LinuxMCE Forums

General => Users => Topic started by: grepico on January 25, 2008, 07:42:35 pm

Title: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 25, 2008, 07:42:35 pm
First, I'm a Windows guy.  Now, that doesn't mean I'm an OS biggot.  It just means that in my business (IT support for small businesses) Windows is the dominant OS so that's what I've put my effort into for the last 12 years.  (MCSE, CCNA, Network+, etc.)  So, I'm a linux newbie and I am fully aware that this is the main reason for my frustration.

Second, I also believe that LinuxMCE is a good product and I commend everyone involved in it's development for their hard work.

Now the frustration part.  Mostly it's documentation, it seems to me that the Wiki assumes in many areas that the user is familiar with linux.  I have often been greeted with the solution "You can do that in the Admin page" as if from there it is totally obvious.  Well, it's not.  The Admin page is confusing at best.  One example is adding a diskless MD.  The documentation says to add the MAC address of the MD in the admin page then boot up your MD and all will be candy and soda!  However in the Admin page I go to Wizard > Devices > Media Directors and I see a New Device button that seems to be what I want.  I click it and Choose the manufacturer, category and template and then update the MD page assuming that my new device will show up seeing as I think I've just added it (I have to assume that because the wiki says nothing other than "Do that in the admin page").  Well I click update and nope, no new device.  So where am I supposed to enter this MAC address?  I try the Setup Diskless MD button, reload the router and still no MD in the list.

In desperation I just turn the MD on and it now shows up in my MD devices list with the correct MAC address and everything but the damn thing hangs at "Helper Script End".  It's been sitting there for 3 hours now and I've scoured the wiki for any hint at what to do and of course there's no love.

As I said this is just one of the many problems I'm having, not to mention setting up AV equipment which is about as vague as the Bible in the wiki as well. 

It seems to me that the wiki assumes too much about the users knowledge of the system and being brand new to LinuxMCE with very little linux experience in general I'm getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

I'm a savvy guy however and I'm sure I'll get it figured out but for now I need to step away from this thing and breath a little.

/end rant
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 25, 2008, 08:09:12 pm
First, I'm a Windows guy.  Now, that doesn't mean I'm an OS biggot.  It just means that in my business (IT support for small businesses) Windows is the dominant OS so that's what I've put my effort into for the last 12 years.  (MCSE, CCNA, Network+, etc.)  So, I'm a linux newbie and I am fully aware that this is the main reason for my frustration.

Second, I also believe that LinuxMCE is a good product and I commend everyone involved in it's development for their hard work.

Now the frustration part.  Mostly it's documentation, it seems to me that the Wiki assumes in many areas that the user is familiar with linux.  I have often been greeted with the solution "You can do that in the Admin page" as if from there it is totally obvious.  Well, it's not.  The Admin page is confusing at best.  One example is adding a diskless MD.  The documentation says to add the MAC address of the MD in the admin page then boot up your MD and all will be candy and soda!  However in the Admin page I go to Wizard > Devices > Media Directors and I see a New Device button that seems to be what I want.  I click it and Choose the manufacturer, category and template and then update the MD page assuming that my new device will show up seeing as I think I've just added it (I have to assume that because the wiki says nothing other than "Do that in the admin page").  Well I click update and nope, no new device.  So where am I supposed to enter this MAC address?  I try the Setup Diskless MD button, reload the router and still no MD in the list.

In desperation I just turn the MD on and it now shows up in my MD devices list with the correct MAC address and everything but the damn thing hangs at "Helper Script End".  It's been sitting there for 3 hours now and I've scoured the wiki for any hint at what to do and of course there's no love.

As I said this is just one of the many problems I'm having, not to mention setting up AV equipment which is about as vague as the Bible in the wiki as well. 

It seems to me that the wiki assumes too much about the users knowledge of the system and being brand new to LinuxMCE with very little linux experience in general I'm getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

I'm a savvy guy however and I'm sure I'll get it figured out but for now I need to step away from this thing and breath a little.

