VectorLinux Core 7 Alpha4 is up and ready to test

[budulay]

I had something similar when I was compiling comix.
I got a package for it, but every time I install it, I get the exact same problem that you just described. I never got around to figure it out, though. I suspect it's something in the install.sh script that causes it. So if anyone want's to reproduce the problem GrannyGeek just described, I can upload the package.

[uelsk8s]

I had something similar when I was compiling comix.
I got a package for it, but every time I install it, I get the exact same problem that you just described. I never got around to figure it out, though. I suspect it's something in the install.sh script that causes it. So if anyone want's to reproduce the problem GrannyGeek just described, I can upload the package.

I would like ot see what it is, can you send me the pkg?

[GrannyGeek]

I did more installing, configuring, and running and have some things to report.

I couldn't make a LILO boot floppy disk because there was no vmlinuz file in /boot. I made a symlink and then was able to create a boot floppy for LILO. It didn't pick up my VL 7 a4 because there is no vmlinuz file in the /tamu thing, I'm guessing. I may try to symlink what's needed and see if LILO is successful in adding VL7 a4 to the boot list. I hope this will be fixed, as I don't think a real newbie would have a clue and would give up.

Installing Root Terminal in a panel Launcher does not work, nor does starting a Root Terminal work in the Applications Menu. The executable command is wrong. I fixed it to point to /sbin/vsuper /usr/bin/Terminal and can now get a Root Terminal.

Opera's license agreement screen is blank, as someone already reported. The Flash plugin is not working in Opera, though it's working in Firefox and SeaMonkey. The path to the plugins for Opera is correct but it thinks it has no plugin installed. I've had similar problems with earlier versions and somehow got them fixed, except for one time when nothing worked, not even a complete removal and reinstallation. Is anyone else having a problem with Flash in Opera 11.01 in a4.21? Except for that, Opera seems okay. I'm writing this in Opera from a4.21.

When I installed SeaMonkey from Gslapt, it complained about a missing gconf, I think, but I installed it anyway. SeaMonkey does not give any error messages when I start it from a command line and is working fine. Perhaps a false dependency? Gslapt offered me several packages for programs that were older than what is installed in a4.21. No big problem but it can be confusing.

I installed Scribus 1.3.9 in my home directory; I compiled it myself under VL7a4. It's working but is complaining about python problems. I didn't run any of Scribus's python-dependent things. Whatever I needed wasn't in Gslapt or a newer version of a dependency was needed that wasn't available in the VL7 repo. I hope VL7 final will come with Scribus 1.3.9. Actually, Scribus 1.4 will probably be released by that time and if so, that's what should be in VL7 final.

My glxgears scores are way better than in alpha 4 and general performance is spiffier.

That's all I can think of now.

I think it's amazingly good for an alpha release. Thanks, devs and everybody who is working on this!
--GrannyGeek

[Pita]

I have no sound if my webcam is connected to USB port on booting.
Have to remember to unplug before booting. After that I
can plug it back-in and sound stays with alsa and skype will have sound
with USB webcam set as microphone .

Window Manager-Advanced-Double click action, nothing happens like
Shade Windows and others.

On new reboot Window Manager-Advanced-Double click action is working for a while then stops.

xine hangs when trying to play an audio CD. xkill applied.

Audacious: No decoder found for cdda://.

Exaile: No URI handler implemented for "cdda".

On Audio Disk Icon click on eject:
Failed to eject "Audio Disc"
Not Authorized
Ejecting pressing botton on CDRom ejects disk.

When I logged-out as user the console showed the following at the top:

libusb couldn't open USB device /dev/bus/usb/001/005: Permission denied.
libusb requires write access to USB device nodes.
libusb couldn't open USB device /dev/bus/usb/001/006: Permission denied.
libusb requires write access to USB device nodes.
libusb couldn't open USB device /dev/bus/usb/001/007: Permission denied.
libusb requires write access to USB device nodes.

I am not using gdm. Don't know if this is relevant.

This cairo-dock is fun, however, seems to become obnoxious and getting
in the way in the middle of the screen. There were even 3 of them.

