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Running CUPS as normal user
by Dan 16 Sep '11

16 Sep '11

Dear All, On my Gentoo system, /usr/sbin/cupsd has permissions -r-x------ i.e. it can't be run (nor even read) as a normal user. Does anyone know why, please? Is it safe just to chmod the file then run it as a normal user? (Background: my new printer, an Epson SX525WD, needs proprietary drivers - and I like to run proprietary software only as a special, low-privileged user.) Thanks -- Regards, Dan

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GIMP frustration
by Bev Nicolson 09 Sep '11

09 Sep '11

I half expect someone to say how easy this is but I'm trying to join three photos together to form one jpg file. Easy to do in OO. In GIMP, I have no idea and the tutorial page doesn't seem to say anything on the topic. Help. Bev.

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Re: [ALUG] main Digest, Vol 75, Issue 8
by Bradley Simpson 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

Just Delete a Partion. Hello this is the first time i have ever replyed so i am sorry iff i am a bit crap. I had the same problem with a HP i have got so i figured out which partion was useless and deleted it using GParted and the resized the HD with GPated again pretty simple, Hope that helps. On 7 September 2011 15:26, <main-request(a)lists.alug.org.uk> wrote: > Send main mailing list submissions to > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > main-request(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > You can reach the person managing the list at > main-owner(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of main digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Partitioning Laptop (Richard Parsons) > 2. Re: Partitioning Laptop (Tim Green) > 3. Re: Partitioning Laptop (steve-ALUG(a)hst.me.uk) > 4. Re: Partitioning Laptop (Brett Parker) > 5. Re: Partitioning Laptop (Richard Parsons) > 6. Re: Partitioning Laptop (samwise) > 7. Re: Partitioning Laptop (Richard Parsons) > 8. Re: Partitioning Laptop (Stuart Bailey) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:16:36 +0100 > From: Richard Parsons <richard.lee.parsons(a)gmail.com> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <20110907121636.GA7728(a)myfreesolicitor.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > So what can I do? Is there a way of getting Ubuntu installed without > disturbing the contents of the partitions already setup? > > Thanks in advance > Richard > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:05:28 +0100 > From: Tim Green <timothy.j.green(a)gmail.com> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: > <CAE-w7J+rNTsE+pe1WNRxRAhC+oLKAOk0i0HGx9n46rq8W=YVdg(a)mail.gmail.com > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > On 7 September 2011 13:16, Richard Parsons > <richard.lee.parsons(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. ?It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. ?The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. ?If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". ?I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > The partition is probably tagged and formatted with NTFS - delete it > from within Windows to be sure it is the right (empty!) one. When you > start the Ubuntu installer again it should see the hole. > > Good luck, > Tim. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:33:29 +0100 > From: steve-ALUG(a)hst.me.uk > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <4E6772A9.3070709(a)hst.me.uk> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > I'm no expert, but I believe that a HDD set up with a partition table > can handle at most 4 "primary" partitions. That sounds like how your > laptop has been set up. > > If you change one of the "Primary" partitions to an "extended" > partition, then you can add extra "logical" partitions within the > extended partition. > > I doubt that it is possible to change a partition from Primary to > Extended c/w logical partitions without destroying the data on it. That > would imply having to backup, repartition, then restore. > Also, I don't know how Windows would cope with the new logical > partitions. In my previous experience, it can be quite fussy about > drive letters etc. > > I would also be quite dubious about the "recovery" partitions still > working if you change the partition structure that they're expecting to > see. > > I suppose it depends what's on the 2nd partition. Is it just for data? > Is Windows on partition 1? If that's the case you might get away with > it. e.g. > 1) Backup partition 2 (whatever drive letter it is). > 2) Delete partition 2. > 3) Recreate Partition 2 as an Extended Partion using all the free space. > 4) Create a Logical partition to restore the windows data onto. > 5) Create as many logical partitions as you need to need to install > linux. e.g. 2 / (root) and swap > 6) Restore the windows data onto the relevant partition. > 7) Install linux... > > Good luck! > And backup ***EVERYTHING*** before you start!!! > Steve > > On 07/09/11 13:16, Richard Parsons wrote: > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > > > So what can I do? Is there a way of getting Ubuntu installed without > disturbing the contents of the partitions already setup? > > > > Thanks in advance > > Richard > > > > _______________________________________________ > > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:41:28 +0100 > From: Brett Parker <iDunno(a)sommitrealweird.co.uk> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <20110907134128.GA29936@miranda> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > On 07 Sep 13:16, Richard Parsons wrote: > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > > > So what can I do? Is there a way of getting Ubuntu installed without > disturbing the contents of the partitions already setup? > > You're basically screwed - you can only have 4 primary partitions, > usually when wanting to go over this you make on of those 4 an extended > partition and new partitions get created in that. > > I'd take a diskimage of the disk in current state, using something like > clonezilla, then rejig the disk to remove any partitions that you don't > need, (you'll probably want a couple of partitions for linux), and go > from there. > > The reason for using something like clonezilla to take an image first > should be reasonably obvious, means that if you need to get back to that > state you can :) > > Cheers, > Brett. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:43:13 +0100 > From: Richard Parsons <richard.lee.parsons(a)gmail.com> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <20110907134312.GA7897(a)myfreesolicitor.