Caldera 2.2 Configuration Woes (long)

[Joel Kleppinger]

---Question #1---
OK, here's the deal -> I have installed Caldera 2.2 which includes the 2.2.5 kernel on a dual Celeron machine with a 500 MB HD on it and, needless to say, I've had a few problems (something of an understatement ). I'm using a Diamond Stealth II G460 so I downloaded the i740 server from the redhat FTP site and installed the rpm and the newer xf86config.

After much trial and error and a good deal of prayer, I managed to get it set it properly configured and was rewarded with something a little nicer than a 16 color login screen. However, after installing the rpm and before getting it configured, I was unable to continue use of X Windows whatsoever because of the following error message:
1041 Xwrapper: client 1 rejected from local host
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Client is not authorized to connect to Server

Now, if I try to login the default way to KDE from Caldera's graphical login screen, it begins the process of changing video modes as it would if it worked properly, then it changes back and the login screen appears again. This continues constantly unless I choose some form of shutdown or log into the failsafe (terminal) mode.

I'm not sure what/if I have to reinstall any packages. In the same session that I attempted to install the XBF i740 X server, I also installed several other packages, including Star Office 5, one of which I suppose could have caused this problem.

If you're bored, skip to here -> I actually come to a point
Basically, my main question is how can I fix this...preferably without a reinstall, but if I do need to reinstall, how can I save all the .tar.gz and .rpm files that I've downloaded?

----Question #2----
Speaking of downloaded files, I downloaded the 2.2.10 kernel to attempt my first kernel recompile (and there was much fear and trembling ). After tar xpvzf the whole .tar.gz file, I changed to the /usr/src/linux directory and typed make menuconfig (since I don't have the Tk libraries installed for X config and can't find the library that Tk needs (v 8 of something) to install), but when it gets to the curses part, it can't find several of the .h and .c files that a header file refers to. I assume this is because I need to install some sort of curses RPM, but ncurses 4.1 (I think that's the version) is already installed.

I went ahead and braved the make config and it appeared to complete properly. After doing that, I typed:
make dep ; make clean ; make zlilo ; make modules ; make modules_install

--which is what the Caldera manual said to type in. They then say to reboot and then you'll be using the new kernel. Well, I don't know how to check the currently used kernel version (these manuals are a tad on the weak side, especially for troubleshooting), but I still only have 1 of the 2 CPUs detected by RC5DES so I'm certain it must not have worked or SMP would have been enabled.

---Summary--- (This feels like a whole article )
If you can give me a hand with these two problems I'd appreciate it. I'd rather not have to reinstall Caldera, but if that's what's necessary, then I have no choice. Please let me know as soon as possible. Right now I'm relegated to the command line where I'm far less comfortable (hey, I'm a DOS man, cut me some slack - it's not my fault the slashes go the wrong way in UNIX ) so I'd prefer getting back to KDE where I feel a bit more sheltered... heh.

Thanks for your help,

Joel
*whew*

[buitenb]

he joel !

first when do the watercool pics of monster
show up ?

and do you have also windows on that machine ?then mount the win drive or a cd writer ?
use cd record to write the stuff on cd

!!or resize your partion and place the files
there there is a linux prg that can resize
without data loss i think its called FIPs
also i use suse linux 6.1 very nice !
maybe change the videocard to a cheap s3 virge card no problems and fast enough
i have sis 6326 only for 2d and a voodoo 2
for gaming on a k6 350@400 that sis card was also a pain in the *** to get to work
even with the xsis server but when i swithed
hardware cursor off it works so go on
http://www.suse.com have a look !

[buitenb]

o one thing :

use MC a nice norton commander clone to copy
the files virce versa
i should be installed by default

[CMonster]

Sounds a lot like my beginning with Linux, but you are tackling head on complex hardware and software issues right off the bat - I gotta admire ya for that! Need the Tylenol yet?

1st, and at first it is bset to do a "install everything" and bite the gigabyte.

