HowTos
This documentation is in the process of being rewritten. Some of these pages are obsolete!
You can find help here, in the MEPIS Wiki, or in the Forum Support section. If you can't find what you're looking for, check the Support Questions page or post a new topic in the forum.
How to Set Up and Use Your OnTheGo Drive in SimplyMEPIS 6.0
OnTheGo is a fantastic feature of MEPIS! Since there is nothing else like it, you'll likely need a step-by-step walk through.
First, note that OnTheGo does NOT take-over your entire USB drive--it's only one file. That means you can format your key as fat32 for Windows & Mac compatibility to maintain publicly accessible files on your USB drive and still have a secure area for your MEPIS files!
OnTheGo expects things to happen in a specific sequence. Some steps require you to wait a few seconds. Changing users or logging off may take up to 30 seconds.
CREATING YOUR OnTheGo DRIVE:
1. Backup any data on your USB key (just in case)!
2. If USB key drive is plugged-in; right-click, remove safely, wait a few seconds, then unplug key.
3. Log in as root. (If you are currently logged in, log out using end session, then log in as root.) If you are do not have access to root (such as on your employer's or a friend's machine), boot the MEPIS LiveCD and log in as root.
4. Insert key drive then unmount it -- DO NOT use safely remove! Instead, unmount it using KwikDisk or the command line.
5. Using MEPIS utilities create the OnTheGo file (choose whether you want it to be encrypted or not), Copy over data at this point or later if you like, unplug drive, then log out.
USING YOUR OnTheGo DRIVE:
1. Unplug key, if plugged in.
2. Boot the computer. When the system gets to the graphical log in screen, plug in the USB drive. DO NOT log in yet!
3. Wait 10 seconds for drive to be detected & mounted.
4. Log in using...
user: onthego
password: onthego
NOTE: Both are lowercase without any spaces. Do not enter your encryption passphrase here.
5. If you chose to make an encrypted onthego drive, you will be asked for your encryption passphrase as this point.
If you enter your passphrase wrong the system may crash requiring a hard reboot (reset button on the case). This is not a bad thing, it really slows-down an attacker!
6. When finished, log out, and wait patiently as the logout can take up to 30 seconds while cached data is written to the key. When you see the log in prompt again, remove the key.
Thanks to Lance for helping out with this!
Install MEPIS
How to Boot at a Different Display Resolution
When booting from CD, the default display resolution is 1024x768. You may be required to change the resolution in order to successfully boot or you may just want to change it to your preferred resolution.
The resolution when running from CD will be used when you install MEPIS on a hard drive or when you fix your X configuration with the MEPIS Installation Center.
800x600
If your system only supports 800x600, you will need to change the resolution in order to successfully boot from CD.
In this case you can boot MEPIS at 800x600 resolution by typing the following at the CD boot screen:
linux vga=normal xres=800x600
1280x1024
If your preferred resolution is 1280x1024, you can boot by typing this at the CD boot screen:
lin1280
Higher Resolutions
For higher resolutions, you can specify the resolution at CD boot by typing, for example:
linux xres=1400x1050
Comment d??marrer un syst??me MEPIS sous une autre r??solution d'affichage
Lors du d??marrage ?? partir du CD, la r??solution d'affichage est par d??faut en 1024x768. Il se peut que vous ayez besoin de d??marrer sous une autre r??solution que celle ci ; en effet, cela peut-??tre par exemple pour r??ussir la s??quence de d??marrage en cas de probl??me de compatibilit?? mat??riel ou tout simplement pour ??tre sous votre r??solution pr??f??r??e.
La r??solution utilis??e pendant l'utilisation du CD sera celle qui sera appliqu??e lors de l'installation de MEPIS sur le disque dur ou lors de la d??finition de la configuration du serveur X dans le MEPIS Installation Center.
800x600
Si votre syst??me ne supporte que le 800x600, vous devrez modifier la r??solution pour r??ussir ?? d??marrer ?? partir du CD.
Dans ce cas, vous pouvez d??marrer MEPIS sous une r??solution de 800x600 en tapant ?? l'invite de d??marrage du CD :
linux vga=normal xres=800x600
1280x1024
Si votre r??solution pr??f??r??e est le 1280x1024, vous pouvez d??marrer sous cette r??solution en tapant ?? l'invite de d??marrage du CD:
lin1280
R??solutions plus ??lev??es
Pour d'autres r??solutions plus ??lev??es, vous pouvez sp??cifier la r??solution choisie au d??marrage du CD en tapant par exemple
linux xres=1400x1050
How to Boot with a Different Keyboard
When booting from CD, the default keyboard and locale is for US English.
