Slackware Leet in Virtualbox

v 0.2

With the release of Slackware v 13.37 (Leet) I thought it was about time to get an installation up and running again.  I've always loved Slackware, even though I use Debian as my base install for the desktops in my house.  I have one desktop with Windows 7 installed - simply because it is needed for a Flight Simulator - but I have Debian 6.0 64 bit installed in Virutalbox for my other stuff.

I keep hearing how difficult Slackware is to install which I personally think is rubbish, provided you have taken the minor trouble to read the readily available information from the revised Slackbook project, or a simple Google search.  Anyone who hasn't done even the basic searches to help themselves deserves what they get.  Of course, here is where I admit to cheating a little - instead of using the tools in Slackware to partition and format, I use the Linux distro "Parted Magic".

Here we go.

• Download the Slackware DVD iso image
• Download the Parted Magic iso image
• Use the Virtualbox "wizard" to create a new Slackware machine.  (I used v 4.04 of VB)

I should note here, that I modified the settings to allow a machine that was 20 gig, that expanded as required so as to not take up space, 1.5 gig memory, 64 meg video memory.

• Mount the Parted Magic ISO on the VM DVD drive and boot the machine.
• Create at least one partition on the VM and format.  I used ext4.
• Unmount the Parted Magic ISO and mount the Slackware ISO
• Reboot.
• You will eventually be invited to log in as root with no password required
• "setup"
• I re-formatted the partition as I chose for the install disk - this sets up fstab
• Had the installer find the Slackware install DVD
• Chose to install everything
• Selected KDE as the window manager
• Set up the networking - nominated a hostname and a simple domain name and defaults.

After all this was done, I unmounted the Slackware DVD and rebooted.  I ended up at the log-in prompt again, logged in as root and typed "startx".  KDE crashed half way through starting.

Bother.  Google.  Solution found.

From the changelog, Nov 16, 2010:
...
If X crashes at start, try disabling compositing. Create a file
named /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/disable-composite.conf with this in it:
Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection
...

Here is where you get a payoff for being even basically proficient in a standard Linux editor, such as "vi".  This was done, and just because I could, I restarted and "startx".   Worked like a charm.

Now, I found the resolution limited to 800x600.  Google again.  Found out how to install the VB Guest additions, which I suspected would fix this.  Easy again.  I chose the menu selection to install the guest additions, and I found the iso mounted under /media.  Even if this does not happen, you can mount the guest additions iso (found in the VirtualBox directory).  In this ISO is a "VboxLinuxAdditions.run" file.  Simply move to the ISO as root and run " ./VboxLinuxAdditions.run ".

Reboot.

When you restart KDE you will find your resolution is now 1024x768 as the max.  All you need to do to enlarge it is to drag the window larger and it will resize.

Done.

I will admit to writing parts of this from memory the next day, however with some care, it is really not that difficult to sort out.

Later ....

Asus Commando - cpu Update

The Asus Commando motherboard natively supports DDR2 800 memory and a 1066 FSB cpu speed.

However ......

If you update the bios (explained in a previous post) to the latest 1901 version, it supports a variety of Core 2 Quad 1333 FSB processors, and it does this very nicely.  How you may ask?  Well from what I can work out, it overclocks the North Bridge to allow the faster cpu speed, and in doing so, it also turns the DDR2 800 into DDR2 1000 memory.  A really good reason to buy quality memory.

Until earlier this afternoon, I had a Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4 gig 1066fsb cpu.  I searched for an instruction set to swap an LGA775 processor and fan.  Pretty easy to find - I'd suggest if you can't find the tutorial, you shouldn't attempt the swap.  Whilst the instruction set I found was great, I still needed a little bit of interpolation and thought to reach a successful conclusion.

So, with my replacement Core 2 Quad Q8400 in place, I started the machine - I had to enter the BIOS setup, exited and continued with the boot.  I then shut down and restarted.

Violas (a string section)

I now had a 1333FSB and the processor working properly, together with faster memory.

Done!

Did it make any difference?   You bet it did.

Later .....

Asus Commando - Bios Update

I recently decided that I really did need to update my desktop computer.  It uses an Asus Commando motherboard, (LGA775) and the bios was several years old and only able to accommodate 1066 FSB processors.

Upon looking on the Asus website, the motherboard will accommodate 1333 Core 2 Quad processors with a bios update, so I started my research.  Several message boards produced tales of woe whereby people had destroyed their bios during an update.  Now previously I've never had a problem, and I suspect many of these disasters were simply a matter of Darwin rising from his grave to smite those who were less than careful.

Having decided that this was going to work, I went shopping for a Core 2 Quad processor, only to find that they were no longer available, however one shop I've dealt with in the past suggested that they had a Q8400 processor in an older machine that they would be happy to sell me - I bought it and since it was not very old, I still had a couple of years warranty left.  I wouldn't have worried anyway, since I've never had a cpu fail on me.

Now ... to update the BIOS.

• I documented every setting I had in the BIOS.  Very Important.
• I read what I could about using the EZFLASH utility INCLUDED IN THE BIOS.
• I copied the downloaded, unzipped bios (1901) to a standard FAT formatted USB stick
• With the USB stick still inserted, I rebooted and pressed "DEL" to enter the BIOS Setup.
• I Entered EZFLASH and backed up the BIOS to the USB stick. (it appeared as the C drive)
• I highlighted the new BIOS and updated.
• When the update had finished, it rebooted and I removed the USB stick before it restarted.
• I re-entered the BIOS and entered my previously documented settings.
• After exiting the BIOS, I turned the machine OFF and removed the power cord for a couple of minutes.
• Boot - all was wonderfully well.

I now have a machine which will accept a significantly faster processor.



Later ........




PS

I find it rewarding that this post gets a hit one or two days and that I may have been able to help someone find their way through the maze ...

:)