September 2006 - Grml - lists.mur.at

Ubuntu ReplacementInit
by Mark 17 Sep '06

17 Sep '06

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReplacementInit http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/knot3 Ubuntu going where grml has gone before. M

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Updating a Devel Harddisk Installation
by Johannes Stiegler 14 Sep '06

14 Sep '06

Hi everybody, i'm just wondering, if it's possible to upgrade a grml2hd installation of a devel version of grml. As i'm using the harddisk installation on one of my computers, and i don't want to reinstall with each new devel-release, this would very convenient. I did a quick search on the web and the mailinglist, respectively, but i didn't find something. So would be nice if this will work:-) Cheers Johannes

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grml repository problem?
by T 13 Sep '06

13 Sep '06

Hi Any problem with the grml repository? This is what I get: $ aptitude upgrade The following packages will be upgraded: grml-etc 1 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 7 not upgraded. Need to get 674kB of archives. After unpacking 0B will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Err http://grml.org ./ grml-etc 0.8-10 404 Not Found

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XFCE 4.4RC1 binary debs available
by Mark 13 Sep '06

13 Sep '06

Grml users could test before the RC goes final: http://xfce-diary.blogspot.com/2006/09/xfce-44-release-candiate-1.html#c115… deb http://xfce.corsac.net/ sid main "these are build for debian sid/unstable, but should work on debian-clones too, as far the dependencies are ok (this should be the case, if you are using some 4.4 beta) i think these packages should hit unstable soon, as everybody loves to see xfce 4.4 final in etch in december"

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PySDM
by Mark 12 Sep '06

12 Sep '06

Possibly interesting in relation to recent grml developments (fstab generation etc.). http://pysdm.sourceforge.net

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Re: RFC: handling of external usb devices
by Michael Prokop 11 Sep '06

11 Sep '06

(Readded grml-user and grml-devel mailinglists to Cc so other users and devs stay informed as well.) * Mark <27e3kk302(a)sneakemail.com> [20060911 03:15]: > > Ok, I just took some minutes to finally implement it. > > (grml-)rebuildfstab supports LABELs and UUIDs now. > Fantastic. In response to the solicitation for feedback: > An issue we have with USB hard drives is that /mnt subfolders get stale > as hardware changes. Grml creates the /mnt subfolders, but never > deletes them. Obviously not a problem for live CDs, but it is for USB. ACK, good catch. > It would be nice if grml would delete /mnt subfolders for hardware that > it does not detect at boot. > So, how can grml know that it (not the user) created the folder. If the > user created a /mnt subfolder grml probably should not delete it > automatically. > Well, my suggestion: Every time grml creates a /mnt subfolder, drop an > empty file into it named ".grml-auto-created-do-not-delete-this-file" or > something like that. Actually, grml could put useful data into the file > (such as date, UUID, filesystem type, etc.). This file lets grml know > that it has permission to delete the folder. Nice idea! I just implemented it. :) Now running [grml-]rebuildfstab handles the /mnt/*-directories as well. It generates directories for all defined "mounting-targets" and adds an entry to /mnt/.grml-auto-created-do-not-delete-this-file for all automatically generated devices as well. When running [grml-]rebuildfstab once more it checks for present entries and deletes all auto-generated directories in /mnt if there does not exist an entry in /etc/fstab anymore. If you manually create a directory in /mnt/ it won't be touched at all. I'm just preparing the packages grml-rebuildfstab-0.3 and grml-scanpartitions-0.3 and write documentation for all the new stuff. When I've finished testing the packages I'll upload them to the grml-repos and will included them in the upcoming grml 0.8-1 develrelease so you see it in action. :) regards, -mika- -- You like grml? Help us! http://grml.org/donations/ Already on the grml-user-map? http://www.frappr.com/grmlusers Grml Solutions http://solutions.grml.org/

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RFC: handling of external usb devices
by Michael Prokop 11 Sep '06