/end rant

I updated the wiki a day or two ago...  those steps are no longer needed with 7.10...  as long as your MD will net boot and the hardware is compatible, all you have to do is set your bios to boot off lan first and let it go...  The MD will setup automatically..

The reason you are stuck at "helper script end" is due to your graphics card...  search the wiki/forums on compatible video cards, what to do with a blank screen after install or when setting up a MD...  99% sure that the avwizard is trying to start and can't..  that's why you're stuck...
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 25, 2008, 08:33:08 pm
Thanks for the reply and I saw that post about 710 however I've been downloading it for 2 days and I'm currently getting 960 bytes/second so no telling when I'll have that.

The "blank screen" section of the wiki only talks about having the wrong interface hooked up (i.e. Comp vs. VGA).  That's not my issue because I am connected to the VGA port and I have video not a blank screen it just hangs. 
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 25, 2008, 08:40:16 pm
Thanks for the reply and I saw that post about 710 however I've been downloading it for 2 days and I'm currently getting 960 bytes/second so no telling when I'll have that.

The "blank screen" section of the wiki only talks about having the wrong interface hooked up (i.e. Comp vs. VGA).  That's not my issue because I am connected to the VGA port and I have video not a blank screen it just hangs. 

What graphics chipset are you using?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: Hagen on January 25, 2008, 09:42:45 pm
GF8400 it would appear
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3975.30

I did believe drivers for that chipset/card would be in the 710 release.
Another question is ofcourse, what do you use to display the computer image?
(A monitor would be the safest bet until you know it works/you know it better)
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 25, 2008, 09:53:28 pm
Thanks for the reply and I saw that post about 710 however I've been downloading it for 2 days and I'm currently getting 960 bytes/second so no telling when I'll have that.

The "blank screen" section of the wiki only talks about having the wrong interface hooked up (i.e. Comp vs. VGA).  That's not my issue because I am connected to the VGA port and I have video not a blank screen it just hangs. 

I've had 2 MD's do the same thing..  both connected VGA...  of course they had Via integrated graphics which is a known problem...  basically, if there is anything in your xorg.conf when combined with your video hardware that doesn't like the default setting that the avwizard uses, you're not going to get any further....
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 25, 2008, 09:55:45 pm
Thanks for the reply and I saw that post about 710 however I've been downloading it for 2 days and I'm currently getting 960 bytes/second so no telling when I'll have that.

The "blank screen" section of the wiki only talks about having the wrong interface hooked up (i.e. Comp vs. VGA).  That's not my issue because I am connected to the VGA port and I have video not a blank screen it just hangs. 

I've had 2 MD's do the same thing..  both connected VGA...  of course they had Via integrated graphics which is a known problem...  basically, if there is anything in your xorg.conf when combined with your video hardware that doesn't like the default setting that the avwizard uses, you're not going to get any further....

And obviously, you have to have the right drivers installed....
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 25, 2008, 10:18:05 pm
I'm connected via VGA to a computer monitor using the Geforce 6200 (Fiire Box).
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 25, 2008, 10:38:30 pm
I'm connected via VGA to a computer monitor using the Geforce 6200 (Fiire Box).

With a 6200 you shouldn't be having any problems...  check your xorg.conf file to see what output connector is being used..  the avwizard is suppose to use vga by default, but maybe it's trying to use something else..
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: Hagen on January 25, 2008, 11:19:05 pm
Hmmmmm
I have a 6200, no problems with 704 atleast.
(you are using 704? not one of the betas?)

I was (am) a windows guy as well, you should quickly find your way around.

Your problem is very common, weird you didn't find it on a search. Anyway.
Delete the MD you made in the admin, does it really say in the Wiki you need to add it manually?

