How To Keep Your System In Good Order

[daveleh]

May I also suggest one retains a list of all installed packages for future reference particularly in the case of multiple SW packages being installed.

This would make such a list in a text file.

rpm -q -a --qf '%10{SIZE}\t%{NAME}\n' | sort -k1,1n > SW_List.txt

Sometimes trying to remember all the small bits and pieces you installed to tweak the system to your tastes can be quite a chore particularly if doing a fresh re-install without a backup copy. That is when the list will be invaluable.

Thanks for that info, have done just that

Regards

[jazran]

i have a question!
everytime i fire up synaptics......
it takes a long time to list the packages.....
sometimes like forever!!!

and synaptics itself is a sluggish thing!!!
i hate to say this.i hate to say working with synaptics is the most boring way to wasting time~~very slow. :'(

not complaining.just a newbie rants.

[tinca]

jazran,

post #9 explains why it takes a bit of time for the process to complete. It will also depend on how many packages you have on your computer. A fully loaded PcLinuxOS will take longer I am sure that a minimal installation of Minime. The good thing is that it is safe and you always have the most up to date system.

If time is so important to you, instead of just looking at the screen, go and make a nice cup of tea.

Best regards Keith

[jaydot]

jazran, unlike windows, which will gobble all your machine's resources just to run a virus scan, linux will let you do many other things while it downloads your updates.

give yourself more desktops to play on and do something else while the downloads are coming.

[jazran]

hi jd....
yeah i know but while synaptics is loading the list of the packages the youtube will be stuttered and coughing.maybe my small 256mb ram though..urmm..and i notice when i open synaptics more than 20 times in 1 hour...the loading time becomes slower n slower~

and i really thankful because of synaptics i can download things n stuff.if there r no synaptics then our pclos world would be unenjoyable... :'(

[djohnston]

"maybe my small 256mb ram though..urmm..and i notice when i open synaptics more than 20 times in 1 hour...the loading time becomes slower n slower~"

I think you've hit the nail right on the head, jazran. Although WindowsXP will run well in 256 MB of RAM, if you were to reload Windows Update more than 20 times in 1 hour, I know you would experience the same kind of slowdowns, probably more severe. Also, viewing youtube while updating your Linux packages is a strain on bandwidth if you are on a slow internet connection.

If your Linux box doesn't crash, doesn't get infected with viruses and spyware, doesn't need periodic reboots, performs updates smoothly and reliably, and can be customized to your heart's content, then I would have to say that you are WAY AHEAD of the average Windows user, these days.

[FatJeff]

because they are all mirrors of the ibiblio repository and don't get updated at the same times.  the mirrors are in different parts of the world and some are administered by volunteers who have to fit in maintenance with their jobs.

with more than one repo enabled, your packages list can become scrambled with incorrect entries, leading to mis-installation.

Maybe Synaptic should then dis-allow the user to select more than one??

[exsailerman]

I have been enjoying PCLOS for several months. 

I recently upgraded  and found that the sound no longer worked properly on Skype.
The sound was there but it sounded like a very slow recording.

I reinstalled PCLOS 2007 on a different partition, reinstalled Skype and checked the sound.  it was normal.

I upgraded again.  Again the voice was seriously distorted.

I have been using Linux for several years but I don't know how to solve this problem short of never upgrading my system.

Gramps

[Roc4fun]

Hi Gramps,  You won't get much traffic posting here in this 'sticky'.  If this doesn't help, post again in the Desktop Hardware section.

Try opening Konsole and type "alsa config" without the quotes.  I can't remember if you have to answer some questions or not, but it will reconfigure your sound.

I'm not at my Pclos machine right now so I may not have the command right. 

Anyway, If it doesn't help post again.

HTH,

Dave

[exsailerman]

Thanks.

I tried "alsa config" both as root and first as user.
The response was alsa: command not found.

I will try in hardware.

[djohnston]

The command is "alsaconf" with no quotes and no spaces. You must su to root in a terminal, then run the command. It will run an ncurses-looking script to which you can point and click your answers.

After running the command, type "exit" in the terminal to end the root user session.

[SEO Honolulu]

Jaydots methodology is very much tried and tested.  It's exactly what I do after loading up PCLOS for the first time.  One thing got left out though that might be a good idea too;  once you have installed all your updates, necessary drivers, apps and required dependencies... go burn a remaster CD of your system and save it. 

I really like the idea of what kanotix does with the browser that runs on first boot into the desktop with an introduction and a mini-howto for getting started.  I think if Tex and the gang put something that does some hand holding on first desktop load, it could really ease a newbies transition into linux...

[contactpraveen2001]

thx buddy it's really handy but new with PcLinuxOs .........

[malc]

Why is there not a "read me" file explaining this in full detail, stuck to the default desktop?

Seems to me this is by far the single most important thing for a new user to do.

I think that is a capital idea and I am sure would involve no trouble at all in incorporating into the PCLOS release.

Along with some of the other "issues" that are very easy to solve but a real bugger to find out about. The recent firefox3 links from thunderbird problem. The quick dirty way of clearing bad user configurations. Hot/shortcut keys. Autostart, superkaramba etc etc oh and not forgetting the recent one which had me swearing in front of my kids : setting up a server to be writeable requiring a samba user to be created which does not work with the KDE control centre but does with the PCLOS configuration centre whew. Oh another one : if you want to perform desktop sharing and it is not working make sure your routers firewall is configured to accept incoming services for the machine your trying to connect to (you won't find that in a PCLOS/Linux manual).

Yes I deleted XP from my home server (no more f.....g windows auto internet messages) and installed PCLOS instead and spent the last week consuming large quantities of red wine in frustration.....still a nice glowing frustration 

[jeverettk]

maybe my small 256mb ram though..urmm..and i notice when i open synaptics more than 20 times in 1 hour...the loading time becomes slower n slower~

I read in another thread that this is a memory leak problem.  For more about you can search under 'memory leak' for a thread started by jaydot.