Damn! Some impressions and questions

Forum: User Feedback
Topic: Damn! Some impressions and questions
started by: jalberto

Posted by jalberto on Feb. 04 2007,20:50

Hello, my name is João and I write from Brazil.

Almost ten years ago (1998) I was a heavy linux user. So much that I did not had windows into my box. Don't remember why, I took it off and focused on windows. Suddenly I decided to give Linux another try.

First I downloaded Ubuntu, but sincerely, it is just too bloated. My computer is not old, but I loved linux just because it was clean. I mean, I had the power to put into it just what I wanted. I had a nice Pentium 133 case with my everyday stuff, an 486 DX2-66 as a router of my home network, and a 386 DX-40 for fun purposes (like BitchX IRC'ing, or Lynx web-browsing).

Ubuntu left me sad. Why Linux got so fat? Then I googled and found DSL. So far I am very happy with it.

But I have some issues. Remember that I did not use linux for almost ten years.

1) I want to put a new Kernel. My machine is old to the USA standard, but I guess I can put a 2.6 kernel in it. It's a Duron 1600MHz on a ECS K7S5A, 256MB SDRAM, 40GB Hard Disk. (512MB DDR is coming). Does DSL supports natively the bz2 or do I download the .gz format?

2) Why I want a new kernel? I have to setup my hardware. I have the onboard K7S5A Sound (that I guess DSL recognizes) AND the D-Link DWL-G510 Wireless Card (Revision C, Ralink chipset). And I do NOT know ZILCH about setting wireless in Linux. Damn, when I used linux I was getting ISA cards out of nowhere to make my home network, LOL! Coaxial connections and stuff.

3) I created a 600MB SWAP partition when I made the partitions. Yes, old times habits never goes away

-- I ran linux even with 8MB of RAM -- Guess I made this partition too big, but as it's already here, might as well set it up.

Props for making a Linux distro the way it should be! Small yet powerful and fast.

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Feb. 04 2007,21:20

You might want to try DSL-N.

I do not understand what you mean by bz2 or gz. DSL can extract/compress both if that's what you mean. If you meant for kernel booting, I believe it supports both as well.

For wifi, DSL includes a gui tool wlancardconfig... but I think your rt61 chipset does not have an included driver. You could compile one - and there's always ndiswrapper as a last resort.

I run with a 2gb swap - it just depends on what you plan on doing. As to the reference to Ubuntu, again, it depends on what you plan to do, and your preference - its made more for modern desktops in mind.

Posted by jalberto on Feb. 04 2007,21:43

Quote (^thehatsrule^ @ Feb. 04 2007,16:20)

I already extracted the kernel. Seems that I have to download a ton of stuff, like gcc and others. Right? I am starting now.

I want to do it step-by-step. It's part of the plan

I totally forgot how to set up the swap partition. Slackware (the distro I used in the past) put it all to use. I did it once manually, but as I said, I totally forgot. How I format it and put it to use?

PS.: My reference to Ubuntu was just a comparsion, no flame intended. Sorry if that was not clear.

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Feb. 04 2007,22:33

Quote

If you want to make a swap partition, use type 83. You can use fdisk or cfdisk (included in dsl).

Posted by jalberto on Feb. 04 2007,22:46

Quote (^thehatsrule^ @ Feb. 04 2007,17:33)

Quote

If you want to make a swap partition, use type 83. You can use fdisk or cfdisk (included in dsl).

Already done.

But how do I put it to use?!

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Feb. 05 2007,01:57

swapon
or if DSL can see your hdd from start, it will automatically use it.

Please see the docs for further info (as install processes are described there, ie wiki)

Posted by WDef on Feb. 05 2007,13:34

If you really want to change the kernel (not recommended), you could try installing a precompiled debian kernel image + sources etc via apt-get on a hard drive dsl install. That would avoid compiling the kernel from sources and would take care of the standard modules autoamtically I imagine. I haven't tried this so it may not work out (probably won't). Would probably require dpkg --force-all. Look for a knoppix guide to installing a Debian kernel.

BTW, the 2.4.26 kernel is broken as far as bulding its own modules go for i386. One workaround is to build it for eg i686.

You would also need the corresponding Debian modutils, and to replace any of dsl's additional modules with the debian ones corresponding to your kernel.

