Drupal Install

In the new version the default settings could not be created. This seems to work:

$ mv default.settings.php settings.php
$ touch default.settings.php

Raspberry Pi - thoughts

I love the idea of the Raspberry Pi. But often I tend to just do the exercises on one of my several Linux systems. The creative ideas for projects of the many hands on projects in the community is a source of great inspiration. I have made a smart-TV, and reused an old telle for that purpose. Xbmc runs like a charm on it. Perhaps I'll use the smart-tv in the kitchen for todolists, recipe browsing and similar.

Galaxy S3 Cannot Use SD card

For a week or so my Galaxy S3 use, see or format the SD-card. Tried restart, taking SD out etc. but nothing worked. Empty slots for notworking programs are all over the phone. Could not remove the non-existing apps - which is messy and weird.

Log ...

• Software update - did not help.
• Reset to factory settings - 

One week later

So far no progress. By now I just use the phone for talk and sms. So not-smartphone. Trying another update.

Found this - it seems that the SanDisk app is the cause of the problem.

Comtrol DSLR camera via USB from commandline in Linux

Install gphoto2

# sudo apt-get install gphoto2
Run gphoto2 from the commandline. Here are some options:

# gphoto2 --capture-image-and-download

The camera will take a picture, and save it to the active folder.

# gphoto2 --list-device

Will tell the name of your camera.

On my SONY A58 the USB-setting in the menu must be "remote PC".

For samples see the man file, or "Using gphoto2".



After installing gphoto2 you can write a bashscript and call it automaticly via anacron or crontab.

In order to see whether your PC is able to connect to the cam, try this:

# gphoto2 --auto-detect

Model                          Port                                           
----------------------------------------------------------
Sony SLT-A58 (Control)         usb:001,015    

Ubuntu Kiosk Mode

Follow these instructions.

Yousee - Linux? No webtv.

Yousee really sucks big time. No Linux support for the web tv. Perhaps I should look for an alternative TV provider.

Boot problems

A Debian system would not boot. A file system check failed. The PC is around 6-7 years old. So perhaps the disk is old and sore.

Perhaps the whole system need a total makeover. I bought Linux Format downtown, and fired up a Slax in the RAM. The Slax file manager had mounted the local drives of the system. So by now my data could be saved.

1. Format a USB drive for the backup.
2. Back up all data in /home/ via rsync 
3. Install Ubuntu U.U. - KDE version.
4. Restore via rsync.

Worked like a charm. It seems that my very old PC just needed a brush up.

CSV import problem

I could not open the .csv files from my bank. For some reason Libre Office did not get the correct file format. So I opened the file in gedit. The formatting looked all right. Then I tried a save as - and then the problem became obvious.

The image above demonstrates the problem. The file was exported as a iso-something file with Windows new-lines.

Recipe:

1. Open the file in an editor.
2. Choose save as
3. Save as utf-8 with linux/unix new-lines

Then it's possible to open the file in Libre Office & friends.

Wifi on FVWM

# nm-applet

(In a terminal)

Bluefish errors on Linux Mint

The Bluefish editor won't run. Tried a terminal start, just to see whether there were some error messages.

The Bluefish Error from Terminal:

error reading list 1 Error opening file: No such file or directory ** (bluefish:8863): WARNING **: no configfile rcfile-2.0, try to convert config files from older versions config file migration error 1:Error opening file: No such file or directoryerror reading list 1 Error opening file: No such file or directory (bluefish:8863): GLib-ERROR **: /build/buildd/glib2.0-2.40.0/./glib/gmem.c:103: failed to allocate 18446744073662306226 bytes

Trying this approach. So:

• cd ~ 
• rm .bluefish
• Then I clicked Bluefish in the Menu and everything worked all right.

Probatum est.

Xampp - How to imort the Sakila data - if the file size is a problem

The student T- at the third semester multimedia design zipped the datafile. Then the import worked like a charm.

Bitnami - where are the app files?

