Kubuntu 9.04 64-Bit, Kernel 2.6.30.1, and NVIDIA…

I went ahead and decided to upgrade my kernel, and to go to the latest NVIDIA driver (180.51).  I downloaded the kernel and the nvidia driver file, built the kernel, and removed the nvidia restricted driver.  This is on a 64-bit build of Kubuntu 9.04.

However, I was not done.

When I tried to install the kernel image file, I kept getting dkms errors relating to nvidia-common.  I eventually removed the nvidia packages using “apt-get remove --purge nvidia*” (as root), but this still would not allow me to install the kernel. Also my xorg.conf file was empty.

I fixed xorg by typing “dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg” and adding in the line “Driver "vesa" ” to the “Device” section, so I would have something when I rebooted.

Only when I removed dkms (”apt-get remove dkms“), was I able to install kernel 2.6.30.1.  I use lilo since I run RAID-10, but did not have to update the /etc/lilo.conf file.  Upon reboot, I stopped X with “/etc/init.d/kdm stop“.

I next installed the NVidia driver first (and chose to install the 32-bit compatibility files as well). After that, I ran “nvidia-xconfig” and my xorg file was ready.  When testing with the “X” command, it just pulled up a blank screen, but I took a chance and started KDM (”/etc/init.d/kdm start“).

Everything came up fine.  Typing “glxgears” in a terminal showed decent enough acceleration (about 3000 fps).

So far, no other ill effects. And no firmware issues.

Kernel 2.6.30.1 Firmware Issues…

Upfront disclaimer:  I am not saying this is a particular issue with the 2.6.30.1 kernel, instead I am saying I ran into this problem for the first time while trying to install this version.  It appears that many others have had this same problem over a wide range of kernel versions, all vanilla/custom-rolled, and not all confined to Debian/Ubuntu systems.  I did not have this problem when installing 2.6.30 on a laptop earlier.

The story:

The system I installed this kernel version on is a 32-bit Athlon XP.  Plenty of RAM and disk space.  What I ran into was that upon running dpkg -i linux-image-2.6.30.1_xxx, it would fail with an error about being unable to overwrite /lib/firmware/xxx.

I tried renaming the offending file, but that made no difference.  I tried removing that firmware from the kernel config (via make menuconfig), and it only caused the failure on another firmware blob in a different firmware directory.

Searching online yielded lots of posts, old and new, about this exact issue, but the only solution has seemed to be to use the --force-overwrite option with dpkg.  I did this, and was able to install the kernel image.  I had no problem with the kernel header package.

In short, if you have this problem and have no other solution, accept the risk, etc., etc., then try dpkg -i --force-overwrite linux-image-2.6.30.1_xxxx.deb.

YMMV.

Training in Alabama, Again…

Back for more in Huntsville, this time for two weeks.  I have one week left.  What a long weekend it was.  Went to a local park on Saturday, stayed by the hotel pool Sunday.  It’s just too hot here.  I think this is my last trip out here for training.

Tuning XFS – Useful Links…

These are both related to MythTV, but can apply to any XFS filesystem you may be using.

XFS Filesystem:  http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/XFS_Filesystem

Optimizing Performance:  http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Optimizing_Performance

Controlling Login Access by Time….

As part of continuing to control computer access by my kids (they are good kids, but kids are kids after all), I set about to restrict access by time.  I also wanted a means to automatically log them out, as well as a notification telling them their time was almost up.

Links that helped:

• http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-1055269.html
• http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-505876.html
• http://skindley.wordpress.com/2006/12/11/fedora-core-6-controlling-logins-by-time/

It took a little tinkering, but in the end, I added the following line to /etc/pam.d/common-account:

• account requisite pam_time.so

Because the /etc/pam.d/login and KDM files reference common-account, I did not have to modify them.  I placed it below the existing unix.so entry.

Next, I edited /etc/security/time.conf and added several lines at the bottom:

• *;*;root|parent-user1|parent-user2;Al0000-2400 #This ensures root and our parent accounts are not restricted.
• *;*;child1:Al0900-2130 # Child1 is restricted for all services and logins on all days for access between 9 am and 9:30 pm.
• *;*;child2:Al0900-2130 #Child2 restrictions…

Syntax is described in the man page for time.conf….  Be careful with the logic – piping the two child accounts together on one line did not work.  Separating them into two lines did.

For notification and logoff, I thought about kdialog (zenity if using GNOME), but went for festival instead.  Since there is no GUI notification, I do not have to point it to the right display variable and it gets a little easier.  Plus, there is a definite geek factor here with a talking computer.

I installed festival and the English festvox packages, and then added the lines to /etc/crontab:

• 28 21 * * * root echo "It is now `date +\%r` .  Time for bed.  Log off now.  You will be rudely ejected in two minutes.  Good night." | festival --tts
• 30 21 * * * root /usr/bin/skill -KILL -u child1
• 30 21 * * * root /usr/bin/skill -KILL -u child2

The syntax for cron is found in the man page for crontab, and is also summarized in the crontab itself.

I chose not to use crontab -e and have user-based crontab files – this one is system-wide and is a little easier to work with.  No special editor (I use vi), and when I am done, I restart the cron service:

• sudo /etc/init.d/cron restart

I tested each step, and it all works on Kubuntu 8.04 just fine.  Now, before 9 am and after 9:30 pm, the kids cannot log in.  At 9:28 pm each night, a Steven Hawking voice will tell them they have two minutes.  At 9:30 pm each night, their sessions are killed.  If they are not on, nothing happens.

Some improvements I can make later is to check and see if they are on before running the festival notification.  I will also play around with more realistic voices for festival.

I also think I will add birthday and holiday notifications in the crontab.  I have already added in a wake-up call to the crontab using festival, and a .wav file will play (you don’t wanna know, trust me – it is very juvenile).  To play files from the command line, I installed sox and all the suggested and recommended packages.  But you probably only need sox.

And of course, there is the mischief factor – SSH, festival, and sox.  Think of the possibilities!   ^__________^

Kubuntu 9.04 and Flash Audio…

I finally got sound to work reliably.  Here is what did NOT work:

• “touch .asoundrc” in the home directory
• remove and reinstall non-free flash and the installer
• ensuring the PCM channel was unmuted and not turned down

I did have to make sure that the correct sound card was selected (I have two).  This made a difference for system-wide purposes, but as far as flash went, sites like YouTube were mute.

I finally found a site that gave instructions to install a pulse audio management tool – padevchooser.  I don’t remember which site, because I must have trolled dozens, but this solution worked every time (I had to do this once for each user, as each user).

Opening a terminal and running padevchooser opened up the app in the system tray.  Left clicking it brought up the context menu.  Selecting Volume Control, and the Output Devices tab, I was able to ensure that the correct card was the default.  On the Playback tab, I was able to move the stream to the correct card.  For some reason, they all seemed to default on the other unused card, which is integrated into the motherboard.

Once I did these things, Flash audio was just fine.

Training in Alabama…

Spending the week in lovely Huntsville, Alabama. Never been to this state before – seems nice.

IT’S REALLY REALLY GREEN HERE.

Takes some getting used to…

Hopefully, I’ll have time to take in the space museum.