There is limited support for specifying a different keyboard and locale at boot by providing a two character code, which is usually, but not always, a country code.
For example the command for a default boot with French keyboard is:
linux fr
The following keyboard codes are explicitly supported.
| country-language | code | keyboard | locale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | be | be-latin1 | default |
| Finland-Finnish | fi | fi-latin1 | fi_FI@euro |
| France-French | fr | fr | fr_FR@euro |
| Germany-German | de | de | de_DE@euro |
| Hungary-Hungarian | hu | hu | hu_HU |
| Italy-Italian | it | it | it_IT@euro |
| Netherlands-Dutch | nl | nl | nl_NL@euro |
| Norway-Norwegian | no | no | no_NO |
| Spain-Spanish | es | es | es_ES@euro |
| Turkey-Turkish | tr | trf | tr_TR |
| United Kingdom-English | uk | uk | en_GB |
| United States-English | us | us | en_US |
How to Burn a CD from ISO
An iso is burned in a special way. The iso file is literally a CD image, not a regular file. [b]Common CD Burning Options[/b] Iso images should be burned in Disk at Once mode (DAO). MEPIS CDs expect that you are using 700MB CD media, not 650MB media. [b]Easy CD Creator[/b] If you are using Roxio Easy CD Creator, you need to select to [code]Record CD from CD Image[/code] and then select the iso file to burn. It may be necessary to select [code]ISO Image Files (.iso)[/code] in the file type combo box. If you are using an older version of Adaptec EZ CD Creator, you may need to change the iso file extention from iso to cdi or cfi. [b]Nero Burning ROM[/b] Select the [code]Burn Image[/code] feature before selecting the iso file. If you are using an older version of Nero, you may have to change the extention from iso to nrg. [b]MS-Windows[/b] CD burning software from Microsoft can't burn CD images from iso files. [b]Other[/b] If you are using some other CD burning software, check the manual for instructions regarding the burning of iso disk images. [b]Confirm Burn as ISO[/b] If you want to confirm that a CD was burned as an iso image, mount the CD in Windows or Linux and look at the contents. If you see only one file with the same name as the iso file, sorry you did not burn an image. If you see regular files and directories, then the CD was burned as an iso image.How to Resize an XP Partition
QTPartEd is a utility on the Live-CD that can be used to resize MS-Windows partitions including XP NTFS partitons.It has a user interface similar to Partition Magic and it can be called directly from the MEPIS Installation Center or it can be launched at KMenu > System > QTParted.
Before resizing a MS-Windows partition, it's important to defragment the partition in MS-Windows. Sometimes QTPartEd will only be able to partially resize an XP partition. This is due to XP doing an incomplete job of defragging the partition.
How to Use Boot Arguments to Fix Problems
Boot Commands
A boot command can be given when the CD help screen appears or when the Lilo boot screen appears.
If booting from Lilo on a hard drive, press <tab> to get a commandline.
Variations of these commands can be used to overcome boot problems.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
linux |
Normal boot, 1024x768 display, acpi=on |
lin1280 |
Normal boot, 1280x1024 display, acpi=on |
failsafe |
1024x768 display, acpi=off; try if boot hangs initializing hardware |
memtest |
test your computer's memory |
Common MEPIS Boot Arguments
Boot arguments are used to modify what happens when a boot command is executed.
To change your hard drive boot configuration see: How to Modify Boot Arguments for the LiLo Bootloader
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
acpi=off |
disable legacy free bios support; can help if machine hangs during boot |
ide=nodma |
resolves some dma conflicts; can fix disk read problems; is needed if boot stops while "looking for MEPIS Linux" |
aa |
use a different keyboard layout; for example de, fr, or us |
noauto |
disables autodetect; use if autodetect hangs |
nofloppy |
disables floppy probe; use if no floppy drive |
nomce |
disable cpu self-checks |
nonet |
forces the network to be off at boot, including loopback |
nopcmcia |
disables pcmcia initialization |
nousb |
don't probe for usb devices |
smouse |
enable a serial mouse |
vga=xxx |
use xxx vga mode during boot; for example mode 794 = 1280x1024; vga=normal for default resolution |
xres=yyy |
use yyy resolution in X; for example 1280x1024 |
xdrvr=abc |
use abc display driver in X; try vesa or fbdev as last resort |
Examples
A boot command is followed by the arguments.
| Example | Description |
|---|---|
linux nofloppy |
boot normal but don't look for a floppy drive |
lin1280 fr |
boot at 1280x1024 with the fr (French) keyboard |
linux xdrvr=fbdev |
boot with the simplest video driver possible |
linux xres=800x600 vga=normal |
boot normal but at 800x600 |
Howto Rescue Data From an Unbootable Windows PC.
