Started Labbook 2021.
December 24, 2020
- The mouse pointer can be enlarged in Ubuntu with the command sh -c "sleep 6 && dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/interface/cursor-size 60 .
December 12, 2020
- Installing the drivers for the Asus ZoomSceen MP16AP on the Ubuntu 20.04 laptop of my daughter.
- Because the system was running Xorg, it asked for a reboot, which resulted in a PCIe Bus Error.
- Booting in recovery mode didn't work for the failsafe graphics, had to fall back to root cmd.
- When connected via ethernet to my router, I had an IP, but no dns. Followed the trick of askubuntu to manually create a /etc/resolv.conf.
- The command sudo apt-get update failed on missing key of the cloud.r-project, so added the correct key following the instructions
- A number of kernel packages were held back, so I looked again at askubuntu and did a sudo apt full-upgrade.
- Followed the instruction at this post.
- Now there are no PCI-errors anymore, but that were only unnecessary warnings according to the post. Yet, the boot is still hanging after /dev/sdb4: clean
- Looked at these tricks. With ALT+F2 I could login as user. Tried sudo apt install --reinstall nvidia-settings, didn't help. Next I tried sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall, but nothing was updated. Tried a sudo apt autoremove again.
- Next I tried sudo apt-get purge nvidia*, which removed all DKMS Modules. That solved the issue. Still, no second screen.
- Tried installing the Asus driver again, but system reported that EVDI kernel is already running.
- Checked the troubleshoot from DisplayLink. The latest version is 5.3.1, which seems to be the same version of Asus (v 5.3.1.34).
- Checked the version of the GPU with lspci -v | less. According to nvidia 450.80.92 was the long-lived version, but there were still some compute libraries of 455 present, so I installed the short-lived version (455.45.01)
- After reinstalling the nvidia-455 drivers again the graphical login fails. Purged both nvidia* and libnvidia* and installed nvidia-drivers-450. Still no graphical boot.
- Did sudo displaylink-installer uninstall. Note that the developers recommend not to use the NVidia property driver at all. Now the system works again (but without second screen).
September 30, 2020
- Tried to connect our Asus Zenscreen to my Ubuntu desktop, but both USB-C connectors are without display.
- On my XPS 9370 it worked directly without having to install anything.
- Installed the driver package from Asus, and after a reboot I got a display on the USB-C.
- On both systems there are three white horizontal lines visible, which is an alignment grid.
September 10, 2020
- Accessed today ws7, which is located in the Blue Student lab. System is running Ubuntu 18.04.
- Copied the /usr/bin/sdkmanager from XPS13 to ws7 in ~/packages/ThunderComm/bin. Yet, the first thing this sdkmanager does, is trying to install
Missing precondition Ubuntu 18.04 packages, installing ..., which fails without sudo rights.
August 19, 2020
- On my XPS 13 a BIOS-update was applied, whereafter the system didn't want start Windows anymore. Starting the command-line from the recovery mode showed that the system-drive C was bitlocked.
- This is a well known problem. Couldn't find the PTT option in my BIOS.
- Tried to reset to default settings. The default BIOS settings didn't work, luckely Factory settings did!
- Made Backup of the recovery key on my dual-usb stick.
August 17, 2020
August 13, 2020
- Solved problem with vi editing my labbooks from XPS13 by creating ~/.vimrc with the option set background=dark
- Had a problem that I couldn't do sudo apt update because of Release file (not yet) valid. The date was a week old, but sudo hwclock --hctosys solved this issue.
July 20, 2020
- Installed Ubuntu 18.04 as Windows10 app next to Ubuntu 20.04
- Was able to do the OpenVINO installation, including Setting the Environment variables. Was even able to do demo_squeezenet_download_convert_run.sh. The next demo (./demo_security_barrier_camera.sh) failed on displaying the image.
- Followed Computer Technique instructions and installed vcxsrv on XPS13 9300.
- Yet, with DISPLAY set, still I cannot access this display.
- Trick was to disable control access in Xlaunch.
- Now I was able to run ./demo_security_barrier_camera.sh:
July 14, 2020
- Finally mounted software from \\uva-software.ic.uva.nl\uva-software following the instructions of UvA community.
- Installation of Adobe failed because there was a pending Windows install.
- After reboot Adobe Acrobat is installed.
- I have also access to installation of Office 365 on 5 machines (none used) from Uva.nl/downloadoffice.
June 20, 2020
- The new XPS 13 9300 arrived. Had some difficulties how it was configured. Using the key-combination shift-Fn-F10 allowed to get a elevated command prompt and to install the json file with the correct CloudAssignedForcedEnrollment.
- This allows me to login with my UvA-id, but fails when I have no internet connection.
