Compiling Linux Kernel

Customising and compiling a Linux kernel for my system right now.

Encoding with Handbrake

I'm encoding a DVD with Handbrake now, with my lousy laptop. Surprisingly, it didn't seem to slow the system down much.

Owning an SSD certainly makes a huge difference. :-)

amule Causes System Crash

After running amule for some time, there will be high disk activity and then the system will hang.

This problem occurs on both i686 and amd64 architectures, regardless of what desktop environment you use.

It started happening after I set a download limit, under bandwidth.

If you're experiencing the same problem, set the download limit to 0 and you should be fine.













Related:

Running amule with download limit set crashes system

aMule is crashing since last Ubuntu update

aMule crashes in kernels 23 and 24

Dell D420 with Compact Flash Card

I managed to replace the slow 4200 RPM hard disk of my Dell D420 with a CompactFlash card and a Secure Digital card just moments ago. The ZIF connector looked intimidating and I'd never handled one before, so I was quite certain that I'd rip the entire cable apart. Lol. But it turned out just fine - removing it was a breeze.

They call this "the poor man's SSD". The dirt cheap components necessary for this upgrade originated from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The root files reside on the CompactFlash card (which has been turned into a hard disk using a Compact Flash to Zero Insertion Force converter) while the home directory resides on the Secure Digital card (the D420 comes with an SD slot).

There's the redundant 4200 RPM hard disk which I'm still wondering what to do with. If I sell it, it could fetch a high price because of its rarity, but I might just want to use it as a removable hard drive with a ZIF hard disk enclosure.

It feels strange....Well, for one, my system is a lot faster now....and I'm not too sure if I really need a laptop cooler pad with fans anymore.....

Faster Linux in a Few Simple Steps!

A 200-line Linux kernel patch has been developed, that is designed to automatically create task groups per TTY in an effort to improve the desktop interactivity under system strain.

Lennart Poettering, a RedHat developer, has come up with an easy alternative (it takes just a few simple steps) to this patch. The following method for Ubuntu users is provided, courtesy of Ricardo Ferreira:


Start by editing your rc.local file, running sudo gedit /etc/rc.local and add the following lines above "exit 0":

mkdir -p /dev/cgroup/cpu
mount -t cgroup cgroup /dev/cgroup/cpu -o cpu
mkdir -m 0777 /dev/cgroup/cpu/user
echo "/usr/local/sbin/cgroup_clean" > /dev/cgroup/cpu/release_agent

Save and exit gedit. Now, make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /etc/rc.local

After doing this, edit the .bashrc file found in your home directory (gedit ~/.bashrc) and, at the end of this file, add:

if [ "$PS1" ] ; then
mkdir -m 0700 /dev/cgroup/cpu/user/$$
echo $$ > /dev/cgroup/cpu/user/$$/tasks
echo "1" > /dev/cgroup/cpu/user/$$/notify_on_release
fi

One last thing. To make sure that cgroups are deleted whenever the last task leaves, run:

sudo gedit /usr/local/sbin/cgroup_clean

And copy-paste this:

#!/bin/sh
rmdir /dev/cgroup/cpu/$*

Once again, save the file, exit gedit and make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/sbin/cgroup_clean

Done! Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Unity on Ubuntu

Unity, running on my laptop. It crawls like a snail (I've a dual core laptop here, and not an ancient one). Gays will love this! :P


Fellas, get ready for the uniquely Ubuntu gay eXPerience, cos the next version of Ubuntu will be rolled out with Unity as the default interface. Lol.


I'm gonna issue an apt-command now to eliminate this gay interface and install LXDE. It'll probably take me just 5 minutes. That is the beauty of Linux. :-)

My New Linux Samba Server

Related: My Samba Music Server - Linux-Windows Connectivity

Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Edition

Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Edition on some pretty Dell netbooks.

Amarok Cannot Save Last.fm Credentials

Amarok Cannot Save Last.fm Credentials

Yet, another Amarok bug....*Sigh*


This is a workaround:

1. Open a terminal window

2. sudo gedit .kde/share/config/amarokrc

3. Add the following lines to the file:
[Service_LastFm]
fetchSimilar=true
ignoreWallet=yes
scrobble=true
sessionKey=
username=Your last.fm username
password=Your last.fm password

Amarok - MySQL vs SQLite

I haven't used Amarok for more than 6 months and the first thing I encountered when I launched it was the missing collection problem, although in my case, it was a lot less complicated than what the others faced. All I did was set up a MySQL database and the problem was solved.

Here's how you can set up a MySQL database for Amarok:

MySQL setup for Amarok Do note that you can use any password you want.