The procedure is simpler (and unless you start using GF 7xxx or 8xxx until 710 is released it should work great).
The core needs to be on (DHCP server)
You need to connect the MD to the internal network (are you using a single NIC?)
You need to power on your MD (set to PXE/LAN boot in the Bios)
You might get a message at the core that it's found an MD, but it should work regardless.
Now sit back and relax, the core will add the MD and install it (on the core) making the MD a thin client.
Setting up the MD can take some time depending on CPU/RAM on both MD and core and also the network (My worst was when I used a 1.7GHz core, that took 7-8 hours), remember you are doing a full install of the LMCE client, on the core, for every MD.

Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: Hagen on January 25, 2008, 11:21:11 pm
(unless it's a local install MD...)
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 05:56:09 pm
OK, my problem doesn't seem to be video.  Fiire tells me that there are special drivers for the VIA processor.  They've sent me the packages but I have no freaking idea what to do with what they sent and a tech isn't going to be available for 4 hours.  :(

They sent me:

boot.tgz    15MB

kubuntu.tgz    630MB

pluto44md.tgz    1.7GB

I know they're zipped files but I don't know where to extract or if theres some kind of install process.

Anybody know what I'm supposed to do with these?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 06:59:53 pm
OK, my problem doesn't seem to be video.  Fiire tells me that there are special drivers for the VIA processor.  They've sent me the packages but I have no freaking idea what to do with what they sent and a tech isn't going to be available for 4 hours.  :(

They sent me:

boot.tgz    15MB

kubuntu.tgz    630MB

pluto44md.tgz    1.7GB

I know they're zipped files but I don't know where to extract or if theres some kind of install process.

Anybody know what I'm supposed to do with these?

Now we're getting somewhere....  I was confused about the fact you had a fiire box but an nvidia graphics chipset...  as fiire uses via...  unfortunately I'm not in front on my machine so I can't help a whole lot right now..  I would search on your core and find where the diskless images are kept and then move the above files there...
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 07:19:32 pm
It gives me access denied, how do I get permissions to write to the folder?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 07:21:52 pm
It gives me access denied, how do I get permissions to write to the folder?

You said you used the CD install, correct?  If so, it is the password you assigned when you installed with CD...  just:

#sudo cp /source_directory/source_file /destination_directory/destination_file

and use the password you used at install when prompted
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 07:29:18 pm
DVD install
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 07:31:19 pm
DVD install


password-linuxmce
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 07:35:06 pm
That command gives me a "Man page error"
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 07:41:12 pm
That command gives me a "Man page error"


Are you saying the cp command gives you that error?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 07:46:32 pm
Are you saying the cp command gives you that error?

I type this in the Run Command box:
#sudo cp /root/via-archives/boot.tgz /usr/pluto/diskless/install/via/boot.tgz

And I get a page that says this:

KDE Man Viewer Error
No man page matching to sudo cp /root/via-archives/boot.tgz /usr/pluto/diskless/install/via/boot.tgz found.

Check that you have not mistyped the name of the page that you want. Be careful that you must take care about upper case and lower case characters!
If everything looks correct, then perhaps you need to set a better search path for man pages, be it by the environment variable MANPATH or a matching file in the directory /etc .
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 07:49:52 pm
Are you saying the cp command gives you that error?

I type this in the Run Command box:
#sudo cp /root/via-archives/boot.tgz /usr/pluto/diskless/install/via/boot.tgz

And I get a page that says this:

KDE Man Viewer Error
No man page matching to sudo cp /root/via-archives/boot.tgz /usr/pluto/diskless/install/via/boot.tgz found.

Check that you have not mistyped the name of the page that you want. Be careful that you must take care about upper case and lower case characters!
If everything looks correct, then perhaps you need to set a better search path for man pages, be it by the environment variable MANPATH or a matching file in the directory /etc .

Open up a terminal window, or Ctrl-Alt-F2 to log in to another session...  don't use the Run command box
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 07:58:23 pm
Open up a terminal window, or Ctrl-Alt-F2 to log in to another session...  don't use the Run command box

OK, I gotcha now.  Two questions:

What's the command to create a new folder?