The aim of this document is to show you how to rescue data from a hard drive that will not boot up. This method can be used after trying the ???official Microsoft solutions??? of using the ERD etc.
If rescuing the data is the main objective, I'd use this before fooling around with the PC any more.
If a hard drive is having problems, you want to get access to it and get what you can from it before it refuses to spin up. So on with the Rescue.
You need the following:
- Mepis CD.
- External USB hard drive ( with a fat32 partition as this will avoid any problems with ntfs issues ) and the USB cable.
- Patience. The OS is run from the CD, uncompressing software modules as needed.
Attach the USB HD to the PC. Turn on the USB HD.
Boot with the Mepis CD. You may have to go into the BIOS and change the settings to allow booting from the CD-ROM drive. If rescuing a laptop, make sure you are using the power supply and not the battery.
Read the info on the screen. Hit enter.
Login as root. The password is root. Username and passwords are case sensitive.
Left Click (once only) on the Mount Partitions icon. (Unlike Windows, you only need to click once)
Look for /dev/hda1 ntfs. (This is your hard drive. C:, if you were trying to rescue a Win 9x PC instead of ntfs it would read fat or fat32. )
Right Click, scroll down to Mount Device and Left Click.
Right Click and scroll down to Open in File Manager and Left Click. Wait a few seconds, a window will popup with the contents of /dev/hda1 ntfs. If you have multiple partitions, scroll down till you find the right one. Another way is to open each one in File manager.
I've found it helpful to change the view at this point to the Detailed List View. Next drill down to the User folder under Documents and Settings.
Move the window to the Left side of the screen.
Next you will mount the USB HD. Look for /dev/sda1. Depending on how many partitions you have on this HD, you may also find /dev/sda2 etc. (I've found having a fat32 partition makes things a lot simpler.)
Mount /dev/sda1 and open in file manager. Right Click in that window and Create New Directory. I prefer to name it username-todays date (tmarx-213004 for example).
Resize both windows so they are side by side (/dev/hda1 on the left and /dev/sda1 on the right)
Left Click and drag the files/folder you want to copy and drag it to the /dev/sda1 window and click on Copy Here. Thats how simple it is. I've found it helps to start by copying the most important stuff first (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .pst, .ppt, .mdb files). You can ask the customer for that info. I copy no more than 128mb at a time, if you try to copy more than ?? the amount of RAM in the PC, the process tends to stall.
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article are permitted world wide without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
*Formatting edited by Warren*
Installation Tips
Passwords
The root password is 'root' and the demo password is 'demo.'
Obviously, these passwords are public knowledge. When you install MEPIS on a hard drive, it is very important that you select new passwords, as soon as possible!
Installation
Start the MEPIS installer by clicking on its desktop icon and then follow the instructions provided.
You will need at least 2.5 GB of free space on the hard drive.
The installation usually takes between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on whether you are doing a fresh install or an upgrade. The speed is also affected by the performance of your system.
Troubleshooting CD Read Errors
The Live-CD is the install CD. Sometimes this same problem shows up when running a regular install CD from any Linux distro. If you get error messages when using a burned CD, there are a few possible causes: 1. If you burned a CD using a different CD drive, the drives may be out of alignment with each other. This can cause read errors. Or a particular CD could have a poorly burned spot, especially if it was burned on an inexpensive computer running MS-Windows. Also if the CD media is inexpensive it may not reflect the laser beam very well. Lesser quality CD media appears more transparent when you try to look through it. This can also make a burned CD difficult to read, especially with older drives. Often burning a new CD at a lower speed will improve the quality of the burn and can reduce alignment problems as well. Mitsui and Taiyo Yuden are the best brands of CDs. Both are of archival quality. In bulk, Taiyo Yuden can be found at bargain prices. FYI, T-D invented CD recording technology. If you don't have any problems reading CDs burned for other pruposes, then this is probably not the problem. 2. A CD can become dirty or scratched even if it was freshly burned. In this case inspection of the bottom surface of the CD should reveal any such problem. 3. Any Linux Live-CD or installation CD uses a ramdisk to simulate a hard drive. This makes heavy use of ALL of the RAM in the system. This will most likely show up during the boot of the Live-CD, it is unlikely to be the problem if read error occur during the installation process. If you have a flaky RAM chip or aggressive timing of the RAM subsystem on your motherboard, you may have trouble booting a Linux CD. And it's very possible that the trouble might be reported as disk read errors, although it would really be RAM buffer errors. Obviously a flaky RAM chip would need to be replaced. RAM timing might be adjustable in the system BIOS to reduce or eliminate a RAM problem. 4. There can be other timimg issues in a computer that do not show up when running MS-Windows but that do show up when running Linux. When a system is behaving in an erratic manner, it's a good idea to turn off any performance enhancements in the BIOS, and try Linux again. Or one could try to reboot Linux with hard drive dma turned off using the 'ide=nodma' option.Install Software
