The support team have asked me to put together some flowchart questions and answers for diagnosing and solving common problems folk have with the webbook. I figured it would be best to post them here to help people solve their own problems and chip in with corrections and other suggestions
I keep getting prompted for a keyring password when connecting to my wireless network
Something is wrong with your gnome keyring file, try deleting the keyring file. Open a terminal and type rm ~/.gnome2/keyrings/login.keyring
My webbook shows the Ubuntu logo on bootup but then goes to a black screen
This has happened to a few people, I am not sure why.
When precisely does it go black? Before login or after login? Do you hear the drums at the login page and the startup sound after the login page?
Try plugging in an external monitor and see if that works (obviously not a solution, but it would tell us something about what is going on) if the external monitor works, what resolution is it running at? 1024×768 or 1024×600?
Go to the recovery root shell from the grub menu and edit or replace the xorg.conf file.
cd /etc/X11 sudo mv xorg.conf xorg.broken sudo wget http://webbookblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/xorg.conf
If that fixes things then I would be quite interested in seeing what the xorg.broken file looks like.
I can’t connect to my mobile broadband connection
What dongle are you using? The E160 does not work so well on Hardy Heron, but it does work much better on Intrepid.
What network?
Prepay or Pay as you go?
If it is pay as you go do you have any credit? (try browsing to three.co.uk, if that is the only site that works then you need a topup)
Have you upgraded to Wader 2.3? Open the mobile broadband application and go to help-about and look at the version number. If it is not 2.3 then do an update and restart the webbook.
Check the profile. If you have connected to a different network in the past it is probably using the wrong profile and trying to roam onto a network for which you don’t have roaming privileges. You should never roam on mobile broadband, if you are abroad buy a local pre-pay SIM card – make sure the thousand pound bills happen to other people. The only exception to this is if you have a Three SIM card you can roam onto Orange GPRS as three don’t have their own GPRS network)
If you do have the wrong profile simply delete it and try to connect, it will pop up a new profile with all the correct details filled in.
For more in depth diagnosis start the mobile broadband client and open a terminal window. Type tail -f /tmp/wader.log now plug in the dongle and watch the messages go by as you connect. The messages do actually mean something although they can be a bit cryptic. If someone has an interesting connection issue I would want to see the contents of /tmp/wader.log.
Please totally ignore and do not use the Windows drivers that are on the pseudo CDROM on the dongle. The installer might sort of run under WINE, but it is not going to connect or do anything productive. Just use the Wader mobile broadband client.
Gcompris doesn’t work
start it with alt-F2 gcompris -x we need to get a patch out to fix this.
I have messed up lots of things
Deleting your home directory and starting again might fix things if you have got corrupted firefox/thunderbird/gnome profiles (you can delete them individually, but it can be simplest to just start again)
I have totally hosed my webbook/I accidentally bought one with XP on it
Ask for a USB webbook Linux restore wristvault. This is a 1GB USB drive with a partition image of a clean webbook build. You need to go into the BIOS to change the hard drive order to boot from it, then back into the BIOS when it is finished to re-enable the SATA hard drive.
So what other FAQs should I add to this list? Any problems I have missed?
i know this is not really the right place for this but u should get a copy of windows 7 buld 6801 and try it out on the web book!!! u know when they said that it could run off a 1.5ghz i didnt believe them… but ms have done a KICK ASS job!! its vista on the webbook!!!!
Just to let you know Alan, I got Intrepid working on my Webbook! Details here: http://philwc.com/index.php?section=Webbook&article=Installing+Intrepid+Ibex
@mutunekk Vista on the webbook ~shudder~ I used Vista a couple of days ago on a friend’s computer, he was having trouble connecting to his router. I managed to get it fixed but I have never come across an operating system so openly hostile to the user.
Vista – why would you MURDER a webbook like that?
I think putting XP on it was bad enough!
Question – to all those who have various windows bits, and have now downloaded all the software they think they’ll need, and installed it, etc, etc. How long does it take from pressing the ‘on’ button to having an internet browser opened with its homepage displaying?
And to ubuntu users – what’s your quickest time?
Regards,
Matt Dinnery,
Webmaster,
Medical Admissions – Getting you in…
http://www.medicaladmissions.co.uk
Re: Mobile Broadband issues
It would appear that ubuntu is now trying to manage the mobile broadband connection (8.10)
I plugged my T-Mobile stick in, and it popped up a notification. I clicked it, selected my provider (it lists all the UK ones), and then clicked the network icon to connect to it. Ah, simplicity…
Regards,
Matt Dinnery,
Webmaster,
Medical Admissions – Getting you in…
http://www.medicaladmissions.co.uk
My webook works fine, but once i put the dongle in (t-mobile) the screen goes black after 5-10 mins. I have changed the computer and the modern one each and still it keeps doing this. However, when i use a line for the internet and not the dongle it is fine. Any ideas?? Ive been into carphone warehouse numerous times and they do not have any answers.
