graphical mode option, then hit the TAB key and entered these pararmeters at the end of the line:

linux apm=off acpi=off pci=noacpi

Hit ENTER and your install should be on its way.

*EDIT* - Looks like I was wrong. If you let the install process sit on ‘running /sbin/loader’ for about 5 minutes, it eventually responds and moves past that step. However, dding those boot options makes it proceed immediately.

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Remove all settings for Evolution]]> http://www.samlesher.com/fedora/remove-all-settings-for-evolution/ 2008-01-14T18:32:18Z 2008-01-14T18:32:18Z If you ever want to delete your entire Evolution account, history, configuration, settings, etc and start over from scratch, here’s how to do it:

Back up all of your files first (of course).
$ rm -rf ~/.evolution
$ rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/evolution
$ evolution --force-shutdown

Find the process id for ‘gconfd’ and kill it:
$ ps -ef|grep gconfd
yourusername 30515 1 0 13:24 ? 00:00:00 /usr/libexec/gconfd-2 12
$ kill 30515

Restart Evolution and you should be prompted to set up your acccount.

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Bridge network interface on VirtualBox in Fedora 8]]> http://www.samlesher.com/fedora/bridge-network-interface-on-virtualbox-in-fedora-8/ 2008-02-26T21:46:33Z 2007-12-22T23:04:12Z These instructions are for using a virtual machine in VirtualBox using a bridged network connection instead of a NAT connection. This makes the virtual machine behave more like a regular machine on your network, using its own IP from your network, etc. These instructions assume static ip addresses. These changes will remain in place after the machine is rebooted.

1. If you don’t have VirtualBox installed yet, install it. You can download it here, the Fedora 7 RPM installed correctly for me on Fedora 8. I downloaded it, then installed it with this command:
$ su -
# yum --nogpgcheck install VirtualBox-1.5.2_25433_fedora7-1

2. Install the bridge-utils package from Yum:
$ su -
# yum install bridge-utils

3. Create a configuration file for the bridge (br0):
# gedit /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-br0

Enter the following in this file and save it:
DEVICE=br0
TYPE=Bridge
BOOTPROTO=static
ONBOOT=yes
IPADDR=192.168.100.2 #enter the IP you use for the host machine here
NETMASK=255.255.255.0 #enter the correct subnet mask for your network
GATEWAY=192.168.100.1 #enter the correct default gateway for your network
DELAY=0
STP=off

4. Add your NIC card (eth0 for me) to the bridge:
# gedit /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0

Add this to the end of the file and save it:
# BRIDGE=br0

Adding this line results in the eth0 interface being added to the br0 bridge whenever the host machine boots.

5. As root, create a permanent virtual interface for the virtual machine to use and add it to the bridge:
# VBoxAddIF vbox0 YOURUSERNAME br0

Replace YOURUSERNAME with your username that you log into Linux as.

6. Restart the network and vboxnet services:
# service network restart
# service vboxnet restart

7. In your virtual machine settings in Virtual Box, in the Network section, choose ‘Host Interface’. The Interface Name is vbox0.

8. If you are using Windows XP in your virtual machine, boot into it, go into the TCP/IP settings, and specify the IP address, Default Gateway, and DNS servers as if you are adding a normal client to your network.

You should now be able to access your WIndows XP virtual machine as if it were a normal machine on your network. Note that you may have to disable or modify the Windows XP firewall for some network activities.

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Add Livna Repository to Fedora 8]]> http://www.samlesher.com/fedora/add-livna-repository-to-fedora-8/ 2008-01-23T18:41:05Z 2007-12-09T23:26:23Z rpm.livna.org is a repository of add-on packages for Fedora maintained by a group of volunteers. rpm.livna.org is not a standalone repository, but an extension of Fedora (previously Fedora Core and Fedora Extras). rpm.livna.org distributes packages that have been deemed unacceptable to Fedora due to licensing or patent issues.

Here is how I add the Livna repository to Fedora 8:

Go to http://rpm.livna.org/rlowiki/ and download the Fedora 8 Repository RPM.

Use Yum to install the RPM (as root):
$ su
Password:
# yum --nogpgcheck install livna-release-8.rpm

If you want to avoid the GPG warning whenever you install something from the livna repository, you can import their GPG key. Go here to access their public key, save the contents of this page to a file (e.g. livna.asc).

