Linux-Misc Digest #457, Volume #24 Sun, 14 May 00 06:13:04 EDT
Contents:
Re: Thrashing drive (Carl Fink)
Re: Reinstallation too slow (Gerald Willmann)
name resolving ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Re: sysadmin book (Harlan Grove)
Re: How to echo to /var/log/messages (Lew Pitcher)
Re: sysadmin book
Re: Benchmarks and relative speeds ("Jon Plews")
Re: Reinstallation too slow ("SilentNight")
Re: Thrashing drive (S. D.)
Re: Reinstallation too slow ("SilentNight")
Re: ATA/66 accessed as ATA/33 ? (S. D.)
Re: USENIX 2000 Technical Conf - Pre-Reg Savings deadling 5/12 (Dave Close)
pppd died unexpectedly!!! ("mark")
APACHE + PHP3 PROBLEMS.... (Tux)
SSL Certificates with OpenSSL/mod_ssl... (Tux)
Re: vi - how to do case insensitive search? (s. keeling)
dsl on linux ("Simon Huang")
Re: pppd died unexpectedly!!! (muzh)
Re: ATA/66 accessed as ATA/33 ? (Hal Burgiss)
Re: Webcams + Sound activated alarm system (Eddy Young)
operating systems comparison (MerefBast)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Carl Fink)
Subject: Re: Thrashing drive
Date: 14 May 2000 02:58:49 GMT
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Sat, 13 May 2000 22:44:13 -0500 John Scudder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>At least once an evening while I am quiety reading mail, my hard drive
>starts thrashing around for no apparent reason for several minutes or
>more. Then it stops on its own and is quiet for the rest of the
>evening. Why is it doing this? Could it be related to my swap
>file?
Yes, but it probably isn't. Unix-derived systems come with a utility
called "cron" that does certain maintenance tasks at set times. Some
task (I'm betting that it's "updatedb", which updates the locate
database) is running. To find out what's happening, you could keep
"top" running in a window (or on a virtual terminal) and take a look
when the thrashing starts.
--
Carl Fink [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Manager, Dueling Modems Computer Forum
<http://dm.net>
------------------------------
From: Gerald Willmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Reinstallation too slow
Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 20:18:10 -0700
On 13 May 2000, Steve wrote:
> >I am a newbie to Linux. I tried the Corel Linux, but after
> >the first installation, it seems very slow to boot up.
so how did you shut it down after your install - simply switched it off by
any chance? Then it would be running fscheck which might take a while.
Not sure why you would even want to reinstall if it boots up (however
slowly). You hardly ever need to boot a linux box if you simply leave
it running.
Gerald
--
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: name resolving
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 03:21:29 GMT
I have found 2 files /etc/hosts.conf and /etc/nsswitch.conf
in RedHat linux 6.1
It seems that both specifies the order of name resolving
but which file does Linux prefer to use?
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
------------------------------
From: Harlan Grove <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: sysadmin book
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 03:28:57 GMT
In article <8fkueo$l8$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Is there a comprehensive book on linux/unix system administration that
>would explain the tasks of a system administrator from the time the
>system is installed through adding new users/terminals? I need a book
>that explains the why's of systems administration not just the what's
>and the how's.
You could try Eric Foxley's 'Unix for Super-users' (ISBN 0 201 14228 7).
My copy is a 1987 reprint of the 1985 original. It's not new, but it
covers the basics aside from internet security.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
------------------------------
From: Lew Pitcher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: How to echo to /var/log/messages
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 04:06:56 GMT
skydude wrote:
>
> I want to send output to /var/log/messages from my /etc/ppp/ip-up
> script.
>
> Not a UNIX programmer.
>
> I know its something like echo "text to output" 2>/dev/log?????
>
> I read the man page for syslogd. How do I send output to be logged?
>From my /etc/ppp/ip-up script...
/usr/bin/logger -t ip-up[$$] "$1 [$4] on $2 connected at $3 bps to ISP
[$5]"
--
Lew Pitcher
Master Codewright and JOAT-in-training
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ()
Subject: Re: sysadmin book
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 04:49:22 GMT
In article <8fkueo$l8$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Is there a comprehensive book on linux/unix system administration that
>would explain the tasks of a system administrator from the time the
>system is installed through adding new users/terminals? I need a book
>that explains the why's of systems administration not just the what's
>and the how's.
>
>If this is the wrong forum to ask, where should I ask?
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>MTOV
>
>
>Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
>Before you buy.
Essential System Administration
published by O'Reilly
------------------------------
From: "Jon Plews" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: uk.comp.os.linux
Subject: Re: Benchmarks and relative speeds
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 05:04:24 +0100
Raj Rijhwani wrote in message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
>I'm facing an odd problem.