How to Install, Upgrade, and Update Software
[b]Using CD #2 as a Source[/b] Software may be installed from MEPIS CD #2. This software was placed on CD at the same time CD #1 was created, therefore it should be fully compatible with the software on CD #1. However once you have updated or upgraded from the Internet, you may find that it is no longer possible to install some of the software from CD #2. [b]Using the Internet as a Source[/b] Software may be installed or updated from the Internet. This software is the most up-to-date, but it may be less stable than the software you already have. Also when updating from the Internet, changing one package may require that a number of other packages be changed at the same time. Proceed with caution. [b]Selecting the Source with the MSC[/b] Open the MEPIS System Center by clicking on its desktop icon, or [code]KMenu > Utilites > MEPIS System Center[/code]. Select [code]Package Management[/code] and then click on [code]Use MEPIS CD #2[/code] to install from the CD, or click on [code]Use internet[/code] to install or update from the Internet. If selecting the Internet, you may fine tune your selection by specifying the country form which packages will be fetched, whether you want to include non-US packages, experimental packages, and/or source code packages. Most users should select to include non-US packages. Developers and experimenters may want to select experimental and/or source code packages. Due to the likelyhood of conflicts between package versions, it is recommended that you do not select both [code]Use MEPIS CD #2[/code] and [code]Use internet[/code]. When you are satisfied with your selections, click on [code]Apply[/code]. [b]Selecting the Source by Editing the Sources List[/b] You can directly edit [code]/etc/apt/sources.list[/code] You can add extra package sources to the end of the file. You can use the predefined source entires as examples. If you edit the predefined entires, be very careful to retain the sturcture of the file. [b]Using KPackage[/b] First, when logged in as a regular user, run [code]KMenu > System KPackage[/code]. At some point while using KPackage you will be asked for the root password. Do not run KPackage when logged in as root. Click on the menu item [code]Special > APT:Debian > Update[/code]. This will update the list of packages that are available. Then click on the [code]Updated[/code] tab to see the list of packages that are updatable. You can update all packages at once by clicking on [code]Special > APT:Debian > Upgrade[/code]. You can update one package by selecting it in the [code]Package[/code] list and clicking on the [code]Install[/code] button. To remove a package, click on the [code]Installed[/code] tab, select the package in the [code]Package[/code] list and click on the [code]Uninstall[/code] button. [b]Using apt-get[/b] To use [code]apt-get[/code], open a Konsole/shell and type: [code]su root[/code] To update the list of packages that are available, type: [code]apt-get update[/code] To upgrade everything at once type: [code]apt-get upgrade[/code] To update one package type: [code]apt-get install packagename[/code] To remove a package type: [code]apt-get remove packagename[/code]MEPIS Extras CDs HOWTO
MEPIS Extras CDs HOWTOThis howto assumes that the you can dowload and create CD's from ISO images or you have obtained the media from MEPIS. If you need instructions on how to create a CD from an ISO image please read the documentation located at: http://mepis.com/docs/downloading-mepis.
Obtain the MEPIS Extras CD's by downloading, if you have a subscription, or by ordering them from the MEPIS Store as part of the ProMEPIS Bundle.
NOTE: Currently these CD's are in the testing stage. They are not yet available for purchase in our store. Once these CD's go into final relase they will be available in our store.
Boot your computer into MEPIS and login as yourself.
Once you are logged in open Synaptic by either clicking on the icon in the Quick Launcher or by navigating the menus: "K Start Menu > System > Synaptic Package Manager"
You will prompted for the root password. Type in your root password.
After Synaptic has started click on: "Settings >Repositories"
This will bring up a new window. Disable all of the repositories by clicking on the boxes with the "X".
After you disable all of the repositories click on the OK button.
You will next get a box informing you that your Repositories have changed.
Click the Close button to continue.
Now we can start to add the MEPIS Extra CDs to your repository list.
Click on: "Edit > Add CDROM..."
You will now be prompted to insert a CD into your CD drive.
Place one of the MEPIS Extra CDs into your CDROM Drive and click the "OK" button.
The CD will be breifly read and ask to confirm the name of the CD.