11 Sep '06

Hello, I'd like to ask for your comments about handling of external usb devices on grml. As you might know mounting usb pens on grml is possible via running 'mount /mnt/external1' (corresponding to /dev/sda1) and 'mount /mnt/external' (corresponding to /dev/sda). As stated in a mail by Tong to the grml user mailinglist the problems start with multiple devices or devices with several partitions on it. I'd like to improve usability and handling of it therefore. Thanks for input goes to Tong and Alexander Steinboeck, please read on for details about my solution. ################################################################################ /mnt/external[1] will be left without any changes, we will stay completely backwards compatible. Additionally we will create /dev/usb-sd* devices via udev rules like: # cat /etc/udev/usbpen.rules SUBSYSTEM=="block", BUS=="usb", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", ACTION=="add", SYMLINK+="usb-%k", GROUP="users", NAME="%k" SUBSYSTEM=="block", BUS=="usb", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", ACTION=="add", RUN+="/bin/mkdir -p /mnt/usb-%k" SUBSYSTEM=="block", BUS=="usb", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", ACTION=="add", RUN+="/bin/sleep 2" SUBSYSTEM=="block", BUS=="usb", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", ACTION=="add", RUN+="/usr/sbin/create_mnt_labels" SUBSYSTEM=="block", BUS=="usb", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", ACTION=="add", RUN+="/usr/sbin/rebuildfstab -r -u 1000 -g 1000" ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", RUN+="/usr/sbin/rebuildfstab -r -u 1000 -g 1000" ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]*", RUN+="/bin/rmdir /mnt/usb-%k", OPTIONS="last_rule" So we have the following devices available when plugging in an usb pen with 4 partitions on it: # ls -la /dev/usb* /dev/external* /dev/sd* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 3 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/external -> sda lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/external1 -> sda1 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/external2 -> sda2 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/external3 -> sda3 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/external4 -> sda4 brw-rw---- 1 root users 8, 0 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/sda brw-rw---- 1 root users 8, 1 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/sda1 brw-rw---- 1 root users 8, 2 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/sda2 brw-rw---- 1 root users 8, 3 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/sda3 brw-rw---- 1 root users 8, 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/sda4 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 3 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/usb-sda -> sda lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/usb-sda1 -> sda1 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/usb-sda2 -> sda2 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/usb-sda3 -> sda3 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 2006-09-03 17:25 /dev/usb-sda4 -> sda4 According to that we will have the following directories available in /mnt: # ls -lad /mnt/[eu]* drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-03-08 19:55 /mnt/external/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-03-08 19:55 /mnt/external1/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 17:25 /mnt/usb-sda/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 17:25 /mnt/usb-sda1/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 17:25 /mnt/usb-sda2/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 17:25 /mnt/usb-sda3/ drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 17:25 /mnt/usb-sda4/ As /dev/sda4 contains a labeled filesystem the script /usr/sbin/create_mnt_labels will create a new directory in /mnt: # vol_id /dev/sda4 ID_FS_USAGE=filesystem ID_FS_TYPE=xfs ID_FS_VERSION= ID_FS_UUID=dc79eb17-9f98-49c7-9cfc-10d8fd279215 ID_FS_LABEL=foobar ID_FS_LABEL_SAFE=foobar # ls -la /mnt/foobar total 8 drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2006-09-03 18:05 ./ drwxr-xr-x 24 root root 4096 2006-09-03 18:05 ../ So mounting via label is possible therefore too with root-permissions: # mount -L foobar /mnt/foobar /etc/fstab will be updated as well (see the udev rule above, 2 seconds delay so we really catch all devices) and therefore will look like: # cat /etc/fstab [...] # Added by GRML /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1 ntfs noauto,nouser,dev,suid,exec,ro,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1 vfat noauto,nouser,dev,suid,exec,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/sda2 /mnt/sda2 vfat noauto,nouser,dev,suid,exec,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/sda3 /mnt/sda3 vfat noauto,nouser,dev,suid,exec,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/sda4 /mnt/sda4 vfat noauto,nouser,dev,suid,exec,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/usb-sda /mnt/usb-sda auto users,noauto,nodev,noatime,nosuid,noexec,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/usb-sda1 /mnt/usb-sda1 auto users,noauto,nodev,noatime,nosuid,noexec,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/usb-sda2 /mnt/usb-sda2 auto users,noauto,nodev,noatime,nosuid,noexec,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/usb-sda3 /mnt/usb-sda3 auto users,noauto,nodev,noatime,nosuid,noexec,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 # Added by GRML /dev/usb-sda4 /mnt/usb-sda4 auto users,noauto,nodev,noatime,nosuid,noexec,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 So you have the old /dev/sd* entries as usual and additionally the new, but more restricted ones meant for use as normal user. Mounting as user with uid 1000 (= user grml on the live-cd) is possible via running for example "mount /mnt/usb-sda2". As soon as you unplug the usb device /etc/fstab will be updated again so all invalid/not-anymore-existing entries will be removed automatically. The /mnt/usb-sd* directories will be deleted as well. The fs-label directories in /mnt won't be deleted automatically. If you want to disable the above feature at all on your grml system you would just have to remove the according udev rules file. This will be documented of course. ################################################################################ Please let me know what you think about it. If you're happy with this solutions I'd implement it so you can test it in real-live with the upcoming grml 0.7-1 devel-release. regards, -mika- -- http://grml.org/ # Linux for texttool-users and sysadmins http://wiki.grml.org/ # share your knowledge http://grml.supersized.org/ # the grml development weblog #grml @ irc.freenode.org # meet us on irc

