September 2007 - WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: [Wlug] System diagnostics
by Mike Leo Sept. 15, 2007

Sept. 15, 2007

I wont trick you...i know very little, but a senior was helping me the other day and showed me it. sar - Possibly one of the most useful (and vexing) commands you can use to monitor a system, System Activity Reporter gathers the specified information from the system on a scheduled basis and builds logfiles that you can then report on or mine specific timeframes to see what was going on between a set of time ticks. You can monitor many things with sar, including: file access routines, buffer activity, system call activity, block device activity, paging and much more. http://schogini.us/wordpress/index.php/2005/11/01/useful-linux-performance-… http://www.remote-dba.net/unix_linux/monitoring_commands.htm Using lvm? http://linux.about.com/library/cmd/blcmdl8_lvmsar.htm http://oklinux.org/oracle/Oracle9i_by_guppy.txt ----- Original Message ---- From: "kstratton(a)fastmail.us" <kstratton(a)fastmail.us> To: Worcester Linux Users Group <wlug(a)mail.wlug.org>; Worcester Linux Users Group <wlug(a)mail.wlug.org> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 9:58:15 AM Subject: Re: [Wlug] System diagnostics Could you provide more information abdout "sar"? I tried wikipedia.com, and on my system: man, info, apropos and emerge (a gentoo distribution tool) for "sar". I did not find anything I thought was relevant.... On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:18:22 -0700 (PDT), "Mike Leo" <mleo963(a)yahoo.com> said: > I learned about "sar" last night due to a server outage...check it out. > > I think it will server your purpose > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Andy Stewart <andystewart(a)comcast.net> > To: Worcester Linux Users Group <wlug(a)mail.wlug.org> > Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 5:42:55 PM > Subject: Re: [Wlug] System diagnostics > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > Michael Long wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > I just install Ubuntu 6.06 lts. With the box up and running it appears > > that there is disk activity because the light on the case is active. > > However running top shows the box is basically idle (CPU < 1%) and "ps > > aux" shows nothing unusual. I do not claim to be a sys admin however so > > I may not be interpreting things correctly. The fans seem to be working > > harder than before as well. > > > > What command line tools should I be looking at determine the health of > > the machine and drives. The os is on an IDE drive and I have a raid > > (MegaRAID) for the other drive. > > > > I know this is a bit vague but I am not sure where to start. I have been > > using opensuse but now I do not have x or the other tools that come > > bundled with kde. > > > > Thanks, > > Mike > > HI Mike, > > Here's what I would try: > > a) Are you sure that the disk activity light on the case is properly > wired to your MB? Is the light constantly on, or does it flicker? > > b) unplug the network cable to insure that the disk activity isn't > caused by something on the network > > c) If you are sufficiently patient and wait, does the activity stop (say > in 5-10 minute)? > > d) What happens if you run "tail -f /var/log/messages" as root ? Lots > of messages here could cause disk activity. > > I'm sure other folks with have other ideas, but that's my 2cents, > devalued for inflation. > > HTH, > > Andy > > > - -- > Andy Stewart, Founder > Worcester Linux Users' Group (http://www.wlug.org) > Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group (http://linux.meetup.com/393) > Amateur Radio: KB1OIQ > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) > Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org > > iD8DBQFG6wBfHl0iXDssISsRAmW4AJsF4LyFbM4xr0iZbSZX4aEFkSrh8gCfbTpP > /Cqxnygs6eR/rWTvB5/euKs= > =Gr5U > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > > -- kstratton(a)fastmail.us _______________________________________________ Wlug mailing list Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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System diagnostics
by Michael Long Sept. 14, 2007

Sept. 14, 2007

Hi All, I just install Ubuntu 6.06 lts. With the box up and running it appears that there is disk activity because the light on the case is active. However running top shows the box is basically idle (CPU < 1%) and "ps aux" shows nothing unusual. I do not claim to be a sys admin however so I may not be interpreting things correctly. The fans seem to be working harder than before as well. What command line tools should I be looking at determine the health of the machine and drives. The os is on an IDE drive and I have a raid (MegaRAID) for the other drive. I know this is a bit vague but I am not sure where to start. I have been using opensuse but now I do not have x or the other tools that come bundled with kde. Thanks, Mike

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apcupsd talk by Doug Mildram
by Andy Stewart Sept. 13, 2007

Sept. 13, 2007

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 HI gang, At our most recent WLUG meeting, Doug Mildram gave us a nice demo of his APC Smart UPS 620 which was connected to a Linux laptop running apcupsd and also a Windows laptop running the same free software. I had mentioned in the meeting that I was able to view the UPS data via a GUI on my web browser. I am running version 3.12.4 of apcupsd, and in the src/cgi directory is a file called upsstats.cgi. That's the magic file to which I point my browser to set the GUI type display. Thanks, Doug, for giving the talk on short notice. We enjoyed it! Later, Andy - -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group (http://www.wlug.org) Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group (http://linux.meetup.com/393) Amateur Radio: KB1OIQ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFG6LhrHl0iXDssISsRAiAxAJ98/On8bhPVftBOA2GzFXgvI1oOfwCffW+/ 5Ocxju9/JvdyJpBtw0X4i3A= =+8Qy -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: [Wlug] Web hosting
by Jamie Guinan Sept. 12, 2007

