Tech Observer: Linux And Open Source

I have repeatedly suffered data loss of the partition table on my flash drives, notably my Apple iPod and Kingston USB thumbdrives that I used for file swapping.

I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T61 and am running Windows XP on it. Over the past year I have lost TWO Kingston thumbdrives and my iPod has been corrupted twice.

I regularly suspend, but the iPod was not connected when I either suspended or returned from suspension.

The iPod was functioning this morning when I listened to it driving in to work. After plugging the iPod in all the files were renamed and a number of BOGUS folders showed up. I am right now recovering files using PhotoRec because there are a few TXT files I need on the drive. The drive label was changed to "]XX▐GWI~S3"

Hope this helps someone else pinpoint the problem

I was looking for a periodical for BSD users, specifically FREEBSD since I have been using that now for two years, and like to keep current on what is going on with the BSD side of servers, and desktop user experience.

This magazine covers all the bases, and has a broad overview, and I recommend it for anyone that wishes to read more about current BSD technology, techniques and howtos...

If your focus is GNU/Linux, it's still helpful to read about the other *nix variants to keep your focus broad and keeps your perspective from developing tunnel vision. LOL

I got this error while installing ruby, rails and hobo on ubuntu 9.04:

mislav-will_paginate-2.3.8

these commands will install the required dependencies!

sudo gem update --system
sudo gem install rails --include-dependencies
sudo gem sources -a http://gems.github.com
sudo gem install hobo --include-dependencies

I recently had to check a port on a catalyst:

CISCO6500# SHOW VER
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) s72033_rp Software (s72033_rp-IPSERVICES_WAN-M), Version 12.2(18)SXF7, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2006 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Thu 23-Nov-06 06:34 by kellythw
Image text-base: 0x40101040, data-base: 0x42A70000

I got an email with this subject: Your Publishers Clearing House Order Confirmation
it mentions three magazines I would never subscribe to... I tracked down the 800 number for
Publisher's Clearing House 800 Customer service.
800-645-9242

I was trying to track down this book, could not remember the publisher, so was googling for different keywords... (gtd brain, learning brain, agile brain, gtd agile) etc etc.

Finally found it!
Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware (Pragmatic Programmers)

Software development happens in your head. Not in an editor, IDE, or design tool. You’re well educated on how to work with software and hardware, but what about wetware—our own brains? Learning new skills and new technology is critical to your career, and it’s all in your head.

I was trying to track down a suitable memory upgrade for the Asus Eee PC 900 Netbook Celeron M 900MHz Processor Netbook. Looks like it is DDR2 PC2-5300 • CL=5 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR2-667 type:

You can add an SDHC card for additional storage:
4GB

8GB

16GB

Eee PC 900
Genuine Windows® XP

GNU Linux
Pearl White, Black
Intel® Celeron M 353

DDR2

SO-DIMM
1GB

2.5 hrs*
802.11b/g

Details on the processor:
"Dothan-512" (ultra-low-voltage, 90 nm)

* Based on Pentium M microarchitecture
* All models support: MMX, SSE, SSE2
* XD bit (an NX bit implementation): supported by 373

Model Number sSpec Frequency L2-Cache Front Side Bus Mult Voltage TDP Socket Release Date Part Number(s)
Celeron M ULV 353 SLAFK 900 MHz 512 KiB 400 MT/s 9x 0.94 V 5 W Socket 479 September 2004 RJ80536VC900512

To locate a switch port on a Cisco Switch for a specific IP address you can approach it like this. Note these instructions are demonstrated on a Cisco IOS Software, Catalyst 4500 L3 Switch
Running Software (cat4500-ENTSERVICESK9-M), Version 12.2(46)SG, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

CiscoSwitch01>en
CiscoSwitch01#ping 192.168.1.157
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.1.157, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/3/8 ms
CiscoSwitch01#show arp | include 192.168.1.157
Internet 192.168.1.157 0 22df.c47e.0fd7 ARPA Vlan404
CiscoSwitch01#show mac address-table | include 22df.c47e.0fd7
404 22df.c47e.0fd7 dynamic ip GigabitEthernet3/34
CiscoSwitch01#show run
Building configuration...
!
/GigabitEthernet3/34
filtering...
interface GigabitEthernet3/34
description Host01-1 test server
switchport access vlan 404
switchport mode access
spanning-tree portfast
!

CiscoSwitch01#

I found this tool today, it is called WANem and runs from a Linux LIVEcd...
WANem

WANem is a tool which brings the internet into your development/test/lab environment. It emulates internet
like conditions within your control, so that you can check if your application performance and availability is internet
ready.

Here is how to update the xenserver tools in the virtual machine after upgrading a server...
In XenCenter, click on the Console Tab
Next to the DVD Drive, select the pull down menu.
Highlight xs-tools.iso to mount the iso virtually.
cd /mnt
ls
mkdir xs-tools
mount /dev/xvdd /mnt/xs-tools/
#mount: block device /dev/xvdd is write-protected, mounting read-only
cd /mnt/xs-tools/Linux/
bash install.sh

I've been banging my head against a problem for awhile, the XenCenter management app for XenServer stopped showing performance stats and graphs awhile ago. The Console screen also was blank so I only could SSH into the machine from putty if I wanted to admin anything... Hmm

Today I discovered the answer, there is a cache folder on the Windows machine that the XenCenter app is installed on and this cache of data needs to be purged!! So to remove the subfolder that is located in %AppData%\Citrix\XenCenterMain.exe_Url_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
If you remove the other folder as well, you will have to readd your Server hostname and password to the client. No biggie. Hope this helps someone else!

I have been using a Plantronics MX500i for a few weeks now and it is a bargain... You get a corded Boom MIC headset for your cellphone. Plus they include a USB adapter so you get a digital audio device on your PC. Basically it is a USB Digital Headset when connected thus. This is crystal clear and with services like SKYPE OUT you get unlimited domestic calling for $2.50 a month WOW! Take a look, heartily recommended!