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Upsizing mdraid array
by Mark Rogers 18 Aug '09

18 Aug '09

I have a server which has 1 drive holding the O/S, and 4-off 500GB drives as two pairs of RAID1 (mdraid) arrays. I want to replace the 500GB drives with 1TB drives. What is the best way to do this? Ideally I'd do it offline, just copy (and resize) the partitions across and then put the disks back into the machine and boot it. But I don't know if there's any software that would allow me to do that. So all suggestions welcome. (I don't recall now why I have 2-off RAID1 arrays; a single RAID 5 array might be a better use of the drives, in which case the same question arises: how do I migrate to that configuration?) -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0845 45 89 555 Registered in England (0456 0902) at 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG

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Re: [ALUG] Surprised by Microsoft
by MJ Ray 18 Aug '09

18 Aug '09

Wayne Stallwood <ALUGlist(a)digimatic.co.uk> [...] > I remain to be convinced that MS want to control content for it's own > sake, at the heart they are still a software giant not a media one so > their key interest is leveraging content delivery to make their software > the most attractive option. [...] One way to do that is to present yourself as the best friends of content delivery services - or broadcasters, in oldspeak. A good tactic would be to let one of your trusted leaders go work for them for a while, then appoint them back to high office in your organisation and let them give interviews saying things like "There is a growing consensus something can be done. We have to protect IP for the health of our economy. We need implementable anti-piracy measures. We can do a lot more [than the Digital Britain report proposes] if there is a will to do it." -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/17/microsoft-ashley-highfield-inte… wouldn't it? The push for free and open source software is fast becoming about more than FOSS for the sake of freedom of computing. It's becoming a struggle between public and private benefit in access to everything from Department for the Environment presentations to BBC and ITV shows. Where is this debate happening next? -- MJ Ray (slef) LMS developer and webmaster at | software www.software.coop http://mjr.towers.org.uk | .... co IMO only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html | .... op

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Surprised by Microsoft
by Mark Rogers 18 Aug '09

18 Aug '09

I just visited a site which required Microsoft's Silverlight plugin (Ryanair's route checker). Given that I was running Firefox 3 on Ubuntu I wasn't expecting much but I clicked the "install silverlight" link anyway, and was redirected first to Microsoft and then on to the open-source Mono project and Moonlight. I knew that Moonlight existed, but I wasn't expecting that kind of endorsement from Microsoft. If this is the kind of thing that the deal between Novell (who sponsored/developed Moonlight) and Microsoft leads to then maybe my thoughts on that process have shifted a little. -- Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0845 45 89 555 Registered in England (0456 0902) at 13 Clarke Rd, Milton Keynes, MK1 1LG

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Does anyone get random long waits on Google?
by Chris G 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

For quite a while now I occasionally get a very long wait when I do a Google search. Tonight I decided to see if I could diagnose the problem at all but I haven't got very far. It seems to happen pretty randomly, every few Google searches I do I get one that takes a very long time, like a minute or more. If I hit the Firefox Stop button and try again it usually works instantly. Just now when trying to diagnose the problem I repeatedly did the same Google search, every so often (random intervals, usualyy every six or seven searches or so) it took a long time. I have the Tamper Data add-on installed in Firefox so I used that to look at the times. Most of the Google searches return in 150mS or so without much variation but the occasional slow ones vary from ten seconds or so up to a minute or so. I've tried hammering other web sites to see if I can provoke similar symptoms but I can't, it seems to be only Google that does this to me. Can anyone suggest a reason why this might be happening? (Or a way to diagnose it, all that Tamper Data is telling me is that GET is occasionally taking a very long time) -- Chris Green

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Re: [ALUG] Suspend/hibernate on a desktop system, easy?, possible?
by James Elsey 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

Hi Chris, You could always have a look at "Wake-on-LAN", if your garage PC is only used for backups you could leave it switched off and wake it up over LAN when you need to do a backup, either manually or via some scheduled scripts. Its worth a read if your bored! ;) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN J -----Original Message----- From: main-bounces(a)lists.alug.org.uk [mailto:main-bounces@lists.alug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Chris G Sent: 17 August 2009 11:10 To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk Subject: [ALUG] Suspend/hibernate on a desktop system, easy?, possible? Is it possible to get a normal desktop system to suspend or hibernate when there is no activity? I'd like to get my garage backup system to use less power when it's not doing anything (which is most of the time). If specific hardware is good/easy for doing this then I'm quite happy to build a new system as I'm thinking of creating a new system for test and upgrade purposes so I could use my exisiting garage system for that. -- Chris Green _______________________________________________ main(a)lists.alug.org.uk http://www.alug.org.uk/ http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4341 (20090817) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4341 (20090817) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com