Sept. 12, 2007

I ended up doing a (rather pricey) full colo, but if I had gone with shared hosting, these guys[1] looked interesting, http://linode.com/ -Jamie [1] When I read about it, I got the impression that it is mostly one rather smart dude behind it. On Tue, 11 Sep 2007, Mike Leo wrote: > I know this question has gone around a few times, but I don't keep all the = > emails i get!=0A=0AAnyway, i host a weak little personal web site out of my= > house and was looking into hosting companies.=0A=0ANot quite sure how it w= > orks, if I want linux/mysql/wordpress. I need more than just a place to ho= > ld my index.html.=0A=0AAre there companies that give me total control over = > a "server" on the internet? I say "server" 'cause my guess would be a virt= > ual machine I could control remotely.=0A=0AAny advise would be greatly appr= > eciated.=0A=0AMike=0A=0A

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Web hosting
by Mike Leo Sept. 12, 2007

Sept. 12, 2007

I know this question has gone around a few times, but I don't keep all the emails i get! Anyway, i host a weak little personal web site out of my house and was looking into hosting companies. Not quite sure how it works, if I want linux/mysql/wordpress. I need more than just a place to hold my index.html. Are there companies that give me total control over a "server" on the internet? I say "server" 'cause my guess would be a virtual machine I could control remotely. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Mike

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Reminder: Meeting, Wed Sept 12th, 7:00 PM
by Andy Stewart Sept. 11, 2007

Sept. 11, 2007

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 HI everybody, Our next WLUG meeting will be on Wednesday, September 12th, at 7:00 PM in the Access Grid room on the WPI campus in Worcester, MA USA. If anybody would like to drive the discussion, feel free, otherwise, it will be a round table discussion. I'm wondering if anybody has any interest in giving a group presentation for any upcoming meeting. If so, please contact me. Afterwards, we'll get pizza on Highland Street. See ya then! Andy - -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group (http://www.wlug.org) Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group (http://linux.meetup.com/393) Amateur Radio: KB1OIQ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFG5gwhHl0iXDssISsRAn/fAJ0dMWdoPYXrSgXnHqArYw5CCWq38gCfZeeO q8tycQ3bhyEeuDAvhbxjMzQ= =PukN -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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AMD Details Strategic Open Source Graphics Driver Development Initiative
by Andy Stewart Sept. 10, 2007

Sept. 10, 2007

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Interesting reading: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/VirtualPressRoom/0,,51_104_543~119372,00… - -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group (http://www.wlug.org) Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group (http://linux.meetup.com/393) Amateur Radio: KB1OIQ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFG4bdsHl0iXDssISsRAj7bAJ0Zrnmt+OZfcOcCM/BNnFokdcBg+ACfQJVS LpZyqlOLvo5OgfYRvMgOs20= =GvlO -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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thursday meetings?
by Eric Stein Sept. 10, 2007

Sept. 10, 2007

Is it just me, or did we used to meet on Wednesdays? I have a class at that time, I guess this is bye until spring. Eric

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Oh my gawd.. What do I do now?
by Ken Jones Sept. 7, 2007

Sept. 7, 2007

I have a single 120 Gig hard drive dual booted XP and Fedora Core 6 machine. Recently Linux had been running slowly. I restarted, selected the linux side and was shocked to have it fail into a fix disk mode. It suggested that I use fsck. I did and answered "yes" to seemingly thousands of questions. Once finally done fixing errors I rebooted. Now it fails completely. It complains about multiple "dma-intr: error" and {uncorrectable error} The last gasp before terminating says: "not syncing: Attempted to kill init!" Then it hangs indefinitely. No keyboard input has any affect. The XP side of the machine works fine, but it crashes overnight. Where do I start? What do I do? Can I save the linux half of the hard drive? Ken Jones

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EEProm Programmer
by Tom Misilo Sept. 7, 2007

Sept. 7, 2007

Hey, I know this isn't completely linux related, but I was wondering if anyone happened to have any information on a Omni 64 EEPROM programmer.The Model is "Omni 64" And was manufactured by Oliver Advanced Engineering, Inc. (OAE). What I really want to do is be able to use the programmer to program some EEPROMs and make them boot eeproms for a few network cards so I can use LTSP (Thin Clients) on more computers I have and not have to attempt to boot from cd or floppy. Thanks, Tom Misilo -- Tom Misilo AIM:Tmisilo FL Jabber:tmisilo@jabber.org http://tmisilo.ath.cx

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