Thank you
@Sally, which USB port are you using? left or right front or right back? I have seen this problem on the left USB port with some dongles. The webbook does appear to be producing plenty of power as I can draw 500ma and more from all ports (500ma is the maximum allowed in the USB specification) I am not quite sure how much power the dongles draw in use.
@Matt, yes Network Manager 0.7 in Intrepid is quite good however the Wader framework might work around a few more bugs in the UK networks.
Where does one ask for a Linux Restore wristvault? Does Carphone Warehouse have them now?
I am struggling to upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 on my Webbook. I have downloaded Ubuntu version 8.10 on to a portable hard drive, but I have been unable to make it bootable. I tried to use Isotostick (recommended by Philip Wright Christie on his website – see post above) but that did not work for me so I tried to use Unetbootin. This was also unsuccessful, so I am now considering getting a USB CD drive from Maplin or similar tech store.
I feel as though I am almost there, but not quite, and it is very frustrating.
Do you have any plans to publish a step by step guide to upgrading to 8.10? If you do, I shall postpone buyin a CD drive and have another go.
I find the Webbook blog invaluable, and Linux is good fun and easy to use (on the whole).
@Sue,
I think you’re really trying to overcomplicate things.
First, if you’ve got a stable wifi connection you can use (or visit for about 30-90 minutes), use that. It’s preferable to using the 3G modems to do the big upgrades. You WILL also need to be plugged into the mains!
All you to is go to System -> Administration -> Update Manager.
Type in your password, as it will ask you to.
Then, at the top of the upgrade window is a big thing saying ubuntu 8.10 is now available. Simply click ‘Upgrade now’, and follow the instructions to download all of the new packages and stuff.
Finally, click ‘OK’ (or whatever it says) and leave it alone for about 2 hours while it upgrades itself. If you’ve amended any config files, it’ll need your permission to overwrite them (usually about 20 minutes before the end).
Finally, restart, and you’re done!
Regards,
Matt Dinnery,
Webmaster,
Medical Admissions – Getting you in…
http://www.medicaladmissions.co.uk
Alan – a bit off topic but I need some help with VIA drivers, compiz and the like. I left a couple of comments on the Compiz Part 2 article, but I guess it’s an old article so you probably haven’t seen them. I could really do with a few pointers.
Cheers
Still trying to find a webcam that will work with Skype. Any suggestions?
Mat(see post 11 above) – thank you very much for your reply. I had in fact tried to upgrade from the update manager screen yesterday but that didn’t work for me either.
On my Webbook, selecting System > Administration > Update Manager gives me a screen that says;
“Your system is up to date.
The package information was last updated 12 hours ago.”
I cannot see a reference to Ubuntu 8.10 now being available but I have not managed to install it so I am puzzled. I don’t recall seeing any reference to 8.10 yesterday either.
Where can I go from here? Any further advice would be very welcome.
@Matt, did the 8.10 upgrade work for you without breaking the graphics?
@Neil, I have asked Via to compile some new drivers for us against the new kernels in Hardy. I have had no response, I will send them another mail and ask for the Intrepid kernel as well. I really wish they would just Open Source the drivers so that they can be properly packaged and just work all the time.
@Zeeshan, I have a Logitec 9000, there are some firmware bugs in it, but it does work with Skype most of the time. In Intrepid my Playstation Eyetoy seems to work quite well!
@Sue, interesting, on one of my computers the 8.10 upgrade button turned up and on another it hasn’t. I will try to find out why.
‘My webbook shows the Ubuntu logo on bootup but then goes to a black screen’
My webbook has done his to me more than once all I do is tap the power button again and the logo appears again and continues booting.
Alan/Matt – re 8.10 upgrade – I have resolved the upgrade issue by selecting System > Adminisdtration > Software Sources and enabling upgrades.
So I am now upgrading to 8.10 but the Webbook is hanging on the “searching for obsolete software”. I don’t have a suitable wireless network connection (we have a wireless N router) so I am having to use the mobile network.
Alan, I have changed the boot options to boot straight into the older kernel, xx.19, and followed the instructions you gave exactly but I can’t get it to work. I’ve put a pretty full description of what’s happening in a couple of comments on the article.
I agree about making the drivers open source, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t with drivers for a Linux machine?
Cheers
I have completed the download of 8.10 but I have a problem – the Webbook does not boot up.
When it gets to the “circle of friends” screen, it goes to a black screen with white font reading “no resume image, doing normal boot”. It asks me to login so I enter my login name and password. Then some further script about Ubuntu having no warranty appears, and the last line on screen is “sue@webbook:~$” (but without the quotation marks of course).
