Ubuntu 4 You

Censored!

2011-12-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

I've censored the following, in protest of a bill that gives any corporation and the US government the power to censor the internet--a bill that could pass THIS WEEK. To see the uncensored text, and to stop internet censorship, visit: http://americancensorship.org/posts/8578/uncensor

████ ████ is ████████ ████ ████ the ████████ ████ be if ████ is ██████.
██████ ████ ████ ███████████ or █████ him and ████ him to say NO to ████

Setup Raid 1 Using mdadm In Ubuntu

2011-07-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the prolonged absence. Been very busy. I recently bought two 2 Tb hard drives and used mdadm to create a Raid 1 array for my new data drives in Ubuntu 10.04
Raid 1 uses 2 identical size hard drives and will mirror the data from one hard drive to the other automatically.

I tried several tutorials to set up mdadm but several of them either missed a few steps or were lacking good instructions. But then I found this site and followed the instructions. Working fine now!

http://lummie.co.uk/ubuntu-server-setting-up-and-managing-raid1/

I can use the Gnome Disk Utility available in the repo's to check the SMART Status of each disk in the array as well as checking the health of the array.
I usually use Western Digital hard drives as they have been very reliable for me but for this project I used a set of Samsung's.

The Samsung's required a firmware fix to repair a flaw that caused lost data.
I had to create a Dos based bootable flash drive and throw the firmware on it then boot to it to flash the hard drive firmware. Talk about the retro 90's!

I have been running the array for a month and everything has been flawless.
Read and write speeds have been what I expected for a software based Raid array. And I have not had to rebuild the array except the one time I had an unexpected power outage when a tree took down a power line.

Software based Raid setups have their advantages and disadvantages.
Many of the motherboard based Raid controllers are actually considered fake Raid and don't work well with Linux. They also have disadvantages that surpass those of a software Raid.

One advantage of using software such as mdadm is the ability to use any model of Western Digital hard drives. I didn't know this fact until after I ordered the Samsung's.

A while back Western Digital pulled a fast one on it's customers. They decided they needed to increase their revenues on their higher cost 'Enterprise' models of hard drives. No one was buying them. Instead everyone was purchasing their Black edition and using them for their Raid setups.

So Western Digital went and disabled the TLER feature in all of their hard drives except for the Enterpise editions.
TLER is an abbreviation for Time Limited Error Recovery. Essentially a hardware Raid controller queries the hard drive every so often and the hard drive responds back. If the controller does not get a response in a predetermined time it marks the hard drive as bad and drops it from the array. This requires you to rebuild the array which takes quite awhile.

Since WD disabled TLER in their home based hard drives, the drive will continue to drop out of the array and require you to spend countless hours of adding the drive back into the array then rebuild it. Not very productive.

With mdadm it does not query the hard drive nor does it rely on TLER.
That means that it is up to you to be vigilant and check the status of the array on a regular basis. This can be done through the Gnome Disk Utility or a set of commands found on the page I linked to.

You can also reconfigure mdadm to send you email alerts if something happens to the array. I haven't set up my system this way so I don't know what is all involved.
You can find additional info on mdadm and advanced features here;

https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/serverguide/C/advanced-installation.html

Remember that backing up your data is important. Using a Raid array in a Raid 1 or Raid 5 configuration is a step in the right direction but unless you monitor the array health you can have a disaster on your hands that rivals a single hard drive failure scenario.

Have fun and keep your data safe.

Stanley The Spammer

2010-06-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

Just spent about 15 minutes deleting a comment left in about 15 of my pages by Stanley the Spammer.

He left a whole bunch of oriental characters each containing a link to numerous Asian sites. After I deleted the links I then checked Google's policy about registered users leaving spam in comments. Seems their solution is for the blog's owner to turn on comment moderation.

They will go after blogs that promote spam but won't go after spammers that leave comments. Okay. I'm alright with that. But that now leaves me with only one choice. A choice I hate to make.

Everyone can thank Stanley the Spammer for forcing me to turn on comments moderation. I don't like it but I'm not going to turn my little piece of the internet into a spammer links festival.

Be assured that if you leave a legitimate comment, it will be approved and will show up in the appropriate article that you posted to.
And I will be checking on a daily basis whenever possible. Don't worry if you don't see your comment show up right away. If it's legit, it will be published.

Thanks to everyone for their understanding in this matter.

Peace out!

FFMPEG Missing Codec Error

2010-05-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

Recently a reader asked me a question about a missing codec error while using ffmpeg to convert a video.
Here's the error message;
It seems your FFMPEG (libavcodec) installation lacks the following encoder:
MPEG AAC Audio.

I initially told him to make sure he has the AAC audio codec installed. Then I tried a conversion and got a similar message. I know I had everything installed so it was time to investigate.

Didn't take me long to find out that the ffmpeg including the unstripped version from the restricted repo's is lacking certain codecs due to licensing B.S.
So what do we do?
I read many articles talking about compiling your own ffmpeg with the missing codecs. Now I'm not against doing that but I was hoping for something easier. LOL!

Then I found this page;
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1117283

It has a comprehensive tutorial on how to compile your own ffmpeg.
And it also contains a quick 2 copy and paste terminal commands that will download and install the unstripped ffmpeg.
Just make sure that you pick your correct version of Ubuntu when using either option.

Many thanks to FakeOutdoorsman for his excellent tutorial on fixing this.

Linux!
There are so many ways around the B.S!

Enjoy!

Great News For 20 in 1 Multiboot DVD

2010-03-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

As many of my readers know, I have been hosting my Linux 20 in 1 Multiboot DVD on Rapidshare for lack of a better hosting service.
But then the other night a reader by the name of Greg asked me to contact him about hosting my files on his dedicated server.

I contacted him and he graciously offered to host all the 20 in 1 links on his server that is also used to mirror software from the likes of Mozilla, Open Office, GetDeb, PlayDeb and other project sites.

He has provided a folder filled with the full Iso for those users who have the bandwidth to download it in one shot or for those that are limited with download caps or slow speeds, the individual Rar files are available.
He also created and md5sum file so you can verify your downloads.
I also tested his download speeds and they are fast!

Greg exemplifies the true spirit of the Linux community because during our email discussion he said he wanted to host my files to help out my readers and the Linux community. That attitude and generosity is what makes the Linux community so strong. We believe in giving and sharing.

I'm still jumping for joy at finally having this project on a server that doesn't play wait and see games with users trying to download it. And I'm happy for everyone that passes through my blog and can now download my 20 in 1 Multiboot without any hassles.

If you would like to thank Greg you can leave comments here or stop by his blog found here;
http://labby.co.uk/

As for my Linux 20 in 1 Multiboot DVD links?
You can grab them from here;
http://labby.co.uk/ubuntu4you/

Finally I must say this again even though I have said it to him at least a dozen times;
Thank You!!!

Enjoy the new links and please say thank you to Greg who made this all possible.

I must be dreaming! LOL!!

