Linux Gazette MailBag Issue #25

#### "Linux Gazette...making Linux just a little more fun!"

## The Mailbag! Write the Gazette at gazette@ssc.com | ### Contents: Help Wanted General Mail

### Help Wanted

Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 17:09:31 +1000
From: Peter Scott webguru@planet-sex.com
Subject: Help - Adding third hard drive

I've been using Slackware Linux 2.0.29 for quite some time. I've managed with 2 drives with partitions for Win95 and Linux, but now I need to add another drive. It is recognised in the BIOS and can be found in Windoze, but I get no joy from Linux. I expected to be able to mount the drive straight away. Do I need to do some insnod or mke2fs or something.

        # mount /dev/hdc1 /mnt
        mount: the kernel does not recognize /dev/hdc1 as a block device
               (may# fdisk /dev/hdc

        # fdisk /dev/hdc
        Unable to open /dev/hdc

I've got a fealing that I need to reconfigure Lilo or something? I know that I've forgotten something obvious, but I've wasted hours without any joy.

thanx,
pete

Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 19:55:08 +0000
From: George Russell george.russell@clara.net
Subject: Installing StarOffice 3.1 on Redhat 4.2

I'm having difficulties installing StarOffice onto my system. I've installed the rpms for static binaries, common files, english demos and english docs. I've run the setup script and done a user install, after updating libc and ld.so, and would like to now run the package. It says to install two daemons, svdaemon and svportmap . These both need something called rpc and the portmap daemon, which I can find no reference to on my system. How can I install these so that StarOffice will run. All help gratefully recieved.
--
George Richard Russell

Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 05:55:26 -0600
From: ReXsOn RuLeZ abernal@theonramp.net
Subject: Question....

Hello there... sorry to bother with probably one of the stupidist questions in the world, but I want to install Linux on my computer; the problem is that I share a computer with my family and of course they don't have a clue of what I do so they don't care, they just want to be able to use office to do their work. I've looked around various Linux sites trying to find an answer but I've been unsuccesful. My question is this: As I told you I have a windows95 box and all the documents that

Are outthere focus on installing linux in a DOS environment which in my case and a lot of people it's history. I have a 3 gig hardrive that I think is partitioned already in 2 because I have a c: and d: I'm not sure if they're separate hardrives or one is partitioned. What I would like to know is what should I do here. I'm not sure if my second drive which is 1 gig is already formated for windows which I think it is because it has a recyble bin. I don't know what to do because I'm afraid that if I delete or erase the partition the whole thing will become one hardrive and I will have to erase everything to partition that one hardrive. I was kind of hoping there was a way or partitionin my second hardrive (d:) and leave a part for windows and another for Linux.

As I told you earlier I'm sorry to make this kind of questions but if I damage something of this computer my dad would prive me of even looking at it, and I don't want that to happen. I would really aprecciate your help since I'm really eagered to use Linux.

Thanx in advance for your help.

Rexson

Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 20:39:14 -0400
From: Frank Nazario webmaster@prplaza.net
Subject: HI...

I've just finished browsing your Gazzettte and it is very cool...as a web administrator at http://www.prplaza.net I was fedup with the performance and slowness of an NT enviroment and decided kind of reluctant to migrate to Linux (right now i'm a green thumb at it)... But and a big BUT after seen a single processor pentium pro 200 server running linux redhat 5.0 and Apache Webserver blow the doors of a dual pentium pro 200 running on NT and IIS3.0...i was sold in the spot....never to touch Microsoft NT again ... and feeling good about it.

My problem is this one ... I've gone bananas in trying to find a document that explains how to install, in a step by step fashion, the Apache SSL "extensions" to one of my Apache WWW Webservers (the performance increase is awesome) can you or anyone that reads this help...

thanks beforehand for you response....

Frank Nazario San Juan, Puerto Rico

Date: Sun, 18 Jan 1998 11:36:50 -0500
From: Michael Vore mvore@digex.net
Subject: Problems with CD-ROM

Admittedly I'm not sure where the problem lies, When using NT-4/Netscape Communicator-4 to view the cdrom all links look like "file:///El/lj/<whatever.htm>" Which of course will not be found. I have looked at the source to try to find why the double '//' and the '/El' come from. Any ideas? (and any work arounds??)