Import the key.
$ gpg --import livna.asc

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Control which app Firefox uses to handle MMS streams]]> http://www.samlesher.com/ubuntu/control-which-app-firefox-uses-to-handle-mms-streams/ 2008-01-23T18:41:16Z 2007-12-05T00:43:59Z Here is how to control which application Firefox uses to handle MMS streams:

Type about:config Firefox address bar.

Right-click on any text in there and select “New” and then “String”.

In the first dialog box, as preference name, type network.protocol-handler.app.mms.

In the second dialog box, as string value, type in vlc (or the path to your favorite media player)

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Command to mount ISO file in Linux]]> http://www.samlesher.com/ubuntu/command-to-mount-iso-file-in-linux/ 2007-12-05T00:40:28Z 2007-12-05T00:37:51Z Here is the command to use to mount an ISO file in Linux so that you can explore the file as if it were mounted on a CD-Rom or DVD-Rom, without having to burn to a disc:

sudo mount -t iso9660 -o loop filename.iso /folder/to/mount/to

This functionality is similar to Daemon Tools or Alcohol on Microsoft Windows.

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Make F-Spot the default application for your digital camera]]> http://www.samlesher.com/ubuntu/make-f-spot-the-default-application-for-your-digital-camera/ 2007-12-04T05:35:54Z 2007-12-03T23:33:51Z Preferences -> Removable Drives and Media. Click the ‘Cameras’ tab. Check the box next to ‘Import digital photographs when connected’. Enter the following for ‘Command:’: f-spot-import %h Now when you plug a digital camera [...]]]> Here’s how to make F-Spot your default application for importing photos from your digital camera in Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10:

System -> Preferences -> Removable Drives and Media. Click the ‘Cameras’ tab. Check the box next to ‘Import digital photographs when connected’. Enter the following for ‘Command:’:

f-spot-import %h

Now when you plug a digital camera into the computer, F-Spot will open and prompt you to import your pictures.

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Sam Lesher http://www.samlesher.com <![CDATA[Ubuntu Gutsy - Disable Synaptics Touchpad while Typing]]> http://www.samlesher.com/ubuntu/ubuntu-gutsy-disable-synaptics-touchpad-while-typing/ 2008-01-23T18:56:15Z 2007-11-18T16:09:28Z Via Mais on Ubuntu Forums:

Purpose: For many of us, our laptop touchpads get in the way of our typing quite often and can actually cause us to highlight or minimize things we didn’t intend. So, this will help to alleviate that by making a small delay in the response of the touchpad after typing.

NOTE: Please read this guide entirely before attempting to do it. There is a section where you must restart X and thus close down your internet browser. The best way to do this would be to print this guide! I hope this works as well for you as it has for me!

Procedure:
1. Turn on SHMCONFIG
A. Open a Terminal. Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal

B. Type sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf_synbackup

C. Type gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf Enter your password if it prompts you.

Note: The second command in the picture is typed wrong. Please see C.

D. Search for a section that looks like this:

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Synaptics Touchpad”

End Section

E. Add a line above the End Section line and put this into it:

Option “SHMConfig” “on”


F. Save the file and close gedit and the terminal window
G. Write these commands down just in case this screws up your window system: sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf_synbackup /etc/X11/xorg.conf and sudo killall gdm and sudo gdm
H. This next step will restart your window system, so save any work and close any open applications. Press: Ctrl-Alt-Backspace. This should take you back to your login screen. If it does not, press Ctrl-Alt-F1 and login at the terminal window. After logging in, type the commands that you wrote down from step F in order hitting return after each command.
I. If your login screen came up
the first time, continue on to part 2, if not, look over waht you did carefully and see if you can spot any mistakes.

2. Add the Startup Command

A. Open the sessions manager: System -> Preferences -> Sessions
B. Click the far right tab labeled Startup Programs
C. Click the Add button
D. Type in the following: syndaemon -i 1 -d

E. Hit ok then hit close

Congratualations, you are done! Note that this will not take effect until Gnome is restarted or you type the command from 2D in a terminal window. You can restart Gnome with the Ctrl-Alt-Backspace trick (make sure to save everything first!) or you can open a terminal by going to Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact me through this board, or more easily through email or AIM.

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