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new grml release available: grml 0.8
by Michael Prokop 11 Sep '06

11 Sep '06

Hoi, I'm proud to be able to present a new grml release: grml 0.8 with codename funkenzutzler is available. For more information regarding grml 0.8 take a look at: http://grml.org/files/README-0.8.php Issues regarding the release can be found in the grml-wiki at http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=grml_0.8 Download: http://grml.org/download/ Thanks to all of you who helped to improve grml! Happy hacking and enjoy grml! regards, -mika- -- You like grml? Help us! http://grml.org/donations/ Already on the grml-user-map? http://www.frappr.com/grmlusers Grml Solutions http://solutions.grml.org/

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with deepest apologies
by Martin Yazdzik 09 Sep '06

09 Sep '06

My curiosity gets the better of me.... start debug, date gives NY, login as root, date still gives NY. login as yazdzik, but use root terminal, date gives Wien, thus explaining why the admin mode of kcontrol does so, as it is using a different tty, so to speak. So, now we know: 1. debug mode, date is always correct, NY 2. whether debug or normal grml boot, gdm always gives correct date reading when logged in as root or user 3. in X(gdm) su to root in zsh gives date as Wien, not NY, as does gksu terminal, as does kcontrol as root (or switching to admin mode via gui in kcontrol), irrespective of desktop(kde, gnome, flux) 4. logging into kde from gdm as root, kcontrol gives correct reading, NY 5. kdm always gives wrong date reading - at reboot, bios is reset to CEST, so next boot is six hours ahead of NY time. Note well, not to GMT, but CEST!!! So, all relevant information is there - what causes this and how do we remedy it? An ashamed and sorry Martin begs for patience and forbearance. (duldsam comes out weird in English ;) ) Any ideas at all? -M

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Video geometry 1152x864 missing
by Mark 08 Sep '06

08 Sep '06

It's a "standard" geometry, see table inside section 5.3: http://debian.mcc.ac.uk/non-debian/Howtos/Framebuffer-HOWTO-5.html with a whole column just for 1152x864. It's missing from grml's X configuration scripts: grep "1152x864" /etc/X11/xorg.conf.example grep "1152x864" /usr/bin/grml-x grml of course has the other geometries: grep "1024x768" /etc/X11/xorg.conf.example grep "1024x768" /usr/bin/grml-x

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