knoppix -> debian-like -> debian

**macherb** · 02-13-2004, 01:33 PM

Hi, greetings to all!

Thanks to Mr. Knopper for his distri.
After a crash I installed Knoppix3.3 from thge Linux-intern dvd as debian-like system (This was really simple and fast). And I could adapt most things is I want or need. There are some issues remaining: I installed german as system language but would prefer english. I tried to change the locale in knoppix-sysvinit by replacing "de" with "*" for en_US. This had no effect at all.
Another annoying thing is this shadowed cursor.
Which configuration files do I have to edit? Is there a tutorial or guid to change the debian-like behaviour to real debian? Which knoppix-packages may be removed without corrupting the system? (There is a conflict when dselect tries to install sysvinit-rc)

Thanks for helping
macherb

**m_yates** · 02-16-2004, 04:16 PM

Here is how to change the cursor:

Go to http://www.kde-look.org/ and select "X11 Mouse Themes". Even though it is KDE-look, it will change the mouse for all window managers. I like the RedHat Linux 9 cursor theme. It has a shadow, but it is understated. Extract the theme of your choice. It will create a directory called "cursors". From the directory holding the "cursors" directory you just created:

su
(enter root password)
mkdir /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/icons/mytheme
cp -R cursors /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/icons/mytheme/
kwrite /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/icons/default/index.theme

Now edit the index.theme file to read "inherits=mytheme" instead of "inherits=whiteglass".

Save your changes and the next time you restart X, you will have a new mouse theme for all users.

**m_yates** · 02-16-2004, 04:34 PM

Here is how to replace sysvinit:

First, download the sysvinit deb file from the Debian unstable (or testing) branch and save it. Then use apt to replace sysvinit:

su
(enter root password)
apt-get remove sysvinit

make note of packages removed, you will want to re-install some.

apt-get update
apt-get -t unstable install sysvinit

This can also be for testing version instead of unstable. It will likely fail because of update-rc.d. To fix this:

dpkg -x sysvinit<version you downloaded>.deb /tmp
cp /tmp/usr/share/sysvinit/update-rc.d /usr/sbin

Now it should install:

apt-get -t unstable install sysvinit

When it asks you about configuration files for initscripts, select "I" to use the standard initscripts from Debian.

Reinstall packages that were removed along with sysvinit when you typed "apt-get remove sysvinit". To do that, just type "apt-get install packagename"

**gowator** · 02-16-2004, 04:56 PM

Hmm I was a bit worried about doing this...
So far Ive had to write all the SYS V stuff by hand...

I think this topic and this http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8211
are really the same

Is there really no documentation anywhere on how to Finish the Debianisation process without wrecking the HD install.....

**m_yates** · 02-16-2004, 05:28 PM

I have replaced or removed just about every Knoppix-specific package, and I have had no problems. The replacement of sysvinit is tricky, but it can be easily done. It doesn't wreck the hard drive install if you are careful.

tr · 04-26-2004, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by m_yates

I have replaced or removed just about every Knoppix-specific package, and I have had no problems.

I was encouraged to replace sysvinit-knoppix with Debian's sysvinit because of your good instructions and I succeeded. But it was not easily done.

Now everything works but I can't login to any window manager but as a root. It doesn't help if I make a new user name with adduser - no permission to login to KDE or any other wm. I have tried this with 2004-02-16 version and new CeBIT version of KNoppix with same results.

I get some error messages as

Code:

Xlib: No protocol specified

I think that I got also some message of 'update-rc.d in not
configured yet'. How can it be configured?

What went wrong and how to login as a normal user to KDE?

**m_yates** · 04-26-2004, 05:49 PM

Sorry, I haven't had the problem that you describe. I have updated sysvinit and all other packages to the latest Debian-unstable. I did not receive an error about update-rc except during installation of sysvinit, and I fixed it as described above.

Are you sure the login problem is related to sysvinit? There is often a problem with the "default" login selection. If you try to login as a normal user, try manually selecting KDE3 before entering your password.

tr · 04-27-2004, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by m_yates

I did not receive an error about update-rc except during installation of sysvinit, and I fixed it as described above.

This worked with CeBIT version:
dpkg -x sysvinit<version you downloaded>.deb /tmp
cp /tmp/usr/share/sysvinit/update-rc.d /usr/sbin

...but not with latest Knoppix 3.3 version. I couldn't even install sysvinit with apt-get. So I had to install it with 'dpkg -i sysvinit<version_nr>.deb'.

