23May13

= 23 May 2013 LUG meeting notes =

We held our second GNU/Linux User group meeting of the year 2013 on 23 May from 17:30 to 19:00 in room 253 at EUMETSAT.

My notes for this meeting is below.

Administrative
Again, we deferred the review of administrative matters (obtaining a consensus for appointing club executive for the year) to the next meeting.

For the second meeting in a row, we had a couple of ESOC members attend our meeting, and their presence is most welcome. They have helped improve the quality/content and friendliness of the metings.

GNU/Linux Install on a club member's laptop PC
The main subject of the meeting was installation of GNU/Linux on one of our user’s laptop PCs. We successfully installed a 64-bit openSUSE-12.3 KDE in a dual boot with Windows7 on a Toshiba Portégé M800 – 10C Model PPM81E Laptop. This laptop has an Intel core 2 duo CPU P8400 @ 2.26 GHz, 4 GB RAM, with a 32 bit Windows-7 OS arady installed. Graphics are Intel Integrated Series 4 and wireless is Atheros AR5006EG Wireless Network adapter. Research the day prior to the install suggested this hardware should be well supported by GNU/Linux and there should be no issues.

Hardware compatibility check:
We first booted the laptop to a 64-bit openSUSE-12.3 KDE liveDVD to test hardware compatibility and backup MBR. To boot to the DVD we needed to press F12 which brought up a BIOS boot menu (as opposed to pressing F2 which brought up the BIOS). The laptop booted fine and we checked the loaded kernel modules to see what graphic driver was loaded (intel i915). We checked this in a couple of ways ... where one way was the command:

/sbin/lspci –nnk | grep VGA –A2

We used the command ‘lsmod’ to check the loaded kernel modules. In addition to spotting the ‘i915’ we also noted the ‘uvc’ kernel module loaded (indicating the laptop has a uvc compatible wecam).

Partitioning check:
We checked to see what partitions were installed, by typing with root permissions “fdisk –l” which indicated 3 primary partitions: one hidden partition (sda1), an NTFS partition (sda2) which was also the active partition, and an NTFS partition (sda3). We confirmed that sda2 was c: and sda3 was d: (used for data). We then inserted a USB stick (which was mounted under a couple of locations by openSUSE, which were a bit different than the classic /media and different from the classic /mnt mount locations: /var/run/media/linux/xxxxx/ and   /run/media/linux/xxxxx/ where ‘linux’ in the above case is just the ‘username’ in the liveCD, and ‘xxxxx’ is the name assigned to the USB stick.  The chosen location of these mount points and the ‘username of linux for a liveCD’ are openSUSE GNU/Linux peculiarities.

We opened a terminal, changed directory to where the USB stick was mounted, and made one backup of the MBR boot information, and one of both boot-partitioning information, with the commands something like:

To backup MBR boot: dd in=/dev/sda of=mbr-username-440 bs=440 count=1

To backup MBR and partitioning: dd in=/dev/sda of=mbr-username-512 bs=512 count=1

This created 2 files: “mbr-username-440” and file “mbr-username-512”. We noted that after we change the partitioning the file “mbr-username-512” will be obsolete wrt the new partitioning, but the file “mbr-username-440” will still be valid.

We could have conducted the custom partitioning here, but I noted I did not particularly like the openSUSE partitioner graphic front end for partitioning, and preferred that of a custom liveCD (either pmagic or gparted). So we rebooted the PC to a pmagic liveCD.

Partitioning with pmagic liveCD
As noted, we booted the PC to the pmagic liveCD (where pmagic is a software/distribution fork from gparted).

We ran the program ‘gparted’ from that liveCD, and shrank in size the /dev/sda3 (D: drive) by 40GBytes, so to use that for GNU/Linux. A post meeting note, we could have also shrunk this D: drive in MS-Windows with the MS-Windows partitioner, which would have avoided some brief ‘one-time’ MS-Windows errors when we eventually booted to MS-Windows (after installations were complete).

We then created an extended partition in the 40GB free (called /dev/sda4). Inside the extended partition we created a 15GB EXT4 formatted partition /dev/sda5 (we labelled this ‘root’) and we created a 4GB swap partition /dev/sda6 (we labelled this ‘swap’) and we created a 25GB EXT4 formatted partition /dev/sda7 (we labelled this data). We also changed the MBR flag for the boot partition from /dev/sda2 (C: drive) to /dev/sda4 (extended partition). At this point, we noted MS-Windows would no longer be bootable (being a temporary situation). The plan here was during the install to put the GNU/Linux Grub boot manager on the /dev/sda4 extended partition, with a pointer (chain loader) to /dev/sda5 to continue its boot. We applied the above (which took a while) and then rebooted the PC to the 64-bit openSUSE-12.3 installation DVD (which is different from the liveDVD).