>
>I recently build a new machine based around an AMD recommended motherboard
>and K6-2/500. The strange thing is that with two identical Linux
>installations this machine appears to be a little less than 20% faster
>than my P160 machine (overclocked at 200). The test here is setiathome
>which is getting 99%-plus CPU time on both machines (according to top).
>Watching the progress counts on the two machines side by side shows
>that for every 10% completed on the old machine the new machine has
>processed 11.7% or thereabouts.
>
IIRC SETI relies heavily on the FPU so I'd guess the K6-2 has a
weak FPU.
>What am I missing? What do people recommend in the way of "proper"
>benchmarks? Can I log kernel stats and perform the equivalent of
>sar reports on commercial platforms?
>
Dunno about "proper", but I find the speed test from the OpenSSL
package to be useful for gauging integer performance.
I happen to have upgraded a Cyrix MII 233MHz to an AMD K6/2 500MHz
and it's about 2.5 times faster.
Comparison with a PII indicates integer performance akin to a 333MHz
device.
>(I heard some rumblings about Linux not behaving well with more than
>64Mb of RAM. Since the new machine has 128Mb I wonder, is this a true
>concern?)
VX and TX Pentium support chipsets from Intel could only cache
the first 64M of memory. Dunno if that's what your thinking of.
Jon Plews.
------------------------------
From: "SilentNight" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Reinstallation too slow
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 05:16:47 GMT
"Gerald Willmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> On 13 May 2000, Steve wrote:
>
> > >I am a newbie to Linux. I tried the Corel Linux, but after
> > >the first installation, it seems very slow to boot up.
>
## Gerald
> so how did you shut it down after your install - simply switched it off by
> any chance? Then it would be running fscheck which might take a while.
>
> Not sure why you would even want to reinstall if it boots up (however
> slowly). You hardly ever need to boot a linux box if you simply leave
> it running.
> Gerald
> --
>
1. After Corel reboot normally, I wanted to check what if I turn off power.
Then the second cold boot hangs.
2. The reinstallation is smooth, after many hours frustrated. But on the
reboot
the PC just freezes.
What makes me puzzled is that, several books about installation have no way
out after repartition. So, if I use one distribution of Linux to partition,
I must
go on installing it. Even there is no option for format.
Where can I find those information ?
Thank you for your time.
SN
------------------------------
From: S. D. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Thrashing drive
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 00:20:12 -0400
On Sat, 13 May 2000, John Scudder wrote:
>At least once an evening while I am quiety reading mail, my hard drive
>starts thrashing around for no apparent reason for several minutes or
>more. Then it stops on its own and is quiet for the rest of the
>evening. Why is it doing this? Could it be related to my swap
>file?
>
>I have SuSE 6.3, 64 M ram, 128 M swap file, and a 10 G SCSI hard drive.
>
>Thanks,
>
>John
Do you check your mail around the same time every night? It could be cron. In
which case cron is set up to do something at that time. Or maybe it's flushing
dirty buffers during inactivity, but I doubt that to be likely.
------------------------------
From: "SilentNight" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Reinstallation too slow
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 05:21:33 GMT
"Steve" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> On Sat, 13 May 2000 14:19:42 GMT, SilentNight wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I am a newbie to Linux. I tried the Corel Linux, but after
> >the first installation, it seems very slow to boot up.
> >
> >So, I decided to reinstall. But both floppy and cd-rom setup
> >has no response for a very long time.
> >
> >Even if I want to re-partition; i.e., resize, I have no chance.
> >
> >Using other boot disk from RedHat and Turbo Linux have
> >the same phenominon.
> >
> >I think I am doing something wrong; but
> >
> >What is wrong with this ?
>
## Steve
> It could be that your HD's on the way out. But mixing and matching
> on install doesn't sound like a wise thing to do unless you're sure
> that you really know what you're doing and what the consequences will
> be.
>
> --
> Cheers
> Steve email mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> %HAV-A-NICEDAY Error not enough coffee 0 pps.
OK, it might be. The Hdd is IBM-DTTA-371010, 10gb.
It is OK, I think. I use it as a backup for files in Win2K.
Now it is for play with Linux.
The idea of using several version of Linux boot disks is
that, I want to know if I can make repartition, format, etc.
and just get out before installation. But there is no way out.
I can repartition, reinstalling TurboLinux, and Corel Linux now.
But on the reboot right after that, the machine hangs. The primary
partition is made bootable already.
Well, maybe I need more time to learn the basic.
