From c329c864e8cd455a0c2255977d3a1a8d258c85bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Benj. Mako Hill" Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2005 00:08:20 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] A lot organizational change but not much content yet. Mostly in Author: mako Date: 2001/04/07 07:04:53 A lot organizational change but not much content yet. Mostly in preperation for the v0.2 which I plan on doing most of the work for tomorrow (and getting the version released the same day). I removed both the linuxdoc and the docbook template from the CVS repository because they don't seem as useful anymore now that the HOWTO is pretty much written and I am much more familiar with DocBook. I added a TODO file and a RESOURCES file. The TODO file has a list of all the stuff that I want to do with the HOWTO tomorrow and a list of links/sources that I still need to check out. The RESOURCES is empty right now but will house the list of those resources with a few sentances on what is at each link. --- FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml | 85 +- FreeSoftwareProjectManagementHOWTO.sgml | 85 +- RESOURCES | 11 + TODO | 36 + big-howto-template-ld.sgml | 859 -------------- big-howto-template.sgml | 1372 ----------------------- 6 files changed, 135 insertions(+), 2313 deletions(-) create mode 100644 RESOURCES create mode 100644 TODO delete mode 100644 big-howto-template-ld.sgml delete mode 100644 big-howto-template.sgml diff --git a/FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml b/FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml index 407322c..9731b6c 100644 --- a/FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml +++ b/FreeSoftwareDevelopmentHOWTO.sgml @@ -6,57 +6,60 @@ Free Software Development HOWTO - + - Benjamin - Mako - Hill - -
- mako@debian.org - -
- + Benjamin + Mako + Hill + +
+ mako@debian.org +
+ - - - - v0.01 - 27 March 2001 - bch - - Initial Release - - - + + + + v0.2 + 7 April 2001 + bch + + + + v0.01 + 27 March 2001 + bch + Initial Release + + - - fswd - - - - This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming - and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to - the world of Free Software. This document is meant to act as a - guide to the non-technical aspects of free software development - and was written to act as a crash course in the people skills - that aren't taught to commercial coders but that can make or - break a free software project. - + + fswd + + + + This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming + and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to + the world of free software. This document is meant to act as a + guide to the non-technical aspects of free software development + and was written to act as a crash course in the people skills that + aren't taught to commercial coders but that can make or break a + free software project. + - + - Introduction - - - fswd!introduction - - + Introduction + + + fswd!introduction + + Skimming through freshmeat.net provides mountains of reasons for this HOWTO's existence--the Internet is littered with excellently diff --git a/FreeSoftwareProjectManagementHOWTO.sgml b/FreeSoftwareProjectManagementHOWTO.sgml index 407322c..9731b6c 100644 --- a/FreeSoftwareProjectManagementHOWTO.sgml +++ b/FreeSoftwareProjectManagementHOWTO.sgml @@ -6,57 +6,60 @@ Free Software Development HOWTO - + - Benjamin - Mako - Hill - -
- mako@debian.org - -
- + Benjamin + Mako + Hill + +
+ mako@debian.org +
+ - - - - v0.01 - 27 March 2001 - bch - - Initial Release - - - + + + + v0.2 + 7 April 2001 + bch + + + + v0.01 + 27 March 2001 + bch + Initial Release + + - - fswd - - - - This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming - and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to - the world of Free Software. This document is meant to act as a - guide to the non-technical aspects of free software development - and was written to act as a crash course in the people skills - that aren't taught to commercial coders but that can make or - break a free software project. - + + fswd + + + + This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming + and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to + the world of free software. This document is meant to act as a + guide to the non-technical aspects of free software development + and was written to act as a crash course in the people skills that + aren't taught to commercial coders but that can make or break a + free software project. + - + - Introduction - - - fswd!introduction - - + Introduction + + + fswd!introduction + + Skimming through freshmeat.net provides mountains of reasons for this HOWTO's existence--the Internet is littered with excellently diff --git a/RESOURCES b/RESOURCES new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d74673 --- /dev/null +++ b/RESOURCES @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +================================================= +== Resources - Free Software Development HOWTO == +================================================= + +This file is a running list of sources that I have read for the +software HOWTO. There is a list of sources that I have not yet read +that I keep in the TODO file and as I read then, I will try to give a +brief synopsis and move them to this file if I think they are +useful. This file should usually share a good deal of text with the +resources section at the end of the HOWTO itself but it may differ and +serves a different purpose and audience. diff --git a/TODO b/TODO new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6fac501 --- /dev/null +++ b/TODO @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +============================================ +== TODO - Free Software Development HOWTO == +============================================ + +* A paragraph or two about about the importance of well commented code + as something that is useful for people that want to begin a + project. This is there somewhere but I can work with this a little + more and try to highlight it. (Andy King) + +* A paragraph on CVS and other version control systems. Maybe + something on sourcesafe which is for windows (I don't know if its + free software). (Andy King) + +* I need to do a final read through because v0.01 has a lot of + gramatical errors but not really any spelling errors. A read out of + a printed copy may make that kind of checking a lot easier. (Jaime) + +* I think a links and resouces sections at the final end might be good. I can put advogato and a bunch of the links to stories I read there that I found good as well as highlighting the good stuff. + +LINKS/SOURCES TO CHECK OUT: + +Stuff on Advogato.org that I've found that seems to be interesting: + +http://www.advogato.org/article/258.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/262.html +http://www.jwz.org/doc/worse-is-better.html +http://www.6nc.org/About%20Us/Reenactor%20Skills/yankee_doodle.html +http://news.linuxprogramming.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2000-10-31-001-05-CD +http://www.advogato.org/article/196.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/184.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/169.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/128.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/107.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/72.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/67.html +http://www.advogato.org/article/40.html \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/big-howto-template-ld.sgml b/big-howto-template-ld.sgml deleted file mode 100644 index 73fd364..0000000 --- a/big-howto-template-ld.sgml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,859 +0,0 @@ - - - - - -