TaZMAn

PC Upgrade Finished

2010-03-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Just finished my pc upgrade today!

Sorry I haven't been more active here lately but between work and real world chores I barely have time for myself.
This weekend I finally finished my pc upgrade.

I had some of the parts for a month now and with the help of a borrowed SATA cable I finally finished them. What were the upgrades?
Some hard drives and a power supply.

A few months ago I ordered a new Asus motherboard, AMD Regor 240 and 2 Gigs of GSkill DDR3 Ram.
After I had that installed I decided to go for broke so to speak.
I ordered 2 new Western Digital Black Edition 640 GB hard drives a month after I got the new motherboard, cpu and ram.

Then a few weeks ago I ordered 2 more of the same drives and a new 650 watt power supply. Now my tower is filled to the brim.
The configuration is as follows;
4 - 640 GB W/D Sata drives
2 - Sata Cd/DVD burners
1 - 500 GB W/D Sata hard drive in an external USB enclosure

You may ask why all that space just for Linux?
Good question.
My new system is now a combination personal PC, Local Network server and a Home Theater pc.

During the install of the new parts I added a new 80 mm front and rear fan. Didn't need them before as I was only running a 500 MB Sata and 80 MB Pata drive.
Now that I have four high end hard drives in this system I knew that heat would be an issue. In fact I just checked the drive temps and see that I may have to add in a second front fan and possibly a second rear fan as the drive temps are around 102 F / 39 C

Those temps are a bit too high for my liking.
If I can get them down a few degrees I will be much happier.
Don't want any heat killing the drives as I waited too long for this dream system.

As for the Linux distro I'm running now?
Switched over to the Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit version and so far I haven't had any serious issues. A few minor ones with flash games causing screen flicker in Firefox although I don't have that issue when using Opera.
I'm also using a USB mouse and at times my mouse pointer goes on a rampage and flies to another part of the screen by itself.

But for the most part I'm very happy with the system I now have and hope it lasts a good long while.

Next on my wish list is a big screen tv!
LOL!!!

And I received an older D-Link router from a friend that I plan to upgrade by installing the DD-WRT Linux firmware on it. Will try and keep you updated on that project.

Until later.

TaZMAn

When Things Go Wrong Think On Your Feet

2010-02-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

The title is something I have lived by and has gotten me out of more then one scrape. Recently I updated my computer components which included a 64 bit cpu.
I was very intrigued about updating to Ubuntu 64 bit but I was a bit concerned as I have heard both good and bad reports about 64 bit.

So I downloaded the Iso and burned it to a Cd. Then I tested it in live mode for a week or so. I found it was working very well and any minor issues I had were the same ones I had in the 32 bit version. So one day I decided to upgrade my PC.
I had also added a new hard drive so I backed up all my files and folders to the slave drive. I was doing a full format and install and now I was ready to do it.

I inserted the 64 bit Cd and booted to it. I clicked on install and went through the whole routine. I have done upgrades and OS changes so many times that I have this down to a 2 hour task. And that includes installing updates and software that I use.

The install was at the point where it was copying over files when disaster struck.
At around 84% the installer said it couldn't copy a file because it was corrupted.
Uh-Oh!!! I committed a cardinal sin. When I burned that Cd I did not verify it.
Never had a problem before so I got lax and figured this burn was also good.
Mental note to self....... Verify the Cd you Dummy!

Now I was in a jam. I could easily install my old 32 bit version but that would be wasting time. What could I do? I decided to boot into my 32 bit Cd, download another 64 bit Iso to my slave drive and burn it from the XP partition that I still have installed for work and help reasons. Problem was that I no longer had a grub loader and there was no way to boot into it. I could have tried reloading grub but it was getting late and I needed to get this install done.

Then it hit me!
I inserted my flash drive and used the USB Start Up Disk Creator found in the 9.10 menu to install the new 64 bit Iso to my flash drive.
Once it was done I rebooted my computer and set the bios to boot from flash drive.
Ubuntu booted up and much to my relief it fully installed.

I now had a fully functioning 9.10 64 bit system and the grub loader was installed and my XP side of it was working also.
Planning to dump that XP partition but I still use it occasionally. Actually the last time I needed it was 2 months ago. LOL!!

I'm happy to say that using 64 bit has presented no problems. A few things in 9.10 are a bit different as is making some configuration changes but those are easily Google'd.
My computer is snappier and performs much faster then the 32 bit version in certain tasks.

So if you run into a major problem, don't panic.
Step back, take a deep breath and explore all your possible options.
Fortunately Linux provides you with many options to bail your butt out when you screw up. LOL!

Take care!

TaZ

Why?

2010-01-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

Why?
I pose this question after a short but frustrating search for software.
Not software for me. Software for a Windows user I know.
The frustration I encountered happened while I was searching for a free online radio station ripper.

In Linux we have StreamTuner and StreamRipper.
Tune in a station, click record and save as much of the audio you want.
But doing a search for a free Windows app that does the same thing is an exercise in futility.

Oh sure, they say it's free. Free to try for 30 days. Free to try but limited functions until you buy.
Or you get that free version that will then impregnate your computer with more spyware then radio stations it will tune in. Every piece of software had some kind of catch to it. That catch being money.
You either paid up front for it or you install some piece of crap that was paid for by advertisers in the back alley that will spy on you in the hope of selling you something with the constant ad barrage you will unleash on your computer.

Now I'm not condemning all free software titles for Microsoft. There are several excellent programs available for Windows users. One of my favorites from day one is Irfanview. I like it so much that I have it installed in my Linux pc using Wine. Winamp was also a favorite of mine back when I was using Windows. And there are others that are just as good. Just not that many in a variety of categories.

Why can't free software for Windows be like that found in Linux. Open source software abounds in the Linux community but seems very stifled in the Windows community. I assume the motivation for money is what drives the Windows software writers while the Open Source community looks at the development of software as helping the community and fellow users.

I guess that me using Linux for so long has changed my attitude about software. I have nothing against developing and marketing software for profit. But there also needs to be an equivalent number of software titles available for free with no crippling or attaching hidden strings to it.
Why aren't there that many open source software titles for Microsoft users?
Why?

End of rant. Have a nice day!

BTW....... I am in no way condoning illegal downloading or theft of music. Unfortunately some people and forums feel that recording an online radio stream is illegal. I don't see it that way. They pay the fees to play the music and stream it to your computer. Recording it for your later listening pleasure is considered fair use. If it wasn't then all those cassette recorders and vcr's would have been illegal from day one. Of course a certain big company ( S***) sees it differently now that they don't produce vcr's.

TaZMAn

Hope for Intel Motherboards Using Ubuntu 10.4 ?

2010-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine has some computers that have Intel motherboards and he also has a Toshiba laptop.
For the past several releases of Ubuntu, he has not been able to use or install Ubuntu on these computers. Either he got a boot error or had video problems.