SMP - I cannot help you with that, I'm not there yet.

SAVE FILES - If you have a Windows partition you can indeed mount that and put your downloaded files on there. Just make sure that the files are at least ".tar" and in a naming convention that Windows will not modify ("8.3" is a good one), like "filez.tar" not "filez.tar.gz" otherwise the files may not work when you copy them back over to Linux.

VIDEO - Newer cards can be a bugger - but you obivously know that now. The following cards have worked extreamly well for me with Caldera 2.2 without any updates and installing the default KDE method: ATI Expert 98; STB Velosity 128 (Nvidia); Diamond Viper 330 (also Nvidia 128); LeadTech Winfast S320 (NVIDIA RIVA TNT).

Then the next big challenge is to get the sound working - depending on your card you may find it challenging too.

And yes Caldera's documantation is kind of sparse - to put it mildly.

StarOffice twisted trivia note: In the future if you want to get it's slow, cumbersome, integrated web browser working with Java scripts, you will need to obtain the latest jdk (Java Devolopement Kit) and install them in place of the java folder already on your system. Then you must edit the "soffice" startup script to indicate where the JAVA_HOME actually is, and tell it to use the "i586" libs or something like that.

[Joel Kleppinger]

Well, after a full day, here's where I'm at (I can't believe it's been 24 hrs since I last posted... wow)

I've managed to fix the kernel recompilation problems and have gotten the 2.2.10 kernel to correctly compile and correctly installed. I did this by installing a bunch of packages and learning a lot about what it takes to compile a kernel in the process. 3am CDT, July 20, 1999 is a day that will live in imfamy: I compiled my first kernel and ran my first SMP Linux system.

I am surprised that I get a slightly worse keyrate (2.8 MKey/s vs. 2.9 MKey/s) at the same MHz as my other dual machine that runs NT. I must confess that I expected the Linux box to be putting out 3 MKey/s at this speed (517 MHz). Oh well, I can't have everything.

I've also figured out my X Server problem - I had completely run out of Disk free space -> 0 free blocks. So, after uninstalling Star Office 5, I freed up 130MB to work with. From there, I was able to get back into KDE and get back to compiling that kernel.

So now I've gotten it to just a few problems:
#1: When I recompiled the kernel, I didn't compile in my network card driver's support. Now, when I try to go back into make xconfig, it won't let me select that particular driver (Realtek 8132) so I'm at a loss for what to do - and I need the info QUICK because I'm only about 7 hours from running out of rc5 blocks.

#2: I haven't yet figured out how to set the default Screen resolution for X, nor have I gotten the desktop resolution quite right, even though I have it where I want it (I want both at 1024x768. I've got the desktop there, but I have to press CTRL+ALT++ twice to go from the default of 640x480 to where I want it at 1024x768.

Also, if anyone knows of a way to project the KDE desktop onto a Win32 Window (kind of like a PC Anywhere type thing), I'd appreciate the info. I can't afford to have this box connected to a monitor much longer, but I feel much safer in KDE than I do through telnet. Let me know what you all think.

buitenb: Thanks for the advice, but I didn't have a spare HD in that machine where I could offload the files. I did realize I could start up an FTP server on my Win98 machine and FTP all the files out that way. I'm glad I didn't have to. And as far as the WaterCooler pics - they should be up tomorrow if Scott has the time to put it up. CMonster sent me a bit more so I need to incorporate the new stuff in with the old.

And CMonster: I didn't install all packages simply because I didn't have room. It's a 528 MB HD, and even with the minimal install plus the packages I've installed, I still have under 100 MB free space. And as far as video goes, I just picked a card that could run true color @ 1024x768 (where I'd prefer to run) and I knew I wouldn't be using for a while, and the i740 fit the bill.

One thing is for sure, I have learned a TON about Linux in a very short time. This past 24 hours was basically devoted to that machine, save for 8 hours of sleep. I've considered writing an article about my experience with Linux, but I'm waffling on the idea. Let me know what you all think - I'm afraid it may not have general appeal. But if you want it, I'll write it.