Click the "OK" button.
After Synaptic reads the package information from the CD you will be prompted to either quit or add a new CD.
You can click the "Add" button to add the other MEPIS Extras CD's.
Once you have finished adding all of the MEPIS Extra CDs you can click on the "No" button.
In the main Synaptic window click on the "Reload" button update your package lists.
Now you can use Synaptic to search for installable software or you can browse the available software by clicking on the "Status" button in the lower left hand corner of the window and then clicking on the "Not Installed" item above on the left hand side. Select the packages you would like to install and happy installing.
Keep your CDs handy while installing this way. Synaptic will ask for them as you install new packages.
Using and updating the NVIDIA Driver
The official NVIDIA driver is preinstalled in MEPIS. Normally it is selected and configured automatically.Some older NVIDIA cards do not work well with the nvidia driver. In those cases the open source nv driver is selected automatically.
If you have a newer NVIDIA card and it is not autodetected, please contact MEPIS.
Upgrading the Driver
In September of 2003, NVIDIA restructured their driver to be easier to install or upgrade.
If you're in a hurry to install a newly released version of the NVIDIA driver, and you're an expert or just adventursome, you may get the new driver at the NVIDIA site and install the package manually using the included instructions.
If you don't mind waiting, you can install from the Debian and MEPIS pools using apt-get, KPackage, or Synaptic. Usually the packages will show up within a couple of weeks.
Two packages are common to all installations:
- nvidia-kernel-common
- nvidia-glx
The kernel package must match your kernel version. For MEPIS 2003.10, install:
- nvidia-kernel-2.4.22
- meauto-2.4.22
Other
Getting Software
Kpackage
Thousands of software packages are already compatible with MEPIS. First open KPackage (Kmenu -> System -> KPackage) and see if the software you need is available.
For further information about how to use KPackage, read the KPackage Handbook (KPackage menu -> Help -> KPackage Handbook).
Unofficial Packages
Other "unofficial" packages are available at: apt-get.org
How to install a "Visual Linux Basic" in Mepis Linux
Visual Basic is an interesting piece of software to easily produce applications for graphical user interfaces. Having this ease in Linux would improve the availability of end-user applications alot. Though many C++ programmers heavily disagree with me because of the many flaws VB has on Windows, it's a fact that it was one of the reasons for rapid adoption of Windows by the users. And because of the very different approach of Linux these mentioned (security)flaws will most probably never exist.Market Overview
There are three or four active projects that work on the topic:
wxBasic
Website: http://wxbasic.sourceforge.net
wxBasic is a programming language for the wxWindows GUI toolkit. It is actively developed but lacks the development environment. I can't comment alot on this, sorry.
Gnome Basic
Website: http://gnome.org/projects/gb
Michael Meeks, a Ximian employee, works on this. His weblog doesn't say much about it and the version is 0.20. It seems it isn't very useful at this stage of development.
Gambas
Website: http://gambas.sourceforge.net
Gambas is an actively developed programming language and development environment for the QT toolkit, the one that KDE is based on and is Mepis' main desktop. The mailing list became very active in the last weeks. Version 0.7.2 was just released. It's very far in it's development and already very useful.
HBasic
Website: http://hbasic.sourceforge.net
A very ripe tool for QT (0.9.9e). The language is able to make use of C++ QT and C# (dotgnu.org - .NET) components, comes with a complete development environment and tools like a database editor. HBasic is developed by two persons but new releases appear about every two weeks.
I'm not a programmer but judging from the stage of development and discussions in the mailing lists I monitor, I decided to give HBasic a try on Mepis 2003.10.RC2.
HBasic Installtion on Mepis Linux
1. Download the freshest .rpm package from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=9994
2. Login to a console and become root (su)
3. We must transform the rpm package to a native Debian package. alien is the tool for this task.
Change to the directory where the HBasic rpm resides.
alien -d HBasic*.rpm [Enter] is the command to execute.
4. Now installation of the generated .deb package:
dpkg -i hbasic*.deb [Enter]
5. As a normal user create a desktop shortcut to /usr/local/hbasic/bin/hbasic
It works pretty well for me, here is a screenshot: http://stibs.cc/mepis/hbasic.png
So if you BASIC programmer guys feel the urge to create something useful for Linux, give it a try :o). The documentation on the website is very complete. You can view it online or download as a separate tgz package that it is available inside the HBasic environment on click.
Cheers!
STIBS
Howto Configure KMail
Short howto inspired by a question by BloodlessPharao in the Forum. It shows how to konfigure KMail, to receive and send emails from your provider and gives a hint about using sendmail or not.OK, everything you need, you find in the menu under "Settings" - "Configure KMail".