Opera hang when trying to play and audio, a BBC interview.  No complain a bout Flash.
 opera: Plug-in 6807 is not responding. It will be closed.
opera: Define environment variable OPERA_KEEP_BLOCKED_PLUGIN to keep blocked plug-ins.
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1018:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
opera: Plug-in 6831 is not responding. It will be closed.
opera: Define environment variable OPERA_KEEP_BLOCKED_PLUGIN to keep blocked plug-ins.
...
ALSA lib conf.c:4633:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib pcm.c:2211:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM default
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:1401:(_snd_pcm_hw_open) Invalid value for card
...
:$ alsamixer
cannot open mixer: No such file or directory
:$ which alsamixer
/usr/bin/alsamixer   

[toothandnail]

Vector Linux 7.0 STD Alpha 4.21 built on JAN-30-2011

Install was ok, though attempting to use 'gui vga=870' caused a lock-up - had to let it run at native resolution for some reason.

The installer is still creating a ~/bash_profile which sets LANG=en_US. Not a good option - its in the wrong place and overrides any attempt to set correct localisation.

I'm not getting the normal logout options - only restart and shutdown, none of the hibernate or suspend options are available for some reason.

Most other things seem to be working. The network handling in Xfce 4.8 is pretty good - once I set up a basic Samba configuration, I'm able to log in to my NAS and other machines on the network. Not sure about its handling of Linux networking - haven't seen any support for NFS, which is my normal connection method for Linux machines.

I had to use VASM to mount local partitions, otherwise the desktop was covered with unmounted partitions.

Its nice to see vcpufreq back, but its not working properly. I can set it, and set 'load on boot', but the next time the machine is started, it is not running. Looking at /etc/rc.d/rc.local, I see that "/sbin/vcpufreq-loader.gambas" is commented out. I'll see if that fixes it.....

Paul.

[Andy Price]

Alpha 22 is looking very nice - once it's installed. The problem of running the text installer has returned for me and on the last couple of Alphas it hangs before getting very far. It's odd, the "loading sata kernel" step seems very quick, only a few .... and then a load of lines flash by and it hangs with the caps lock flashing, needing a hard power off. Same problem on both a P3 and a P4.

The GUI installer starts of in the same way but eventually arrives at the GUI and I can do the install. But when booting into Vector (every time) I get dozens of lines flashing by (some rather slowly!) in sections with headings such as evel@redhat.com and lines such as "[1.079017] cpuidle: using govenor menu" and "ati: link is slow to respond, please be patient". Eventually it gets to the more familiar "INIT version 2.6.8 booting... ", loading modules etc. and eventually gets to the log in screen.

XFCE 4.8 looks nice - great to have it included so quickly - but it took me ages to find out how to move the panel to the bottom    I tried to add xfce-mount-plugin from Gslapt but got a dependency error about startup notification>0.10

Haven't installed much yet, but both wine and grsync seemed ok. Audacious had a missing dependency, wxGTK: Depends: sdl > 1.2.13

Looking forward to Beta 1!
Andy

[budulay]

Haven't installed much yet, but both wine and grsync seemed ok. Audacious had a missing dependency, wxGTK: Depends: sdl > 1.2.13

I rebuild wxGTK, which should fix that misnamed dependency.

[Andy Price]

Thanks budulay. Audacity installs ok now, but it doesn't run. Opening from the terminal gives: error while opening shared libraries: libwx_gtk2u_richtext-2.8.so.0

On a different matter, running Scribus 1.3.8 from the menu gives an error: there is a problem loading 1 of 29 plugins:  libscriptplugin.so - but the program opens and seems to run, though I haven't done anything with it yet.

[Lyn]

Looking forward to trying alpha 22, quick question can you refresh me how you use a delta, ie using the delta to change an iso from 21 to 22?  I have downloaded the iso of alpha 22 but would be good for future reference.

[uelsk8s]

Code:

xdelta patch VL7.0-STD-ALPHA-4.21to4.22.delta

that is enough if your 4.21.iso is in the same dir if not you will have to give the path and iso as an additional argument.

[toothandnail]

Vector Linux 7.0 STD Alpha 4.22

Install was fine (no lockup this time using 'gui vga=870').