This includes cloop, or you won't be able to mount ucis. AFAIK there are no precompiled cloop modules in debian repos. I went through a phase of recompiling dsl's kernel but I could never get cloop to compile so gave it up as a waste of time. Robert would know the secret since he must have done this for dsl-2.3b. Perhaps take the correct cloop module from another distro/livecd with the same kernel.

It's not a newbie exercise. even for a "re-newbied", and probably just not worth it.

Posted by Juanito on Feb. 05 2007,14:02

Quote (WDef @ Feb. 05 2007,12:34)

BTW, the 2.4.26 kernel is broken as far as bulding its own modules go for i386. One workaround is to build it for eg i686.

Interesting - how do you mean "broken"?

Posted by rja on Feb. 06 2007,02:49

Use the "mkswap" command to setup your swap partition:

mkswap /dev/xxxx

Then the swapon command will be able to use it.

Posted by kerry on Feb. 06 2007,11:51

Quote (jalberto @ Feb. 04 2007,15:50)

Hello, my name is João and I write from Brazil.
First I downloaded Ubuntu, but sincerely, it is just too bloated.
Ubuntu left me sad. Why Linux got so fat?

You most not have asked about the server install?
Ubuntu is very flexiable, you can do a server install, which only installs the base, that means no gui, nothing, then you build the system up to your liking using apt-get. Alot of us run 300mb or more systems.
Example:
server install ( < http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu....ini.iso > )
login
sudo su
nano /etc/apt/sources.list
comment out cdrom and uncomment all repos
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get install x-window-system-core gdm fluxbox eterm thunar leafpad synaptic
or
apt-get install x-window-system-core gdm fluxbox eterm emelfm leafpad synaptic
reboot
login open synaptic, do a little uninstalling of stuff you don't need, then install the stuff you want.

How hard is that?

Posted by WDef on Feb. 06 2007,12:17

Quote

"broken"

Broken means broken. You can compile the kernel but not the modules (setting eg CONFIG_M686 gets around this). There was a patch to fix this for CONFIG_M386=y. This is why you don't see anyone posting that they sucessfully rebuilt dsl's 2.4.26 kernel for 386 with modules (I've rebuilt these for 686).

I googled for a million years to find this bug and, pointing this out on the debian-knoppix mail list, asked how then the 2.4.26 modules were compiled in knoppix 3.4? Fabian Franz (one of the key developers) replied saying he remembered the problem ("..Was a pain ... ") but couldn't recall exactly they did. He guesses they applied the patch. Unfortunately they didn't document this on the cd.

See < http://archives.free.net.ph/message/20060918.102253.416ff98c.en.html >

The patch and bug description is here:

< http://linux.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/Kernel/2004-04/4189.html >

I've been meaning to post something about this so this is a good opportunity.

BTW interesting that Fabian Franz likes the 2.4.26 kernel and says he still uses a 2.4.27 ! I believe Mr Franz was responsible for a number of the important knoppix features inherited by dsl.

Posted by torp on Feb. 06 2007,12:44

mkswap /yourswapfile

swapon /yourswapfile

free (use to see if swap is working)

torp

Posted by Juanito on Feb. 06 2007,13:49

Quote (WDef @ Feb. 06 2007,11:17)

Quote

"broken"

I was wondering if this was what you meant - after a long time and a lot of help from the DSL forum regulars, I managed to rebuild 2.4.26 kernel modules and use them in DSL - see < http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....p;st=70 > page 15.

As you say, the trick was to modify the drmP.h file - after this things worked and I used the bluetooth and cpufreq modules thus created in DSL.

If you think it might be useful, I could post the drmP.h file

Posted by WDef on Feb. 06 2007,15:00

Ah - seems I'm way behind the times then! So the_hats_rule found a different archive of the same bug report. Where would we be without google ...

Re posting the file: I'm wondering if Robert might not consider putting that patch file (or the equiv drmP.h file) on ibiblio somewhere for easy reference?
Or maybe the repo. With a text file explaining why it's there.

I must say for quite a while I felt very p*ssed off indeed with Knoppix for not documenting this patch with their 2.4.26 kernel information in /usr/src. It's just got the usual "we only use a vanilla kernel" blurb plus knoppix-kernel.patch, with an out-of-date reference to another patch they weren't using any longer anyway (not needed). Grrrr ...

Documentation, documentation, documentation.

Posted by nixclusive on Feb. 07 2007,13:01

use the commands swapon/swapoff:

Code Sample

swapon <device>

should put to use your swap partition.