I installed WordPress via Bitnami, and naturally proceeded to work with a child theme. But where are the files? Normally they should be in the same folder as WordPress. They are not. On Linux the path to these files is:

  /opt/lampp/apps/htdocs/wordpress/wp-content/plugins

The directory is only for sudoers, så you may have to change the permissions to the folder, or edit as sudo / root. OS X may as well have to change permissions or work as the sudo.

On a linux system the quick and dirty solution is:

# sudo chmod -R 777 htdocs

On a Windows / OS X some bloggers suggest a rightclick - and then to give users read / write access. Then you're able to edit the files.

Dualboot Linux Mint on Windows 7

1. Boot from external USB drive with DVD version installed. 
2. All seemed ok.

In Windows 7

• Shrinked NTFS partition with 19GB

Boot Linux Mint on USB drive.

1. Choose Install Linux Mint "alongside them"
   (this option was'nt available when there was no empty partition available).
2. Install (as usual language, password etc. chosen)
3. And liftoff ....

MySQL start problems WAMPP (Xampp)

Several students had a problem with their Xampp. MySQL would not start. After some googling we found a thread on Stackoverflow with this workaround:

• delete ibdata1

Whether this is sound advice or not I don't know. However MySQL was able to run. But I suspect that the file held information about all tables, so perhaps a repair of the entire database would be a good idea.

Instagram authentiation loop problem

If the code contains a

header(url-to-auth-instagram);

the file will try to go to the authentiation every time the file loops. Therefore the error message about the perpetual loop is correct. In pseudocode the solutions may be a condition, along these lines:

A solution:

if (!issset((get - code)) { header(url-to-auth-instagram) }
else --> step two etc.

Lyx url.sty missing error

Solution:

# sudo apt-get install texlive

Restarted Lyx - and everything was ok.

Lyx - engelske overskrifter på indholdsfortegnelsen

Løsning: "always babel" i dokument / indstillinger / sprog / sprogpakke

Husk at installere den danske latexpakke:

# sudo apt-get install texlive-lang-danish

Brightness on Acer E1-570

In a thread on http://www.linlap.com/acer_aspire_e1-571 Jan gives this solution:

 I had the same problem and found this solution in “http://www.askubuntu.com”:

Try editing /etc/default/grub with the following values:

Open a terminal and type sudo gedit /etc/default/grub.

First try changing the line that reads:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“quiet splash” to

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor”

Then save, close gedit and type sudo update-grub and reboot the computer.

Linux Mint up and running on Acer E1-570

Installing linux on the Acer was not exactly easy. Apparantly there was some kind of error on the harddisk. The steps in order to install Linux Mint were:

1. Download SystemRescueCD.
2. Boot Acer e1-570 in Legacy mode (change the bios settings. When you see the "Acer" during boot press F2. Then change the boot mode to Legacy.)
3. Delete all partitions on the harddisk and make some new ones: boot / home and swap.
4. Download Linux Mint .iso - I have chosen the 64bit Cinnamon version.
5. Install the .iso to a USB drive via dd.
6. Boot and install Linux Mint from the external harddisk.
7. I have chosen to install Linux Mint on the entire harddisk. 

And then ... everything worked. Even the ethernet and the wifi and the trackpad. After all Linux seems to work like a charm on this system. Well that is everything apart from the brightness of the screen. And I'd like an option like killing the oversentitive trackpad. I guess these minor things are a matter of tweaks.

But killing Windows 8 was not easy.

By bye Windows ... ;-)

Create linux boot disk from .iso

dd bs=4M if=/media/TOURO\ Mobile\ 3.0/Peppermint-5-20140623-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdc && sync

dd is a nice tool, and relatively easy to use. Remember that the of = sdc and not eg sdc1.

Research on Install Linux on Acer E1-570

Reading:

• Sarah Kemp
• Multiboot (QEMU nice emulator here)

Trying

Multiboot is very nice, since QEMU is incorporated, you can check the .iso files on the system.
After 5-6 attempts this approach did not work either.

Installing Linux on Acer Aspire E1-570

Here are  some notes made during my fight with the Acer E1-570 in order to get a Linux system. Eventually I succeded after three days of experimenting.