Problem with localisation. If I set LANG up the way I need it (LANG=en_GB.utf8) a number of things do not display correctly - nano, MC to name just two. This is a new problem - haven't seen it for a while. But it makes the system pretty well unusable for me. Problem seems to be in the handling of UTF8 - setting LANG=en_GB works, sort of. Just not a viable long term option.

Problem with sound. My T61 has Intel HDA sound. Since VL6.0, in order to get sound working, I've had to:

Open the mixer and use 'select controls' to enable Master, PCM, Speaker and Headphone.
Use the Switches tab to select both speaker and headphone outputs

Doing the same with 7.0a4.22 gets me sound. However, as soon as I restart the machine, I have no sound without repeating the process. I've tried using alsamixer and the Xfce mixer - same results. I've also tried 'alsactl store' after setting the levels I want, but it doesn't help. Every time the machine is restarted, no sound....

So far, other than the above, most things look ok.

Paul.

[Lyn]

Code:

xdelta patch VL7.0-STD-ALPHA-4.21to4.22.delta

that is enough if your 4.21.iso is in the same dir if not you will have to give the path and iso as an additional argument.

Thanks! saved that for future usage, I have noticed that some deltas are bigger than others suggesting more changes in some.

[uelsk8s]

Everything was going great until it all went bad. I think there's a serious bug involved here, as the same thing happened in alpha 4.15.

I did something (not sure what) and my icons disappeared, my desktop background went from the picture I use to a darkish blue, and I can't change it. Programs look right except icons are missing. For example, I'm writing this in Firefox. Window controls such as Minimize, Maximize, Close, Pin, etc., are all there. Pictures in the window such as for ads, VL's Donate button, and so forth are there and right. But the icons for Go Back, Open a new tab, Reload, Stop Loading, are missing. Instead there's a little "page" with a red x in it. That's what desktop icons have, too. Launcher icons in the Panel are missing completely, but some icons for running programs are there; others have a generic icon. In XFce Settings, Desktop, Background tab, nothing is listed. I tried clicking on Add an image to the list and selected a file in /usr/share/wallpapers, but nothing was added to the Backgrounds list.

It seems something is amiss in the window manager and I have no idea how to fix it. This happened after I tried changing an icon for a launcher through XFce's new editor for Launcher properties. I also ran qtconfig and changed the GUI style. I don't know the exact sequence when the icons disappeared. I did run qtconfig again and changed back to the original GUI style.

I don't have icons if I run XFce as root, either.

What concerns me is that the exact same thing happened to me in alpha 4.15. I reported it here and asked if anyone had a fix, but got no answers to that. I suspect it's a simple fix. There has to be something wrong, a bug, I expect. I didn't do anything unusual or that any user might try.

I'll wait until tomorrow for an answer about how to fix this, if it's possible, but if I don't find out by tomorrow, I'll reinstall and not run qtconfig. If qtconfig is the culprit, I think it should be removed from the distro because running it may trash your installation.

Actually, things are working except for no icons and no possibility to change the background or add icons.

When a4.15 had the same problem, I tried going back to skel through VASM but that did no good. It's system wide (root has the same problem and I never ran a root desktop until I checked to see if the icons were missing).

I'm sort of tearing my hair out because I really liked what I was seeing until this happened.
--GrannyGeek

Granny,
I am thinking this may be caused by a pkg you are installing.
can you check the pkgs you added to the system and see if any of them have a usr/share/mime dir in them?

[GrannyGeek]

I fixed this problem, as I mentioned in a message. Something wiped out a bunch of libpixbufloader libraries in /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders. When I copied them from alpha4, everything went back as it was supposed to be.

I thought running qtconfig might be the culprit but I'll see if I can find a /usr/share/mime in packages I installed.
--GrannyGeek

[uelsk8s]

I fixed this problem, as I mentioned in a message. Something wiped out a bunch of libpixbufloader libraries in /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders. When I copied them from alpha4, everything went back as it was supposed to be.

I thought running qtconfig might be the culprit but I'll see if I can find a /usr/share/mime in packages I installed.
--GrannyGeek

the libpixbufloaders libraries have been moved in last gdk-pixbuf to /usr/lib/gdk-pixbuf-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/
maybe there is an older pkg lurking that is looking for them in the old location.