But he contacted me recently and said he just tried the 10.4 Alpha release of Ubuntu. He was happy to report that both Intel based pc's and the Toshiba booted up and he was able to use them in Live mode.
His remarks were something to the effect that as long as they don't muck something up between now and the final release he will be able to update his pc's and laptop.

So let's keep our fingers crossed and hope the development team stays on track and gets some of these older bugs fixed and not introduce new ones or break something along the way. The final release is scheduled for sometime in April and that date is rapidly approaching. Especially when you have a whole OS to upgrade. My best regards to everyone who is associated with this project and keeping my fingers crossed that nothing that is working now isn't broken in the final release.

Until then I'll just play around with some 64 bit distros.

TaZMAn

Risen From The Ashes Like The Phoenix

2010-01-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a way to start the New Year.
Started out in ashes but ended up like the rise of the Phoenix.
Day after New Years I turned on my computer. It powered on then off. Turned it on again. Powered off.
What!???

Time to troubleshoot it. First thing I did was disconnect all my drives, Ram and video card.
Tried powering it on. Few seconds later it powered off. Only thing left is the power plug on the motherboard for the cpu. Disconnected the connector and turned on the computer.
Powered on and cpu and case fans spun up and continued spinning. Hmmm??
Turned it off, disconnected the power supply and did voltage tests on it. Tested good.
That meant either the motherboard or cpu was shorted out.

To old to update it. It was a cheap closeout combo I bought online about 3 years ago.
A micro-atx motherboard with a 3.0 Ghz single core AMD Sempron cpu and 512 Megs of DDR Ram.
It was only a matter of time until it died. Unfortunately it happened right after the holidays.
Made a few phone calls to get a loaner until I could order new parts. Here's where the story really begins.

Got a loaner motherboard and cpu. I was using an AMD setup. This was an Intel based motherboard with a 3.0 Ghz Dual Core cpu and 512 Megs of DDR2 Ram. What's going to happen to my Linux install or the XP I have installed on a small slave drive that I use when helping people still using XP?
Time to find out.

I picked up the loaner board. I must make a note here that the heatsink mounts on Intel cpu's is very cheesy and cheap. Reason I say this is because the heatsink had been removed and I had to redo the heatsink thermal compound then mount the heatsink. Put the loaner board in my case and fired it up.
Booted into Linux and held my breath.

Linux starts it's normal boot up routine but just before it boots in to the desktop it sits on the splash screen. Uh-Oh! But another 30 seconds later it finishes the boot and there is my desktop. I check everything out including the network card. It all works!
No downloading drivers or uninstalling old ones. Linux reconfigured itself during the boot to use the new hardware it found. Amazing.

For fun I restarted and booted from the grub menu into XP. That didn't fair to well.
Blue screened with a Unexpected Kernel Mode Trap. Oh well! I didn't expect anything less. LMAO!!
No big loss. Going to eventually run XP in Virtual Box anyway.
So I reboot back into Linux.

Meanwhile I ordered a new Asus AM3 socket mobo, AMD 2.8 Ghz Dual Core cpu and 2 Gigs of DDR3 1333 Ram. It arrived yesterday and I installed it last night. That meant removing the Intel board and installing a new AMD board with a dual core cpu. How will Linux fair with this 2nd change in under a week?

Got everything installed and powered it up. Linux boots up and gets to the last part of the splash screen before the desktop. Sits there for about 20 seconds and there is my desktop and all my software.
Totally amazing. What's more amazing is that it found the 7.0 surround sound audio chip and network adapter chip both of which are built into the motherboard. And for once my 5.1 surround sound speakers work properly in Linux.

Again I had to do nothing for all my hardware to be installed or configured. No installing drivers, no reinstalling OS, no nothing other then boot up and get ready to use it.
As for the new hardware performance?
Fast!!! As in extreme speed.
When I originally bought the AM3 socket mobo I had plans to possibly update to a quad core later in the year. Forget that! This dual core is more then sufficient.

The only thing I will need to upgrade is my power supply. I have 2 brand new Sata hard drives waiting to be installed but my power supply only has 2 Sata power connectors on it which are already in use. I looked at the price of IDE to Sata power adapters but the price of 4 of them including shipping is about 35% of a new good quality 600 watt power supply. It's not the price of the cables that they get you on. It's the S&H charges that kill you.

So from the ashes the Phoenix has risen. It's my new pc that is now flying with jet engines instead of propellers.
I plan to do some stress testing on the new hardware by trying some video conversions and rendering some Blender 3D scenes.

Catch you later if I don't overshoot this page.
LOL!!
It turned out to be a Happy New Year after all.

TaZMAn

JDownloader - An Excellent File Downloader

2009-12-31T13:55:00.000-08:00

Need a good tool for downloading files from Rapidshare, Megaupload or other file sharing sites?
Try a program called jDownloader. It's free and because it's written in Java, it's not platform dependent.
That means it will run in Linux, Windows, Mac or any other OS that has Java installed.

You can go to the site found here;
http://jdownloader.org/home/index

Download the installer that matches your OS. You will also need the Java Runtime jre installed.
If you have Ubuntu you can get it through the repositories. Other OS's can get it from Sun's website here;
http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

When you unzip the downloaded file in Ubuntu you will have a folder with many files in it.
The one you want to use is the one named jDownloader.jar
Right click on it and select Java Runtime Environment as the launcher.
You will be greeted with a configuration screen. It will also ask if you want to install apt-get in your Firefox browser so it will automatically grab the links you selected and add them to the link grabber section of jDownloader.

I'm not going to provide support for this software. That can be found in their forums.
What I will provide is some basic info to make your life easier.
If you don't have a premium membership to Rapidshare or any other file share site make sure you set the number of maximum connections for each site to 1.

You may also set your maximum simultaneous downloads to 1.
You also have the option to set your download speed plus many other options although the above are the most important.

Below is a screen shot of my linkgrabber screen. It has all the links for my 20 in 1 multiboot DVD ready to be added into the download section.

So what can jDownloader do for you?
It can automatically grab selected links and add it into your linkgrabber screen ready to be downloaded immediately or later on.

No need to sit and wait in between downloads because of mandatory wait times. This software does it for you! It also grabs the captcha codes like at Megaupload and puts them in for you.
And after the download is finished, it extracts the file from the rar or zip file.
It also has the ability to download protected links like those being circulated in several forums.
JDownloader supports hundreds of file sharing sites.

You cannot believe how much this software improves life for non-subscribers of file sharing sites.
I add the links and start it before leaving for work and depending on the size of file and speeds, it is usually done by the time I get home.
No more wasted time watching the pc waiting for the 15 minutes to be up so you can start the next link.
This software does the waiting for you.
No more typing in the captcha code. jDownloader does it for you.

Make your downloading life easier and give jDownloader a try.

Enjoy!

TaZMAn

Linux 20 in 1 Multi Boot Has Arrived

2009-12-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

UPDATE!
New direct download links below! No waiting or membership required.
My newest 20 in 1 multiboot DVD is now ready for download. Let's start the new year celebration early!
I'm sorry about the delay but I wanted it tested by several sources before I released it.
As with any live distro, there are always some pc's that won't be able to boot and run a specific distro.
And unfortunately, you may come across a few in this release that will not boot.

