DeLi Linux 0.8 Configuration

This is the third diary of DeLi Linux Diaries Series, the previous is: DeLi Linux 0.8 Installation. The next will be: Softwares Installaiton on DeLi Linux 0.8.

Here is official DeLi Linux 0.8 configuration Wiki page: First steps after installation. According to my experience, I will make a complementing to offcial manual in this diary. I will introduce how to configure DeLi Linux 0.8, include the configuration of X Windows, network, sound card, mouse, usb flash disk, etc.. Basically, this will not include the configuration for a specific language. The detail of configuration of chinese console and X Windows environment and related softwares I will post in another diaries.

Restart the system installed by ” deliinstall “, login console with root account. Start configuring by type ” delisetup ” apfter command prompt. The first item is keyboard configuration, simplified chinese user select “us”; The second item is language, simpified chinese user select ” zh_CN.UTF-8 “; The third is Lilo boot program setup, I have introduced the detail of it in diaries DeLi Linux 0.8 Installation; The fourth is ” ppp ” connection configuration, it is old style telephone dialing connect to internet, I think there should no many person is using such a way basically, and, I haven’t tested this way under Linux. You can configure it according to the prompt of the program if you need.

The fifth item is configuration of local network, you must set it in spite of you are in a local intranet or connect to internet by ADSL directlly. Input the host name, such as ” deli “; Input the domain name of your computer located in, there isn’t a domain name for me, so I enter one started without a dot “.”, such as ” localdomain “; The next is set IP for machine, please choose one in these three types according to your environment. I will introduce these three types configuration simply.

1), Static IP: If you are allocated a static IP, Gateway and DNS, you can use this configuration. It is in an intranet normally. enter data according to the prompt, e.g.:
ip: 192.168.0.106, netmask: 255.255.255.0, gateway: 192.168.0.1; dns: 61.236.159.99

Next is to load net card driver, the first item is detecting automatically; the second is modifying config file “/etc/rc.modules” manually. At first, let program detecting net card, if the result is error, the net card can’t work, then, you must modify the config file. I have a “ne” compatible ISA net card, but the system detected it as “com20020” net card, it can’t work. I have to modify the config file “/etc/rc.modules” manually. I added a new line “/sbin/modprobe ne io=0x240” to the end of this file. The parameter “io=0x240” I got from the windows97 which the net card have ever been worked under it(You can get this data from other way, e.g., search at internet). You don’t need add a “io=xxx” if it is a PNP net card, e.g., “/sbin/modprobe 8139too”;

2), DHCP: If your IP is alloctated by a DHCP server in local network automatically, or “cable modem”, or a DSL service (I use an ADSL to connect to internet, but, when set it to DHCP I can’t connect to internet, I must load the net card driver in “/etc/rc.modules”, then configure it as “loopback” which I will describe later, then configure ADSL with program “pppoe-setup”, only in this way I can connect to internat with ADSL, I don’t know the reason yet. But, if I configure it as DHCP or static IP, after I execute “route add default ppp0”, it can connect to internet too), then select DHCP. This also include a net card driver configuration like above;

3), loopback: If you are using a serical modem, or a notebook net card (this is related to pcmcia), or has no net card, then select “loopback”. This will not setup the net card driver;

You can surf internet if you are in an intranet which has a gateway connect to internet. Ping a domain name (e.g., google.com) to confirm if you configure the network right.

If you are an ADSL user, you must setup “pppoe” after finished the local network configuration with “delisetup” to connect internet. First, confirm if the “ppp” and “rp-pppoe” packages have been intalled. Execute command “pacman -Q package name” to confirm this. Then, type “pppoe-setup” to configure ADSL connection. The program will ask you ADSL user name, password, network interface, DNS and firewall, etc.. Answer it with your own situation. Normally, the network interface is “eth0”, DNS is “server”, and firewall is “1”. Confirm your choices and finish the configuration. Then you can start ADSL connection by execute “pppoe-start” with root account, “pppoe-stop” to close the connection. You can write “pppoe-start” into a config file to let ADSL connection start automatically when system boot. For example, you can write “pppoe-start &” as a new line at the end of file “/etc/rc.local”.