First step is creating your identity. It's a *must*, otherwise you cannot send mail. Create a "New" with "blank fields" and fill in your information (especially your mail address), then save it.
Move on to the next button at the left -> "Network". Here you can specify everything for send/receive mails.
Under the "Receiving" tab, click "Add" to add a new account. It asks in the first step, which account type you setup. POP3 is the most common type of Email account. The screenshot shows which data and which checkmarks are required for a POP3 account.
With click on "OK" you save the new account. You should now be able to receive your emails when your internet connection works.
But stop, sometimes you want to answer an email. So we need to do something at the "Send" tab. Click on the "Add" button for adding a new account for sending emails. Choose "SMTP" for the next answer because emails, sent out by a local Sendmail account, get caught in the spam filters of mailservers. They recognize that your sending IP Address (you get it when logged on to your ISP) is a dialin account from an ISP. The next screenshot shows the required settings for your SMTP account:
Additional for SMTP:
It is possible (but not usual) that your mailprovider requires SMTP authentification. If so, check the according checkbox and fill in your smtp username and password and check saving the password as well. Otherwise you have to type username and password each time you send a mail.
br> Again a click on the "OK" button saves your SMTP account. Next "OK" click closes the KMail settings and you're ready to check your mailbox.
Btw: Since Spam Assassin checks each mail for spam, it slows the receive process down and your processor activity is up (needs quite much processor power). So don't wonder why it's that slow. You can edit Spam Assassin's whitelist and blacklist in the Mepis User Utilities!
Happy Mailing!
STIBS
Howto download Mepis Linux 2003.10.01 using Bit Torrent
Bit Torrent is a great tool for ad-hoc downloading of a file that is in demand. I have set up a torrent for the latest release of Mepis (2003.10.01) since the mirrors are still getting the new iso, and they are usually rather slow when everyone is trying to download after the initial release of a new version. If you have experience with Bit Torrent, the torrent links are [url=http://www.whatsinyourbox.org/metainfo.torrent]here[/url] and the alternate link is [url=http://shoegoo.homelinux.org:6881/metainfo.torrent]here[/url] Linux Users Howto First you need the Bit Torrent client (included with Mepis). If you are running a Debian based distribution simply type [code]apt-get install bittorrent[/code]. If you are running a distro that is not Debian based, obtain the right package for your distribution [url=http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/download.html]here[/url]. Once the package is installed, download the .torrent file (in this case metainfo.torrent) from one of the above links. If your browser does not suggest opening the file with btdownloadgui save it to your home directory. Click the "K" menu and click "Run command". In the box type [code]btdownloadgui /home/yourusername/metainfo.torrent[/code] . If the browser does ask if you want to open it with btdownloadgui say yes. Once this is done, choose a place to save the file and you should begin downloading! Windows Users Howto Download the Bit Torrent client for Windows [url=http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bittorrent/bittorrent-3.3.exe]here[/url]. Double click the .exe file and install Bit Torrent. Once it is installed, go to one of the torrent links above in your browser. It should prompt you to open the file with Bit Torrent. Say open, choose a place to save, and you should be downloading. For more information on Bit Torrent check [url=http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/]here[/url]. -GarrettHowto use Ksirc for getting Instant Help for Mepis
Since there is a Mepis help channel on irc.freenode.net, you can get help face to face from people in the #mepis chatroom. You can ask your questions and get an answer in realtime. It can happen that nobody answers though there are people in the room. This is most probably due to the fact that people have to sleep, eat , do things away from computer but stay logged in.
Software
Mepis Linux comes with many applications that allow IRC (Internet Relay Chat). Kopete, the KDE instant messenger is one of them but a dedicated IRC program is Ksirc. You find it in the K-Menu under Internet – More Programs.
KSirc Usage
When you start it, the connection management screen shows up:
In the Connections menu is the New Connection item. Choose it and you get the next screen presented.
In the Server/Quick connect textbox type irc.freenode.net (that's the server), Port stays at 6667. That's all for this dialog, click on the Connect button now and you reach the following screen:
You are connected to the chatserver now but didn't step into a room yet. Now
you need to know some simple commands to get this working. IRC commands
start with a Slash (/) as the first character of an input line, followed by
the command itself without a whitespace between. Everything gets sent by
hitting the enter key.
/join #roomname ... lets you step into a chatroom
/nick yourNewNickname ... let's you change your alias (nickname)
/quit ... quits (oh! how interesting ;o) a chat session
/help ... lists all commands available
/help command ... shows help information for a single command
In the above picture you see the command to join the #mepis chatroom. If you
are there, you get the final screen for chatting and asking your questions or
just saying hello.
