This is an old revision of the document!

eeepc Hacking

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

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

<html> <h1>eeepc Tips-Notes</H1> 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. <A NAME=“bqmd”></A>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. <A HREF=“http://www.eeeuser.com/”>http://www.eeeuser.com/</A> The links to Forums and Wiki etc. are on this main page <A NAME=“rj1n”></A>Remove unionfs <A HREF=“http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:removeunionfs”>http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:removeunionfs</A> <A NAME=“cksm”></A>Note: You must FIRST install Rescue Mode as per <A HREF=“http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:installrescuemode”>http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:installrescuemode</A> 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 <A HREF=“http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=3485”>http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=3485</A> NB: I (johncoom) have not bothered with the Bios updates my self yet <A NAME=“w9:3”></A>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. <H3 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in”>Tweakeee</H3> <A NAME=“yz8f”></A><A NAME=“he56”></A><A NAME=“he560”></A><A NAME=“f_fv”></A> 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 <A HREF=“http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/189”>http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/189</A> Make sure that you get the latest Beta 0.4 of Tweakeee, its linked from the above: <A HREF=“http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/195”>http://www.infinitedesigns.org/archives/195</A> 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. <A NAME=“js4e1”></A><A NAME=“disabling_at_startup_only1”></A><A NAME=“rj1n1”></A> 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. <A NAME=“qu3w1”></A>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 <A HREF=“http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:startupscript”>http://forum.eeeuser.com/</A> site for a HowTo <A NAME=“si4w21”></A><A NAME=“a980”></A><A NAME=“si4w2”></A><A NAME=“a9800”></A><A NAME=“zpxr”></A><A NAME=“zpxr0”></A> 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> <H2 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; font-style: normal”><A NAME=“js4e”></A><A NAME=“disabling_at_startup_only”></A> Disabling SD/USB popup at startup only (or completely)</H2> <A NAME=“xzvi”></A><A HREF=“http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:tempdisabledevicedetection”>http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:tempdisabledevicedetection</A> <A NAME=“disabling_it_always”></A>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. <H3 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in”><A NAME=“s54v”></A><A NAME=“vncserver_startup”></A> Vncserver startup</H3> <A NAME=“n3_d”></A>Add this to your .icewm/startup file: <PRE STYLE=“margin-bottom: 0.2in”><A NAME=“dwka”></A>vnc4server &</PRE> <A NAME=“r1w:”></A>To use vnc with desktop 0 you have to use x11vnc <PRE STYLE=“margin-bottom: 0.2in”><A NAME=“uj2y”></A>$ sudo apt-get install x11vnc</PRE> <A NAME=“tz2s”></A>add a line like this to your startup file: <PRE STYLE=“margin-bottom: 0.2in”>/usr/bin/x11vnc -noshm -q -passwd alchester -notruecolor -forever </PRE><H2 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; font-style: normal”> Extra software worth installing</H2> <H2 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in”>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)</H2> 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. <H2 CLASS=“western” STYLE=“margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; font-style: normal”> Making space</H2> Package to remove command Space saved acrobat removepkg acrobat 168MB frozen-bubble-data removepkg frozen-bubble-data 33.5MB tuxpaint removepkg tuxpaint

                                           <FONT SIZE=3>removepkg

tuxpaint-data 26.7MB openoffice language packs (follow the upgrade openoffice below) ~200MB <A NAME=“hsig”></A><A NAME=“ugp5”></A><A NAME=“n1qb”></A><A NAME=“a41x”></A><A NAME=“md4h”></A><A NAME=“n353”></A><A NAME=“azog”></A> Commands List packages installed # dpkg-query -l <package wildcard> Show files installed by a package # dpkg-query -L <package name> </html>

eeepc-tips-notes-1.doc

eeepc-tips-notes-1.odt