- - -HOWTO-template for big HOWTOs <!-- insert your title here --> -<author>Stein Gjoen, <tt/sgjoen@nyx.net/ <!-- insert your name here --> -<date>v0.05, 24 July 2000 <!-- always have a version number and a date --> -<abstract> <!-- the abstract: a short and precise description --> -<nidx>template</nidx> <!-- add indexing keywords as you go along --> - <!-- nidx means the indexed word is not in output of main text, only in the index --> -This is a fully working template for big HOWTOs. The source contains -fully described slots to make a convenient framework for you to fill in -for making your own HOWTO, suggesting some names, conventions and contents -for the chapters. -</abstract> - - - -<!-- Table of contents --> -<toc> - -<!-- Begin the document --> - - -<sect>Introduction - -<p> -<nidx>template!introduction</nidx> <!-- here introduction is a sub entry of template, exclamationamrk is separator --> -<em>My comments to the reader is in this style (emphasized)</em>. -Example lines are in plain roman style. -<em>Note that extra comments and advice is found in comments -within the SGML source.</em> <!-- such as this comment --> - -For various reasons this brand new release is codenamed -the <bf/release/ release. - -New code names will appear as per industry standard guidelines -to emphasize the state-of-the-art-ness of this document. - -<p> -This document was written when I read a feedback asking for a -template to fill in to make new HOWTOs. This template is made -by extracting the skeletal structure of the Multi Disk HOWTO -which is a rather large HOWTO. - -<em>This Template is a suggestion and a starting point, a check list -and examples for authors; it is not a requirement to be followed -slavishly. Over time HOWTOs might also outgrow any template since -in the end the goal is to inform readers efficiently.</em> - -Stating the background is a simple way to getting started -writing the intro. - -First of all we need a bit of legalese. Recent development shows it is -quite important. - -<sect1>Copyright -<p> -<em>Copyright is a source of much and continuous debate on the -LDP mailing list. For more in depth information please consult -the Manifesto at the </em> -<url url="http://www.LinuxDoc.org/" - name="LinuxDoc"> -site. -<em> -The purpose of having a license is to allow appropriate distribution. -You can use any license that meets the Manifesto. -What follows is a boilerplate licence. -</em> - -<!-- -This HOWTO is copyrighted 2000 Stein Gjoen. <em>Replace with your name -when you use this skeleton for a new HOWTO</em> - -Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are copyrighted by their -respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may be reproduced and distributed -in whole or in part, in any medium physical or electronic, as long as -this copyright notice is retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution -is allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of -any such distributions. - -All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works incorporating -any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this copyright notice. -That is, you may not produce a derivative work from a HOWTO and impose -additional restrictions on its distribution. Exceptions to these rules -may be granted under certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO -coordinator at the address given below. - -In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as -many channels as possible. However, we do wish to retain copyright on the -HOWTO documents, and would like to be notified of any plans to redistribute -the HOWTOs. - -If you have questions, please contact -at linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu via email. - ---> - - -Copyright (c) 2000 by John Doe (change to your name) -<P> -Please freely copy and distribute (sell or give away) this document in -any format. It's requested that corrections and/or comments be fowarded -to the document maintainer. You may create a derivative work and distribute -it provided that you: - -<itemize> -<item> -Send your derivative work (in the most suitable format such as -sgml) to the LDP (Linux Documentation Project) or the like for posting -on the Internet. If not the LDP, then let the LDP know where it is -available. -<item> -License the derivative work with this same license or use GPL. -Include a copyright notice and at least a pointer to the license used. -<item> -Give due credit to previous authors and major contributors. -</itemize> - - <P> -If you're considering making a derived work other than a translation, -it's requested that you discuss your plans with the current maintainer. - - - -<sect1>Disclaimer -<p> - -Use the information in this document at your own risk. I disavow any -potential liability for the contents of this document. Use of the -concepts, examples, and/or other content of this document is entirely -at your own risk. - -All copyrights are owned by their owners, unless specifically noted -otherwise. Use of a term in this document should not be regarded as -affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. - -Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen as endorsements. - -You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system before -major installation and backups at regular intervals. - - -<sect1>News -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!news on</nidx> -<em>This is where you make a summary of what it news. When a HOWTO exceeds -20 pages it takes more than a casual read to find the updates. This is -where you help your readers with that, alerting them to specific and -important news.</em> - -This is the second release featuring more samples and an improved structure. -<!-- This is the first release. No news yet. --> -<!-- Note that you might wish to keep old news commented out for reference -and perhaps state news as latest and next to latest update. --> - -<em>Tell people where the document home page is so the very newest -release could be found in case of problems with the main -<url url="http://www.linuxdoc.org/" - name="Linux Documentation Project"> -homepage. -</em> - -The latest version number of this document can be gleaned from my -plan entry if you <!-- do "finger sgjoen@nox.nyx.net" --> -<url url="http://www.cs.indiana.edu/finger/nox.nyx.net/sgjoen" - name="finger"> my Nyx account. - -<em>If you have the capacity it would be nice to make the HOWTO -available in a number of formats.</em> - -Also, the latest version of the Template will be available on -my web space on Nyx in a number of formats: -<itemize> -<item> -<url url="http://www.nyx.net/˜sgjoen/template.html" - name="HTML">. - -<item> -<url url="http://www.nyx.net/˜sgjoen/template.txt" - name="plain ASCII text">. - -<!-- consider PostScript and perhaps also PDF formates -<item> -<url url="http://www.nyx.net/˜sgjoen/disk-US.ps.gz" - name="compressed postscript US letter format">. - -<item> -<url url="http://www.nyx.net/˜sgjoen/disk-A4.ps.gz" - name="compressed postscript European A4 format">. ---> -<item> -<url url="http://www.nyx.net/˜sgjoen/template.sgml" - name="SGML source">. -</itemize> - -<em>Note that paper sizes vary in the world, A4 and US letter differ -significantly.</em> - -<sect1>Credits -<p> -<em>It is always nice to acknowledge people who help you with inputs, it -is also regarded by many as important in the Linux world new economy</em> - -In this version I have the pleasure of acknowledging - -<tscreen><verb> -corff (at) ZEDAT.FU-Berlin.DE -dwood (at) plugged.net.au -lcl (at) spiretech.com -kgh12351 (at) nifty.ne.jp -dave (at) lafn.org -name (at) site.org -</verb></tscreen> - -<em>Scramble the addresses so email harvesters cannot get -addresses from your HOWTO and then spam people. That has -happened in the past.