Dyndns client ddclient config

Update to my earlier post about using ddclient to support dyndns access.
I generated the config file using the dyndns.org web site https://www.dyndns.com/support/tools/clientconfig.html. The config generated by the web site works nicely.

Audio on Fedora finally working

After numerous attempts and many wrong turns I finally have audio working on Fedora 10 at work and Fedora 11 here at home.

I use the KDE version and could never get the microphone to record clear audio. I could also never hear audio from any flash movies played within the browser.

Well the key to the puzzle was that I was fiddling with KMix, the KDE audio mixer. This had very little effect. I recently discovered the Pulse Audio Volume Control application and this has solved my problem. By manipulating the audio settings via the Pulse Audio Volume Control I now have perfectly working audio.

/usr/bin/pavucontrol in the pavucontrol RPM.

Cloning a Windows XP partition

The hard disc in my desktop started to log errors, which is a very scary sign. This means time to get a new disc. I didn't want to face up to re-installing Windows, so cloning the partition is the way to go.

1. Boot the old Windows system
2. Defrag the partition
3. Run chkdsk to check and fix any errors
4. Run regedit and delete the values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices, otherwise XP is confused when it boots on the new partition
   
5. Shutdown and reboot from the gparted live CD
6. Select the old XP partition and select Copy from the context menu
7. Select the empty space on the new disc and Paste, this can take hours
   
8. Select the new partition and choose Manage Flags from the context menu, select boot
9. Shutdown
10. Change the new disc so that it is the first disc on the SATA and then boot the machine
    

Thanks to the people at gparted for a great tool and Michael Dominok for the XP tips.

Getting rid of NetworkManager

NetworkManager failed to get a DHCP connect more than 50% of the time. One solution that seems to work is to get rid of NetworkManager and go back to the way it worked under Fedora 8.

1. Disable NetworkManager

# chkconfig NetworkManager off
# service NetworkManager stop

2. Change the eth0 interface so it is not managed by NetworkManager by deselecting "Controlled by Network Manager" in the properties of the eth0 interface in the system network config

# system-config-network

3. Reboot and test

Attaching an Anrdoid phone to Fedora 10

The file /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules must contain:

SUBSYSTEM=="usb",SYSFS{idVendor}=="0bb4",SYMLINK+="android_adb",MODE="0666"

After that execute:

# udevcontrol reload_rules

Then attach your device. You should be able to see it reported by the command

# $ANDROID_HOME/tools/adb devices

Thunderbird URL handlers

Even on a KDE system Thunderbird relies on the definition of URL handlers contained within gconf. To edit these look in $HOME/.gconf or install the RPM gconf-editor and edit away.

A recent Fedora 9 auto update broke networking and keyboard input to the X login screen. This pushed me to reinstall Kubuntu again. Fortunately after a few days another Fedora auto update fixed the problems.

I now have been able to get audio working with skype on Kubuntu. Here are the snapshots of the required settings, so I don't forget them again.