First thing you maybe want to do is change your nickname. Example to to
this is shown above. At the right part you see all currently connected
chatusers with their nicknames. If one name is tagged with an "a" in front,
the user is away. Type a nice "Hello all!" and hit enter and wait if people
resond (which they usually do if they're not working on something.
Hope to meet you there!
STIBS
Manual Entries in fstab
If you need to add a manual entry in /etc/fstab, be sure to put the entry in the top section of the file, now labeled '# Static entries' so the entry will be persistant. Any entries in the bottom section 'Dynamic entries' will be lost on reboot.Online Upgrade
Upgrades to most of the MEPIS packages can be installed from the worldwide Debian pool sites. The Debian pool is updated daily at about Midnight UT. The level of stability varies. Sometimes the packages get out of sync. If that happens an upgrade will not work. Usually the problems clear up in a few days.Playing DVDs
Protected DVDs
To play protected DVDs you must install the libdvdcss2 package. This package is not included on the MEPIS CD or in the regular sources for legal reasons. It's available at: apt-get.org
After installing the package, you can insert a DVD, open Xine and click on the DVD control button. The DVD should begin to play.
Short Howto for Konqueror Interface Customization
To customize the startup interface of Konqueror, e.g. with an individual startpage, you have to search alot how to get this done. Well, this short howto should ease the pain.1. Remove or add parts of your browser interface as you wish.
Toolbars: Rightclick on empty space in the toolbar and the toobar settings menu appears.
Browsing history: Hit F9 and click the little clock at the left.
2. Surf to your desired Startpage
3. Save these looks for the next startup
Konqueror Menu Settings
-> Save View Profile "webbrowsing"
-> Dialog for saving appears -> save it.
Have Fun!
STIBS
MEPIS Traveller Disc How To
Please Note: The information and instructions that follow are for the MEPIS Traveller Disc. We are currently working on documentation for the latest version of Desktop OnTheGo technology.
What is The MEPIS Traveller Disc?
The MEPIS Traveller Disc is a unique application that allows users to save their home directory to a USB key, which is then recognized on any computer running MEPIS. By saving the entire home directory on a USB jump drive, a user can easily transfer all of their personal settings, including Internet browser bookmarks and desktop configuration, plus any files, such as documents and pictures, from one computer to another. Also, the Traveller Disc lets multiple users share the same computer without ever saving any of their personal information to the hard drive. And, since the MEPIS operating system can run from CD, a person could run their home directory from the Traveller Disc with MEPIS on CD and never save anything to the computer's hard drive. The MEPIS Traveller Disc provides mobility and convenience for users without bringing along a laptop. Imagine going on vacation, carrying your Traveller Disc and MEPIS CD, and being able to use your own desktop in a cybercafe!
The MEPIS Traveller Disc is useful for keeping home directories on multiple computers in sync. You can also use it to create a back up of your home directory to keep around as an insurance policy. If your system crashes, and you have access to a second system that runs MEPIS, you can have your home directory available while your system is being repaired, and later you can easily merge that activity back into your main system.
Getting Started with the Traveller Disc
How to Select a USB Key
The Traveller Disc application works best with computers that support USB 2.0 and USB 2.0 keys. You can try to run it with USB 1.1, but it may be too slow to be practical for use.
When selecting a key, try to get the fastest key with the most memory that you can. We recommend using a key that is at least 512 MB. Depending on the work you do, you may need a key with more memory.
Upgrading MEPIS
In order to use the Traveller Disc, you must be running SimplyMEPIS 3.3.1-1 or MEPISLite or better. If you are running SimplyMEPIS 3.3 or 3.3.1, you will need to upgrade a few packages.
To do the upgrade, run Synaptic Package Manager by clicking K>System>Synaptic Package Manager. You will be prompted to enter your Root password. If necessary, Synaptic will prompt you to update your package list. Click OK. Then click on Installed (upgradeable) in the box on the left side of the screen. From the list of packages in the right hand box, select meauto, meauto-data, and mepis-oscenter. Click in the box beside the name and choose Mark for Upgrade. You may be prompted that rsync must also be installed, click OK. Once you have selected these packages, click Apply. A window will appear showing the status of the upgrade. When the upgrade is complete, close the window and exit Synaptic. Your computer should now be ready to use the Traveller Disc.
