3 Noob Q's (Debian4.1 on Xbox)

Alfastation · 10-19-2003, 04:05 AM

For the past week I've been surfing the web, reading and learning about Linux

, and I saw a whole new world opening up to me. Sure, it will probl' take me 3 decades to learn what I can do in Windows after ("only") 3 years

, but at least i won't have worry about getting the right serial-keys for the right programs anymore

and I can find a use for the old 486 and PI 166

2 days ago I installed Debian 0.4.1 (special distribution) on my Xbox using the MechAssault-trick and a USB-memory stick, (hence my motivation to get into the wonderful world of

) but i'm stuck with a few basic questions and the "how-to's" on the Web haven't helped me out so-far:

1) Where the hxx do I configure my AZERTY-keyboard?

2) How can I use my whole TV-screen? (Now i got a 3cm black border on all 4 sides)

3) How do you make short-cuts to the "desktop"? (e.g.: for mount & umount, for launching progs like Mplayer, or maybe combine both in 1 if possible...)

When I right-click on Debian's desktop I get a whole list of applications and tools and stuff, most of which just open an empty box like a command-line or texteditor, some do nothing at all, some open a box you can't close...

Mplayer works fine, but even after changing "noauto" to "auto" in /etc/fstab I still have to manually "mount" and "umount" the cdrom (or reboot the machine, which my wife finds much easier then typing a command-line

)

Please go easy on me 'cause this is all very new to me.

Greetz,
Alfa.

Mara · 10-19-2003, 03:47 PM

Hello,
I've just moved your thread to the Debian forum. Your questions are very Debian-specific, so I think they fit better here.

1)Under X or under console? Or both? What have you choosen during installation?

Quote:

but even after changing "noauto" to "auto" in /etc/fstab I still have to manually "mount" and "umount" the cdrom

Debian doesn't have automatic cdrom (and floppy) mounting (security reasons, mostly). Such feature is present in Mandrake (called 'supermount').

praveenk · 10-21-2003, 06:44 AM

I am interested in knowing about the Debian 0.4.1. What is that?

Alfastation · 10-21-2003, 09:53 AM

To praveenk :

Here's the link:
http://xbox-linux.sourceforge.net/docs/download.html

Their latest version is now 0.5.1 and they changed the name to Xebian (X => Xbox-Debian)

To Mara:

Thx, I hadn't noticed there was a section specific for Debian.

Now for the questions:
I'm not sure what you mean by "X" or "Console"
I downloaded Debian 0.4.1, burned a boot-cd using Nero with "0.4.1.iso" from the package which installed automatically, then burned a second boot-cd with "boot_fatx_e.iso" and installed that too (following the instructions that popped-up)
When I launch "LINUX" from the Xbox-console, the system goes thru start-up (+/- 30sec) after which I get a screen with a virtual keyboard-box and a command-line-box. (From here i can launch Mplayer and a few other prog's by right-clicking)
When I right-click and choose "exit" from that screen I get to a completely different screen (with a little "face") where you can log-in again, but none of the user/passw combinations seem to work here (e.g.: it says the "root" is not allowed to log-in here...)
When you choose "shut-down" from here it goes thru the shut-down procedure (+/- 15sec) and turns off the X-box.

Since I'm very new to Linux and worried I might do something to screw-up the Xbox, I haven't tried anything else so-far. I'd also like to "update" to version 0.5.1 but can't find clear instructions on how-to. (safest way i guess would be to remove 0.4.1 alltogether, but how do you un-install this?)

Cheers,
Alfa.

Mara · 10-21-2003, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alfastation

Now for the questions:
I'm not sure what you mean by "X" or "Console"

Sorry... When saying 'X' I mean graphical mode, by 'console' - text mode. From your description I see that it boots in the graphical mode (X).

If you mean the virtual keyboard layout, you can change it when you click on the logo in the keyboard's down-left corner. Among other options, you'll have 'Change Keyboard Layout). Screenshot: http://member.nifty.ne.jp/tsato/xvkbd/#mainmenu

You can change you TV settings in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file. The thing is that I don't know the right values. Someone running Linux on XBox should help here.

Quote:

Since I'm very new to Linux and worried I might do something to screw-up the Xbox, I haven't tried anything else so-far. I'd also like to "update" to version 0.5.1 but can't find clear instructions on how-to. (safest way i guess would be to remove 0.4.1 alltogether, but how do you un-install this?)

I think that if you just use the 0.5.1 image and start installation, it should upgrade OK. But that's only a guess.