Specifically Mint. For some reason Mint is very picky about hardware. During testing about 1/2 the pc's it was tested on could not run it. This is only one distro however. There are 19 others to choose from and many of them have boot options in the menu that allows a user to choose from several video modes that will allow even the older pc to run it. If a distro won't boot in a high end video mode try the vesa or safe graphics mode found in the sub-menu. I also enabled the feature to append commands to the boot script by pressing the Tab button.

Now for a run down of the distros included in this release. There is a wide variety of distros that I included as to give you an idea of what is out there other then the mainstream distros.
That said, here is what I have included;

Mint 7, CDLinux, xpud, NimbleX, Backtrack 3, antix, Austrumi, GeeXboX, MacPup, Netboot, Slax, Slitaz, TinyMe, Tiny Core, Wolvix, NT Password Recovery, Clonezilla, Parted Magic, Free Dos, Memtest

That should be a large enough variety to showcase all the different distros and their strong points.
Some notes about these distros. You may find that some of them don't have immediate internet access.
If you look in the software menu of the running distro you should find a program to configure you network connection or you may also see a wizard. Using one of these should allow you to connect to the internet but not guaranteed depending on type and age of the network card. Wifi was not tested so this will be something for you to check out.

I also want to comment on one distro in particular. That being Tiny Core. At 10 megs it is the smallest and also the fastest distro on the planet. Because of it's size there is no software included. But you can download and install it from within the distro very easily. Open the software window. You will see it is blank. Click on connect from within that window and it will connect over the internet to its repository.
A list of software will appear from which you can choose what you want to install.

New Links!
Thanks to Greg for his gracious offer to mirror my links on his dedicated server.
No waiting time between links and for those with good connections you can download the Iso file in one download. He also took the time to create a
MD5Sum text file so you can verify your downloads.
Please take the time to say thanks to Greg by dropping by his blog at:
http://labby.co.uk/

or you can leave a comment to him below in the comments section.
Here is the newest links to my files;

http://labby.co.uk/ubuntu4you/

I will also keep my Rapidshare links available here for downloading my 20 in 1 Linux multi boot DVD;

http://rapidshare.com/users/LN4B53/1

There is an excellent piece of software available for Windows and Linux users that makes downloading from Rapidshare and other share sites a breeze. It's called jdownloader and I will be doing an article on how to set it up in a few minutes. So look for my newest article on it.

Hope you enjoy this newest release and any feedback is appreciated.

TaZMAn

Linux 20 in 1 Multiboot DVD

2009-11-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Latest News UPDATE!!!

The links have been posted in my blog post found here;
http://tazbuntu.blogspot.com/2009/12/linux-20-in-1-multi-boot-has-arrived.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------

That's right! A 20 in 1 Linux Multi-Boot DVD. I'm putting the final touches on it right now.
I've packed in a lot of goodies and added a custom menu and sub menus. I've learned some new techniques since making the last multi-boot DVD.

I bet everyone thought I was dead or this blog was dead. Far from it! I have much more to add in the near future. I got the urge to create one of the largest (in terms of distros) multiboot DVD's and I was spending all my free time on it. Now that it's finished, I can continue adding other goodies to my blog.

Now for the technical portion and specifics. I will be uploading the links to Rapidhare. Expect to see them within 5 or 6 days. I have a few people still testing it and I won't upload it until I get thumbs up across the board. There will be 40 files. 39 of them will be 100 Mb and the last one is 65 Mb.

As for the distro list? Here you go;
Mint 6, Knoppix 5, Slax, Feather, DSL, Puppy, Astrumi, Slitaz, TinyMe, Tiny Core, Backtrack, xpud, antiX, NimbleX, Insert, NetBoot, Clonezilla, NT Password Recovery, MemTest, Free Dos.

That's a lot of computing power packed into one DVD. I decided to use Knoppix 5 rather then the newer releases as version 5 packs more software into it then the newer versions. Most of the other distros are the newest releases. I tried staying away from versions that were beta or 'cutting edge' as I wanted a stable DVD.

I'm including 2 screenshots of the main menu. When I post the links for the DVD I will also include a few screenshots of the sub-menus.
Here is the main menu layout. Had to do 2 screenshots because I used isolinux for my menu config and not all the distros fit in the window. You need to scroll up and down using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

I will add a post with the links to this DVD in 5 or 6 days. It will take some time to upload all the files as my ISP has serious issues with allowing us paying users to have more then a few 100k in upload speeds.

Hope I'm not the only person excited about this DVD.
LOL!!

UPDATE!!!!!

This project is on hold until I can sort out some of the issues I have encountered in Mint and Karmic Koala. Those issues being file permissions being changed to root during the burning with k3b and problems with checksums and the inability to create a proper iso file due to the "the size can't be determined" bug I have encountered in Karmic.

Thank you for your interest and patience during this time. I am working on getting this completed as soon as possible.

TaZMAn

Random Ravings

2009-10-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive and well. Just extremely busy with work and real world stuff.
To be honest, I haven't had any time to play with my computer so that I can blog about it here.
But I do have some rants and thoughts I figured I'd share with you.
Most of it has to do with (Gasp!) Windows. Like that's breaking news. LOL!

I've had numerous people contact me over the past few weeks with questions and concerns.
They are all Windows users. Many questions concerned the new Windows 7 being released shortly.
Questions like what version would be the best? Will my system run it? How much and how hard will it be to upgrade?

UGH! All those that I spoke with will be able to run Win 7 as they have systems built by me and I had the foresight to build them with over kill because I figured the next gen Microsoft OS would probably want more power then what Vista required. Although we now know it won't.
But I made sure to max those systems out so they won't have any future upgrade problems.

Price and upgrade is another matter though. As I said, these were custom built systems and the customers all have Vista Ultimate installed at their request. At the time they wanted the latest cutting edge OS that Microsoft offered. Now it's going to bite them in the A$$ royally!
For a comparable version of Windows 7 they will be shelling out close to $200 for the upgrade version. This is after they already shelled out almost $300 for Vista Ultimate that was lackluster at best and surely wasn't worth the price.

But the upgrade process that they will have to go through because they are using Ultimate is the biggest disaster since the Titanic. If you have Ultimate installed you will need to back up all your files and documents, hope you have all your original software and then you will need to do a fresh install of Windows 7.
That cold hard fact right there turned off most of my callers. They said they didn't feel comfortable or wanted to go through all the back up and installation process.

Way to go Microsoft! Make more people unhappy. Hopefully they will finally see the light and realize Windows isn't the only OS in town. But this post isn't just about bashing Microsoft or Windows 7. Or is it? LOL! Let's continue.