Thank you for your time.
SN
>
> web http://www.ndirect.co.uk/~sjlen/
>
> or http://start.at/zero-pps
>
> 10:39pm up 17 days, 40 min, 3 users, load average: 1.31, 1.23, 1.17
------------------------------
From: S. D. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.hardware
Subject: Re: ATA/66 accessed as ATA/33 ?
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 00:32:30 -0400
>I recently benchmarked a K6-3 on a VIA-based EPOX m'board with a
>Samsung 4gig ATA-66 capable disk drive using kernel 2.2.13 from
>Slackware 7. The system installed & ran with no problems. I patched
>the kernel source to include ATA-33, which also ran with no problems.
Get the ata66 patch from www.linuxide.org
>
>My "benchmark" was compiling the kernel; ATA-33 decreased the compile
>time from 3:47 to 3:40, a whopping 3% improvement. This is in the
>same ballpark as a 6% performance increase claimed by someone who
>patched a kernel to ATA-66.
Do a 'man hdparm' and learn how to use it. You may get some disk improvement
just by doing that. Also run 'hdparm -tT /dev/(whatever)' a couple of times.
This will give you better benchmark info.
>
>I don't consider a kernel compile in 64M of ram a significant disk
>benchmark. It does show me that, given how I use computers, ide
>vs. ATA-66 vs. scsi makes little difference.
Given how you use computers maybe there would be little difference, but a
decent scsi card and drive is a LOT faster than ata66. Also ata66 is
signigicantly faster than ata33.
>
>--
><> Robert Geer & Donna Tomky | * <>
><> [EMAIL PROTECTED] | _o * o * o <>
><> [EMAIL PROTECTED] | -\<, * <\ </L <>
><> Salt Lake City, Utah USA | O/ O __ /__, /> <>
steve...
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Dave Close)
Crossposted-To:
comp.windows.x.i386unix,comp.os.linux.admin,comp.os.linux.development,comp.os.linux.networking,alt.fan.sysadmin
Subject: Re: USENIX 2000 Technical Conf - Pre-Reg Savings deadling 5/12
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 05:56:45 GMT
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Moun Chau) writes:
>Hotel discounts will be available until May 26.
Marriott tells me that all the rooms set aside for Usenix are already
booked and no wait list is offered. Next idea?
--
Dave Close, Compata, Costa Mesa CA "Politics is the business of getting
[EMAIL PROTECTED], +1 714 434 7359 power and privilege without
[EMAIL PROTECTED] possessing merit." - P. J. O'Rourke
------------------------------
From: "mark" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: pppd died unexpectedly!!!
Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 23:22:00 -0700
Hi all,
I am having a hard time with kppp, every time i call my isp i get an error
message after logging on the network. the error message says that: The pppd
daemon died unexpectedl, i have no clue why is that. i running redhat linux
6.1 and kde.
any ideas ???
thanx
mark
------------------------------
From: Tux <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
linux.redhat.misc,linux.redhat.ppp,nf.comp.linux,comp.os.linux.redhat,comp.os.linux.help,linux.redhat,linux.redhat.install,alt.os.linux
Subject: APACHE + PHP3 PROBLEMS....
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 04:21:08 -0230
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
==============883DAD88943BBCC2B17C8108
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Hi guys...
Whenever I try to execute a PHP3 script while apache is running I get
script execution errors.... Apache and PHP were both installed without
errors, but for some reason I get the following error messages in the
ServerRoot/logs/Error_Log file...
==============883DAD88943BBCC2B17C8108
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii;
name="ae"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline;
filename="ae"
[notice] Apache/1.3.12 (Unix) configured -- resuming normal operations
[error] (8)Exec format error: exec of /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/hi.php3 failed
[error] Premature end of script headers: /usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/hi.php3
==============883DAD88943BBCC2B17C8108==
------------------------------
From: Tux <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: linux.redhat.misc,alt.os.linux,linux.redhat.install,linux.redhat
Subject: SSL Certificates with OpenSSL/mod_ssl...
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 04:28:05 -0230
Hi there...
I have successfully installed Apache with OpenSSL and mod_ssl with a
dummy test certificate... Everything seems to be operating properly,
but I have a few questions about the operations of SSL...
1. How can I delete the dummy certificate that I created...?? Do I have
to recompile everything...
2. If I am hosting multiple websites for different people, do I have to
have a certificate for each one of those websites, or just one for the
server that I am using...???
3. How can I install another certificate without recompiling the
server...???
4. Do anyone know of a good book that describes the functions of SSL in
regards to Apache...???
I'm very new to this, and the server that I've set up is running on a
single machine for experimental purposes only.