- Switching to a local account was not possible via the LockScreen, but enabled it via the Configuration->GroupsPolicy->Computer Configuration->Management Templates->System->Login->Local Users.
- Upgraded Windows10 to v2004, so that I could install WSL2 and Ubuntu 20.04. Seems to work.
June 5, 2020
- Could use the command sudo openconnect -b vpn.uva.nl --printcookie --no-xmlpost to get HTTP response with welcome.cgi url, which you can use to connect via the webinterface to vpn.uva.nl. The VPN-session was taken over from my Shuttle, but still the ssh-connection timed out.
May 30, 2020
- Removed the 30GB harddrive of my Toshiba Tecra S1. Has an older connector, looks like 15-pin SATA connector. Yet it has 22x2 + 2x2 hidden pins, so it is 44-pin variant of Parallel ATA connector, with DMA/ATA-100 (ultra) interface.
- The Tecra S1 had PC 2100S SDRAM.
May 29, 2020
- Returned my XPS 15z and XPS 9370 to the UvA.
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- Installed on my workstation Ubuntu 20.04 without problems, following these instructions. The obsolete packages that were removed were xserver related.
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- Still problems with my SSL handshake with Pulse on nb-ros. Tried to configure /etc/ocserv/ocserv.conf, as suggested in the post of Linux babe.
- Yet, ocserv is not installed, and is also not part of Ubuntu 14.04
- Trying to install ocserv from source.
- Created a configure script with running autogen.sh. Make fails on missing proto-c compiler.
- The Readme only indicates that libgnutils28-dev and libev-dev are depencies..
- Also protobuf-c is not available for 14.04, so tried to install protobuf-c ffrom source
- The configure indicates that protobuf>=2.6 is required, while I have 2.5
- Also protobuf is not available for 14.04, so tried to install protobuf from source.
- Start with a make, but now I run out of diskspace.
- Using baobab to inspect where all that diskspace is used.
- Half of my disk space can be found in my home-directory, but in /var/lib/vmware was still a ROS-disk1 from RoboCup@Work 2013 which used 25% of the space. That was a easy way to gain some space.
- Could make install both protobuf packages. Next I had to install nettle-dev and libhttp-parser-dev. The last one was not related to missing http-header.h, that was the package gperf. Could do make install in ~/git/ocserv.
- Rebooted, but still sudo service ocserv status gave back unrecognized service.
- Yet, according to this OpenConnect post, the service can be started with ocserv -c /etc/ocserv/config. Yet, I first have to create such a config.
- First continued with the steps suggested in the post of Linux babe and tried to install certbot. No 14.04 ppa was available, so used the certbot-auto script. Install seems succesfull, yet it is not clear where, because still certbot --version is an unknown command.
- Tried , but still get unknown TLS. According to bug report, openconnect 5.02 uses TLS version 1.0, while it is challenged by TLS version 1.1. I have the same version of openconnect (5.02-1), although my libgnutls26 is more modern (2.12.23-12ubuntu2.10). Yet, I compiled with libgnutls28, which is even more modre (3.2.11-2ubuntu1.2).
- Build openconnect from source without problems. The SSL handshake problem is now gone for openconnect. Yet, still the WebVPN cookie problem. I am not the only one with this bug.
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- Repeated the instructions of uva Linux community on my Ubuntu 20.04 workstation. The VPN is not standard part of the network dropdown menu, but if you search for Network settings in the Activaties screen you can see VPN as an option. On Ubuntu 18.04 you can select MultiProtocol as option, which allows to select Pulse Secure as the VPN protocol.
- Instead of uvavpn.uva.nl, vpn.uva.nl has to be specified as gateway.
- Still activating the vpn doesn't work. Yet, the command sudo openconnect -b vpn.uva.nl --printcookie --no-xmlpost shows HTTP response with welcome.cgi url, which you can use to connect via the webinterface to vpn.uva.nl.
- This also worked for nb-ros. Trying ssh @staff.fnwi.uva.nl gave an ssh_exchange_identification: connection reset by peer error.
- Should try this again at home.
May 27, 2020
- Received two PC-10600s memory modules of 4GB from my XPS 15z. My Shuttle has two free slots, but is already using DDR4.
May 19, 2020
- Trying to get pulseUI working on nb-ros by copying the missing libraries from nb-dual, but still libgstbase-1.0 complains on missing symbol gst_value_array_type.
May 18, 2020
- The battery of the XPS 9370 is only limited compatible with other models, mainly the 9380, 7390 and Inspiron 7490. Costs $ 119,95.
- The battery of XPS L322X is 55 Wh, 7.4 V, 7290 mAh, so less voltage and more ampere.
- The battery of XPS 15z is 64 Wh, 14.8 V, so too high voltage.
- According to this post, I should get 1x blink of all lights when pwr btn is pressed on a system without battery.
