From Mandriva 2005 LE to 2006 Free

Hi Guys, yesterday I have decided to upgrade my 2005 LE to 2006 Free.
I had some problem but now all the system seems to be stable.

Get urpmi's repositories of Mandriva 2006 Free Edition, as usual, from http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/.

Before you do anything reads this note Mandriva 2006.0 release notes.

update your urpmi database, and then type:

urpmi --auto-select

I suggest you to use the option "--test" before the main upgrade to check if there are dependencies' problems.

1. Upgrade your kernel
2. Upgrade the system
3. If you use gnome, reinstall gnome-panel.

At this point you Xorg will not have 3D, you can enable it following this process:

1. Install the kernel-source package
2. Get the ATI Driver Installer
3. Run ATI Driver Installer as root, choosing:
• Generate Distribution Specific Driver Package
• Agree to the license
• Mandriva Packages->Mandriva/2006 ( Note: mayby you need some develop package, chk the log file: /usr/share/fglrx/fglrx-install.log. You can Uninstall the driver with :/usr/share/fglrx/fglrx-uninstall.sh )
4. Install from root all the rpm created using urpmi: ati-8.20.8-1mdk.i586.rpm, ati-devel-8.20.8-1mdk.i586.rpm, dkms-ati-8.20.8-1mdk.i586.rpm
   
5. Open the hardware configuration manager and select your video card. Take a look to the image for the settings
   















6. Restart X

OpenOffice:

Urpmi --auto-select has installed OpenOffice 1.1.5 but Mandriva has the version 2.0, the package name is: openoffice.org-go-ooo

Note: Some days ago I installed the SUN's JRE, yesterday after the upgrade I had problem running OO with JRE installed, OO sucked all my cpu. I have removed JRE and now all is ok


That's all for now.

RJP

Americas Army 2.5 - Linux

Hi folks,
yesterday icculus.org has released the final version of AmericansArmy v. 2.5 for Linux

The installer add the game to the Gnome menu ( should be the same for KDE but I don't use it so I can't say nothing ).

The game works perfect with the quite similar frame rate I have under Windows.

Have fun!

ATI fglrx, Xorg and DRI

Today I have succesfully installed the ATI drivers on my Vaio.

You can find the ATI driver at this link:
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=27 and download the rpm version.

This is the main guide I have followed for the installation process:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?threadid=361450
but with some adjustment.

First of all you must have installed the kernel source ( keep in mind that must be the same version that you are running )

I used urpmi to make the installation, in this way I can keep track of the rpm package in db.

Now make a copy of /usr/X11R6/lib/FGL.renamed.libGL.so.1.2 because this file create a conflict with the ATI's rpm and it'll be overwrite. Now you can start with the installation process:

# urpmi --allow-force fglrx_6_8_0-8.16.20-1.i386.rpm
say "y" for all the questions.

If all has gone well, run
# fglrxconfig
You can keep all the default settings, choose only you language ( keyboard layout ) and the resolution about 24 bit depth selecting ( 8632 ).

Then edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, created by ATI and modify the Subsection "Display" adding the mode: 1920x1200. The Subsection should result in this way :

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1920x1200" "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0 # initial origin if mode is smaller than desktop
# Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

In Section "Files", comment all the istances of FontPath and RgbPath then add this line:

FontPath "unix/:-1"

Note: This line indicates to xorg to use the xfs ( X font server )

save and restart the server.

This is the glxgears output:
9648 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1929.600 FPS
11474 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2294.800 FPS
12028 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2405.600 FPS
12018 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2403.600 FPS
12399 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2479.800 FPS
12614 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2522.800 FPS
12169 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2433.800 FPS
13676 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2735.200 FPS
14351 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2870.200 FPS

Done !

*** Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that this process works on your machine and it's at your own risk. ***

Adding your service to the system:

put your init script in /etc/init.d with a top description like this:
# chkconfig: 2345 99 5
# description:

where the 2345 are the level in which you want the service on, 99 is the start order and 5 the stop.

chkconfig --add myservice

Then you'll be ablo to manage you service from the graphical system manager.

Add media to urpmi

Keep in mind:
# man urpmi
# man urpmi.cfg
# man urpmi.addmedia

http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/ is very useful to help you in adding sites to you urpmi's media.