If I run apt-get update, another set of script appears on screen saying;
“E: could not open lock file/var/lib/apt/lists/lock – open (13 Permission denied)
E: unable to lock the list directory”
I am now completely stuck. Please can someone help me?
The 8.10 download seemed to go ok and I did not interrupt it. It took 2 hours on a mobile internet connection.
Now feeling really fed up.
@Sue, well the permissions thing would be resolved by sudo apt-get update (as opposed to your normal “Sue do”) it sounds like X has not started for some reason. Try “sudo startx” (which I don’t expect to work, but might give an interesting error message) and also try
less /var/log/Xorg.0.logto see what error messages might be hidden in there.@Neil, I just don’t know the answer, but have a look in /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see if there is more information available.
Alan – thank you very much for your prompt reply (msg 20 above).
Running startx produces the following script;
(EE) failed to load module “type1″ (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) failed to load module “openchrome” (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) failed to load module “mouse” (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) failed to load module “wacom” (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) No drivers available
Fatal server error:
No screens found
Waiting for X server to begin accepting connectons
giving up
xinit: connection reser by peer (errno 104): unable to connect to X server
xinit: no such process (errno 3): server error.”
Any advice would be very welcome as I have not come across anything like this before.
Alan – further to my posts above (19 & 22), I have run less /var/log/Xorg.0.log on the Webbook. It produces a screen full of script giving the release date and build date, but nothing that appears to be an error message, ie no lines of script starting “(EE)”. The last few lines of script say
“Mobile loader present
Markers: (–) probed,….”
There there is a white rectangular box at the bottom of the screen containing the words “/var/log/Xorg.0.log”
Thanks for your help – appreciated.
Does anyone know where I can get a USB webbook Linux restore wristvault?
@Alan,
Yes, it worked without a problem.
I did have a VGA screen on stand-by in case of a problem, not that I was expecting one at all(!)
@Sue,
For future upgrades, use a network cable to connect your webbook (port is on left hand side) to your router.
For now. Well, erm, that is a tough one. Ask Alan! Ditto for restore vaults (although I’d love it if Alan told me how to create one…)
I wish I could help more – but I haven’t even been using this webbook for a week yet!
Regards,
Matt Dinnery,
Webmaster,
Medical Admissions – Getting you in…
http://www.medicaladmissions.co.uk
@Sue, apparently if you call the support number you can get one for Hardy (sorry, I am not sure what the support number is). Now that Intrepid is actually released I will do a clean install and make another USB partition image. I will put that up somewhere for download as well as passing it to the support guys.
Matt/Alan – thank you very much for your replies. I am going to try rebooting the Webbook from a portable hard drive (I have downloads of version 8.04 and 8.10) on my PC. If that doesn’t work, I shall give the Elonex helpline a call tomorrow – I have found a couple of telephone contact nos. on the Elonex website. I haven’t got much faith in CPW – the staff really do not seem to know much about the Webbook – so I’ll start with Elonex.
I have a farily clean Hardy webbook here, I was about to nuke it and install Intrepid but I think I will try the upgrade route first to see what breaks. Already I can’t see the upgrade button on the update manager on this one.
ok, the update button has something to do with the file in ~/.update-manager-core/meta-release-lts not containing the information for Intrepid. Not sure why. From a command line
update-manager -dworks (checks for development distributions as well as released ones) I really don’t understand why it isn’t getting the notification of the new release. The file it pulls from http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/meta-release is fine.Update re my Webbook – in short, nothing I tried has worked. Elonex support team say that the software is corrupt and they are going to ring me tomorrow to let me know what can be done about it. They also say that the recovery system is built in – press ESC and keep it pressed as you power the Webbook up. Sadly this did not work in my case.
@Sue, no it isn’t built in. They are probably talking about going to the recovery console in the grub menu and deleting you home directory and doing oem-config-prepare. That fixes broken gnome profiles and stuff like that but it won’t do anything whatsoever to help your webbook.
I have had problems with my hard drive, so went out and bought a new one. After putting it in the laptop and attaching an external DVD drive I tried to install linux but was having problems with it booting into the live CD. Once I eventually got it loaded and tried to install it kept coming up with an error when trying to partition the swap partition.
I shut down and gave up. Now when I have come to try again the BIOS no longer recognises that I have a hard drive installed or an external DVD drive plugged in, my only boot options are USB:Generic- SD/MMC and Network:Realtek Boot Agent.
Any advice on what I have done wrong or how to rectify this issue? Is there a limit to the size of hard drive that the webbook can accept? This is the second one I have had, the first had issues with the motherboard battery and kept resetting the BIOS settings/clock. Any ideas or help or should I return this one also?? Thanks in advance.