Formatting a USB Key as Traveller Disc Media
Boot up your computer with MEPIS installed or running from CD. Once it has loaded, plug in the USB key. Open MEPIS OS Control Center by clicking the icon on the desktop or click K>MEPIS OS Center. You will be prompted for your Root password. Under System Maintenance, choose Format Partitions. Make sure you select the correct disk (usually sda), then choose the partition, and select Traveller. Click Format. It will prompt you to verify the action. Click Yes.
NOTE: Be certain that you have selected the proper disk BEFORE you format. Some hard drives may also appear as sda. You should be able to determine the name of your USB key by looking for the icon on the desktop. If you format the wrong disk, you will lose whatever data is on that disk!
Once the USB key is formatted, exit the program and reboot your computer. Leave the USB key plugged in until the computer has reached the MEPIS boot screen (this is the screen where you can select how you want the computer to boot). At this point, unplug the USB key for a second and then plug it back in before the computer timed out at the boot screen. This will allow the computer to recognize the USB key as the Traveller Disc. The USB key is not unplugged, your computer may not recognize it when you first reboot.
NOTE: If you are using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, NEVER unplug it unless the computer is turned off or at the MEPIS Boot Screen! The best time to plug in the USB key is during the MEPIS boot screen. We do not recommend having the USB key plugged in before you power on the computer, as the initial power spike could be damaging to the key. Additionally, some computers may try to boot from the USB key if it is plugged in when the computer is first turned on.
During the boot, MEPIS will detect your Traveller Disc and check it for errors. If any errors are detected, MEPIS will automatically repair them. These messages will appear in the dialog during the boot.
The Traveller Disc will serve as the home directory for the default user only! Therefore, you must login as the default user. When MEPIS is installed, it is preconfiguered for two users: root and default. During installation setup, the first user will be recognized as the default (User ID 1000). Additional user accounts will not be recognized as the default user and therefore the Traveller Disc will not be recognized as their home directory. If you are running MEPIS from CD, the default user is “demo.”
NOTE: When using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, additional icons may appear on the desktop regarding the mounting of the USB key, home, and loop0. Please disregard them!
Using the MEPIS Traveller Disc
You can copy your existing local home directory to your MEPIS Traveller Disc using the MEPIS OS Control Center. Boot your computer without the USB key inserted. Insert the USB key. Then open MEPIS OS Control Center, enter your Root password, and under System Maintenance, select Sync Traveller. First, select the source (where you are copying from) and the destination (where you are copying to). Next, choose which parts of the source home directory you want to copy. Then select whether you would like to perform a “copy” or a “sync.” If you choose copy, files in the destination will be copied or updated from the source, but files that exist in the destination and not the source will not be affected. If you choose sync, the destination will be an exact duplication of the source, and any files that exist in the destination and not in the source will be removed. Once you have made the selections, click the Sync button. You will be asked to verify the action. Make sure there are no other applications running, then click Yes.
In order to make the Traveller Disc run faster, it is set up differently than most disks. Usually, to view the files contained on a disk, you can click the disk's icon to view the files/folders. The Traveller Disc works in another way. When you are not using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, but would like to view the files in it, follow these easy steps. Click the icon for the USB key on the desktop. A window will open with an icon named travel_home.iso. Right-click on this icon, and then click Actions>Mount (as Root) iso to /mnt/temp. You will be prompted to enter your Root password. A new icon will appear on the desktop called Hard Disc (travel_home). Click on this icon and your home directory is now viewable. You can use this to copy files manually between the local home directory and the Traveller Disc home directory. Once you are finished, the travel_home icon must be unmounted. Close the window you were using to view the files in the Traveller Disc home directory, right click on the travel_home icon and select Unmount (as Root). You will be prompted for the Root password. The icon will then disappear from the desktop. Before you remove the USB key, you must unmount it as well! Right-click on the icon, choose Unmount. Once the green arrow at the right corner of the icon disappears, you can safely remove the USB key. In some cases, the green arrow may stay on the icon after it has been unmounted, as certain video cards do not update icons properly. If this happens, try to unmount the device again. An error message will appear if the device is unmounted.
NOTE: Never unplug a USB device without unmounting it first! However, should you accidentally remove a device without unmounting it, you can correct the icon by unmounting as root. Also, if a device is mounted as root, it must be unmounted as root.
Reformatting the MEPIS Traveller Disc
If you would like to convert your Traveller Disc back to a regular USB key, this can be done easily by using the OS Control Center. Choose Format and select DOS. Then click Format. You will be asked to verify the action. Click Yes. This will convert your USB key back to "factory condition" and allow it to be compatible with Windows.
Note: If you choose to reformat your USB key, all files on the key will be removed. You can copy from your Traveller Disc to the local home directory using Sync Traveller.