</em> - - -<sect1>Translations -<p> -Not everyone speaks English, pointers to translations are nice. -Also your translators tend to give very important inputs. -<itemize> -<item><url url="http://linuxdoc.org/" - name="German Translation"> by <tt/someone (at) somewhere.de/ - -<item><url url="http://www.swe-doc.linux.nu" - name="Swedish Translation "> by <tt/someone (at) somewhere.se/ - -<item><url url="http://linuxdoc.org/" - name="French Translation"> by <tt/someone (at) somewhere.fr/ - -<item><url url="http://linuxdoc.org/" - name="Chinese Translation"> by <tt/someone (at) somewhere.cn/ - -<item><url url="http://linuxdoc.org/" - name="Italian Translation"> by <tt/someone (at) somewhere.it/ -</itemize> - - - - -Also Somecompany is acknowledged for sending me documentation -on their gizmos as well as permission to quote from the material. -These quotes have been approved before appearing here and will -be clearly labelled. - -Any comments or suggestions can be mailed to my mail address on Nyx: -<htmlurl url="mailto:sgjoen@nyx.net/" - name="sgjoen@nyx.net">. - - -<p> - - -<!-- -%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% - --> - - -<sect>Structure -<p> -<em>A quick overview on how all parts fit together in the structure. -Here I use an example from my Multi Disk HOWTO.</em> - -As this type of document is supposed to be as much for learning -as a technical reference document I have rearranged the structure -to this end. For the designer of a system it is more useful to -have the information presented in terms of the goals of this exercise -than from the point of view of the logical layer structure of the -devices themselves. Nevertheless this document would not be complete -without such a layer structure the computer field is so full of, so -I will include it here as an introduction to how it works. - -<sect1>Logical structure -<p> -<nidx>disk!structure, I/O subsystem</nidx> -This is based on how each layer access each other, traditionally -with the application on top and the physical layer on the bottom. -It is quite useful to show the interrelationship between each of -the layers used in controlling drives. -<tscreen><verb> - ___________________________________________________________ - |__ File structure ( /usr /tmp etc) __| - |__ File system (ext2fs, vfat etc) __| - |__ Volume management (AFS) __| - |__ RAID, concatenation (md) __| - |__ Device driver (SCSI, IDE etc) __| - |__ Controller (chip, card) __| - |__ Connection (cable, network) __| - |__ Drive (magnetic, optical etc) __| - ----------------------------------------------------------- - -</verb></tscreen> - -In the above diagram both volume management and RAID and concatenation -are optional layers. The 3 lower layers are in hardware. -All parts are discussed at length later on in this document. - -<sect1>Document structure -<p> -Most users start out with a given set of hardware and some plans on -what they wish to achieve and how big the system should be. This is -the point of view I will adopt in this document in presenting the -material, starting out with hardware, continuing with design constraints -before detailing the design strategy that I have found to work well. -I have used this both for my own personal computer at home, a multi -purpose server at work and found it worked quite well. In addition my -Japanese co-worker in this project have applied the same strategy on -a server in an academic setting with similar success. - -Finally at the end I have detailed some configuration tables for use -in your own design. If you have any comments regarding this or notes -from your own design work I would like to hear from you so this -document can be upgraded. - -<sect1>Reading plan -<p> -<em>As you go beyond 50 pages or so there will be a lot of text that -experts and even the experienced do not need to read. Keeping in mind -that we wish to care for all kinds of people in the Linux world we -might have to make a reading plan. Again example follows from my -HOWTO.</em> - -Although not the biggest HOWTO it is nevertheless rather big already -and I have been requested to make a reading plan to make it possible -to cut down on the volume - -<descrip> -<tag/Expert/ (aka the elite). If you are familiar with Linux as well -as disk drive technologies you will find most of what you need in the -appendices. Additionally you are recommended to read the FAQ and the -<ref id="bits-n-pieces" name="Bits'n'pieces"> -chapter. - -<tag/Experienced/ (aka Competent). If you are familiar with computers -in general you can go straight to the chapters on -<ref id="technologies" name="technologies"> -and continue from there on. - -<tag/Newbie/ (mostly harmless). You just have to read the whole thing. -Sorry. In addition you are also recommended to read all the other disk -related HOWTOs. -</descrip> - - -<sect>Technologies <label id="technologies"> -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!technologies</nidx> -<em>Introduction of technology for the newbie with a few -references to detailled works. Remember that not everyone -has Internet access so you have to explain in sufficient -details so even the newbie can get by.</em> - - -<sect>Implementation -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!implementation</nidx> -<em>Now your readers should have a sufficient knowledge of what -this is about and now we come to the hands on of implementing -your clever scheme.</em> - - -<sect>Maintenance -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!maintenance</nidx> -<em>Few systems and designs are maintenance free, here you explain -how to keep the system running.</em> - - -<sect>Advanced Issues -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!advanced topics</nidx> -<em>You can get most things up and running in a quick and dirty -fashion, useful for testing and getting used to how things work. -For more serious use you would need to be a little more advanced. -This is the place to explain it all, if applicable.</em> - - -<sect>Troubleshooting <label id="troubleshooting"> -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!troubleshooting</nidx> -<em>Many problems can be solved by a simple structured approach, -analysing the symptoms, finding the cause and determining the -solution. The following is an exerpts from the Multi Disk HOWTO.</em> - -<sect1>During Installation - -<sect2>Locating Disks -<p> -<descrip> -<tag/Symptoms/Cannot find disk -<tag/Problem/How to find what drive letter corresponds to what disk/partition -<tag/Solution/Remember Linux does not use drive letters but device names. More -information can be found in section "Drive names". -</descrip> -<p> -<descrip> -<tag/Symptoms/Cannot partition disk -<tag/Problem/Most likely wrong input to the command line for <tt/fdisk/ or similar tool. -<tag/Solution/Remember to use <tt>/dev/hda</tt> rather than just <tt>hda</tt>. Also -do not use numbers behind <tt>hda</tt>, those indicate partitions. -</descrip> - - -<sect2>Formatting -<p> -<descrip> -<tag/Symptoms/Cannot format disk. -<tag/Problem/Strictly speaking you format partitions not disks. -<tag/Solution/Make sure you add the partition number after the device name -of the disk, for instance <tt>/dev/hda1</tt> to the command line. -</descrip> - - -<sect>Further Information -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!information resources</nidx> -<em>A HOWTO cannot describe everything, some times the user -has to venture out on th enet to get more information or just -updates. Here is the place to tell where and how. Again examples -from my HOWTO, replace as needed.