Thanks again guys, all information will be appreciated...
Trevor...
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (s. keeling)
Subject: Re: vi - how to do case insensitive search?
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 07:24:18 GMT
On 13 May 2000 19:09:36 GMT, Brandon Warren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> How do you do a case insensitive search with vi?
In your ~/.exrc, add "ignorecase"
--
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Stephen) TopQuark Software & Serv. Enquire within.
[sed 's/NO@SPAM./@/g'] Contract programmer, server bum.
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
------------------------------
From: "Simon Huang" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: dsl on linux
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 00:29:25 -0700
hi all, i am installing linux on my x386 computer for the first time. i have
a dsl/ethernet, but couldn't figure out how to make it work. i've downloaded
and installed the files from my dsl provider onto linux. i have installed
ppp daemon. the instruction tells me to use "chmod +x filename" to make a
file call "start-pppoe" as well as other files executables. however, i
couldn't execute them even after i try to use "chmod".
------------------------------
From: muzh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: pppd died unexpectedly!!!
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 20:16:14 +1200
mark wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am having a hard time with kppp, every time i call my isp i get an error
> message after logging on the network. the error message says that: The pppd
> daemon died unexpectedl, i have no clue why is that. i running redhat linux
> 6.1 and kde.
> any ideas ???
>
> thanx
> mark
No ideas until you post us all errors you get.
Turn on the log function of kppp, and post us the output.
--
Never trust a man in a suit --
cll
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Hal Burgiss)
Crossposted-To: alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.hardware
Subject: Re: ATA/66 accessed as ATA/33 ?
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 08:24:20 GMT
On Sun, 14 May 2000 00:32:30 -0400, S. D. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>>I recently benchmarked a K6-3 on a VIA-based EPOX m'board with a
>>Samsung 4gig ATA-66 capable disk drive using kernel 2.2.13 from
>>Slackware 7. The system installed & ran with no problems. I patched
>>the kernel source to include ATA-33, which also ran with no problems.
>
>Get the ata66 patch from www.linuxide.org
Typo: www.linux-ide.org.
>>My "benchmark" was compiling the kernel; ATA-33 decreased the compile
>>time from 3:47 to 3:40, a whopping 3% improvement. This is in the
>>same ballpark as a 6% performance increase claimed by someone who
>>patched a kernel to ATA-66.
>
>Do a 'man hdparm' and learn how to use it. You may get some disk improvement
>just by doing that. Also run 'hdparm -tT /dev/(whatever)' a couple of times.
>This will give you better benchmark info.
bonnie is a good disk benchmarking tool that gives more info than hdparm
FWIW.
--
Hal B
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 10:49:42 +0400
From: Eddy Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: uk.comp.os.linux
Subject: Re: Webcams + Sound activated alarm system
Dave Liquorice wrote:
>
> On Thu, 11 May 2000 20:52:14 GMT, Adrian Mann wrote:
>
> > it is the monitoring of the sound level that is the problem - I maybe able
> > to write this in Java ( as I don't know C that well)
>
> Wouldn't using a normal alarm PIR be more sensible? 12v to power it is
> available in your PC, use a joystick button as a single bit input port.
> Avoids problems of extraneous loud noises triggering the system, neighbours
> dog, passing emergency vehicle wind picking up and slamming a door etc...
Hello Dave,
I had a system like that in mind. Don't you have any links, resources
where I can learn more about the programming? I thought a serial port
should do, but I am not certain.
--
Eddy Young
Web Applications Developer (ASP, VBScript, JavaScript, PHP, SQL)
tel: +230 247 3266
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (MerefBast)
Subject: operating systems comparison
Date: 14 May 2000 09:56:43 GMT
A lot of you LINUX users visited <http://www.operatingsystems.net>
for information on LINUX and comparisons to other
oeprating systems (including detailed charts).
Unfortunately, the web site is now down because the
person who registered the domain name doesn't feel like
moving the web site from a server running an illegal
copy of Windows NT to a server running a legal copy of UNIX.
The new legal web space has already been paid for and the
entire web site is sitting ready to be served.
But the person who registered the domain name (because
he had a credit card and I don't -- I gave him the money)
is unwilling to make the DNS change.
If you liked the information and services that were
at the operatingsystems.net web site (and according
to counters, some 60,000 LINUX fans did), then
you need to e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and let them know that
you want the web site to be available.
They are under the impression that the web site
is unimportant and that it isn't worth their taking
a few minutes to handle the DNS change.
Please be polite in your e-mails. Thanks.
------------------------------
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End of Linux-Misc Digest
******************************