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > On Wed, Sep 07, 2011 at 02:05:28PM +0100, Tim Green wrote: > > On 7 September 2011 13:16, Richard Parsons > > <richard.lee.parsons(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. ?It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. ?The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. ?If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". ?I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > > > The partition is probably tagged and formatted with NTFS - delete it > > from within Windows to be sure it is the right (empty!) one. When you > > start the Ubuntu installer again it should see the hole. > > Thank you for that tip. I'm hoping to keep the windows partition though. > My idea is to reduce the windows partition to say 80GB, to free up > approximately 400GB for the Ubuntu installation. If I delete the second > partition won't the windows installation be lost? > > > Good luck, > > I think I'm going to need it! I'm wondering whether what I want to do is > even possible. Perhaps I need to be looking at a tool like Ghost? > > Richard > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:28:09 +0100 > From: samwise <samwise(a)bagshot-row.org> > To: ALUG <main(a)lists.alug.org.uk> > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: > <CAEW9pC43xiSRGcWObteijh7+oMyyin0f1XNQC8DGv-2FaY7taw(a)mail.gmail.com > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. ?It currently has Windows 7 > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > partitions. ?The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. ?If I > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free space, > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". ?I believe that the extra partitions > are for recovery etc. > > > > So what can I do? ?Is there a way of getting Ubuntu installed without > disturbing the contents of the partitions already setup? > > > > Thanks in advance > > Richard > > Richard. > > The problem is that there can only be a maximum of four primary partitions > on a > disk, and your laptop ships with all four of them already in use. Simply > resizing one of the existing partitions won't help, because you won't > be permitted to create a fifth primary partition in the freed up > space. > > The easiest option is to just delete the two recovery partitions (you > should already have made some recovery DVDs from Windows, before doing > anything at all). That will allow you to resize the Windows partition > and create a new one for Linux. This approach means that if you ever > need to restore Windows on your laptop from scratch, you will be > wholly reliant on the recovery DVDs you made. > > The more complicated option is to backup the two existing recovery > partitions to files, and make a note of their partition information. > Then you can delete them both and create a new extended partition in > their place. This extended partition can contain multiple logical > partitions with it - so you can recreate the recovery partitions from > the files you backed them up to, within the new extended partition. > This approach will allow you to then create a new additional Linux > partition, either as a primary partition or within the extended > partition. If you ever need to reinstall Windows again, this way you > will have the choice of rebuilding the laptop from either the recovery > partitions on the disk or from the recovery DVDs you made instead. > > When I bought my HP laptop last year, I used GParted Live > [http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php] implement an extended > partition. The recovery partitions were fairly small in relation to > the total size of the disk so I figured it wouldn't hurt to leave them > intact. > > Peter. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:04:15 +0100 > From: Richard Parsons <richard.lee.parsons(a)gmail.com> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <20110907140414.GA7947(a)myfreesolicitor.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > On Wed, Sep 07, 2011 at 02:33:29PM +0100, steve-ALUG(a)hst.me.uk wrote: > > I'm no expert, but I believe that a HDD set up with a partition > > table can handle at most 4 "primary" partitions. That sounds like > > how your laptop has been set up. > > Yes, I'm pretty sure that's how it it. > > > If you change one of the "Primary" partitions to an "extended" > > partition, then you can add extra "logical" partitions within the > > extended partition. > > > > I doubt that it is possible to change a partition from Primary to > > Extended c/w logical partitions without destroying the data on it. > > That would imply having to backup, repartition, then restore. > > Also, I don't know how Windows would cope with the new logical > > partitions. In my previous experience, it can be quite fussy about > > drive letters etc. > > Yes, and sorry, I now realise that I'm asking about Windows, which is > hardly fair for a Linux mailing list! > > > I would also be quite dubious about the "recovery" partitions still > > working if you change the partition structure that they're expecting > > to see. > > Yes, good point. > > > I suppose it depends what's on the 2nd partition. Is it just for > > data? Is Windows on partition 1? If that's the case you might get > > away with it. e.g. > > I believe that Windows is installed on the second partition, but now I'm > even unsure about that. I find it hard to understand why Windows would > require four partitions. > > > 1) Backup partition 2 (whatever drive letter it is). > > 2) Delete partition 2. > > 3) Recreate Partition 2 as an Extended Partion using all the free space. > > 4) Create a Logical partition to restore the windows data onto. > > 5) Create as many logical partitions as you need to need to install > > linux. e.g. 2 / (root) and swap > > 6) Restore the windows data onto the relevant partition. > > 7) Install linux... > > > > Good luck! > > Thanks > > > And backup ***EVERYTHING*** before you start!!! > > Good advice. > > Do laptops ever have room for putting in a second hard drive? That would > be a better option. I suspect they don't though... > > Richard > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 8 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:26:15 +0100 > From: Stuart Bailey <stuart(a)linusoft.co.uk> > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Partitioning Laptop > Message-ID: <201109071526.18015.stuart(a)linusoft.co.uk> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > On Wednesday 07 September 2011 13:16:36 Richard Parsons wrote: > > Hi, I've recently bought a Compaq laptop. It currently has Windows 7 > > installed and I want to dual boot with Ubuntu. > > > > Unfortunately, Compaq have already partitioned the hard disk into four > > partitions. The largest partition, which is 480GB is the second. If I > > begin the installer, and resize the second partition to create free > space, > > then I'm told that it is "unuseable". I believe that the extra > partitions > > are for recovery etc. > > > > So what can I do? Is there a way of getting Ubuntu installed without > > disturbing the contents of the partitions already setup? > > > > Thanks in advance > > Richard > > > > _______________________________________________ > > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! > > Hi Richard, > Why don't you make an image of the windows partition using dd, then > repartition > as you like. dd the image back to the disk (same partition size of course), > then > install Ubuntu with dual boot. You won't need to worry about NTLDR in the > MBR, > since you will be using GRUB to boot either. > > This way also gives you a backup of Windows should things go wrong. > > Stuart > > > > Stuart Bailey BSc (hons) CEng CITP MBCS > LinuSoft (Managing Director) > Linux Specialist & Software Developer > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Phone: (0845) 658 3563 > Direct: +44 (0) 1953 878162 > Fax: +44 (0) 1603 858583 > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > http://www.linusoft.co.uk > > > __________ Information from ESET Mail Security, version of virus signature > database 6444 (20110907) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET Mail Security. > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > http://www.anglian.lug.org.uk/ > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > > > End of main Digest, Vol 75, Issue 8 > *********************************** >