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Re: [ALUG] main Digest, Vol 50, Issue 8
by Sam Tuke 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

I have just got back from visiting the Reindeer. I arrived there at about 20.40 and it was all closed up. Where did you chaps get to? Sam. > From: main-request(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: main Digest, Vol 50, Issue 8 > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:02 +0100 > > Send main mailing list submissions to > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > main-request(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > You can reach the person managing the list at > main-owner(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of main digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 13th August 2009 (Was: Re: [ALUG Announce] > 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 9th July 2009) (Srdjan Todorovic) > 2. Re: No network every time (Chris Walker) > 3. [ALUG Announce] 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 13th August 2009 (Was: Re: > 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 9th July 2009) (Srdjan Todorovic) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:21:35 +0100 > From: Srdjan Todorovic <todorovic.s(a)googlemail.com> > Subject: [ALUG] 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 13th August 2009 (Was: Re: [ALUG > Announce] 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 9th July 2009) > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Cc: Alug Announce <announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk> > Message-ID: > <a59829110908120121q33ef3e68kc0327ca2011ea0b0(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > Hello everyone, > > It looks as if no one has posted a message about it this month.... > > ALUG pub meet this Thursday 13th August 2009 at the usual place. > Details are as below. > > Thanks and hope to see you there, > Srdjan > > On 06/07/2009, David Reynolds <david(a)reynoldsfamily.org.uk> wrote: > > ALUG Announce > > > > Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > Unsub, change settings via > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > > ----- > > Dear ALUG, > > The monthly second Thursday social meeting of ALUG will take place > > on 9th July 2009 at The Reindeer (10 Dereham Road, Norwich, > > NR2 4AY; tel. 01603 762223). It's very near the junction of > > Dereham Road and the Norwich inner ring road (Grapes Hill) > > and serves a selection of real ales, nice pub food (if you fancy > > going early to eat) and coffee. > > > > There are generally people there from 20:00 onwards and we tend > > to sit to the left of the main entrance. > > > > We look forward to seeing you there. > > > > Cheers, > > David > > > > -- > > David Reynolds > > david(a)reynoldsfamily.org.uk > > > > ----- > > Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) > > Unsub, change settings via > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:57:12 +0100 > From: Chris Walker <cdw_linux(a)the-walker-household.co.uk> > Subject: Re: [ALUG] No network every time > To: Chris Walker <cdw_linux(a)the-walker-household.co.uk> > Cc: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Message-ID: <4A805F78.4050605(a)the-walker-household.co.uk> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Chris Walker wrote: > > I've no idea what I've done recently to provoke it, but every time I > > power on my machine, it tells me there's no configured network > > interface. All I have to do to fix it, is give the root password, and > > then click ok several times until I get to 'finish'. It remembers all > > the static ip details but I can't persuade it to remember to start. > > > > All I can recall doing recently is trying to persuade the box to talk to > > my Nokia phone but I'm not sure if that's the cause. I mention it just > > in case. > > > > I've tried googling for the solution but got nowhere. Anybody any ideas? > > More by luck than judgement, I've fixed this. > > It stopped happening when I switched off fastboot. I've no idea what it > is - I can guess what it does! - but courtesy of a google suggestion, I > made the change and for the past couple of days, it's worked. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:21:35 +0100 > From: Srdjan Todorovic <todorovic.s(a)googlemail.com> > Subject: [ALUG] [ALUG Announce] 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 13th August 2009 > (Was: Re: 2nd Thurs Pub Meet 9th July 2009) > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Cc: Alug Announce <announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk> > Message-ID: > <a59829110908120121q33ef3e68kc0327ca2011ea0b0(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > ALUG Announce > > Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > ----- > Hello everyone, > > It looks as if no one has posted a message about it this month.... > > ALUG pub meet this Thursday 13th August 2009 at the usual place. > Details are as below. > > Thanks and hope to see you there, > Srdjan > > On 06/07/2009, David Reynolds <david(a)reynoldsfamily.org.uk> wrote: > > ALUG Announce > > > > Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk > > Unsub, change settings via > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > > ----- > > Dear ALUG, > > The monthly second Thursday social meeting of ALUG will take place > > on 9th July 2009 at The Reindeer (10 Dereham Road, Norwich, > > NR2 4AY; tel. 01603 762223). It's very near the junction of > > Dereham Road and the Norwich inner ring road (Grapes Hill) > > and serves a selection of real ales, nice pub food (if you fancy > > going early to eat) and coffee. > > > > There are generally people there from 20:00 onwards and we tend > > to sit to the left of the main entrance. > > > > We look forward to seeing you there. > > > > Cheers, > > David > > > > -- > > David Reynolds > > david(a)reynoldsfamily.org.uk > > > > ----- > > Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) > > Unsub, change settings via > > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > > > > ----- > Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) > Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > http://www.anglian.lug.org.uk/ > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > > > End of main Digest, Vol 50, Issue 8 > *********************************** _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live Messenger: Happy 10-Year Anniversary—get free winks and emoticons. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/157562755/direct/01/