So I bought this PC. It's filled with irritating crapware. So the best solution I guess is to create a Linux system.

That's more easy to say than do. Installing Linux on this laptop is still work in progress. If somebody writes "works out of the box" ... I'd like to see it.

After two days of concentrated word: no success.

Perhaps the failed installs are caused by a defect on my USB. I'll try another install medium later on today. During the night I had Peppermint up and running - but only on the usb. The install however was not possible.

PARTITION
I have chosen to split the partition in two. Just in case my Tomtom GPS cannot update without windows. So the MS thing seems to survive.

DISTROS
So far I had no success I'm afraid ... below you may see what I tried in vain.

These were created by Pendrive:

Ubuntu

UEFI
The E1-570 will boot in Uefi. When you see ACER during boot press F2. Then you can change the boot order and choose to boot from a USB drive before the Windows partition.

I will try to boot via Legacy - that should solve any problems with the MS boot crap. I hope.

PENDRIVE
I used pendrive in order to create a boot usb.

1. Ubuntu Gnome - crash: "Kernel Panic". Dropped.
2. Same iso as above - tried to add persistent space (since the error said something about not being able to create drive or similar).
3. Same as above - Linux is ok, but Gnome stalls. Some decompression error.
4. Trying out Debian Live 7-5-0.
5. Boot ok. Log into Debian ok. Some write error on the USB. Network and trackpad does not work out of the box. Apart from that all seems ok. This distro might work on a properly formatted drive. 

Debian

This install failed. Partially because Debian had no drivers for the Atheros ethernet. After some research, I found this post giving hints to a better bootorder.

This article gives some advice. Promising it seems. Perhaps my problems are due to some error on the USB. It seeems that Debian is not able to write to the disk for some reason. The article explains how to boot Windows in legacy mode:

Boot the computer on Windows, insert your password and as you arrive on the so called “metro” screen with all the tiles just go with the mouse on the upper right corner of the screen until a small window appears on the right side of the screen and select “Settings” go to the bottom of the new window that appears and select “Change the settings of the PC”.
Then select “General” and then “Advanced boot” and click on “Reboot now”. Check “Problem solving” in the new menu and then “advanced options”. Go to the “UEFI firmware options” tile and click on the “reboot” button
In the nez screen select the top menu “Boot” and switch to “Legacy mode”.

So I have an unclean system, that must be deleted.

Live USB cannot boot in uefi.
Live USB cannot use the ethernet and wifi.

Dropped the system.

Ubuntu
Can boot live usb - but when you try to use Ubuntu ... kernel panic. Dropped after several attempts.

Fedora
I had no luck with Debian & friends. Trying Fedora now.
Livedisk cannot boot.

SuSE
Hang on boot.

Peppermint Day I
Hangs.
Harddisk error.
Totally fucked up the system.
Cannot boot in Legacy.
Can boot in UEFI but cannot install.
Error: "No boot disk found"

Hang on trying to get the time from an internet server.

Changed hd  mode to IDE in bios.

Plugged in the network cable.
Ubi-partman crashed.

No luck here. Suspected that there was a fault on the install media.

Peppermint Day II
I can boot the live USB. And that's something, ain't it?
Tried to install - but "encountered ... error".

Trying the same recipe with ...

Debian Day II
Disk formatted via dd
Boot is possible in a live system.
Boot in Legacy mode.

Trackpad does not work.
Ethernet drivers are missing.
Wifi not found.

Seems that the Debian family should be able to run on this Acer.
Trying to find a flavour with drivers ...



Linpus
Not tried yet. Perhaps that distro might work, since the Acer One series used that distro.

Trying again with LiLi USB Generator

And so the battle begins

I'd like a dual boot system. So Windows has to behave. Now and then I need a game or even an update to our Tomtom. So ...

1. Decrapifier

Symptom: Random windows pop up. Annoying.

Symptom: Skype needs MS login. Crap!

Symptom: Program focus changes randomly. Strange and annoying.