</em> -There is wealth of information one should go through when setting up a -major system, for instance for a news or general Internet service provider. -The FAQs in the following groups are useful: - -<sect1>News groups -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!news groups</nidx> -Some of the most interesting news groups are: -<itemize> -<item><url url="news:comp.arch.storage" name="Storage">. -<item><url url="news:comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage" name="PC storage">. -<item><url url="news:alt.filesystems.afs" name="AFS">. -<item><url url="news:comp.periphs.scsi" name="SCSI">. -<item><url url="news:comp.os.linux.setup" name="Linux setup">. -</itemize> - -Most newsgroups have their own FAQ that are designed to answer most of your -questions, as the name Frequently Asked Questions indicate. Fresh versions -should be posted regularly to the relevant newsgroups. If you cannot find it -in your news spool you could go directly to the -<url url="ftp://rtfm.mit.edu" - name="FAQ main archive FTP site">. The WWW versions can be browsed at -<url url="http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/FAQ-List.html" - name="FAQ main archive WWW site">. - -Some FAQs have their own home site, of particular interest here are -<itemize> -<item><url url="http://www.paranoia.com/˜filipg/HTML/LINK/F_SCSI.html" - name="SCSI FAQ"> and -<item><url url="http://alumni.caltech.edu/˜rdv/comp_arch_storage/FAQ-1.html" - name="comp.arch.storage FAQ">. -</itemize> - - -<sect1>Mailing Lists -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!mailing lists</nidx> -These are low noise channels mainly for developers. Think -twice before asking questions there as noise delays the development. -Some relevant lists are <tt/linux-raid/, <tt/linux-scsi/ and <tt/linux-ext2fs/. -Many of the most useful mailing lists run on the <tt>vger.rutgers.edu</tt> server -but this is notoriously overloaded, so try to find a mirror. There are some lists mirrored at -<url url="http://www.redhat.com" - name="The Redhat Home Page">. -Many lists are also accessible at -<url url="http://www.linuxhq.com/lnxlists" - name="linuxhq">, -and the rest of the web site is a gold mine of useful information. - -If you want to find out more about the lists available you can send a message -with the line <tt/lists/ to the list server at vger.rutgers.edu ( -<htmlurl url="mailto:majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu" - name="majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu">). -If you need help on how to use the mail server just send the line <tt/help/ -to the same address. -Due to the popularity of this server it is likely it takes a bit to time before -you get a reply or even get messages after you send a <tt/subscribe/ command. - -There is also a number of other majordomo list servers that can be of interest -such as the EATA driver list ( -<htmlurl url="mailto:linux-eata@mail.uni-mainz.de" - name="linux-eata@mail.uni-mainz.de">) -and the Intelligent IO list -<htmlurl url="mailto:linux-i2o@dpt.com" - name="linux-i2o@dpt.com">. - -Mailing lists are in a state of flux but you can find links to a number of -interesting lists from the -<url url="http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/" - name="Linux Documentation Homepage">. - - -<sect1>HOWTO -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!HOWTOs</nidx> -These are intended as the primary starting points to -get the background information as well as show you how to solve -a specific problem. -Some relevant HOWTOs are <tt/Bootdisk/, <tt/Installation/, <tt/SCSI/ and <tt/UMSDOS/. -The main site for these is the -<url url="http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/" - name="LDP archive"> -at Metalab (formerly known as Sunsite). - -There is a a new HOWTO out that deals with setting up a -DPT RAID system, check out the -<url url="http://www.ram.org/computing/linux/dpt_raid.html" - name="DPT RAID HOWTO homepage">. - - - -<sect1>Mini-HOWTO -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!mini-HOWTOs</nidx> -These are the smaller free text relatives to the HOWTOs. -Some relevant mini-HOWTOs are -<tt/Backup-With-MSDOS/, <tt/Diskless/, <tt/LILO/, <tt/Large Disk/, -<tt/Linux+DOS+Win95+OS2/, <tt/Linux+OS2+DOS/, <tt/Linux+Win95/, -<tt/NFS-Root/, <tt/Win95+Win+Linux/, <tt/ZIP Drive/ . -You can find these at the same place as the HOWTOs, usually in a sub directory -called <tt/mini/. Note that these are scheduled to be converted into SGML and -become proper HOWTOs in the near future. - -The old <tt/Linux Large IDE mini-HOWTO/ is no longer valid, instead read -<tt>/usr/src/linux/drivers/block/README.ide</tt> or -<tt>/usr/src/linux/Documentation/ide.txt</tt>. - -<sect1>Local Resources -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!local</nidx> -In most distributions of Linux there is a document directory installed, -have a look in the -<htmlurl url="file:///usr/doc" - name="/usr/doc"> directory. -where most packages store their main documentation and README files etc. -Also you will here find the HOWTO archive ( -<htmlurl url="file:///usr/doc/HOWTO" - name="/usr/doc/HOWTO">) -of ready formatted HOWTOs -and also the mini-HOWTO archive ( -<url url="file:///usr/doc/HOWTO/mini" - name="/usr/doc/HOWTO/mini">) -of plain text documents. - -Many of the configuration files mentioned earlier can be found in the -<htmlurl url="file:///etc" - name="/etc"> -directory. In particular you will want to work with the -<htmlurl url="file:///etc/fstab" - name="/etc/fstab"> -file that sets up the mounting of partitions -and possibly also -<htmlurl url="file:///etc/mdtab" - name="/etc/mdtab"> -file that is used for the <tt/md/ system to set up RAID. - -The kernel source in -<url url="file:///usr/src/linux" - name="/usr/src/linux"> -is, of course, the ultimate documentation. In other -words, <em>use the source, Luke</em>. -It should also be pointed out that the kernel comes not only with -source code which is even commented (well, partially at least) -but also an informative -<url url="file:///usr/src/linux/Documentation" - name="documentation directory">. -If you are about to ask any questions about the kernel you should -read this first, it will save you and many others a lot of time -and possibly embarrassment. - -Also have a look in your system log file ( -<htmlurl url="file:///var/log/messages" - name="/var/log/messages">) -to see what is going on and in particular how the booting went if -too much scrolled off your screen. Using <tt>tail -f /var/log/messages</tt> -in a separate window or screen will give you a continuous update of what is -going on in your system. - -You can also take advantage of the -<htmlurl url="file:///proc" - name="/proc"> -file system that is a window into the inner workings of your system. -Use <tt/cat/ rather than <tt/more/ to view the files as they are -reported as being zero length. Reports are that <tt/less/ works well here. - - -<sect1>Web Pages -<p> -<nidx>disk!information resources!WWW</nidx> -<nidx>disk!information resources!web pages</nidx> -There is a huge number of informative web pages out there and by their very -nature they change quickly so don't be too surprised if these links become -quickly outdated. - -A good starting point is of course the -<url url="http://www.linuxdoc.org/" - name="Linux Documentation Project"> home page, -an information central for documentation, project pages and much, much more. - -Please let me know if you have any other leads that can be of interest. - - -<sect>Getting Help -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!assistance, obtaining</nidx> -<em>Your reader might still end up in a situation where extra help is -needed from someone else, perhaps on the net. In order to get fast and -efficient help it is best first to get some details on your system. -What details matter depends on type of problem. For disk problems you -need to know the disk controllers etc, for networking problems you -have to know what ethernet card is used and version of drivers etc. -Here is the place to suggest what details to have ready when asking -for help.