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Re: [ALUG] Suspend/hibernate on a desktop system, easy?, possible?
by MJ Ray 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

Chris G <cl(a)isbd.net> > There is then of course the question of whether turning the machine > on and off two or three times a day will wear it out more quickly than > leaving it permanently running. You may find help with suspend in the Linux Ecology HOWTO [ox.ac.uk LDP mirror] along with many other tips on how to reduce environmental damage from your computer. http://mirror.ox.ac.uk/sites/www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Ecology-HOWTO/index.html Simon Richter emailed me notes about the different types of disk - which I don't really understand so I've asked him to publish them himself at http://www.hogyros.de/?q=blog/1 - the gist seemed to be server disks don't like being power cycled repeatedly and yanking the power is very harmful to desktop disks. I've read articles that warn against powering down and up too often. They say that more frequent heating/cooling causing parts to fail, but I find the fans fail most often - which brings a different heating failure problem! I prefer to save some fan spin instead. (Edited repeat of http://mjr.towers.org.uk/blog/2006/lynn#howtonotmelt ) Hope that helps, -- MJ Ray (slef) LMS developer and webmaster at | software www.software.coop http://mjr.towers.org.uk | .... co IMO only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html | .... op

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Google Phone (T-Mobile/HTC G1)
by Alex Scotton 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

Hi guys, I'm a relative new comer to the world of linux, I use Ubuntu when I can, however have used Windows for most of my life :( .. love reading the newsletters and various problems and solutions that come up; however never find myself with the knowledge to answer coherently ha ha.. Anyways, with you all being people of the Open source persuasion; I wondered whether any of you had one of the Google Mobiles, as the OS it uses (Android) is completely open source, and there are reports of installing Ubuntu onto the device, and loads of alternative OS's. Have any of you had any experience of "modding" them, because I am planning to do so with mine when i feel comfortable enough to do so. This has all cropped up regards a phone call with T-Mobile's "Technical Support" this morning, because of course the phone has come brand new with the old version 1.0 OS, missing many of the features I got the phone for (Google Latitude, Increased share functions, and flash 10 support) telling me that the Update for the 1.5 version of Android (CupCake) will arrive at some point in the form of a question on the screen.. but they couldn't tell me when that'd be, it could take upto 3 months! Anyways, hi to all... and thanks for reading :)

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Suspend/hibernate on a desktop system, easy?, possible?
by Chris G 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

Is it possible to get a normal desktop system to suspend or hibernate when there is no activity? I'd like to get my garage backup system to use less power when it's not doing anything (which is most of the time). If specific hardware is good/easy for doing this then I'm quite happy to build a new system as I'm thinking of creating a new system for test and upgrade purposes so I could use my exisiting garage system for that. -- Chris Green

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Playing CDs on Linux - why is it so difficult, or is it me?
by Chris G 16 Aug '09

16 Aug '09

I'm trying to play a CD on my kubuntu 9.04 Linux box, without much success at the moment. The default "Listen Music Player" allows me to select one track and play it but once started the user interface is completely dead, I can't stop the track playing, select another track or anything. A quick Google search suggests that this is quite a common problem with "Listen Music Player". So I have downloaded Rhythmbox, I can't even get it to select and play tracks from the CD. Ah, yes I can, I need to add all the tracks to the "Play Queue" and then press play. Is there not an application that plays a CD without all this paraphernalia? Any suggestions for a bear of very little (audio) brain like me? -- Chris Green

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