Installing GNU/Linux on the hard drive
As noted we booted to a 64-bit openSUSE-12.3 installation DVD. We chose an English GNU/Linux with a French keyboard. We selected a KDE desktop (choices were Gnome, KDE, LXDE, Xfce, TWM, and terminal (no X-Window)). We also chose not to accept the ‘automatic’ configuration of the installer, but selected a more manual installer configuration, so as to have more options to tune the installation.

Password/security
We noted openSUSE by default has the user password and the root password the same (with an option to change this and to have different passwords for the user and for admin/root). That raised some useful security observations. We also chose to configure openSUSE to ask for a username/password upon boot, nothing there is also an option to have openSUSE boot to a default user with no boot. It is possible to easily change back to no-password/direct boot via openSUSE 'YaST' (if so desired). We double checked to ensure that openSUSE installer was configured to install on /dev/sda5 (root), /dev/sda6 (swap) and /dev/sda7 (/home) and not touch the MS-Windows on /dev/sda2 nor /dev/sda3.

Boot manager
The default openSUSE boot manager is Grub2, and by default openSUSE installs a generic openSUSE boot loader on the MBR). We changed from that default, to using instead the 'legacy grub version' and deselected the default of putting a generic openSUSE boot loader on the MBR.  Thus we chose to leave the MBR untouched, and selected to have the different stages of the grub boot manager installed on the / (root) partition (/dev/sda5) and on the extended partition (/dev/sda4).  Previous we had flagged the 'active/boot' partition on the extended partition (removing the flag from the MS_Windows partition).  The plan here is the BIOS will boot to the extended partition (/dev/sda4), which will then chain load (?) the boot to the /dev/sda5 root partition.  If at any time GNU/Linux refuses to boot due to a major problem, all the user need do is boot to the pmagic liveCD, change the active partition from /dev/sda4 back to /dev/sda2, and MS-Windows will boot (as MS-Windows boot loader is still on the MBR of sda).

Other
We noted the firewall will be enabled by default. We chose to leave ssh daemon not active and the ssh port closed in the firewall. We did customize the software selection a bit by adding xsane (more as a demo to illustrate how software selection can be modified during boot).

Then we applied all the above and the installation proceeded.

After the basic openSUSE-12.3 operating system (and many application) software was installed, the openSUSE installer conducted a reboot to complete the installation. This reboot loaded the intel i915 graphic driver (compared to before where a basic fbdev graphic driver was used instead). We chose NOT to configure the network (as I noted there was a bug in openSUSE-12.3 there) and we applied the remaining default settings (selecting PC name and LAN names). The PC then booted to KDE-4 desktop.

Configuring Network, Software Repositories, and KDE-4
Once in KDE-4 we launched the openSUSE configuration front end ‘YaST’ (Yet another Software Tool) and changed the Network from the user controlled network manager, to a more system controlled network, back to the user controlled network manager. YaST > Network Devices > Network Settings > (i.e. change from "User Controlled with Network Manager" to "Traditional Method with ifup" and apply that, and then change from "Traditional Method with ifup" back to "User Controlled with Network Manager" which works around the openSUSE-12.3 bug and ‘kickstarts’ the Network Manager).

We then logged on to the EUMETSAT guest wireless account and had internet access on the laptop.

Configuring repositories:
We noted that openSUSE had a number of repositories and a brief description of them was provided. There is also an internet explanation here: http://en.opensuse.org/Package_repositories

One thing I did not state (but is important more for openSUSE than many other GNU/Linux distributions) is to keep one's repository list at a minimum. Not every non-official packager for openSUSE respects the need to have good rpm files (checking for dependancies/versions) and hence problems can happen. Plus many respositories slow down the software package management. I always limit my openSUSE respositories to : OSS, Non-OSS, OSS-update, Non-OSS-update, and Packman. Just those 5. If I need an application from a different repository (which happens fairly often) I add the 6th repository, install the application, and then remove the 6th repository. This has saved me a lot of difficulty that other's have encountered when the packages did not do a good job of packaging their rpms wrt dependencies / compatibility.