</em> - -In the end you might find yourself unable to solve your problems and need -help from someone else. The most efficient way is either to ask someone -local or in your nearest Linux user group, search the web for the nearest -one. - -Another possibility is to ask on Usenet News in one of the many, many -newsgroups available. The problem is that these have such a high -volume and noise (called low signal-to-noise ratio) that your question -can easily fall through unanswered. - -No matter where you ask it is important to ask well or you will not be -taken seriously. Saying just <it/my disk does not work/ is not going -to help you and instead the noise level is increased even further and if -you are lucky someone will ask you to clarify. - -Instead describe your problems in some detail that -will enable people to help you. The problem could lie somewhere you did -not expect. Therefore you are advised to list up the following information -on your system: - -<descrip> -<tag/Hardware/ -<itemize> -<item>Processor -<item>DMA -<item>IRQ -<item>Chip set (LX, BX etc) -<item>Bus (ISA, VESA, PCI etc) -<item>Expansion cards used (Disk controllers, video, IO etc) -</itemize> - -<tag/Software/ -<itemize> -<item>BIOS (On motherboard and possibly SCSI host adapters) -<item>LILO, if used -<item>Linux kernel version as well as possible modifications and patches -<item>Kernel parameters, if any -<item>Software that shows the error (with version number or date) -</itemize> - -<tag/Peripherals/ -<itemize> -<item>Type of disk drives with manufacturer name, version and type -<item>Other relevant peripherals connected to the same busses -</itemize> - -</descrip> - -Remember that booting text is logged to <tt>/var/log/messages</tt> which can -answer most of the questions above. Obviously if the drives fail you might not -be able to get the log saved to disk but you can at least scroll back up the -screen using the <tt/SHIFT/ and <tt/PAGE UP/ keys. It may also be useful to -include part of this in your request for help but do not go overboard, keep -it <em/brief/ as a complete log file dumped to Usenet News is more than a -little annoying. - - -<sect>Concluding Remarks -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!conclusion</nidx> -<em>Just summing up... Also a place for general recommendations.</em> - - -<sect>Questions and Answers -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!FAQ</nidx> -<nidx>(your index root)!frequently asked questions</nidx> -<em>Check the newsgroups and try to determine some frequent -problems and cover them here. Again an example from my HOWTO.</em> - -This is just a collection of what I believe are the most common -questions people might have. Give me more feedback and I will -turn this section into a proper FAQ. - -<itemize> - -<item>Q:How many physical disk drives (spindles) does a Linux system need? -<p> -A: Linux can run just fine on one drive (spindle). Having enough -RAM (around 32 MB, and up to 64 MB) to support swapping is a -better price/performance choice than getting a second disk. -(E)IDE disk is usually cheaper (but a little slower) than SCSI. - -<item>Q: Are there any disadvantages in this scheme? -<p> -A: There is only a minor snag: if even a single partition overflows -the system might stop working properly. The severity depends of course -on what partition is affected. Still this is not hard to monitor, the -command <tt/df/ gives you a good overview of the situation. Also check -the swap partition(s) using <tt/free/ to make sure you are not about -to run out of virtual memory. - -<item>Q: OK, so should I split the system into as many partitions -as possible for a single drive? -<p> -A: No, there are several disadvantages to that. First of all maintenance -becomes needlessly complex and you gain very little in this. In fact if your -partitions are too big you will seek across larger areas than needed. -This is a balance and dependent on the number of physical drives you have. - -</itemize> -<em>(rest deleted.)</em> - -<sect>Bits and Pieces <label id="bits-n-pieces"> -<p> -<nidx>disk!miscellaneous</nidx> -<em>This is basically a section where I stuff all the bits I have not yet -decided where should go, yet that I feel is worth knowing about. It is -a kind of transient area.</em> - -<sect>Examples -<p> -<nidx>(your index root)!examples</nidx> -<em>Example designs and sample configuration files and other -relevant details is always handy. Keep large samples at the -end to avoid breaking the flow of the HOWTO reading. Small -samples are useful within the main body of the HOWTO.</em> - - -<sect>Samples <label id="samples"> -<p> -<em>This section gives some simple SGML examples you could copy. -Read the source to see how it was done.</em> - -<!-- you can also have comments in the SGML source --> - -<sect1>Lists -<p> -<em>Lists appears many times, in a number of formats:</em> -<p> -Unlisted bullets: -<p> -<itemize> -<item>Apples -<item>Oranges -<item>Bananas -</itemize> -<p> -Tagged lists -<p> -<descrip> -<tag/Fruits/ such as apples, oranges, and more. -<tag/Nuts/ Don't eat too many; you are what you eat. -<tag/Vegetables/ Potatos are spelled with care. -</descrip> - - -<sect1>Links -<p> -<em>Links can be used within your documents -to refer to different sections and chapters or -to refer to documents external to yours.</em> -<p> -Internal links -<p> -Click on -<ref id="samples" name="this"> -link to jump to the top of this chapter. Note the -anchor at the section tag. - -<p> -External links -<p> -Click on -<url url="http://www.LinuxDoc.org/" - name="this"> -link to jump to the LDP site. -Note you can use http, ftp, news and other protocols -in the locator if required. -Note that the character ˜ has to be escaped, see the source -for details. -<!-- ˜ is the way of writing the tilde character --> - -<sect1>Images -<p> -<em>Avoid diagrams if possible as this cannot be rendered in the -ascii outputs which are still needed by many around the world.</em> - -<figure loc="tbp"> -<eps file="somegraphics.eps"> -<img src="somegraphics.jpg"> -<caption>Graphics Test Image</caption> -</figure> - -<!-- <img file="/usr/src/linux/logo.gif"> --> - - -<sect>Table Samples <label id="tblsamples"> -<p> -<em>This section gives an example of writing a table.</em> - -<table loc=p> -<tabular ca="rll"> -Line No.<colsep>Country <colsep>Capital <rowsep><hline> -1 <colsep>Norway <colsep>Oslo <rowsep> -2 <colsep>Japan <colsep>Tokyo <rowsep> -3 <colsep>Finland <colsep>Helsinki <rowsep> -</tabular> -<caption>Some capitals</caption> -</table> - - -<sect>Notes on Style <label id="style"> -<p> -<em> -Not much here yet but I would like to suggest a few points. -</em> - - -<descrip> -<tag/Tags/ Try to use tags extensively -<tag/Types/ Try using functional tags such as em rather than it. -<tag/Files/ Try using functional links to files such as -<tt><htmlurl url="file:///usr/doc" name="/usr/doc"></tt> -rather than just /usr/doc. -<tag/Commands/ Try to refer to man pages including section number -<tt>df (1)</tt> rather than just df. -</descrip> - - -</article> diff --git a/big-howto-template.sgml b/big-howto-template.sgml deleted file mode 100644 index 6ee0003..0000000 --- a/big-howto-template.sgml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1372 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V3.1//EN"> - -<article> - -<!-- Header --> - - <artheader> - <title>HOWTO-template for big HOWTOs - - - Stein - Gjoen - -
