Brian, The problem you are having with the blank screen in X windows is exactly the same problem, whether you are dealing with LTSP 2.x or LTSP 3.x. This is a Server issue with your display manager. it makes no difference which version of ltsp.
And the problem that I think you were having with booting via bootrom is indeed related to the newer versions of LTSP which require a kernel command line argument when used with the ISA network cards. unfortunately, there was also a change in Etherboot (or was that mknbi) in the way it passes command line args to the kernel. You are using some very old bootroms, and you aren't easily able to pass kernel args, unless you follow Jason Pattie's article on the ltsp.org contrib page, which shows how to use the old etherboot bootrom to load a newer bootrom image, which then loads the kernel and passes the parameters correctly. The other option to the bootrom problem is to either upgrade the bootrom to a newer one, or use the boot floppy, like you have done. So, the only problem you had that was related to differences between LTSP 2.x and LTSP 3.x was caused by using an old bootrom on an ISA nic. There are so many other reasons why LTSP 3.0 is easier. Namely, if you are using a workstation with a PCI nic and a PCI video card, the setup is ENORMOUSLY simpler. Just set XSERVER = auto and use the standard LTSP kernel and it all works. And, if you do need to tweak the modelines or play with the resolution, LTSP-3.0 lets you specify either a full modeline on the X_MODE_0 entry, or just a resolution, such as '800x600' without all of the rest of the modeline. And, LTSP-3.0 allows you to use a MAC address in the lts.conf file instead of the hostname or ip address. This is handy when you want to use a pool of dynamic IP addresses in dhcp, instead of static addresses. And, what are you gonna do when newer video cards and network cards show up ? For the NICs, you would simply need to build new kernels (which reminds me of that new years eve a couple years ago when I was building kernels and emailing them to you in chicago :) But, for the video cards, you will need XFree86 4.x, but LTSP-2.0 only supports XFree86 3.3.6. And, LTSP-3.0 works with more peripherals, such as USB mice and printers. And, there are other benefits to 3.x vs 2.x, but I just don't remember them all now. So, if you really want fork the project and stick with LTSP-2.0, then by all means, go for it. The GPL gives you that freedom, and I'm very happy that it does. Just make sure you understand the work ahead of you, should you choose to exersize that freedom. Jim McQuillan [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Tue, 17 Dec 2002, Brian Fahrlander wrote: > > I'm a big believer in LTSP; when I installed 2.x it was fast, simple and light. >But I've made two, seperate, multi-week install attempts on 3.x and have yet to see >an X login screen. And trying to debug it, even after knowing how to do it before, >was darned near impossible. > > This is not to say that there hasn't been a great deal of work, and improvements >to the core code...but because it supports so many platforms and variations, it's >just gotten so complicated that it's no longer easy or fun anymore. > > My suggestion: > > Let's take LTSP 2.x, simplify and improve upon it, but just for the >Redhat/Mandrake installations. Let's make two kinds of configurations by default, >Jammin-125 and 'custom' and give the admin some basic starting points. > > Wether anyone else wants to do it, I have to. I plan to install a bunch in this >area, and it'll be easier to maintain a partial-distro than to convert from what LTSP >has become, to what I need in 99%+ of the situations, ya know? > > Your thoughts? > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Brian Fahrl�nder GNU/Linux Zealot, Conservative, and Technomad > Evansville, IN My Voyage: http://www.CounterMoon.com > ICQ 5119262 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This sf.net email is sponsored by: > With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility > Learn to use your power at OSDN's High Performance Computing Channel > http://hpc.devchannel.org/ > _____________________________________________________________________ > Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss > For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.openprojects.net > -- ------------------------------------------------------- This sf.net email is sponsored by: With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility Learn to use your power at OSDN's High Performance Computing Channel http://hpc.devchannel.org/ _____________________________________________________________________ Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.openprojects.net