I think I'm off to bed soon - been a long day.

[This message has been edited by Joel Kleppinger (edited 07-20-99).]

[Joel Kleppinger]

Oh, and let me tell you, there is NOTHING that compares to the feeling of finally compiling your first kernel, booting to it, firing up rc5 and seeing TWO CPUs detected. It's a beautiful sense of accomplishment.

[buitenb]

allright sucsess i devoted a old bigfoot 2,1 gig to linux 2 gig root and 100 meg swap
with 160 mb ram and it works fine but when i
wanna save my files i do it on the 2 extra
harddrives (win98) when i want to copy a audio cd under linux with my cdd2000 (scsi)
i cannot copy directly from cd to cd so i use the space on my windows drive (handy)
data will do cd to cd but i cant have it all
dont you have a other small drive to
copy the files to ? a 200 meg or so ?

[Joel Kleppinger]

No, actually, I don't. This 500MB drive is the smallest I have and I was just given the drive by my uncle who has no more use for it. But I'm beyond that problem now (I hope ).

Well, I'm still held back by this network card problem. It should be easy to select the right card, but the option is there in front of me in xconfig grayed out. It's frustrating to be this close, but yet so far off.

Oh, and I haven't fixed the default resolution problem I mentioned earlier. If anyone can give me a hand with that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

[CMonster]

Hello again Joel,

Great to hear of your success, I do know the feeling, but not yet with SMP; my first kernel compile was with Caldera OL 1.3 and it was just to get the sound working (you had to compile sound into the kernel in those days).

I hope you can share with me how to get back that NIC support - I had to reinstall the whole OS because I removed the module for my NIC and couldn't reload it..arghh! I still have problems with "samba," in that I can connect to my Windows computers and "put" and "get" files but the Linux machines refuse me access on invalid passwords - I know it must be just the editing of the config file...

One of the great things about Caldera Linux is "Lisa;" You were asking how to know what kernel was running - just run "lisa" at the command prompt or in a terminal window, do a verbose system analysis, and then kernel analysis. Lisa can do many things for you. But the older version of Lisa could do much more, the version that came with Caldera 1.3. I guess since so many of those functions are done within KDE that some of the Lisa functions have been disabled.

mmmm? too bad you don't live nearby, I might just have given you a 1.6GB disk for Linux...nah, I think I'll keep it.

[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 07-20-99).]

[Joel Kleppinger]

Hey thanks for the tip CMonster. That is a pretty nice little program.

OK, I figured out the network card problem. I discovered that I should have enabled incomplete/developmental drivers in order to have access to a host of drivers they included, including my NIC driver. I've since resompiled: It took me two goes this time.. the first time was bad for me (I think I forgot to run make modules and make modules_install (DOH)).

Anyway, I'm up now with full network and SMP enabled (I should see the first block flush out come in an hour or two). I still haven't figured out how to change the default screen res in X other than commenting out the resolutions I don't want in the XF86Config file, which does reduce my on-the-fly options in KDE. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with that.

And, if anyone knows a way (preferably free) to access the KDE desktop over a network from a Win32 machine, please let me know. I'd like to pull this box off a monitor as soon as possible since I have such a limit on them.

Thanks again for all your help.

Joel

[izzzy12k]

I know almost...ok, know nothing about linux version x. But my partner at work does, and he uses VNC (Virtual Network Computing). It is free and he showed me linux running windowed network connections with win95, win NT, and another linux box. Not sure if it will work with your setup, but its worth a try.

http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc

-Izzzy12k

[Joel Kleppinger]

Thanks for the heads up. I heard of it yesterday as an answer to one of my many questions on IRC. I've since downloaded it, but not installed it yet - going to give it an attempt today - here's hoping it's what I need. It'll sure be nice to unplug this box from the monitor it's on.