- sgjoen@nyx.net -
- - - - - Gregory - Leblanc - -
- gleblanc@cu-portland.edu -
- - - - - Greg - Ferguson - -
- gferg@sgi.com -
- - - - - - v0.05 - 8 June 2000 - gjf - - Fixed ids and comments - - - - - v0.04 - 1 June 2000 - gjf - - Additional spacing, layout changes, added new sections - - - - - - - template - - - - This is a fully working template for big HOWTOs. The source - contains fully described slots to make a convenient framework for - you to fill in for making your own HOWTO; suggesting some names, - conventions and contents for the chapters. - - - SGML source - for this document is available and should be consulted while reading. - - - - - - - - - - Introduction - - - disk!introduction - - - - For various reasons this brand new release is codenamed the - release release. - - - - New code names will appear as per industry standard - guidelines to emphasize the state-of-the-art-ness of this - document. - - - - This document was written when I read a feedback asking for a - template to fill in to make new HOWTOs. This template was - initially made by extracting the skeletal structure of the Multi - Disk HOWTO which is a rather large HOWTO. It then went through - extensive editing. - - - - Stating the background is a simple way to getting started - writing the intro. - - - - First of all we need a bit of legalese. Recent development - shows it is quite important. - - - - - - Copyright Information - - - This document is copyrighted (c) 2000 Stein Gjoen and is - distributed under the terms of the Linux Documentation Project - (LDP) license, stated below. Replace with your name, - or supply a new license, when you use this skeleton for a new - HOWTO. - - - - Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are - copyrighted by their respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may - be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium - physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is - retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution is allowed and - encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any - such distributions. - - - - All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works - incorporating any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this - copyright notice. That is, you may not produce a derivative work - from a HOWTO and impose additional restrictions on its - distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted under - certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator at - the address given below. - - - - In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this - information through as many channels as possible. However, we do - wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to - be notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs. - - - - If you have any questions, please contact - linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu - - - - - - - Disclaimer - - - No liability for the contents of this documents can be accepted. - Use the concepts, examples and other content at your own risk. - As this is a new edition of this document, there may be errors - and inaccuracies, that may of course be damaging to your system. - Proceed with caution, and although this is highly unlikely, - the author(s) do not take any responsibility for that. - - - - All copyrights are held by their by their respective owners, unless - specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in this document - should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark - or service mark. - - - - Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen - as endorsements. - - - - You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system - before major installation and backups at regular intervals. - - - - - - - New Versions - - - (your index root)!news on - - - - This is where you make a summary of what is new. When a - HOWTO exceeds 20 pages it takes more than a casual read to find - the updates. This is where you help your readers with that, - alerting them to specific and important updates to the document. - - - - This is the initial release. - - - - Tell people where the document home page is so the very - newest release could be found in case of problems with the main - Linux Documentation - Project homepage. - - - - The following is a sample from the Multi Disk HOWTO: - - - - The latest version number of this document can be - gleaned from my plan entry if you - - finger my Nyx account. - - - - If you have the capability, it would be nice to - make the HOWTO available in a number of formats. - - - - The newest version of this HOWTO will always be made available on - my website, in a variety of formats: - - - - - - - HTML. - - - - - - plain text. - - - - - - compressed - postscript (US letter format). - - - - - - SGML source. - - - - - - - Note that paper sizes vary in the world, A4 and US letter differ - significantly. You might also wish to consider using the - universal format (8.27x11in; 210x279mm). - - - - - - - Credits - - - It is always nice to acknowledge people who help you - with input; it is also regarded by many as important in the - Linux world new economy. - - - - In this version I have the pleasure of acknowledging: - - - - name (at) site.org - - - - Please scramble the addresses so email harvesters - cannot get addresses from your HOWTO and then spam people. That - has happened in the past. - - - - Somecompany is acknowledged for sending me - documentation on their gizmos as well as permission to quote from - the material. These quotes have been approved before appearing - here and will be clearly labeled. - - - - - - - Feedback - - - Feedback is most certainly welcome for this document. Without - your submissions and input, this document wouldn't exist. Please - send your additions, comments and criticisms to the following - email address : sgjoen@nyx.net. - - - - - - - Translations - - - Not everyone speaks English, pointers to translations are nice. - Also your translators tend to give very important inputs. - - - - - - - - German Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.de - - - - - - French Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.fr - - - - - - Italian Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.it - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Samples - - - This section gives some simple SGML examples you could - use. Read the SGML source to see how it was done. - - - - Further information and examples can be obtained from the publication - DocBook: The Definitive - Guide. Written by Norman Walsh - and Leonard Muellner; 1st Edition, October 1999. - - - - - - Lists - - - Lists are used frequently, and are available in a number - of formats shown below. - - - - A list in which each entry is marked with a bullet or other dingbat: - - - - - - - Apples - - - - Oranges - - - - Bananas - - - - - - - A list in which each entry is composed of a set of one or more - terms and an associated description: - - - - - - - Fruits - - such as apples, oranges, and more. - - - - - Nuts - - Don't eat too many; you are what you eat. - - - - - Vegetables - - Potatos are spelled with care. - - - - - - - - A list in which each entry is marked with a sequentially - incremented label: - - - - - - - Step one - - - - Step two - - - - - - - - - - Links - - - Links can be used within your documents to refer to - different sections and chapters or to refer to documents external - to yours. - - - - Internal links - - - Click on the link to jump to the top of - this chapter. Note the anchor at the section tag. - - - - - External links - - - Click on this link - to jump to the LDP site. Note you can use http, ftp, news and - other protocols in the locator if required. - - - - - - - - - Images - - - Avoid diagrams if possible as this cannot be rendered - in the ASCII outputs which are still needed by many around the - world. - - - -
