Just venting general frustration.

[grepico]

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

[rrambo]

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...

[grepico]

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. 

[rrambo]

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?

[Hagen]

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)

[rrambo]

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....

[rrambo]

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....

[grepico]

I'm connected via VGA to a computer monitor using the Geforce 6200 (Fiire Box).

[rrambo]

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..

[Hagen]

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.

[Hagen]

(unless it's a local install MD...)

[grepico]

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?

[rrambo]

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...

[grepico]

It gives me access denied, how do I get permissions to write to the folder?

[rrambo]

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