two issues with kpowersave

[felmon]

greets!

probably not related issues but thought best to put in one post.

I have an hp pavillion dv2000 onto which I have installed Knoppix and
then done an upgrade. frankly I am still a bit confused by the dist-
upgrade/debian/knoppix relationship but /etc/debian_version says "5.0";
"knoppix-version" says 5.1.1. I have compiled a 2.6.27.10 kernel.

[1] kpowersave says both cpus are at 100% (I am using 'powersave'
schema). is this normal? (in OpenSuSE it is usually the half of this. it
is hard for me to tell if the fan is running, maybe.) I have all the
settings in kpowersave set to 'powersave'. I am running off of AC. (no
battery.)

[2] although I set screen blanking to 30 minutes in kpowersave, it seems
to come on after 10 or so minutes. I haven't timed it. no blanking is set
up in 'control center'.

any advice?

Felmon

[OErjan]

install Debian instead, same thing after a few changed settings and upgraded packages, just use testing instead of stabel (not as unstable as it sounds).

but if you persist with installing Knoppix I would suggest NOT to upgrade it, it WILL break, and when it does you are more or less on your own.
I will TRY to help but I have Debian so I have to guess some as to your install...

firstly, there was a bug in acpi (a monitoring tool that does the power saving, battery monitoring, fans...) that was affecting battery monitors, it showed just 100% until battery was so low it shut computer down, sounds like you have that faulty version.

second as long as you have power plug in it will run 100% all the time almost no matter what setting you use.
as for the screen blanking, have you checked screen saver settings? they can blank the screen if set to do so, and are not always affected by kpowersave settings.

the above is main reason I never use tools like this, I edit the configuration files, I then know what is done and where, true it takes a while to find the right firle/s under the /etc directory, but not too much so.

[felmon]

install Debian instead, same thing after a few changed settings and upgraded packages, just use testing instead of stabel (not as unstable as it sounds).

but if you persist with installing Knoppix I would suggest NOT to upgrade it, it WILL break, and when it does you are more or less on your own.
I will TRY to help but I have Debian so I have to guess some as to your install...

I've seen this said once before. can I install debian and use KDE? I will look into it. I actually had Debian on and wiped it; maybe will go back to it.

firstly, there was a bug in acpi (a monitoring tool that does the power saving, battery monitoring, fans...) that was affecting battery monitors, it showed just 100% until battery was so low it shut computer down, sounds like you have that faulty version.

thanks, I will look this up.

second as long as you have power plug in it will run 100% all the time almost no matter what setting you use.
as for the screen blanking, have you checked screen saver settings? they can blank the screen if set to do so, and are not always affected by kpowersave settings.

the above is main reason I never use tools like this, I edit the configuration files, I then know what is done and where, true it takes a while to find the right firle/s under the /etc directory, but not too much so.

yeah, I edited the config files. didn't help. must be the acpi bug.

Felmon

[OErjan]

kde is available in Debian

[felmon]

kde is available in Debian

from rummaging around I see that the issue of installing Knoppix to the hard-drive stirs some controversy! since I am not familiar with Debian/Knoppix I have only first impressions to share.

I have a nice virgin hard-drive to play with which I installed Knoppix on. following your admonishment I also installed Debian (KDE) and I have been configuring it.

I have run across several hitches which seem due either to my unfamiliarity with the Debian way or with a lack of fit between my way and its, or a combination. not sure the problems would have been greater with Knoppix, I tend to doubt it and I definitely agree with the fellow who likes having a lot of software already installed - I would rather de-install stuff than go out and install and fall into difficulties.

anyway, I may post some questions here as I go along. for instance, I am paying the devil getting mplayer set up. (it was tricky in OpenSuSE but compiling sources felt kind of straightforward there (again, I am unfamiliar with the Debian way). I can't seem to get xmms on board because of some conflict.

as you see, I am trying to reproduce an environment I was familiar with. old dog, I guess. I am pretty content but the whole multimedia area seems a minefield: getting mplayer going and mencoder, not yet sure if avidemux is complete. I am learning.

something I am going to try: remove all games in a couple of steps. I figure I can do that by piping apt-cache search results, suitably formatted, into the app removal script.

oh, and thank you for your help!

Felmon

[Harry Kuhman]

..... and I definitely agree with the fellow who likes having a lot of software already installed - I would rather de-install stuff than go out and install and fall into difficulties....

One big problem here is that uninstalling things, and particularly installing anything else, even something seemingly innocent, can seriously break Knoppix. Knoppix is a mix of different versions of Debian, carefully tested to pretty much work OK off the CD, but often problems are seen when it is put on a hard drive and very often problems are see if one tries to install anything additional at all or even just update the software that is already there. With Debian you can very easily apt-get install anything and everything that you want, stuff included on Knoppix and a lot that isn't, don't have to take all of the stuff on Knoppix that you will never use, and you end up with a much more stable system.

[felmon]

..... and I definitely agree with the fellow who likes having a lot of software already installed - I would rather de-install stuff than go out and install and fall into difficulties....

One big problem here is that uninstalling things, and particularly installing anything else, even something seemingly innocent, can seriously break Knoppix. Knoppix is a mix of different versions of Debian, carefully tested to pretty much work OK off the CD, but often problems are seen when it is put on a hard drive and very often problems are see if one tries to install anything additional at all or even just update the software that is already there. With Debian you can very easily apt-get install anything and everything that you want, stuff included on Knoppix and a lot that isn't, don't have to take all of the stuff on Knoppix that you will never use, and you end up with a much more stable system.

I understand and I have to bow to your deeper and longer experience. it all makes sense.

I am slowly accommodating to Debian. for instance, just a moment ago, I got mplayer to install correctly! now xmms still resists my entreaties. making progress though.

P.S.: I just got xmms installed the way I wanted after stumbling across a site where the fellow remarks, "It seems quite a few seem to be requesting the good old X MultiMedia System after it disappeared from Debian and Ubuntu." exactly! (I had no idea, of course, that the good ole xmms had 'disappeared'.) the new stuff is really too 'gui' for me, both too 'clicky' and at the same time too opaque.

when I get some time, I will install OpenSuSE 11.1 on the rest of the hard-drive. (having a whole hard-drive to play with is like getting a completely new computer!) I can then see if I end up working in SuSE after all. will probably continue using Debian(/Knoppix) on my old desktop.

there are real differences which make a difference but perhaps the main factor is being an old dog set in his ways.

Felmon

[OErjan]

Xmms is no longer developed, development seems to have ended in late 2004, and the WMA branch in mid 2005, that is officially, unofficially it kept going until mid/late 2007 or so.
this means many new codecs... are not and will never be in XMMS.
there is a XMMS2, main difference is the use of GTK+2 and some added functionality.

[felmon]

Xmms is no longer developed, development seems to have ended in late 2004, and the WMA branch in mid 2005, that is officially, unofficially it kept going until mid/late 2007 or so.
this means many new codecs... are not and will never be in XMMS.
there is a XMMS2, main difference is the use of GTK+2 and some added functionality.

good information. I didn't know any of that!

it doesn't affect me very much, not yet, since I use it mostly for internet radio, though also the occasional mp3 which may evolve.

I may take another look at xmms2; it didn't appeal and I ended up missing the added functionality.

P.S.: I just 'discovered' "audacious". this looks pretty good and closer to the spirit of xmms. will be having a closer look.

Felmon