Tonight I had a co-worker's son call me. He is building a new computer and wanted some feedback about quality motherboards and video cards. He is planning to run the Adobe Creative Suite. Poor kid is an aspiring graphic artist and spends his every penny on software and computers. Good thing he still lives at home. LOL!!

I took a quick look at the system requirements for the version he had.
Nothing outstanding. He will still be using XP since his version probably won't run on Windows 7. Only concerns was a quality video card which he can grab for around $140.
Asked him why the new computer. He said he is building it so when he can afford the newest Creative Suite version that runs in Windows 7 he will upgrade. I then upped his video card recommendation to a $200+ unit. So much money tossed into hardware and software every few years just so we can be functional and up to date? Give me a break!!

I guess what I'm really getting at is that for my needs and comfort zone, I'm more then happy using Linux. And NO!, I'm not some couch surfing, email forwarding casual user.
I have my hands in many projects when I have the time. I like making graphics, creating my own music, create my own bootable OS disks and probably do more then most users would ever get their hands into.

And when I was using Windows I was not what you would call a legit software user.
Anything coming my way was welcome. But you finally get to a point where you have had enough. Hours of hunting, removing viruses from some of the non-legit software, burning the stuff to Cd's or DVD's.
Using Linux is like a dream. I need software, I just need to do a few clicks.
And software is updated automatically. No need to find the latest and greatest all the while hoping it's not filled with viruses.

I have a good chuckle when I hear people saying they need to upgrade their Ram because the 1 or 2 Gigs may not be enough for what they want to do. I enjoy watching their jaws drop when I tell them my PC only has 512 Megs of Ram.
Nor do I have a dual core CPU. Why should I? For what I do on this computer, a single core is all I need.

And soon the newest version of Ubuntu and Mint will be available. Won't cost me a dime and the upgrade will be much easier then what Vista Ultimate users will be put through. Also will work without having to update my hardware.

I learned a long time ago that when installing Linux, you put your Home directory on a separate partition. That way if something ever goes wrong with an update or you want to install a pre-release version all your data and files are still safe and sound. Let's see Windows do that!

And speaking about keeping data safe. How about that T-Mobile fiasco with their Sidekick phone and the servers owned by a Microsoft company? Microsoft tries implementing a new database strategy and looses all the data on both the main server and the back up.
Hey Bozos! Next time you may want to try it with the back up server disconnected just in case your new strategy eats all the data.

Cloud computing. Hah! All these companies can sucker you in and tell you it is the latest and greatest. It is the wave of the future. But just how safe is your data. The above Sidekick fiasco is just one example. How about questions like "where is the server located?" "How secure is the facility?" "Who at the facility has access to my data?" (That's a biggie).
Or how about the $100,000.00 question?
If my data is lost or compromised, who is responsible and what recourse do I have?

All those questions are legitimate and must be answered before you can even trust your data to the cloud.

Well, I'm done ranting and bashing.
Got to go. Remember, keep your eyes and ears open. Think outside the box and ask plenty of questions. It's the only way to learn and stay safe.

TaZ

The Beatles - Yellow Submarine

2009-09-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Your not going crazy. This post is not about Linux or any other OS.
It's about I need your help or maybe I'm going crazy.
Back in the day, the Beatles songs were all over the airwaves. Every radio station was playing them. And one song sticks out in my mind because I can't find it or any info about it. That being Yellow Submarine by the Beatles.

But not the versions I keep coming across. I'm not that crazy or dense! LOL!!
The version I remember sounded like all the others I came across except for one part.

In the easily found version there is a part where you hear the sub noises and crew talking through the intercom with the final words of Tip it! Tip it!

The version that was played over the radio and on the juke boxes in my area had the words Dive! Dive!

Now I don't know if that was some kind of local area remix or if we have had the originals polluted by re-issues and re-masters and I haven't come across the true original?

So I am asking for your help. If anyone knows what album or release that version of Yellow Submarine is from, I sure would appreciate a shout in the comments section.

And thanks to any who can help me.

I Made The Switch

2009-08-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

I recently made the switch. No! Not to Windows 7 !!!!
I switched to Mint.
I have been using Ubuntu since Edgy and became a full time Linux user since Feisty.
As good as it is, I needed a change. Not so much a full distro change but more of a look and feel change.

I had some help with this decision. I was trying out ReneL's new multi-boot DVD which contains Mint (Both Gnome and KDE) along with all the Ubuntu versions, SysRescue and TinyCore.
In case you haven't been following the comments in my blogs and missed it, you can get the torrent from here;
http://www.mininova.org/tor/2837481

I will also be posting a new article about it and hope to put up some RS links to it.
Now about Mint.
After I installed it I realized that the look was very different. Instead of 2 task bars, there was only one. And that was at the bottom of the screen. I know I said I wanted a new look and feel but I'm so accustomed to having the task bar on top I switched its position.

The install and updates along with additional software installs took about 2 hours.
And thanks to Linux keeping all your personal files in the Home directory along with the ability to have your Home folder loaded into it's own partition, my documents, bookmarks and email were all ready and waiting for me.

So now I will be using Mint until I tire of it and switch to another distro.
But I still have my back up computer that currently has Vector Linux on it that I also use.
I enjoy variety and thankfully Linux provides me with plenty of choices.
Maybe I will just have to set up a multi-boot on my back up computer and install TinyCore next to Vector just for the fun of it.

BTW..... As with all the Debian distros, Streamtuner also needed to be patched for the Shoutcast bug. Mint may look different but it still has it's roots in Debian.

Until next time.

TaZMAn

A Look At DVDStyler (Mini Review)

2009-08-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across DVDStyler to make DVD's from some video files I have.
This is my second time trying this software. My first encounter with DVDStyler was a not very successful. But that was back in the Feisty Fawn days.
Today I take back what I said back then about DVDStyler.

I'm using version 1.7.2 and have had no real problems except for the few I will mention in this article.
It is available for Linux and Windows users which is a major plus for open source software.

The layout is simple and easy to navigate. It uses category tabs on the left to pick backgrounds, buttons and files. It's all drag and drop and allows customizing the size, color and font of the buttons and any text you add such as titles.

It converts almost any file fairly fast and allows auto-chaptering and multiple video files. Just add the file to the time line at the bottom and pop in a few sub-menus. Add text, images and frames by right clicking on the screen and make a selection from the menu.

It also offers options to choose the video aspect ratio, video bitrate, audio output of mp2 or ac3, NTSC or PAL formats. Many features but not overwhelming that it will confuse the new user.

I've been using DVDStyler to create a DVD disk and have it save the resulting disk as a ISO. Then I open the ISO with VLC media player to check it. Once I'm satisfied I burn the ISO to a DVD with k3b or you can use the burner of your choice.

The only drawbacks I have had with this DVD creator are as follows:

Background selection is minimal. This can easily be fixed by adding in your own jpg background files using root access to the DVDStyler folder.

The selection of buttons is also minimal. The buttons are svg graphics so they can be scaled to any size with out loosing clarity. Finding additional svg graphics can turn into a scavenger hunt.