This didn't work:

Code:

root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa# apt-get install sysvinit
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Note, selecting sysvinit-knoppix instead of sysvinit
Package sysvinit-knoppix is a virtual package provided by:
You should explicitly select one to install.
E: Package sysvinit-knoppix has no installation candidate
root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa#

This is what I first got with dpkg:

Code:

root@TeraeNet:/var/cache/apt/archives# dpkg -i sysvinit*
dpkg: regarding sysvinit_2.85-15_i386.deb containing sysvinit, pre-dependency 
problem: sysvinit pre-depends on sysv-rc (>= 2.85-2) | file-rc (>> 0.7.0)
dpkg: error processing sysvinit_2.85-15_i386.deb (--install):
 pre-dependency problem - not installing sysvinit
Errors were encountered while processing:
 sysvinit_2.85-15_i386.deb

...and I had to download and install sysv-rc manually with dpkg. That perhaps caused the problem. Now I could install sysvinit with dpkg:

Code:

root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa# dpkg -i sysvinit*
dpkg-deb: `sysvinit_removing.txt' is not a debian format archive
dpkg: error processing sysvinit_removing.txt (--install):
 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
dpkg-deb: `sysvinit.txt' is not a debian format archive
dpkg: error processing sysvinit.txt (--install):
 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
(Reading database ... 112935 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace sysvinit 2.85-15 (using sysvinit_2.85-15_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement sysvinit ...
Setting up sysvinit (2.85-15) ...

Errors were encountered while processing:
 sysvinit_removing.txt
 sysvinit.txt
root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa#

I had to re-install some extra packages that was removed with Knoppix's sysvinit.

This is what was removed:

Code:

root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa# apt-get remove sysvinit
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa# apt-get remove sysvinit
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  atmelwlandriver-tools console-tools ftape-util kbd-compat
  knoppix-terminalserver linux-wlan-ng linux-wlan-ng-modules-2.4.24-xfs
  lvm-common lvm10 modconf modutils nfs-common nfs-kernel-server nis sysvinit
WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
  sysvinit
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 15 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 15,9MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful
To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, do as I say!'
 ?] Yes, do as I say!
(Reading database ... 113535 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing atmelwlandriver-tools ...
Removing kbd-compat ...
Removing console-tools ...
Removing ftape-util ...
Removing knoppix-terminalserver ...
Removing linux-wlan-ng-modules-2.4.24-xfs ...
Removing linux-wlan-ng ...
Removing lvm10 ...
vgcfgbackup -- no volume groups found
Removing lvm-common ...
Removing modconf ...
Removing modutils ...
Removing nfs-kernel-server ...
Stopping NFS kernel daemon: mountd nfsd.
Unexporting directories for NFS kernel daemon...done.
Removing nfs-common ...
Stopping NFS common utilities: statd.
Removing nis ...
dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:
 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.
Removing sysvinit ...
root@TeraeNet:/home/tapsa#

Notice that dpkg warning.

I don't remember but because of some reason I also had to install initscripts with dpkg:

Code:

root@TeraeNet:/var/cache/apt/archives# dpkg -i initscripts*
(Reading database ... 112897 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace initscripts 2.85-15 (using initscripts_2.85-15_i386.deb) 
...Unpacking replacement initscripts ...
Setting up initscripts (2.85-15) ...

Configuration file `/etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh'
 ==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
 ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
   What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
    Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
    N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
      D     : show the differences between the versions
      Z     : background this process to examine the situation
 The default action is to keep your current version.
*** bootmisc.sh (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ? Y
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/checkfs.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/checkroot.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/halt ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/hostname.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/mountall.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/mountnfs.sh ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/rmnologin ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/sendsigs ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/single ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/umountfs ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/urandom ...

.. and now I'm convinced that this was the problem. Now I should configure something afresh but what. I have tried every window manager as a normal user but nothing works (no authority to login?). No problem as a root. Kdm starts and I get graphical login window.

Thank you for your help and I'm going to do this process again with new Knoppix installation after I'm convinced what caused my problems with sysvinit. Hope this helps some other, too.

**tonyleake** · 04-28-2004, 08:54 PM

I have reinstalled sysvinit and have exactly the same problem.I can only login as root.

Did you find anything out about it?

regards
tony

**m_yates** · 04-28-2004, 09:20 PM

Can you try to do this:

choose console from kdm

login from the console as a normal user

type the command "startx".

If X fails to start, can you post the error messages you see?