eeepc Hacking

Date: 27th June, 2008
Hosted By: John Coombes

This workshop was about modifying the eeepc 701 Xandros Standard system.

eeepc Tips-Notes

NOTE: most of the following has been taken from Mick Pope's private Google Doc's to which I (johncoom) have been given access to. These Tips/Notes do not include everything that is in Mick's Google Doc's, just the most useful stuff with modifications.

Refer to the eeeuser.com forum postings for any problems I've (Mick) had and overcome. Most links in here will be to eeeuser.com forum posts or the wiki.

http://www.eeeuser.com/
The links to Forums and Wiki etc. are on this main page

Remove unionfs

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:removeunionfs

Note: You must FIRST install Rescue Mode as per http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:installrescuemode

Having Unionfs allows you to Restore Factory Settings because all the original O/S and the applications are retained in a separate partition on the SDD of the EeePC. Even when one does an 'apt-get' or uses 'synaptic' to update applications, the original version of the application is still retained in the separate partition ! It is rather a waste of space and it is easy to soon run out of space on the SDD drive. This is why it is often very useful to remove unionfs and merge the Restore partition with the first partition of the SDD of the EeePC. (see on line doc's above)

Bios Updates

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=3485

NB: I (johncoom) have not bothered with the Bios updates my self yet

Restore Factory Settings

If you are still running unionfs and you want to restore factory settings you can quickly hit 'F9' as soon as you start your eeepc, then select restore factory settings from the menu.

Tweakeee

Load up Tweakeee - does most of these settings in this document through a python-gui app.

$ sudo dpkg -i tweakeee_0.4-0.i386.deb

http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/189

Make sure that you get the latest Beta 0.4 of Tweakeee, its linked from the above:

http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/195

This installs Tweakeee to the “Settings” tab of your EeePC. Note: That many more 'repositories' will get added to the /etc/apt/sources.list for you to install extra applications via the Tweakeee GUI. Some things will not be included with Tweakee and require that you install via 'apt-get' (or 'synaptic”). But there are quite a lot of things that can be installed from Tweakeee, plus there is some very useful 'extra config' items with Tweakeee ! It is well worth the installation.

Re-install Xandros 4

This can be done using an external DVD unit plugged in to a USB socket. Shut down the EeePC and with external DVD plugged in (plus any external power on) then re-start the EeePC and at the very first AUSE splash screen press the ESC key. (some times takes several tries). Follow the instructions and it will wipe your existing system and re-install the original Xandos off the ASUS DVD that came with your EeePC.

This can also be done using a USB-stick, but first you have to put the Xandros installer on the stick and is much more complex than using an external DVD unit which is very easy to do. If you still want to re-install from a USB-stick ? Then refer to (search) the http://forum.eeeuser.com/ site for a HowTo

Copy bootable linux CD to USB (you could try the following re Mick's Doc's)
$ sudo apt-get install syslinux mtools

$ cp -r <cd rom mount> <usb mount point>
$ sudo syslinux -f <usb device>

Disabling SD/USB popup at startup only (or completely)

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:tempdisabledevicedetection

This saves you having to bother with the default file manager pop-up each time and also applies to other plugged in devices. But not a device plugged in after boot, if you do the 'Disabling it always' option.

Vncserver startup

Add this to your .icewm/startup file:

vnc4server &

To use vnc with desktop 0 you have to use x11vnc

$ sudo apt-get install x11vnc

add a line like this to your startup file:

/usr/bin/x11vnc -noshm -q -passwd alchester -notruecolor -forever

Extra software worth installing

Some tips from Mick, he wrote:- This is a list of packages I've installed, without a problem just using apt-get, with the repositories above.(eg. The repositories as installed with Tweakeee I presume)

gftp - light weight ftp
pcman - file manager

mrxvt - light weight terminal
evince - pdf viewer
gkrellm - monitor
abiword - light weight word processor
gnumeric - light weight spreadsheet

openssh-server
telnet
rsync - for syncing files remotely.

xchat

w32codecs

hdparm - hard drive benchmarks

gimp
wine

Comment by johncoom: you may not want to install all of the above packages, just do the ones that you want.

Making MRXVT it default

$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator
lxterm is the default, select mrxvt from the list, now when you hit alt+ctrl+t you will get mrxvt.

Commands

List packages installed

# dpkg-query -l

package wildcard
Show files installed by a package

# dpkg-query -L <package name>

eeepc-tips-notes-1.doc

eeepc-tips-notes-1.odt