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Re: [ALUG] cheap windows box
by Peter Alcibiades 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

On Wednesday 07 September 2011 18:58:15 you wrote: > Wow.. That website is absolutely amazing!! That's for posting it to > the ALUG list! Seriously tempted by the Optiplex 755 base units > they've got on there. Only £90 what a bargain!! > > -Simon > > > On 4 September 2011 22:31, Peter Alcibiades > > <palcibiades-first(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > www.speedie.co.uk > > > > Peter > > > > _______________________________________________ > > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! Yes, they are not bad. I have bought from them in the past, and their stuff arrives promply, properly packed, and the price is reasonable. The available stock fluctuates wildly as you would expect. I bought a laptop for a charity a few years back, we put Mandriva on it, and its going strong today. I see they have quite a stock of laptops now. Peter

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remote booting
by Peter Alcibiades 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

Question: is it possible to boot an existing system remotely, and if so how do you do it? The case I'm looking at is someone who wishes to just take the disk out of their desktop machine, and install it in a server someplace else in the building (for security reasons, it will be in a different secure environment), but boot from it over the network. So they would have a diskless workstation booting from their existing hard drive, but remotely. Is this possible? Or is there some way of doing something which comes to the same thing? I wondered also if the right way to go about this is xdcmp and remote login from a very basic desktop machine? Any suggestions gratefully received. Peter