@Sue, just doing an upgrade on a webbook, it has updated gdm.conf and dhcp.conf. I don’t think the dhcp updates are critical but the updates to the gdm configuration look very important and would leave you in a no GUI situation. Did you get a question about GDM configuration and did you keep the file or replace it? I think replace is the better answer, but mine has not finished yet. . .
@Neil, I don’t think there should be any restriction on hard drive size. What size are you using? Can you put the old one back in?
Alan – thank you for your reply (msg 31 above). Nothing seems to be helping my Webbook and I don’t have enough expertise to know what to do now. I’ll ask Elonex to replace it.
Alan – re your message 33 above (which crossed with my msg 35) – I had quite a few messages in the course of the upgrade earlier this morning. I can’t honestly recall what they said, but I accepted the default option in each case. (I am sorry that I cannot be more specific – it is just that I have been struggling with this all day, and have tried so many options that they are now all merging into one big reboot.)
I hope your upgrade is more successful than mine. I had installed Google Chrome and I wonder whether there could be a conflict between various program files.
@Sue, my upgrade just completed and seems to have worked. I think I can get yours up and running with a few edits to the gdm.conf file. Either that or I will get you the USB recovery as soon as I build the Ibex one.
Alan – re msg 37 above – I am pleased that your upgrade worked! I wonder why mine didn’t? Just one of those things I suppose. Thank you very much for all your help with this – I really do appreciate it.
Please let me know when you have something I can try, and I’ll give it a go.
Elonex are going to ring me tomorrow but I won’t return the Webbook until I have tried your fix first.
@Sue, can you type the following
then go down about 10 pages to the line starting StandardXServer and make sure it reads
Now go down a further 26 pages until you get to
[server-Standard](or press ctrl+w to search for it) Below that is a line starting command, that should readCtrl+x, y to save your changes and then
sudo haltto turn off the webbook and retry.Alan – re msg 39 – the line starting StandardXServer reads:
StandardXServer=/usr/bin/X
There is no mention of X11R6 in this line.
ok, good. Change it. And the command= lines further down. (I think the first command= line is the most important)
Alan – I put in the changes exactly as given above and rebooted, but still Webbook says “no resume image, doing normal reboot” on a black screen with white font. I may have missed a command line so will try again.
Alan – re msg 42 – I had overlooked two command lines that had to be amended, so those are now amended and I am rebooting. Fingers crossed ……
Alan – reboot has finished and the Webbook is still saying “kinit: no resume image, doing normal boot….” then “Ubuntu 8.10 webbook tty1″
then asking for me to log in.
hmm, interesting result. I will have a go at breaking my webbook to try and get the same behaviour.
ok, it seemed promising, but I don’t seem to be able to break mine at all even by rolling the gdm.conf right back to the way it was. I am sure it is fixable, but I don’t quite know how to fix it. I think I will start building a clean Intrepid webbook.
OK. If you are able to get a usb recovery, that would be great and I’ll reimburse the cost as necessary.
If/when you get a usb recovery up, will you dump it on here as a download along with instructions as to how to make a pen drive bootable please?
I can get 1GB drives for less than £5.00, so it doesn’t bother me!
Regards,
Matt Dinnery,
Webmaster,
Medical Admissions – Getting you in…
http://www.medicaladmissions.co.uk
Alan/Matt – I agree with Matt’s post (no.48). I would be more than happy to buy a memory stick to download a usb recovery. I am very grateful for everyone’s help with my Webbook problem (see posts above).
@allen – vista has issues i’ll give u that, but a lot of it comes down to the manufactures and this vista compatibility crap they sell! However windows 7 is different, seriously go out and download it and test it out. It will shock u! ms have actually done a good job…
@matt – from the power on to opening ie8 (www.google.com) takes 1m 42s in windows 7. What are ur times? I am interested to see how this os compares.
Oh ya from suspend to desktop 4 seconds!!
Performance wise its really impressive… I haven’t see it use more than 62% of the 1GB system memory and thats with windows 2003 virtualised (256mb) in the background.
half-life works really well too…
Battery life is the same. When it is just sitting around doing nothing the battery gets to about 3 hours. I watch a full film and a bit.
Drivers? None, everything worked and allen they fixed the wireless networking! They did a good job there.
I haven’t had any compatibility issues so far but i might find some later on but u can still tell this is an alpha… it had some video codec’s issues but i fixed them. But considering how fast and stable this os is… i believe what the asus and ms guys said about windows 7 got to;
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/31/lightweight-windows-7-pre-beta-loaded-onto-eee-pc-1000h-with-ver
If u cant take my word for it, go find the alpha and install it onto ur webbook and see for urself! Doesn’t take all that long!