At the moment I don't have X running on my Linux machine - it's a new install of RedHat and during the upgrade I forgot to same the XConfig files.

mike

Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 09:52:28 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Stutz stutz@dsl.org
Subject: Help Wanted: SVGALIB Screenshots?

Is there any way to make a screenshot of a graphical program that runs on the console (_not_ in X)?

Date: 21 Jan 98 11:28:04 -0500
From: Jonathan Smith SMITHJL@detroitedison.com
Subject: netcfg

I am using X to connect to my ISP via the netcfg command. I have it starting up at boot time. This works great, but I was wondering where the chat script and pppd command are hiding for the ppp interface that you can create via netcfg.

I was also wondering if there was a way to prevent my ISP from dropping me after a given time of activity. I am using a cron job to ping to my isp, but that does not seem to prevent this from happening. Should I try pinging to a server other than my ISP?

Thanks, Jonathan Smith.

Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 02:38:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Jaume Vicent jvicent@yahoo.com
Subject: Sound Card MED3931

I'm a new Linux user (kernel 2.0.29). My sound card is a MED3931, with a chip OPTi 82c931.

As it is a PnP card, I use the isapnptools-1.9 package, loading the sound support as a module. I've tried configure it as a MAD16 or MSS (Microsoft Sound System) but it hasn't worked in any way.

I don't know if the problem is with the IRQ/DMA/IO settings (I use the same ones as with Windows 95) that I set in the /etc/isapnp.conf file, or it is that the sound driver (OSS/Free) just doesn't support this card.

Can you help? Thank you.

Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 22:51:09 +0200
From: Asaf Wiener wasaf@writeme.com
Subject: from were can i download (for free) LINUX?

I have an inter pentium, and I would like to install LINUX in my computer. But, I don't know from were can i download the installation files (for free), I heard that LINUX is a free softwere, but i don't find a site that i can download for free LINUX. Please help me to find such a site (and also some install instractions).

Thank you,
Asaf wiener

> Look on the Linux Resources page to find pointers to everything you need, http://www.linuxresources.com/ --Editor

Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 14:59:00 +1100
From: Peter Lee peterl@localgov.wacher.com.au
Subject: POP3d Problem

I am having problem connecting to the POP3 Server in Linux. This problem only arise when a new email arrives or there are mails in my mailbox If I delete all my mails I can connect to the POP3 Server. Error message I get is:

ERR - being read already /usr/spool/mail/<login>

I have removed the account and recreated it again. Still problem occurs. And I know I am the only one logged on. The only way I can read my mails is manually telneting to the Linux and use either pine or mail from the unix command

Any Suggestions ?

PETER LEE

Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 13:02:25 -0003
From: RAFAGUI@if.ufrgs.br
Subject: Printing postcript ...

I really want to print some using postscript form but I can't ... So, I have read a lot of docs and unfortunately when I try to print some I just got the postscript language.

I tried configure the 'printcap' and so on but. My printer is a CANON 4200 Bj and I am running Slackware 96 Linux Version.

Oh: I just gave a look at the RedHat 5.0 comments and seems it make easier. I am thinking about purchase it.

Thanks a lot. I would appreciate a reply.

Regards,

Rafael.

Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 08:09:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Casimer P. Zakrzewski zak@acadia.net
Subject: IBM 8514 monitor

Hi. I'm new to Linux, and my problem is installing my monitor, an IBM 8514, for use with X-Window. I use an S3 Virge 86C325 accelerator card.

After installing Red Hat 4.2, the monitor works fine for command line, but when I try using it for X-Window, the screen shrivels up to something less than a 3x5 recipe card! I've tried reconfiguring different combinations of color depths and screen resolutions, and have come up with everything from a blank screen to 'your worst nightmare'.

I'm stumped. I've tried the different FAQ sites, but can't find one that can give me a hint of how to configure this monitor for use with X-Window. I'd appreciate any help anyone can give me. I had to resort to installing Win95 and IE (which work for this monitor/card) just to send this out. Thanks in advance for any help I can get.