- Graphics Test Image - -
- - - - Here is another variation which allows for ALT text: - - - - - - - - - - - - ALT text to be used: Green Ball - - - - - - Caption for the graphic goes here: This is a Green Ball. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Structure - - - A quick overview on how all parts fit together in the overall - structure. An example from the Multi Disk HOWTO is used. - - - - As this type of document is supposed to be as much for learning as - a technical reference document I have rearranged the structure to - this end. For the designer of a system it is more useful to have - the information presented in terms of the goals of this exercise - than from the point of view of the logical layer structure of the - devices themselves. Nevertheless this document would not be - complete without such a layer structure the computer field is so - full of, so I will include it here as an introduction to how it - works. - - - - - - Logical structure - - - disk!structure, I/O subsystem - - - - This is based on how each layer access each other, traditionally - with the application on top and the physical layer on the bottom. - It is quite useful to show the interrelationship between each of - the layers used in controlling drives. - - - ___________________________________________________________ - |__ File structure ( /usr /tmp etc) __| - |__ File system (ext2fs, vfat etc) __| - |__ Volume management (AFS) __| - |__ RAID, concatenation (md) __| - |__ Device driver (SCSI, IDE etc) __| - |__ Controller (chip, card) __| - |__ Connection (cable, network) __| - |__ Drive (magnetic, optical etc) __| - ----------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - In the above diagram both volume management and RAID and - concatenation are optional layers. The 3 lower layers are in - hardware. All parts are discussed at length later on in this - document. - - - - - - - Document structure - - - Most users start out with a given set of hardware and some plans - on what they wish to achieve and how big the system should be. - This is the point of view I will adopt in this document in - presenting the material, starting out with hardware, continuing - with design constraints before detailing the design strategy that - I have found to work well. I have used this both for my own - personal computer at home, a multi purpose server at work and - found it worked quite well. In addition my Japanese co-worker in - this project have applied the same strategy on a server in an - academic setting with similar success. - - - - Finally at the end I have detailed some configuration tables for - use in your own design. If you have any comments regarding this - or notes from your own design work I would like to hear from you - so this document can be upgraded. - - - - - - - Reading plan - - - As you go beyond 50 pages or so there will be a lot of - text that experts and even the experienced do not need to read. - Keeping in mind that we wish to care for all kinds of people in - the Linux world we might have to make a reading plan. Again, - an example follows from the Multi Disk HOWTO. - - - - Although not the biggest HOWTO it is nevertheless rather big - already and I have been requested to make a reading plan to make - it possible to cut down on the volume. - - - - - - - Expert - - - (aka the elite). If you are familiar with Linux as well as - disk drive technologies you will find most of what you need in - the appendices. Additionally you are recommended to read the - FAQ and the chapter. - - - - - - Experienced - - - (aka Competent). If you are familiar with computers in - general you can go straight to the chapters on - and continue from there on. - - - - - - Newbie - - - (mostly harmless). You just have to read the whole thing. - Sorry. In addition you are also recommended to read all the - other disk related HOWTOs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Technologies - - - (your index root)!technologies - - - - Introduction of technology for the newbie with a few - references to detailed works. Remember that not everyone has - Internet access so you have to explain in sufficient details so - even the newbie can get by. - - - - - - - - - - - Implementation - - - (your index root)!implementation - - - - Now your readers should have a sufficient knowledge of - what this is about and now we come to the hands on of implementing - your clever scheme. - - - - - - - - - - - Maintenance - - - (your index root)!maintenance - - - - Few systems and designs are maintenance free, here you - explain how to keep the system running. - - - - - - - - - - - Advanced Issues - - - (your index root)!advanced topics - - - - You can get most things up and running in a quick and - dirty fashion, useful for testing and getting used to how things - work. For more serious use you would need to be a little more - advanced. This is the place to explain it all, if applicable. - - - - - - - - - - - Further Information - - - (your index root)!information resources - - - - A HOWTO cannot describe everything, some times the user - has to venture out on th enet to get more information or just - updates. Here is the place to tell where and how. Again examples - from the Multi Disk HOWTO, replace as needed. There is wealth - of information one should go through when setting up a major system, - for instance for a news or general Internet service provider. The - FAQs in the following groups are useful: - - - - - - News groups - - - disk!information resources!news groups - - - Some of the most interesting news groups are: - - - - - - Storage. - - - - - - PC storage. - - - - - - AFS. - - - - - - SCSI. - - - - - - Linux setup. - - - - - - - - Most newsgroups have their own FAQ that are designed to answer most - of your questions, as the name Frequently Asked Questions indicate. - Fresh versions should be posted regularly to the relevant newsgroups. - If you cannot find it in your news spool you could go directly to the - FAQ main archive FTP site. - The WWW versions can be browsed at the - FAQ - main archive WWW site. - - - - Some FAQs have their own home site, of particular interest: - - - - - - SCSI FAQ - and - - - - - - comp.arch.storage FAQ. - - - - - - - - - - - Mailing Lists - - - disk!information resources!mailing lists - - - - These are low-noise channels mainly for developers. Think twice - before asking questions there as noise delays the development. - Some relevant lists are linux-raid, - linux-scsi and linux-ext2fs. Many - of the most useful mailing lists run on the vger.rutgers.edu server but this is - notoriously overloaded, so try to find a mirror. There are some - lists mirrored at The Redhat - Home Page. Many lists are also accessible at linuxhq, and the - rest of the web site contains useful information as well. - - - - If you want to find out more about the lists available you can send - a message with the line lists to the list server - at majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu. - If you need help on how to use the mail server just send the line - help to the same address. Due to the - popularity of this server it is likely it takes a bit to time before - you get a reply or even get messages after you send a - subscribe command. - - - - There is also a number of other majordomo list servers that can - be of interest such as the EATA driver list - (linux-eata@mail.uni-mainz.de) - and the Intelligent IO list linux-i2o@dpt.com. - - - - Mailing lists are in a state of flux but you can find links to a - number of interesting lists from the - Linux Documentation - Homepage. - - - - - - - HOWTO - - - disk!information resources!HOWTOs - - - - These are intended as the primary starting points to get the - background information as well as show you how to solve a - specific problem. Some relevant HOWTOs are - Bootdisk, - Installation, - SCSI and - UMSDOS. The main site for these is the - LDP archiveat - Metalab (formerly known as Sunsite). - - - - There is a a new HOWTO out that deals with setting up a DPT RAID - system, check out the - DPT RAID - HOWTO homepage. - - - - - - - Local Resources - - - disk!information resources!local - - - - In most distributions of Linux there is a document directory - installed, have a look in the /usr/doc - directory. where most packages store their main documentation and - README files etc. Also you will here find the HOWTO archive - (/usr/doc/HOWTO) of ready formatted HOWTOs - and also the mini-HOWTO archive - (/usr/doc/HOWTO/mini) of plain text - documents. - - - - Many of the configuration files mentioned earlier can be found in - the /etc directory. In particular you will - want to work with the /etc/fstab file that - sets up the mounting of partitions and possibly also - /etc/raidtab file that is used for the - md system to set up RAID. - - - - The kernel source in /usr/src/linux is, of - course, the ultimate documentation. In other words, use - the source, Luke. It should also be pointed out that the - kernel comes not only with source code which is even commented - (well, partially at least) but also an informative - /usr/src/linux/Documentation. If you are - about to ask any questions about the kernel you should read this - first, it will save you and many others a lot of time and - possibly embarrassment. - - - - Also have a look in your system log file - (/var/log/messages) to see what is going on - and in particular how the booting went if too much scrolled off - your screen. Using tail -f /var/log/messages - in a separate window or screen will give you a continuous update - of what is going on in your system. - - - - You can also take advantage of the /proc - file system that is a window into the inner workings of your - system. Use cat rather than - more to view the files as they are reported as - being zero length. Reports are that less works - well here. - - - - - - - Web Sites - - - disk!information resources!WWW - - - disk!information resources!web pages - - - - There are a huge number of informative web sites available. By - their very nature they change quickly so do not be surprised - if these links become quickly outdated. - - - - A good starting point is of course the - Linux Documentation - Project home page, an information central for - documentation, project pages and much more. - - - - Please let me know if you have any other leads that can be - of interest. - - - - - - - - - - - - Getting Help - - - (your index root)!assistance, obtaining - - - - In the end you might find yourself unable to solve your problems - and need help from someone else. The most efficient way is either - to ask someone local or in your nearest Linux user group, search - the web for the nearest one. - - - - Another possibility is to ask on Usenet News in one of the many, - many newsgroups available. The problem is that these have such a - high volume and noise (called low signal-to-noise ratio) that your - question can easily fall through unanswered. - - - - No matter where you ask it is important to ask well or you will - not be taken seriously. Saying just my disk - does not work is not going to help you and instead the - noise level is increased even further and if you are lucky someone - will ask you to clarify. - - - - Instead describe your problems in some detail that will enable - people to help you. The problem could lie somewhere you did not - expect. Therefore you are advised to list the following information - about your system: - - - - - - - Hardware - - - - - Processor - - - - DMA - - - - IRQ - - - - Chip set (LX, BX etc) - - - - Bus (ISA, VESA, PCI etc) - - - - - Expansion cards used (Disk controllers, video, IO - etc.) - - - - - - - - - - Software - - - - - - BIOS (On motherboard and possibly SCSI host adapters) - - - - LILO, if used - - - - - Linux kernel version as well as possible modifications - and patches - - - - - Kernel parameters, if any - - - - - Software that shows the error (with version number - or date) - - - - - - - - - - - Peripherals - - - - - - - Type of disk drives with manufacturer name, version and type - - - - - Other relevant peripherals - - - - - - - - - - - - Remember that booting text is logged to - /var/log/messages which can answer most of - the questions above. Obviously if the drives fail you might not be - able to get the log saved to disk but you can at least scroll - back up the screen using the SHIFT and - PAGE UP keys. It may also be useful to include - part of this in your request for help but do not go overboard, - keep it brief as a complete log file dumped - to Usenet News is more than a little annoying. - - - - - - - - - - - Concluding Remarks - - - (your index root)!conclusion - - - - Just summing up... Also a place for general - recommendations. - - - - - - - - - - - Questions and Answers - - - (your index root)!FAQ - - - (your index root)!frequently asked questions - - - - Check the newsgroups and try to determine some frequent - problems and cover them here. Again an example from the Multi Disk - HOWTO. - - - - This is just a collection of what I believe are the most common - questions people might have. Give me more feedback and I will turn - this section into a proper FAQ. - - - - - - - Q:How many physical disk drives (spindles) does a Linux system need? - - - - A: Linux can run just fine on one drive (spindle). Having - enough RAM (around 32 MB, and up to 64 MB) to support swapping - is a better price/performance choice than getting a second - disk. (E)IDE disk is usually cheaper (but a little slower) than - SCSI. - - - - - - Q: Are there any disadvantages in this scheme? - - - - A: There is only a minor snag: if even a single partition - overflows the system might stop working properly. The severity - depends of course on what partition is affected. Still this is - not hard to monitor, the command df gives - you a good overview of the situation. Also check the swap - partition(s) using free to make sure you are - not about to run out of virtual memory. - - - - - - Q: OK, so should I split the system into as many partitions as - possible for a single drive? - - - - A: No, there are several disadvantages to that. First of all - maintenance becomes needlessly complex and you gain very little - in this. In fact if your partitions are too big you will seek - across larger areas than needed. This is a balance and - dependent on the number of physical drives you have. - - - - - - - Greg Leblanc: Depending on how big this FAQ gets, perhaps it - would be worthwhile to have, say, the 5 most FAQ, and put the - rest into an external FAQ. Dunno. Comments? - - - (rest deleted.) - - - - - - - - - - - Bits and Pieces - - - disk!miscellaneous - - - - This is basically a section where I stuff all the bits I have not - yet decided where should go, yet that I feel is worth knowing - about. It is a kind of transient area. - - - - - - - - - - - Examples - - - (your index root)!examples - - - - Example designs and sample configuration files and other - relevant details is always handy - - - - - - -
- - -- 2.30.2