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Using sort
by Mark Rogers 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

I have a log file which looks like this: 20110905-000107 803 cmd1853 - Host:/127.0.0.1 opened command interface from port: 54365 20110905-000108 761 cmd1854 - Command: 20110905-000108 766 cmd1853 - Response: 201 Service ready 20110905-000108 766 cmd1854 - Response: 201 Service ready 20110905-000108 803 cmd1854 - Host:/127.0.0.1 opened command interface from port: 57052 20110905-000108 804 cmd1853 - Host:/127.0.0.1 closed command interface from port: 54365 20110905-000113 804 cmd1854 - Host:/127.0.0.1 closed command interface from port: 57052 20110905-000313 761 cmd1858 - Command: 20110905-000313 766 cmd1856 - Response: 201 Service ready 20110905-000313 766 cmd1858 - Response: 201 Service ready I want to sort it in numeric order on the cmd value. Note that the cmd number isn't always 4 digits and I want cmd9 to appear before cmd10, etc. Can I do this with sort? I've seen examples that suggest that something along the lines of sort -n -k3.4 .. would do it but I can't get it working in any of the various permutations I've tried. -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450 Registered in England (0456 0902) 21 Drakes Mews, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ER

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[ALUG Announce] ALUG Norwich Pub Meet Thursday 8th September
by Viperfang 06 Sep '11

06 Sep '11

ALUG Announce Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce ----- Hello Aluggers, Our monthly ALUG Norwich social meeting will be held this Thursday, 8th September at The Coach and Horses (82 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1BA). The meeting officially starts at 8pm, although some people may arrive earlier. More information on those people can be found on the list and the IRC channel. If you are unsure if you will recognise us then make yourself and your intent to attend known by either posting on list or visiting us on IRC so we can look out for you rather than hiding in the corner. Optionally you could ask at the bar if they know where the geeky computer weirdos are and they'll point you in the right direction (seriously!). Another possibility is look for heaps of electronics on a table that may possibly look like movie props that would used for detonating explosives. Feel free to bring electronics/laptops/gadgets to the meet, you will by no means be alone. Ben Bewick aka Viperfang NB: This mail is automated, please refer to the usual sources for more information. ALUG Contact Details: Website : http://www.alug.org.uk/ IRC : #alug on irc.alug.org.uk List : http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo Twitter : http://twitter.com/anglianlug Identica: TBA Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2381613902 ----- Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce

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cheap windows box
by Peter Alcibiades 04 Sep '11

04 Sep '11

www.speedie.co.uk Peter

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Need a cheap windows box
by Montmorency 04 Sep '11

04 Sep '11

As in subject. At least 1.6GHz cpu; 2G of memory. HD doesn't matter. Even 40G would be fine. Katsmeat montmorency(a)ukfsn.org bellphegore(a)nerdshack.com

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A couple of git questions
by Chris G 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

While using git over the past few weeks a couple of questions have arisen. 1 - When doing a 'git commit' where does one, by convention, put the comment? Does it go before all the comments, after them, or what? I know it doesn't actually matter at all but I'd still like to know. 2 - What is 'git diff' invoking as a pager, and why? E.g. see the following:- chris$ git diff mychanges stable diff --git a/lib/plugins/config/settings/config.class.php b/lib/plugins/config/settings/config.class index 5075c60..01f15a5 100644 --- a/lib/plugins/config/settings/config.class.php +++ b/lib/plugins/config/settings/config.class.php @@ -774,8 +774,8 @@ if (!class_exists('setting_dirchoice')) { if ($entry == '.' || $entry == '..') continue; if ($this->_pattern && !preg_match($this->_pattern,$entry)) continue; - $file = (is_link($this->_dir.$entry)) ? readlink($this->_dir.$entry) : $this->_dir.$fil - if (is_dir($file)) $list[] = $entry; + $file = (is_link($this->_dir.$entry)) ? readlink($this->_dir.$entry) : $entry; + if (is_dir($this->_dir.$file)) $list[] = $entry; } closedir($dh); } (END) That (END) is a prompt waiting for me to do something to exit. This is on a 60 line high terminal window so the pager is unnecessary anyway! The real problem was that it took me quite a while to find out how to exit. -- Chris Green

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