Because there is bug in the “delisetup” program, it will simply quit when select the item 9, item A and B ( See bug report page in Wiki: #23:deli:delisetup options lead to wrong place), so, I don’t set these items in “delisetup”. Additional software installation in item 9 I can use the pacman program to install it which I have introduced it in diary DeLi Linux 0.8 Installation; Item A I found there isn’t a software called “masqmail” in deli’s current packages reposity(a new version of “delisetup” in deli’s packages resporiy has deleted item 9 and item A). I edited file “/etc/rc.conf” manually to configure the services need start when system boot in item B. I introduce how to configure item B here. “ls /etc/rc.d/” to see valid services, then edit file “/etc/rc.conf”, fill the services name need started into the “” in the line SERVICES=”” sperated with space. For example: SERVICES=”net sshd”. Note, don’t write “gpm” into it, I found it will stop the system booting. If you need start “gpm” service when boot, you can add a new line “/etc/rc.d/gpm start &” into file “/etc/rc.local” ;

Additionally, you maybe meet problem when configure “Xorg X Server” in console (See bug report Wiki page: #27:delitools:some delisetup errors), it maybe cause errors when write into file ” /etc/X11/xorg.conf “. So, my method is configure item 7 “Tiny X Server” first, then enter into X Windows to configure “XOrg X Server” with command “delisetup” in xterm. In fact, both “Tiny X Server” and “XOrg X Server” are X server for X Windows, the first can be used in almost any computer, but with limited 60HZ refresh rate of monitor screen, it is a bit uncomfortable for eyes when use CRT monitor; the second has higher refresh rate.

Now select item 7 to configure “Tiny X Server”, next move to “Xvesa X-server”, next choose “video mode”, e.g., “800x600x15”, finished it will return back to main config menu. Then select item 8 “Setup Window Manager”, there is only one choice “icewm”, select “OK”. Then, move the bar to the last item “Quit” to quit main menu. You need link the mouse device “/dev/mouse” to a real mouse device in order to use mouse under this “Tiny X Server”, here is example command “ln -s /dev/ttyS0 /dev/mouse”. You can write this line into file “/etc/rc.local” to let it start when system boot if you decide use this “Tiny X Server”. After configured mouse, execute “startx” enter X Windows, click the terminal icon on the left-bottom corner to start “xterm”. At first, you need “mkdir /etc/X11” to create that directory manually, this is a bug too. If you don’t do this, you will get a “write to /etc/X11/xorg.conf failed” error. Then, execute “delisetup” in xterm to start configure “XOrg X Server” if you don’t use “Tiny X Server”. Configure “XOrg X Server” is a basic knowledge of Linux system, according to your computer and the setup prompt to make some choices, that’s ok. I found, the most error is select “Driver” for video card, valid video card driver can be found in directory “/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers” in DeLi Linux 0.8, if there isn’t a proper driver for your card, select “vesa” is a good idea, but, the monitor will work at only refresh rate 60HZ. If even “vesa” can’t work, then use “Tiny X Server” you configure it before(if so, you need re-configure your “Tiny X Server”). If all is ok, press “CTRL+ALT+Backspace” to return console, start X Windows with command “startx”. Additionally, if you use wheel mouse, there are two parameters like below(only for reference):

Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"


For non-root user, execute “delisetup” after login, configure item 8 “Setup Window Manager”, that’s all. If it failed, edit the file “.xinitrc” under your home directory, it is “~/.xinitrc”, add a new line “exec icewm-session” into this file.

If you have sound card, edit file “/etc/rc.modules” with root account, add a new line to load your sound card driver, e.g., “/sbin/modprobe cmpci” (change the “cmpci” to your own card driver). If you are using old ISA sound card, maybe, you need add parameters such as “io=0xxxx”, e.g., I am using an old “sb” compatible ISA sound card “/sbin/modprobe sb io=0x220”, I got this parameter when I use it under Windows97. You can get the parameter from the other ways. OSS sound card driver is used in DeLi Linux 0.8. After finished sound card setup, you can play music with “mpg123” or “xmms2” now.

In order to use my usb flash disk and usb mouse, I add a new line “/sbin/modprobe usb-ohci” into file “/etc/rc.modules” in a P6SEP-Me (SIS system) mainboard computer, and add a new line “/sbin/modprobe usb-uhci” into file “/etc/rc.modules” in an i810 mainboard machine.

At last, the basic system has been configured ok. You can use DeLi Linux 0.8 basically already. But, if you need a comfortable chinese console and X Windows environment on DeLi, you need another setup steps. I will introduce them later.