Next we went to google (search for "openSUSE repositories additional" and obtained the URL (http://en.opensuse.org/Additional_package_repositories ) and the command for adding (via openSUSE command line software management program "zypper") the 'full' (all-in-one) packman software repository (which provides multimedia and 3rd party codecs).

zypper ar -f -n packman http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_12.3 packman

With that in place we installed a couple of multimedia applications (smplayer, vlc) as an example how to use YaST > Software > Software Management.

Accessing the MS-Windows NTFS partitions
We then (with root permissions) created two directories in which the NTFS drives could be mounted: /windows/c /windows/d

Then we went to YaST > System > Partitioner, and selected each of /dev/sda2 (mounting to /windows/c) and /dev/sda3 (mounting to /windows/d). This YaST front end modifies the /etc/fstab configuration file to provide NTFS access/mounting. But the default openSUSE YaST partition provides only ‘read’ access. So we searched google for "openSUSE ntfs" which gave us this guide: http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:NTFS which gave us indication to change the /etc/fstab 'fmask' and 'dmask' settings to fmask=113 and dmask=002.

We installed the 'leafpad' editor (more lightweight than the 'kwrite editor') via the command: zypper in leafpad and with that editor installed, launched it in KDE with root permissions with the command: kdesu leafpad and then we navigated to the file /etc/fstab and changed the /etc/fstab 'fmask' and 'dmask' settings to fmask=113 and dmask=002 and saved that change. Those settings were applied in the next drive remounting (or next reboot) which we subsequently successfully tested.

Tuning the Boot Loader
We also modified the grub settings for the default boot by going to: YaST > System > Boot loader, and selected the Windows1 (ie /dev/sda2 (or c:)) and applying ‘set as default’. We also moved the Windows1 selection up in the grub menu using the YaST GUI. In Grub we could have relabled Windows1 to Windows7, but we were pressed for time (and that can be done any time).

Tested Windows7 boot was still unharmed
We then restarted the PC, booted to Windows7 and confirmed Windows7 booted ok. Windows7 did detect the change in the d: drive (/dev/sda3) partition size, and conducted an automatic integrity check on that drive (which passed). Then we booted back to GNU/Linux and checked the NTFS drives (D:) read/write access, which was successful.

After that we called it an evening (time ~19:20).

Future topics
But there is much more that could be learned, with possible topics being: •	KDE4 desktop configurations •	GNU/Linux Distro’s system setting managers (YaST for openSUSE, but other distro’s also have different system setting managers)

New Computers
I noted I will be picking up a new Ultrabook in June (from Canada), where that Ultrabook has a secure boot, UEFI BIOS and GPT partitioning with Windows8. I plan to put GNU/Linux on that Ultrabook, and hence a possible topic for a future meeting would be for me to brief the things that I (hopefully) learned. I am purchasing this Ultrabook in Canada, as will already be in Canada, I will obtain an English language keyboard, I will obtain English language Windows8, and the price (even after my paying German VAT) is cheaper than what I would get if I were to purchase same Ultrabook in Germany. Since I will carry the Ultrabook back with me to Europe, there are no shipping fees.

I note my new Ultra book has a secure boot, UEFI BIOS, and GPT partitioning, all of which is new to me. I have read only the larger/more popular GNU/Linux distributions support Secure boot and have reasonable UEFI BIOS/GPT support. I’m hoping a future club session will discuss this topic.

In case any one is considering a new PC purchase in Germany, a couple of useful Internet Links are:

Either myself or friends/colleagues have used both sites to order a PC, and hence the sites can be confirmed as being a reputable place to procure a PC.
 * http://www.klatt-it.de/ - This link is useful for those who wish to purchase a PC hardware (custom selecting components) without an operating system, and at an inexpensive price. One can also obtain preconfigured PCs even slightly cheaper if one accepts the default hardware setup.
 * http://www.ankermann-edv.de/ - This link is to a site that offers very inexpensive preconfigured PCs.

Android GNU/Linux on Samsung Galaxy Note-8.0 Tablet
We also had a demo provided of Android GNU/Linux with a very new Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet, which has the very high technology spen. This tablet with its custom display and custom pen, likely has the best pen OCR recognition in the market today. Examples given were of hand printing and hand writing automatically converted to ascii text in the English language. We also had examples of hand writing in Thai converted to Thai ‘text’ in the Thai language. We also played a bit with the Tablets Speech recognition, noting it works best with a native speaker of the language in use. Having an ‘accent’ often throws ‘off’ the speech recognition.

Lee