How do I get out of the terminal screen and back to my desktop?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 08:02:10 pm
Open up a terminal window, or Ctrl-Alt-F2 to log in to another session...  don't use the Run command box

OK, I gotcha now.  Two questions:

What's the command to create a new folder?

How do I get out of the terminal screen and back to my desktop?

To make a new folder:

mkdir

Get back to your desktop:

Ctrl-Alt-F7 or F8 (can't remember)

Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 08:08:05 pm
That worked!

rrambo, thank you so much for your help and patience.  I'm obviously completely new to Linux and it means a lot to get help with newbie stuff.

Thanks again
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 08:09:49 pm
That worked!

rrambo, thank you so much for your help and patience.  I'm obviously completely new to Linux and it means a lot to get help with newbie stuff.

Thanks again

No problem...  let us know how it works out...
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 08:18:54 pm
Where can I get a list of available commands?

I'm trying to delete a file and I can't seem to figure it out.
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on January 29, 2008, 08:23:58 pm
Where can I get a list of available commands?

I'm trying to delete a file and I can't seem to figure it out.

straight up linux....  just google for linux commands...

to delete a file:

rm

use with caution
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: grepico on January 29, 2008, 08:24:39 pm
Super, thx.
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: Hagen on February 01, 2008, 10:51:32 am
Doesn't the Fiire come pre-installed?
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: rrambo on February 01, 2008, 04:25:15 pm
Doesn't the Fiire come pre-installed?


Yes, but apparently his shipped with a bad hard drive.
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: Hagen on February 01, 2008, 04:36:17 pm
Ouch..
And to top it of, Fiire doesn't use the regular install or UI, they have their own to make it work with the Via. (probably the files they sent)
You might be better of finding some of Totallymaxed postings on building the Via drivers from scratch and dropping UI2 alpha (wich the Fiire doesn't really do anyway).
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: jetrich on February 01, 2008, 08:24:22 pm
I wonder too if they are willing/able to supply him with the Power DVD key Dan referenced here:
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3217.msg16189#msg16189 (http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3217.msg16189#msg16189)

Just curious.

Jason
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: totallymaxed on February 01, 2008, 10:24:03 pm
I updated the wiki a day or two ago...  those steps are no longer needed with 7.10...  as long as your MD will net boot and the hardware is compatible, all you have to do is set your bios to boot off lan first and let it go...  The MD will setup automatically..

In fact you have not needed to manually add an MD for since before LinuxMCE-0704... in fact from memory it was around Pluto .040 ;-)
Title: Re: Just venting general frustration.
Post by: dopey on February 02, 2008, 06:23:40 am
Two things:

Fiire can only pre-install if you buy a Core with the MD. I bought only the MD's and remotes, so I had the same problem. Of course this was also the same time that the DVD's weren't available either. They should have shipped you one though. It would actually seriously piss me off if they didn't as they told me they would fix the problem that I encountered by shipping the non-standard DVD installs with the MD's. I bought the things in early September, but I wasn't able to even boot one of them until sometime in November... the other wouldn't work at all, but that might have been an unrelated hardware issue...

Also, the Fiire special drivers SUCK. Now that I have to re-install anyhow I plan on just using UI2 without the compositing, so I can use a standard MD image. Honestly I don't really care for the transparency anyhow... I think it makes things harder to read... I'm not even sure if the special/non-standard stuff would work in 0710... (Again since I have to re-install anyhow) I'm going to go with the 0710 AMD64 DVD.

If I sound bitter against Fiire... It's because I AM! I'm sure you're thinking the same thing I was: I bought these things so I don't have to deal with this BS and so it would just work! Of course, I've been using Linux for many years, so I was able to troubleshoot the problems fairly easily, but that doesn't really change my perception of Fiire.