Problem with hostname edit

Forum: Networking
Topic: Problem with hostname edit
started by: Asa Troja

Posted by Asa Troja on June 10 2006,16:35

Hi!
I'm experiencing a few problems when wanting to edit the following files:

/etc/motd
/etc/hostname
/etc/hosts
/etc/mailname
/etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig

In vi, beaver and nano i get them as RO (and yes, I am root as i open them)
When i look at the permissions in bash they are: -rw-r—r--
so as root I should be able to edit all of them right?

I have also tried to change the file permissions with chmod to -rwxrwxr-- but with no succes, instead i get the following message: “chmod: /etc/file: Read-only filesystem”

I'm running DSL v.2.4 from CF-card (normal USB-ZIP install toram)

Cheers
AT!

Posted by kerry on June 10 2006,19:51

How are you installed? Cause it sounds like a frugal install which is a compressed iso and thus RO only. To write to it youve got to boot toram and add your changes to filetool.lst for backup when you do backup/restore.

Posted by Asa Troja on June 10 2006,21:24

Hi Kerry
Thank you for the quick reply!

Yes I think you are right, it is a frugal, I installed it from the menu ”install to USB ZIP drive”

Could you give me directions on how to enter it into filetool.lst?

The reason I ask is because I have installed it with the ”toram” option as default, so I am already trying to edit the files in the ram drive, this is partly why i don't understand that i can't edit the before mentioned files. If i could edit the files it would be easy for me to add them to the filetool.lst.

Cheers
AT

Posted by mikshaw on June 10 2006,22:32

toram is not going to make the knoppix filesystem readable. All it does is load KNOPPIX into ram so applications are accessed more quickly and so you have access to the cd drive if you are using a live cd.

The problem with writing to motd, mailname, knoppix-autoconfig is that they are symlinks to /KNOPPIX/etc/*, which is read-only no matter what you do. The only way to write to motd and mailname is to delete the symlink in /etc and copy the file from /KNOPPIX/etc. Changing knoppix-autoconfig won't do any good no matter what you do, unless you remaster the KNOPPIX file or run a tradtional harddrive install, since it runs before any backup is restored.

I honestly don't know why you'd have problems writing to hostname or hosts, since these files are writeable by default in any DSL system.

If you are running emelfm as your filemanager, you can simply select a file and click the "Add2Filetool" button to add a file to filetool.lst

Posted by Asa Troja on June 11 2006,11:12

Hi Mikshaw!
Thank you for the explanation, it is a nice experience to post in this forum, quick replys and competent answers!

I still have issues with etc/hosts and etc/hostname. No matter what I do I get them as RO.
I have just tried a ”normal” HD install and here i have no problems editing any of the before mentioned files (just as you said).

Could you direct me to a guide on how to remaster the KNOPPIX file?

I have already tried the mkmydslhowto.pdf listed in the wiki, and I can't edit the files i want to, because it still just copies the KNOPPIX file into ram as with my CF-card install.

Cheers
AT