Backup of Linux(No. 1)

Installation †

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/opt configuration †

create /opt partion during installation.

cd /usr/local
mv * /opt
cd /usr
rmdir /usr/local
ln -s /opt local

Basic idea is that we are fond of having non-mandriva applications installed in /opt directory. Those are Intel compiler, ncview, matlab, google-earth, and so on. /opt directory / partition should have > 8GB (preferably > 16 GB).

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NVIDIATM video driver †

Use mcc (Mandriva Control Center) to install linux kernel source, ld, binutils, make, gcc, gfortran, etc...

Leave x-window to get console mode

su
telinit 3

then

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-260.19.44.run

from the appropriate directory where the driver file is saved.

Basically, video drivers must be merged with Linux kernel. Nvidia drivers manage to re-compile the kernel from the kernel source file. (n.b., The student workstations are equipped with GeForce GT430. Use the appropriate driver.)

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Failure in mounting a DVD drive during installation †

For workstations with ASUS P8H67-V mother board, a DVD drive is missing immediately after the linux kernel in the installation DVD (Mandriva 2010.2 Free) takes over the BIOS-level DVD controller. This is true for the three BTO computers bought from Unitcom Inc. for the 2011 undergrads.

This is caused by incomplete packaging of the Mandriva 2010.2 distribution with the AHCI driver for SATA3 ports. The thing is that the DVD drive attached to a SATA3 port on M/B (the grayish connector) is inaccessible from the Linux kernel. Another possible solution is to (update flush BIOS and) disable AHCI mode to revert back to IDE mode --- it was unfortunately not working with our PCs.

A (crude) solution is to detach the DVD data cable from a SATA3 port and then to plug in to a SATA2 port (the blueish connectors) before the installation. This is totally OK because DVD drives do not require such a high speed accessibility. Rather, SATA3 ports are reserved for extra HDD for future usage.

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Dropping NIC with a kernel message like "Disabling IRQ #xx"... †

You should add "irqpoll" during booting your machine to prevent this issue.

make yourself root: su
vi /boot/grub/menu.lst
kernel /vmlinuz ............ vga=788 irqpoll

and reboot your machine.

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Restart MATLAB license manually †

As a user, go to /opt/MATLAB/R2011a/etc, then submit

./lmstart

This sequence should be done automatically upon booting.

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Fixing hostname of the machine †

Add your hostname in /etc/hosts

It reads:

127.0.0.1       sardine
127.0.0.1       localhost
   :                    :

Edit /etc/sysconfig/network

NETWORKING=yes
CRDA_DOMAIN=US
HOSTNAME=sardine.dce.kobe-u.ac.jp

Restart network with

/etc/init.d/network restart