MySQL is a lot faster than SQLite if you've got a huge music collection (like me). So, for those of you out there who are still using the default SQLite, it might be worth the while to switch to MySQL.















Related:

Ubuntu 9.04 / Amarok 2 Sound Problem

Exaile - The Amarok Alternative

Ubuntu To Enter Tablet Market

Apple's iPad was hardly the first tablet to appear on the scene, but it is unquestionably responsible for the recent spike in tablet development. Now it looks as if Ubuntu will be entering the field as well.

Linux - Things Can Only Get Better

With Linux, things can only get better. :-)


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Ultimate Edition...........
Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 11:25:05 -0400
From: Fred A. Miller
To: Wei-Yee Chan

On 05/14/2010 01:34 PM, Wei-Yee Chan wrote:

On Friday, May 14, 2010 10:13 AM, Fred A. Miller wrote:

Hello, this is a capture of my laptop with UE! Man, this IS the way Ubuntu SHOULD
ship!! AWESOME! You should take a GOOD look at it!

Fred









--
I call several liberals friends. Fortunately I don't require my friends to be intelligent, able to think logically, or politically astute.

Woohoo!!! It's just awesome, Fred!!! Love it!!! And congratulations on the successful switch to Ubuntu!!!

As I said before, I couldn't stand the older versions of Gnome, but his release makes Ubuntu a LOT easier to deal with. ;) The UE version is VERY, VERY nice....you should check it out!!

Fred <---- Professor, University of Wei-Yee Chan, Hong Kong

Hehehehehe........well, that's a new one! :) Tell ya what, if I could get to Hong Kong, I would....just for the food! I LOVE Szechwan!!

It seems like things have been going really well for us recently. :-)

http://chanweiyee.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-brand-new-1-tb-hard-disk-2gb-ram.html

GOOD! You got the hard drive working "out-of-the-box" or did you have to do something different with it?

Fred

--
I call several liberals friends. Fortunately I don't require my friends to be intelligent, able to think logically, or politically astute.

My Brand New 1TB Hard Disk & 2GB RAM

I received this two days ago. It's 1TB cos that was what Western Digital awarded to me when I returned a defective 500GB hard disk (the circuit board was faulty) to them in an RMA (Return Material Authorisation).









The new 2GB RAM strip has arrived, bringing my total system RAM to 3GB. I've tested it with Memtest86+ and found no problems.

Don't ask me why, but I always play the following song after I've completed a computer hardware upgrade:




Related: My "New" ATI HD 3450 Series Graphics Card

My "New" ATI HD 3450 Series Graphics Card

It's not really a new card but one that was re-sold to me, cos the owner in Wales has no use for it. This card speeds things up considerably when I'm playing 3D games and editing photos. For around US$20 more, I could have gotten a better card with twice the RAM, but I'd decided that this was good enough for me.

I am still waiting for my brand new RAM from Spain, which will bring my total system RAM to 3GB.

Today, I decided to replace my semi-faulty speakers of more than 10 years, so I placed an order for a set of Chinese speakers that supposedly consume only 6 watts, but can produce fantastic sound. The cost? Only slightly over US$20. No more bulky speakers with a gigantic subwoofer for me! I'm looking forward to less power consumption. :-)

The cost for the RAM and speakers has been covered by proceeds from sales of used clothing today. I've still got some spare change in my pocket......

Advanced Ubuntu Desktop Effects

Instructions on how to enable advanced customisation of Ubuntu desktop effects highlighted in red.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Ubuntu.....
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:28:41 +0800
From: Wei-Yee Chan
To: Fred A. Miller


Fred A. Miller wrote:

> There ISN'T a proprietary driver for Intel chipsets.....they released
> all the code.

Oh ok, I wasn't aware of that cos I don't have any Intel hardware anymore.


> Yes.....but in KDE you have ALL KINDS of individual settings.

That's what I hate about KDE. Here's why I love Gnome: Install
compizconfig-settings-manager and you'll be able to adjust whatever you want.

After you've installed the package, click on System - Preferences and
select CompizConfig Settings Manager.


> I need to know where the repositories are.....NOT the ones Ubuntu
> tells me about, but others.....like to get all the multimedia stuff
> that I can't find to avoid DRM, etc. problems.

Ok, I've got a simple solution. Start up synaptic, click on Settings -
Repositories. You'll see two tabs: Ubuntu Software and Other Software.
Check all the repositories (except the source codes).

*Don't* mess with the Updates tab. Someone checked "Pre-released
updates" and his system went down. *Rotfl*


>> Yea, I know what you mean - it's a harsh reality of life. Well,
>> Ubuntu is still going strong, so no worries - at least for the meantime.
>
> And WON'T be as long as there isn't any stock or very little to buy.