- Nothing like that, so I am afraid that it the motherboard (i.e. $ 429 for a refurbished board).
May 17, 2020
- The XPS 15z has a SATA III interface.
- Could read out the disk with this USB to SATA III cable.
- Starcom also has a External enclosure for a NVMe PCIE SSD, but that is quite expensive.
- On my Shuttle still 546 Gb is available. My Shuttle also has two M.2 expansion slots, but hty are type 2280 and 2230. The 2280 M-key seems compatible with NVMe. In M.2 standard 2280 stands for the dimensions of the card (22 mm wide and 80 mm long), M-key for where is the hole in the edge connector.
- My nb-dual has a 52 Wh battery, delivering 8.8V and 6500mAh (type DXGH8).
- My Shuttle could read the Windows partition of nb-dual, so that one has not crashed.
- I changed the boot-order, but still it boots with my regular Shuttle-SSD.
- Downloading ext2fsd to see if I could also read the Linux partition.
- Now I can also read my Linux partition (assigned drive G to this partition).
- Forgot to power my GPU. Even after that the device was still not recognized. Updated the BIOS (from v1.04 to to v1.15), and the GPU was recongized again.
May 16, 2020
- The SSD in my nb-ros is a mSATA disk, so I cannot switch that with a M.2 SATA drive, according to this post.
- I found my model name with the command sudo dmidecode -t system | more, thanks to ask ubuntu.
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May 15, 2020
- Laptop fans starts turning, but computer switches off directly. Not clear what is broken, but laptop seems total loss.
- Could try to read out my SSD M2 with a M2 PCI interface card
- Look at my old nb-ros laptop. System is connected to internet, I can ping 8.8.8.8, but ping www.google.nl. Doesn't work. Looked with nmcli dev list iface wlan0 | grep IP4 (it is a Ubuntu 12.04 system) to the dns settings, but 4 dns-servers are known.
- Followed the hint from askubuntu and issued the command sudo dpkg-reconfigure resolvconf. That solved this issue.
- After replacing the ros key, I could update 321 packages on nb-ros.
May 14, 2020
- Used this video to remove the keyboard of my XPS 13 9370.
May 1, 2020
- Finally was able to use vpn again on my Linux partition of nb-dual.
- Followed the instructions of linux-pulse-secure-vpn manual.
- Updated the version of Pulse, yet the PulseUI still showed 2018 copyright.
- Many handy commandline commands can be found in /usr/local/pulse/README
- For the moment, I concentrated on option 7) export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/pulse;/usr/local/pulse/pulseUi.
- When I tried to connect to vpn.uva.nl, an username / password window showed up, but without any content.
- At the end I managed to solve that, I think by editing /etc/ocserv/ocserv.conf, as suggested in the post of Linux babe.
- The linux-pulse-secure-vpn manual suggested to use openconnect as more user friendly. The instructions can be found at uva Linux community.
- Yet, when I try to do the vpn setup from the Network settings, there is no option Multi-protocol VPN client (openconnect). The options are Import from file, Point-to-Point Tunneling (PPTP) compatible with Microsoft vpn servers and Cisco AnyConnect (openconnect). At the end I tried the last one, and it also seems to work!
- Installed the additional packages such as ocserv as suggested in the post of Linux babe.
- Tried sudo openconnect -b uvavpn.uva.nl, which fails to obtain a WebVPN cookie. Yet, the login screen welcome.cgi is precisely the content missing in PulseUI.
- Continued with Autentication tricks of Linux babe, but failed to generate an account with sudo ocpasswd -c /etc/ocserv/ocpasswd username (no idea why, commands seems OK).
- Anyway, now the VPN now works, both from the PulseUI as the Network Configuration, as proven by today's update of this labbook.
April 30, 2020
April 1, 2020
- The post of Linux Babe was handy to test if the NVIDIA card on my daughter was really used, after the switch to Ubuntu 19.10. Here NVIDIA card reports itselfs as a 3D device, instead of a VGA device, when a lspci -k listing is asked.
February 6, 2020
- To gain some space on nb-udk, I removed the C:\cygwin directory. That directory is from 2013, in 2015 I used C:\cygwin64 in ZSB and @work.
January 28, 2020
- Had still pulse v9.1 downloaded. Installed it again with sudo dpkg -i. Read /usr/local/pulse. With only the option -h -u the commandline client doesn't work.
- Used the Pulse UI. Could create a connection and perform a ssh.
- Tried to recreate it from the commandline. Yet, the script hides input/output. Calling the exe directly shows that a VPN password is asked, but returns without a warning or info.
- You can install certificates (via the script, will be installed at ~/.pulse/certificates, but both the public and private key is needed (only have the public key of uva. Still, the UI works without certificate.
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