Zak

Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 11:06:17 -0800
From: Apple Annie annel@cdsnet.net
Subject: Re: Remote address on Chat sites

I am not a very literate person on the internet, so many of the vernaculars used are over my head. However, am having a problem of people "killing" me when they wish to , on Java Chat room. I would like to be able to eliminate my Remote number coming up with my user name . Is there a simple way of doing this? I do not desire these people to locate my server & other information. Thanks for your response, if you can give me help. If not, then thank you anyhow.

Sincerely yours,

Anne L

Date: 27 Jan 98 13:18:56
From: dennis.j.smith dennis.j.smith@ArthurAndersen.com
Subject: Linux and VAX 3400 and 3300

I have just purchased a MicroVAX 3400 and 3300. I would like to put Linux on these two systems. Can you provide any help in this aspect.

Dennis

Date: Wed, 28 Jan 98 15:54:55 MST
From: Antony Ware aware@acs.ucalgary.ca
Subject: Linux and Children

I've been hunting around for linux software for toddlers. My eldest (3) has had fun with xpaint, and he likes to "type", but there's a lot more going on at his level on my DOS partition. (:-(

So far, my searches in the linux world have turned up...nothing. Does anyone know of anything out there?

Cheers,

Tony Ware

### General Mail

Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 12:14:09 PST
From: Marty Leisner leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com
Subject: I don't like long articles

Glen Fowler's article comparing NT and linux processes is too long for the gazette (IMHO) and didn't print out good from netscape...

HTML is not the best media for everything, maybe the gazette should have an abstract and a URL for a postscript or tex master.

marty

Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 11:07:06 +0100
From: Trond Eivind Glomsrød teg@pvv.ntnu.no
Subject: Linux and routing

In the January issue, you ask for readers to write an article on how to connect a LAN via just 1 IP address...

That is rather unnecesarry - there is a mini-HOWTO on it, called "IP Masquerade mini-HOWTO". Available from your favorite LDP mirror.

Trond Eivind Glomsrød

Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 22:26:57 -0600
From: chris rennert lavithan@execpc.com
Subject: Rookie

Hello I am a newbie to Linux and I am very excited that I stumbled across the Linux Gazette.. I have been wanting to put up a home LAN with 2 pc's for some time ... and the article on SAMBA has put me on the right track. I am a computer science student here in Wisconsin and I love using linux. I will keep reading .. I just hope that you keep printing.. Thanks again and I hope I can contribute in the future to this great Mag.

Chris Rennert

Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 01:32:06 -0700
From: Sean Horan sean@olam.ed.asu.edu
Subject: Server uptime

I'm sending this maybe as news, perhaps Linux stability and advocacy.

I heard that the record for keeping up a Linux server up continuously without reboot is six months. Here's the output from executing 'w' on our Linux 1.2.8 system.

    1:48am  up 274 days, 17:05,  1 user,  load average: 1.09, 1.02, 1.00
    User     tty      from             login@  idle   JCPU   PCPU  what
    sean     ttyp1    sss2-01.inre.as  1:46am                      w

274 days, 24 hours a day. Never restarted. How common is this?

Let us know
--Sean

Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 15:04:35 -0800
From: Sean Russell ser@javalab.uoregon.edu
Subject: Linux security

I'm not intending to kick of a debate of the merits of PAM, but I have a couple of comments and a question.

The question is, has anybody, commercial or freeware, started coding an MVS-like security system for Linux? Specifically, I'm interested in the fine granularity of access controls, the ability to deal with more than just file accesses, user configurable ACLs, and most importantly, security at the kernel level. One thing I find most distasteful about PAM is the fact that applications have to be PAM aware to make use of PAM's abilities. MVS security, on the other hand, is soft-linked into the IO layer of the kernel, and /all/ applications use that security model without knowing anything about it.

Anyone who has any comments on this, information, or leads, please email me.

Thanks!

--- SER

Published in Linux Gazette Issue 25, February 1998

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