When adding a sub-title (srt file) I thought I had figured it out, details and help are sketchy for doing this, but when running the conversion I received an error saying it couldn't find the font file. After a few hours of trying to find a fix I ended up using avidemux to integrate the srt file into the video then used DVDStyler to create the DVD.

I use the restricted extra codecs on my 'nix box but haven't been able to successfully convert DivX avi video files. For this problem I use WinFF to
convert the avi to a DVD compliant mpeg. That way DVDStyler doesn't have to re-encode the video file. It only needs to turn it into the vob and ifo files which only takes 10 -15 minutes depending on the file size.

That said, I have been very happy with the ease and quality of DVDStyler.
It has done what I needed it to do, is easy to use and is faster then most video converters and dvd creators.

Whether you use Linux or Windows, you should do yourself a favor and try out DVDStyler. You may be pleasantly surprised.
And in case you missed the text link you can find it here;

http://www.dvdstyler.org/

Enjoy!

TaZMAn

Streamtuner Shoutcast Plugin Oddity

2009-07-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

I have to really wonder if the continuing Shoutcast problem in Streamtuner is in fact caused by the Ubuntu kernel.
I ask this question out loud after installing Vector Linux which is based on Slackware using Linux Kernel version 2.6.27.12

After I installed Vector Linux on an older 1 Ghz computer I saw that Streamtuner was preinstalled. Curious as to whether it would work properly or not I fired it up.
To my surprise, not only did the Shoutcast tab work perfectly but Punkcast and basic.ch plugins were installed and working properly.

Now it is possible that the good people involved with Vector Linux may have patched the plugin or it may be the latest Streamtuner release works as it should in Vector while still causing problems in Ubuntu.

I've also read that other distros don't have problems with the Streamtuner Shoutcast plugin that was recently released.
Yet it seems most Ubuntu users are still having problems with it.

I plan to take a look at the Vector install and the plugin they are using in an attempt to put this to rest once and for all.
I like Streamtuner and have not found anything that compares to it. So I'm not going to give up the fight to get this fixed properly.

TaZ

Multiboot Links

2009-07-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

I've gotten many requests for some multiboot links and info so I gathered up a bunch of the best from my library.

I used the info to learn how to make my TaZMAn's 15 in 1 Multiboot DVD.

Since I built that DVD some new software and scripts have been released that make this task easier. Two that immediately come to mind are Unetbootin and the script I posted earlier that will create the Cd/DVD for you.

So without further fanfare here are the links and I hope they help all of those who want to create their own multiboot disk.

multicd.sh
http://multicd.tuxfamily.org/

Creating a Multi-boot DVD
http://pcquest.ciol.com/content/enterprise/2005/105070101.asp

Bootland Forum
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/

ISOLINUX
http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/ISOLINUX

LiveCD Creation Resources
http://www.livecdlist.com/wiki/index.php/LiveCD_Creation_Resources

Create a multiboot CD
http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php/Create_a_multiboot_CD_%28or_USB_flash_drive%29

Multi-boot 30+ Operating Systems with just the ISO, no Disks
http://www.askapache.com/security/install-multiple-os-without-cds.html

Repository of Distros
http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/

XercesTech
http://tech.xerces.com/

Super-Disc: Multi-Boot Project CD/DVD Using ISOLINUX
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=94398

Multiboot DVD with Isolinux
Look on the last page for Jotnar's post
You want this article he posted;
Chris D'Hondt- Changes to Support Multibooting Linux Live CDs on the Same Disc

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=703905&page=3

Update!

This just in from Mufaizal. A pdf file that explains how to make a multi-boot Linux disk.

http://www.byui.edu/Societies/Linux/Archive/creating_a_linux_multi-boot_dvd_LWellman.pdf

Thank you Mufaizal.

Enjoy!

TaZMAn

Computer Repairs - Texas Style

2009-06-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

Last year, in it's infinite wisdom, Texas passed a law affecting all Computer Techs and computer repair shops.
Seems that in order to continue business as usual the tech will now need a Private Investigator license or face 1 year in jail and up to a total of $14,000 in fines.
And if the customer knowingly takes their computer to an unlicensed tech, they also face the same fines and jail time.

Excuse the following rant....................
What!!!! Are They #@%*&%$ NUTS!!!!

Do they realize the ramifications and repercussions from this idiotic law?
Do they really care or were they scammed by the Texas Private Security Board.
This Board is nothing more then a cartel using every sneaky move in the book to protect their archaic and technology unsavy members.

It seems that even repair shops like the ones in the big box stores that starts with a G got letters from the board to cease and desist until they come into compliance.
Oh yea! I can see them sending their techs to college so they can get a 4 year criminal justice degree or spending 3 years as an apprentice of a licensed P.I.

Or how about the neighbor down the street that does repair work for cheap.
Besides being an unlicensed business, he is now operating without a P.I. license.
In Texas that could very well mean the electric chair.

And what about the consumers? Think the cost for education, licensing and yearly dues aren't going to be passed on to them?
Okay Sir. I installed a new anti-virus program for you. The software is $50 and the labor is $700 for a total of $750.
Oh! I forgot that I also need to add $10 to your bill to cover the cost of my license renewal. So that will be $760 and have a nice day!

If you care to wade through the whole messy details you can follow the link below to a page that documents all the gory details being used in the pending lawsuits.

Mandated Computer License

http://www.ij.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2189&Itemid=129

And should you happen to be a resident of Texas, I urge you to write you representatives and governor urging them to abolish this asinine law.
Because in the long run it will ultimately be you, the consumer, that pays the ultimate price for your government's stupidity.

TaZ

MultiBootin With UNetbootin. A Multiboot Flash Drive Tutorial

2009-05-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

I have found that it is fairly easy to make a multiboot flash drive using UNetbootin.
A bit of time, moving files and some simple edits to the syslinux.cfg file is all that is needed.

I'm going to give a short tutorial on how to dual boot Mint Linux and Puppy Linux.
This is done on a 1 gig flash drive with only one partition.

Assuming you already have UNetbootin installed insert your flash drive.
Make sure that any data on your flash drive is saved elsewhere as UNetbootin will wipe it all out.

Start UNetbootin and from the drop down list select Puppy Linux.
The only version available should be the 'Latest Live' version. Select it and then choose the proper destination drive for the flash drive.

After it is finished downloading and configuring Puppy it may be a good idea to try it out by rebooting your computer with the flash drive still installed. If your Bios is configured properly to boot from the flash drive you will see Puupy boot up, ask some questions about hardware and screen resolution then boot to it's Desktop. Once you have verified that it works, reboot your computer with the flash drive removed.

Now that you are back in your computer make a folder on the Desktop or anywhere else you prefer and name it something like USB Puppy.
Insert your flash drive, open it, select all the files and copy them over to the new folder you just made. Now delete all the files on the flash drive. It's time for step 2.

Open UNetbootin and select Mint Linux. Choose the flash drive for the destination and start the download. After it is done you will again want to test it to verify it is working.
When you are satisfied that all is working properly boot back into your main system and then insert your flash drive once again.