For example this is my /etc/urpmi/urpmi.cfg:

# generated Thu Sep 15 09:47:16 2005
{
}

Main\ (distrib1) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/main {
hdlist: hdlist.Main (distrib1).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_main.cz
}

Contrib\ (distrib2) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/contrib {
hdlist: hdlist.Contrib (distrib2).cz
key-ids: 78d019f5
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_contrib.cz
}

Java\ Contrib\ (distrib3) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/jpackage {
hdlist: hdlist.Java Contrib (distrib3).cz
key-ids: c431416d
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_jpackage.cz
}

update_source ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/updates/10.2/main_updates {
hdlist: hdlist.update_source.cz
key-ids: 22458a98
list: list.update_source
update
with_hdlist: media_info/hdlist.cz
}

Installation\ CD1\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 1) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD1 (2005 LE Dischi 1).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist1.cz
}

Installation\ CD2\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 2) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main2 {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD2 (2005 LE Dischi 2).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist2.cz
}

Installation\ CD3\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 3) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main3 {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD3 (2005 LE Dischi 3).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist3.cz
}

plf-free ftp://ftp.easynet.fr/plf/mandrake/free/10.2 {
hdlist: hdlist.plf-free.cz
key-ids: caba22ae
list: list.plf-free
with_hdlist: hdlist.cz
}

plf-nonfree ftp://ftp.easynet.fr/plf/mandrake/non-free/10.2 {
hdlist: hdlist.plf-nonfree.cz
key-ids: caba22ae
list: list.plf-nonfree
with_hdlist: hdlist.cz
}

What is it supported ?

Monitor :
Wide screen 1920x1200 17" WUXGA X-black is very cool, no problems!
Dri not yet supported from xorg for my video card ATI Mobility Radeon X600 256 MB

Wireless:
WiFi:
Works but you have to install the ipw2200-firmware first.
You need to install the dhcp-client if your network has a dhcp-server.

Note: I have to activate the network interface to make it works. :-) these because I use Gnome and the network graphic tool seems to has some problem activating the interface on the fly.

Bluetooth:
Works.

Audio:
Alsa makes its jobs well. I had some trouble with the microphone, I don't know why but to make it works correctly I must open the mixer (Gnome or Kde) deselect Mic in, select another audio source and then reselect Mic.
At the beginning I had problems wyth Skype ( audio resource busy ) so I could not make multiple calls. At now it works very well and my resource in not busy any more.
As Multimedia System ( Gnome ) it's selected OSS.

Connections:
USB and i.Link work.

Card Dual Pro Reads:
It doens't work. No support at all.

Function Keys:
They don't work. I have followed the instruction on http://popies.net/sonypi/ but I think there is some problem with the kernel module, because dmesg reports this:
Sony Vaio Jogdial input method installed.
Sony Vaio Keys input method installed.
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call1 (line 589)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call2 (line 600)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call2 (line 602)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call1 (line 589)
sonypi: Sony Programmable I/O Controller Driverv1.26.
sonypi: detected type2 model, verbose = 0, fnkeyinit = off, camera = off, compat = off, mask = 0xffffffff, useinput = on, acpi = on
sonypi: enabled at irq=11, port1=0x1080, port2=0x1084

However spicctrl works, in this way you can controll the brightness of you monitor by hand.

DVD/CD:
Works.

I'll find out a way to pint out all the info about hardware that Mandriva is able to identify.

Choose the distro: Mandriva 2005 LE

At the time of my installation ( end of July 2005 ) only Mandriva 2005 LE has been able to detect my SATA HD . I have tried Debian (testing), Knoppix, Ubuntu without succes, probably now the situation could be better.

0) Backup all you data!
1) I have resized my disk partition for a dual boot with Windows XP SP2 and Linux.

Windows : sda1 - 27.0 GB - NTFS
Linux Swap: sda5 - 1.8 GB - Linux Swap
Linux Root: sda6 - 63.0 GB - ext3

I think you could make the same work with dedicated software.

3) Reinstall Windows following the Sony procedure
4) Start with the Mandriva 2005 LE.
4.1) Insert in your cd/dvd ( first disk )
4.2) Reboot the machine
4.3) Follow the instructions
4.4) Enjoy!

I have to say that the installation procedure of Mandriva has been one of the more easy that I have ever seen for a Linux distro.