Hardware: Trying to fix sluggy cd-rom

sudo apt-get install hardinfo
hardinfo

... but hardinfo wouldn't launch. So ...

hdparm -d1 /dev/cdrom

from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=86603&highlight=hdparm+cdrom+dma

PHP & Pmwiki

PHP installed via kynaptic without incident ...

Downloaded Pmwiki from http://www.pmwiki.org/pub/pmwiki/pmwiki-latest.tgz
Unzipped, contents dumped in www.

Went to xxx.xxx.xxx.03/pmwiki/pmwiki.php:

Warning: mkdir(wiki.d): Permission denied in /var/www/pmwiki/pmwiki.php on line 366
PmWiki can't process your request

PmWiki needs to have a writable wiki.d/ directory before it can continue. You can create the directory manually by executing the following commands on your server:

mkdir /var/www/pmwiki/wiki.d
chmod 777 /var/www/pmwiki/wiki.d

Then, reload this page.

I am a fricking genius.

Apache

Yeah baby ...

sudo apt-get install apache 2
enable http on router, direct to xxx.xxx.0.3
edit etc/apache2/httpd.conf, add DocumentRoot /home/ree/web, save

ree@SPANKY:/var/www$ cd /etc/init.d
ree@SPANKY:/etc/init.d$ sudo ./apache2 restart

Installing nvidia

OK, so here's how to install the nvidia drivers (so Tux will work!!)

Download the installer from this page according to your architecture (32bit or 64bit)
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

Make sure you have the kernel headers of your current kernel installed. If not, you can install them following these steps:

Open either Terminal or Konsole and type:

uname -r (this will tell you the name and version of the kernel you are using)

Open either Synaptic or Kynaptic, click "Search" button and put "header" in the search field. You will see a list of files, find "linux-headers-the name you got from uname -r". For example if your kernel is "2.6.10-5-386", the headers will be "linux-headers-2.6.10-5-386". Click on the files and select "Mark for installation", click Apply.

1) uninstall nvidia-glx (if you don't have it just go to step 2)

2) remove the file manually:
sudo rm /etc/init.d/nvidia-glx

3) sudo apt-get install gcc (just in case)

ctl-alt-f1 (so as to get to the command line)

login with your username and password (if required)

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop (or "kdm stop" if you use KDE)

cd “directory where you have the nvidia installer”

If you have Ubuntu 64bit type: **
sudo sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7667-pkg2.run

Otherwise if you have Ubuntu 32 bit type:
sudo sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7667-pkg2.run

If you have Ubuntu 64bit you can't install OpenGL32bit compatibility libraries, so when the installer asks whether to install it just answer no.

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf_backup

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
scroll the file down until you find the line with “Modules” and comment out (by putting a "#" before the line) the 2 lines I put in blue and add Load "glx". It should look like the example below:

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
#Load "dri"
#Load “GLcore”
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"

Then find the section Device and make sure the word I put in red is “nvidia”:

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV40 [GeForce 6200 TurboCache]"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"

Save & Exit.

/etc/init.d/gdm start (or "kdm start" if you use KDE)

Now you have installed the new nvidia driver.

If you want a "control panel" which shows the settings of your card you might want to install "Nvidia-settings" (this part of the guide has been taken from the Unofficial Ubuntu Starter Guide) although they driver works fine also without it (the choice it's up to you).

Open Terminal or Konsole and type

sudo apt-get install nvidia-settings

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/NVIDIA-Settings.desktop (you can use "kate" instead of "gedit" in KDE)

Insert the following lines into the new file:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=NVIDIA Settings
Comment=NVIDIA Settings
Exec=nvidia-settings
Icon=
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Application;System;

Save & exit.

Restart your computer

From: Kubuntu Forums.

Games

Bloody universe repository lines weren't uncommented in sources.list, which is why no decent games could be downloaded (apart from KFoulEggs, ugly but addictive tetris-ish game).

frozen-bubble now on its way!

Couldn't remember the editor to specify in terminal to edit sources.list, so did a right-click and edit as root.

More games tomorrow.

iPod Shuffle & mp3's

Apparently amaroK doesn't work with iPod Shuffle. :/

Ok, so onto gtkpod:
Create a bunch of f directories

cd /media/sdb1/iPod_Control/Music/
sudo mkdir f04
...
sudo mkdir f06

Change mount point in Options, and all is well.

Kaffiene

Ran Kaffiene (media player) for the first time, setup info just in case I can't get it back:

Kaffeine Part...
Ok.KDE...
Found version: 3.4.0
Ok.xine-lib...
Found version: 1.0
Ok.WIN32 Codecs...
No WIN32 codecs found in /usr/lib/win32. You're not able to play Windows Media 9 files, newer Real Media files and some less common formats. Download the codecs here: http://www.mplayerhq.hu.libdvdcss...
libdvdcss not found. You're not able to play encrypted (most commercial) DVD's. You can get the library here (but using it may violate copyright regulations of your country!): http://developers.videolan.org/libdvdcss.DVD Drive...
DMA mode off! For smooth DVD playback run as root: "hdparm -d1 /dev/dvd".Distribution...
Ok.
RESULT: Found some problems, but nevertheless Kaffeine may work.

Eventually installed everything with avi, divx and xine in the heading, which let me play divx files (finally).