Open the flash drive to reveal all the files and folders. Now open the first folder you created named USB Puppy. I resize both windows so they are visible side by side for easy transfer.
In the Puppy folder select all the files except those that have duplicate names in the flash drive containing Mint.

These are the file names you do NOT want to transfer over;
vesamenu.c32, ubnpathl.txt, ubnkern, ubninit, ubnfilel.txt, syslinux.cfg, ldlinux.sys

You could also select all then tell the file manager to skip the files that already exist but I don't like taking a chance that a file may get overwritten or corrupted.

Now that you have all the files from the Puppy folder copied to the flash drive it's time to add the Puppy Linux entry into the Mint syslinux.cfg file. It really is painless! :-)

Open the syslinux.cfg file in the Puppy folder with your favorite text editor.
This is what you will see;

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100

label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit pmedia=cd

label ubnentry0
menu label puppy
kernel /vmlinuz
append initrd=/initrd.gz pmedia=cd

All we want is the last 4 lines of this file (In Bold). Select this portion and copy it.
Now open up the syslinux.cfg file for Mint which looks like this;

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100

label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry0
menu label Start Linux Mint
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.gz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry1
menu label Start Linux Mint in compatibility mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.gz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --

label ubnentry2
menu label Memory Test
kernel /isolinux/memtest
append initrd=/ubninit

label ubnentry3
menu label Boot from local drive
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit

Now place your cursor in between the section that starts with label ubnentry1 and label ubnentry2 and paste the entry from Puppy between them. I use the Enter and Delete keys to make this new entry conform to the format of the other entries. Makes editting easier.
Now before we close and save this file we need to correct some of the label entries.

Notice that each new entry starts with label unetbootindefault then continues with label ubnentry0, ubnentry1, etc. until we get to the entry that contains the new Puppy info.
That one says label ubnentry0 but we already have a label ubnentry0 that points to Mint.
So we take the last entry numbered 3 and change it to 4. Then change entry number 2 to number 3. And finally change the label for Puppy from 0 to 2.

The final syslinux.cfg file should look like this;

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100

label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry0
menu label Start Linux Mint
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.gz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry1
menu label Start Linux Mint in compatibility mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.gz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --

label ubnentry2
menu label puppy
kernel /vmlinuz
append initrd=/initrd.gz pmedia=cd

label ubnentry3
menu label Memory Test
kernel /isolinux/memtest
append initrd=/ubninit

label ubnentry4
menu label Boot from local drive
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit

Now close and save this new modified syslinux.cfg file.
Close all open folders, reboot your system with your new multi-boot flash drive still inserted and try it out. If you did it right you should now be able to access either Mint or Puppy and use them in 'Live' mode.

Before I go I want to leave you with some ideas, thoughts and tips.
This tutorial is not the only method to create a multi-boot flash drive nor may it be the fastest or easiest. But this is the way I first tried it and with this method I had success.

Not all distros will be multi-bootable in the same manner. If two distros have the same kernel or boot loader name you will have conflicts that will cause it not to work.
One method to get around this would be to either use 2 partitions or put them in seperate folders. I have not tried this nor am I saying these methods will work. I'll leave you to try it and experiment.

Don't feel that you are limited to just these 2 distros or that you can only have 2 distros for a multi-boot flash. Since I first tried this experiment I have also added Clonezilla to the drive giving me the option to boot to one of three distros/software.

Some flash drives may not be compatible with the Bios and will not boot.
I have some 2 Gig flash drives that won't work yet my 1 Gig flash drives from the same manufacturer works. So if it doesn't work the first time try a different flash drive.

I will not hold anyone's hand or walk them through these procedures. Learning computers and new ideas requires the user to try it and possibly fail until they have success. I have found that this works the best when teaching people new ideas or techniques. Call it tough love or whatever. It works!

Finally I need to make a comment on hidden files. Some distros have them, others don't.
Puppy doesn't but Mint does. I could have had you install Puppy then moved Mint over to the flash drive. But in order for Mint to work properly you would need to choose Show Hidden Files from the View button and make sure that you copied these over to the flash drive as well as the main files.

Hope this mini-tutorial helps you into your journey of multi-boot flash drives.

Enjoy!!

TaZMAn

UNetbootin - Boot Distros From Flash Drive

2009-05-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

UNetbootin is a great free program that is available for Windows and numerous Linux Distros.

It allows you to boot your computer from a flash drive that has a pre-installed Distro or App on it.
Your computer needs to both boot from USB and recognize the flash drive as a USB Hard Drive. You will need to access your Bios and set it to boot from the USB port.

UNetbootin can either use a supported distro ISO file that has been saved on your hard drive or you can select a distro from the drop down box and it will download and configure the flash drive for you.

I've tried several distros found in the drop box with much success. The only distro I had a problem with was Slax. Not sure why I had a problem with it because I have used Slax in a 'Live' environment on this system before with no problems.

I'm planning to use UNetbootin to make a multi-boot USB flash drive.
I figure that if I use one larger distro like Mint, I can still get 2 or 3 smaller distros on a 1 gig flash drive.

I have several larger flash drives in the 2, 4 and 8 gig varieties but my system won't properly recognize these flash drives during the boot process.
So until I get a chance to find a work around like partitioning the larger flash drives into 1 gig partitions, I will stick with the 1 gig variety.

I don't see much of a problem setting up a multi-boot flash drive.
I'll install the distros one at a time. When one is installed I will copy the contents of the flash drive and save it on my hard drive then wipe the flash drive for the next distro.
Then I will install the 2nd and 3rd distros doing the same as the first between each download.
When the last distro is downloaded and installed on the flash drive I will copy the contents of the previous installs onto the drive one at a time.

The boot loader used is Syslinux which is easily modified to include the boot info needed by the other distros.
If I can get the larger flash drives working by setting up multiple partitions then I may need to use grub with a modified loader and menu but for a simple 1 partition drive Syslinux should be fine.

I'll update my blog with the results once I'm done playing.
I need some premium playtime and this project will be just what the doctor ordered.

UPDATE!
Check my May 12 entry for a mini tutorial on making a multiboot flash drive using UNetbootin.

Enjoy!

TaZMAn

Health Records Stolen And Held For Ransom

2009-05-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

I came across an article about the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program database being hacked and being held for a $10 Million (U.S.) ransom.
Supposedly the hacker(s) also deleted the database backups.

See the story here;
Virginia PMP Hacked

The above link also has a link to Wikileaks that has a copy of the ransom note left on the PMP site.

A new story has now emerged from the agency in charge of the PMP website and database denies the claim that the database backup has been destroyed.

Agency Denies Claim Database Was Destroyed

As I was researching this story I came across another story that deals with a break in to the Berkeley University database that stores the student's health records.

Berkeley Student Health Records Compromised

This attack happened over a 6 month period before the administrators realized what was happening! A 1/2 year of not knowing your server has been breached? That sounds like a huge case of incompetence!

