[PLUG] Breezy

Michael M. nixlists at writemoore.net
Wed Jul 5 18:35:14 UTC 2006


Bruce Kilpatrick wrote:
> After my last post and discussion with Aaron, I started doing some 
> digging in Breezy.  I just thought all was well with Breezy.  It has 
> many of the same problems that my "upgraded to Dapper" has.
>
> Aaron noticed that Dapper was only using one of my processors.  Breezy 
> has the same issue.  After a little digging on the Internet, I note 
> that I should probably be using the *.*.*-686-smp kernel instead of 
> the 2.6.12-10-386 that /var/log/messages reports.
>
> After doing some Google work looking for a set of instructions for 
> updating a kernel, I decided that one of you would most likely know 
> where I could find that information.  So...
>
> A couple of questions...
> 1. Do I need a new kernel or do I just need to reconfigure the one I 
> have? If so, where can I find instructions for downloading an 
> appropriate smp kernel, building(?), installing said kernel, and is 
> this a safe process?


Install a new kernel the same way you install anything else -- using 
apt, aptitude, synaptic, Adept, or whichever tool you usually use.  You 
will have to reboot to use the new kernel.  If you use GRUB as your 
bootloader (the default in Ubuntu), it should update automatically to 
add your newly installed kernel to the boot menu.  Ubuntu should also 
leave your current kernel in place (presuming you don't remove it), 
which will serve as a backup in case something goes wrong with the new 
kernel.

If you want to build a custom kernel, that's more involved.


> 2.  How long does this process take on a PIII 933 dually working with 
> half it's horsepower (I realize this is asking for a guesstimate)?
> 3.  If I were to dump my vision of a working Dapper until the Ubuntu 
> CDs arrive in the mail box, what flavor of Linux would you all 
> recommend for my second hard drive?
> I had thought to install Slackware, but my 10.2 coasters are not being 
> helpful (something about a corrupt or missing something or another).  
> I have a live Gentoo CD which will also install, but I read that might 
> tax my knowledge of Linux.  I may try anyway...worst case scenario is 
> format and start over...and can someone close to Sandy, Oregon burn 
> the install disk(s) for me?
>


The nice thing about Gentoo is the documentation.  The installation 
guide is comprehensive and thorough, and the Gentoo wiki is a trove of 
information about all kinds of things related to using Linux (and not 
just Gentoo).  If you just go with the defaults, you should end up with 
sane installation.  The tweaking and optimizing can come later, if 
you're so inclined.  It might tax your knowledge of Linux (it certainly 
taxed mine), but you learn a lot in the process.

The not-so-nice thing about Gentoo for the impatient is that the 
compiling takes time.  It's not the speediest way to get up and running, 
especially if you want to use a fat desktop environment like Gnome or KDE.


-- 
Michael M. ++ Portland, OR ++ USA
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream." --S. Jackson




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