Yea, that'll keep the big bullies away. :-)

Enabling Visual Effects on Ubuntu

Fred (a SUSE and openSUSE Linux veteran) has been asking me about Ubuntu for years and this time round he's decided to make a full switch to Ubuntu. Welcome aboard, Fred!

There are two segments in this blog entry. The first segment is technical in nature, while the second concerns politics. I have segregated the two, as some readers have informed me privately that they find the people I mention in my political blog entries highly repulsive, and they feel angry, nauseous or horrified, after reading what I've written.

Anyway, let's move on now.


Here's the technical segment:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Ubuntu.....
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:59:39 +0800
From: Wei-Yee Chan
To: Fred A. Miller

Fred A. Miller wrote:

> Below is my Ubuntu desktop on my laptop....10.04 beta 1. Gnome is MUCH
> improved....just might be able to use it.

Nice!

> Now, how do I get access to set all the eye candy 1 by 1....I can't
> find any such app. to do that.

More likely than not, you'll need to install a proprietary driver.

Click on System - Administration - Hardware drivers. Install the driver
(if any).

After you've done that, click on System - Preferences - Appearance and
select the Visual Effects tab.

Do let me know if that works, but if it doesn't, I won't be able to do a
thing about it.....

> One thing I found that seemed rather ignorant is that you can't have a
> different background in each workspace. Even KDE does that
> now.....again. ;)

Probably, they figured it would take up unnecessary system resources.


> It IS faster than KDE 4.4.*, by the way.

Yep! I've been saying all along that Gnome is "lighter" and more
customisable. Like I said, KDE is way too bulky for me.

> My move away from openSUSE has begun.....it'll be a LONG road as there
> are so many systems to get done, but it'll happen over time.
>
> Fred

Lol. How many more to go? Yea, it's just a matter of time - you'll get
there soon.




And here's the political segment:

I've never received a cent from Fred, he's not of my nationality and he's not of my race either. He had been asking me about this and that for years without ever making a move to switch to Ubuntu. Even if he decides to go back to SUSE, I won't blame him. As long as someone comes to me in good faith, I'm more than willing to help him or her.

So, why do I dish out advice for free without strings attached, but not do likewise for $in-gaporeans? $in-gaporeans will accuse me of suffering from Pinkerton Syndrome, meaning that I favour white Caucasians over Asians. These Linux guru wannabes (trolls) attack, accuse, slander, ridicule, mock and judge just about anyone who disapproves of their behaviours - I simply ignore them.

Let me clarify. Firstly, I don't charge anything for giving simple (or at least, it is simple to me) advice. Secondly, I've also helped many Arabs, Chinese, Indians (mostly Southern ones), Israelis, Indonesians and Malaysians. Why, surely these people aren't Caucasian! But most importantly, I know that Fred goes around homes helping people to install Linux on their computers. In other words, he contributes a lot to the Linux community.

In contrast, what do $in-gaporeans do with whatever little knowledge they've learned? They show off and attack others on forums - they even resort to calling the resident gurus idiots and liars! But hey, I don't mind if they want to make a fool out of themselves under the cloak of anonymity, as long as they don't do it in my name, by misquoting what I've said or making things up.

Wow! Well done! Way to go trolls! Now, stop wasting my time, cos when you waste my time, many people won't be able to use Linux!

Fellas, watch out for these trolls! Remember, if you're following the $in-gaporeans, you're not on the stairway to learning Linux, but you're taking a great leap forward towards hopeless idiocy and insanity.


Related:

The Uniquely Japanese Ubuntu Spirit

The Uniquely $in-gapore Ubuntu eXPerience

Microsoft Wireless Mouse & Ubuntu

Microsoft Wireless Mouse Model 1025. The reception is extremely good.

I'm using two of my eight spare made-in-China rechargeable batteries to power this baby up.

Honestly, I didn't expect this one to work with Ubuntu - but it does.

Make Ubuntu Look like Windows XP

I'm not too sure why anyone would want this though....

Ubuntu Kung Fu

In $in-gapore, the Sunflower Manual (葵花寶典) is the pinnacle of Kung Fu. It's truly No. 1, but (I emphasise) only in $in-gapore.



Related: The Uniquely Japanese Ubuntu Spirit

Linux Game - Codebreaker

A game that I played a few years ago - 1 month after switching from Fedora to Ubuntu.

These are the reasons why I love Linux games:

1. Entertaining and they don't take up much of your time.
2. Free of cost.
3. Simple and don't take up much system resources.