Now I have to ask myself a question as should you.
Where the heck is the security?
And what are they doing? Sleeping?

Then you have that nonchalant attitude like the one found in the Agency Denies Claim Database Was Destroyed link;

"acknowledged a data breach of it may have occurred but refuted the notion the database had been wiped out by the unknown attacker."

A data breach may have occured?
Geez! The FBI is involved. I'd say that it did occur. And I'm willing to lay odds that the database backup was destroyed. Makes you wonder whey a backup was so conveniently accessible from the main server. Bet they stored it on the same hard drive!

And what about all that patient info that is supposed to remain confidential?
Who is going to pay for the damages to these people's credit ratings once the perpetrator decides to sell all that info?
What about all those Social Security numbers that can now be used for identity theft and fraud?
Who's going to foot that bill to protect the patients?
Patients that had absolutely no say in how their personal info was used or how it was stored and safeguarded.

I'm willing to bet that due to budget cuts either most of the IT staff was laid off or the whole operation was sub-contracted to the lowest bidder.
Some bean counter decided that the best way to increase the bottom line or cut the budget would be easily achieved by cutting or subbing out the security staff that was hired to protect our confidential data.

This scenario has been repeated over and over. Increasing the bottom line takes precedence over security and IT departments.
I have also encountered people who have graduated with a degree in computers that don't know squat about network security. But they sure now how to set up a network connection using dhcp or email accounts!

Sorry if I may have offended some System Admins out there but when a graduate from a school that has a MCSA comes up to me asking about how a firewall works or if I can format a hard drive for him, I have to wonder just what the hell they are teaching at that school and how the students are passing those MCSA tests!

Maybe it's time that our schools and institutions start teaching ethical hacking courses so that they can start protecting our networks better.
And let's keep the bean counters in check and prevent them from raiding out IT staff.
Make companies and government accountable.
Huge fines and penalties for any company or government entity that allows our data to be compromised. And the monies from the fines go to the people who's info was stolen!

Oh! And I must make mention that the Virginia PMP was running on Windows Server 2003. Berkeley uses several OS's including Open BSD, Solaris, Fedora, Red Hat, Debian and Windows Server 2003. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the student's health records were stored on a Windows 2003 server also.
Windows: Safe, Secure, Fast. NOT!

I won't even get into the hacking of the power grid.
I may end offending even more people and then have the G-Men knocking on my door.
LOL!

TaZMAn

I'm Still Here

2009-04-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Been very busy the past few months.
Went back to school and got my computer certification.
Also started a new career with a company that has plenty of business and future potential. Very excited about this opportunity.

And check this out. They use Linux for some of their computer work!
I'm in heaven!!!

Also have built 2 custom computers for a customer.
Nice systems running the newest AMD Phenom Quad Cores with Nvidia 9800 video cards.
Both systems are housed in the very impressive Antec Nine Hundred case.
The only pitfall of these cases is that the power supply sits on the bottom and there is no wire trough or cable management system in these cases.
And a modular power supply is a must!

Then there are the usual computer repairs.
Had 2 last week that were as different as night and day.
One was a Linux based system and the other was an XP system.

The customer that had the Linux system said something happened that broke his network connection. He thought it may have been an update that was the problem.
He dropped it off and I checked it out. Hooked it up to my network and had a working connection.
So I call him up and ask if he has a second computer.
He tells me that he does. So I have him hook the second computer to the network cable that the Linux system was using.
No connection.
Turns out the network cable went bad.
Simple fix. All finished.

The XP system is another story.
The computer was totally infested.
Zango, WinFixer, Virtumonde, Codec Virus and numerous others.
Apparently the customer's children downloaded a mp3 file and when they tried to play it they got a pop up saying they needed to download a codec to play the song.
That was the beginning of the end.
The system downloaded a trojan.

Then they were online and a pop up appeared saying the system was infected and they could fix it by clicking on the button.
That pretty much ended the last bit of life in the computer.
It was the WinFixer virus.

Other stuff that was downloaded then proceeded to disable the firewall and antivirus software.
A check of the system logs showed that the Guest account became enabled and was given Admin permissions. It also changed group policies to deny the actual user access to msconfig, regedit, installer and other tools.
It also changed the host file, enabled remote desktop and added in a network redirect hook.

Took me several days using multiple tools to clean it all up and get it back to a normally operating XP system.
Even now I still have reservations as to whether I have all the permissions and policies back to where they should be.

I've joked numerous times about switching back to Windows.
Trust me, after going through all of the above to fix an infected XP system I can promise you that I will never use any Windows OS other then in a virtual environment.
And if I become insane enough to use Windows as a primary system just shoot me!
LOL!!

I also think I may be popping in at Spedman's house.
He is building a Mame arcade system based on an older AMD 750 Mhz CPU.
He called me the other night wanting to know why Puppy Linux wouldn't install properly. Rather it installed but the boot loader would always error out on a reboot with a "Drive Not Found" message.
So I guess I'll pop in one night and see what the menu.lst has in it.

And finally I will be doing a lot of self study so that I can continue on my certification journey.
Plan to take my Security+ and Linux Certification tests.
Will take the Linux test last as I have heard they are planning to update the test shortly. Will need to see what they plan to have in the new test. The current test is 5 years old and is pretty much out of date by today's Linux standards and features.

Hope to see some of my friends around the forums in the near future.
Right now my new career gets priority on my available time.

See ya around!

TaZMAn

Making The Switch

2009-03-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

I'm switching back to Windows.
I gave Linux a shot for a long while but have no choice other then to switch.
I've found that I am missing out on so many features not available in Linux.
And all that quality software available for Windows is helping my decision.

Linux is good for many tasks but still leaves me wanting more.
I mean that I miss Nero, Irfanview, UltraIso, Nlite, Fruity Loops, Photoshop, DVD Architect.
Now those are some good software titles and allows you to do plenty.
In Linux all we have is stuff like k3b, Iso Master, LFS, LMMS, Xara, Gimp, Cinelerra and Kino.

Also when I switch back to Windows, I won't have people staring at me like I'm some kind of outer space creature every time I mention Linux.
It's hard enough for some people to understand Windows terms. Tossing out Linux terms like sudo, gedit, fstab, modprobe can really confuse them.

Then there is the way the Linux file system is arranged along with the folder names.
Most Windows users will know what you mean when you mention folder names like Documents, Windows, System32.
But try using folder names like etc, dev, mnt, usr or lib. It's way out there for most Windows users.

For some reason it's harder for people to remember 3 letter folder names then it is to remember long folder names like Documents and Settings or My Documents. I need to get back to those long folder names. It helps with the memory exercises that can prevent alzheimers.

And there are many other extras that come with using Windows.
Stuff like what is going to happen on this date.
That is why I decided to switch.
To fully understand my reasons for this post and change of OS's, I strongly urge you to read this page;

The Facts

It will explain everything.

TaZMAn