[Server-devel] initial notes on 0.7

[Sameer Verma]

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 2:17 PM, Sameer Verma <sverma at sfsu.edu> wrote:
> We managed to install XS 0.7 using the CentOS 6.2(minimal) + EPEL +
> OLPC XS approach. The machine is SolidLogic box (same as the one used
> in OLPCorps). The installation went well, with minor glitches (notes
> will be on the wiki).
>
> One pattern we've seen is that on XO 1.5 build 883, it keeps
> restarting X (gives some dcon freeze message) periodically. On a XO
> 1.5 build 852, it runs ok. Restarting problem was on three different
> XO 1.5s.
>
> cheers,
> Sameer
> --
> Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
> Professor, Information Systems
> San Francisco State University
> http://verma.sfsu.edu/
> http://commons.sfsu.edu/
> http://olpcsf.org/


Some more details based on notes (thx to Alex Kleider).

Machine used: SolidLogic GS-L02 Fanless Mini-ITX System
http://www.logicsupply.com/products/systemgs_l02

Note: We tried to install on a Fujitsu P2120
(http://www.linuxsoftware.co.nz/wiki/P2120Linuxr) but it failed
because CentOS 6.2 won't install on non-PAE systems. This machine was
able to run XS 0.6

Step 1: Download CentOS6.2 minimal install iso from centos.org and check md5sum

Step 2: Install unetbootin (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/)

Step 3: Run unetbootin to create bootable usb stick from iso.

Step 4: IMPORTANT!!! Also copy iso to root directory of usb stick.
Without the iso on the stick, the install fails when it looks for
media on a CD-ROM. The server we used does not have a CD or DVD ROM
drive.

Step 5: Boot server machine from USB stick using: default option
            In the "from" option (hard drive, CD/DVD, NFS etc.) pick:
hard drive
            Which disk contains install medium: usually /dev/sda1
            Once installation is done, reboot server.

Step 6: eth0 isn't up by default.
# ifconfig eth0 up

Step 7: Get a DHCP lease
# dhclient eth0

Step 8: wget isn't in minimal install
# yum install wget

Step 9: Add EPEL repository.

# wget epel-release-6-5.noarch.rpm
# yum localinstall epel-release-6-5.noarch.rpm

Step 10: Add OLPC XS list of repositories.
# rpm -ivh "http://dev.laptop.org/xs/repos/stable/olpc/xs-0.7/i386/xs-release-6-1.noarch.rpm"
# yum groupinstall "OLPC XS"

Step 11: Setup server domain
# xs-setup olpcsf.org  ; use <your.domain.name> instead of "olpcsf.org"
# reboot

Step 12: Use chkconfig to make sure eth0 comes back on reboot
# chkconfig

Step 13: Setup network with eth0 only
# xs-setup-network
# reboot

Step 14:

The server is now functioning and XOs can register
The first XO to register becomes the admin.

Step 15:

Add a USB-to-Ethernet dongle and plug into WAN
Must run xs-setup-network and then reboot because we added a USB
ethernet dongle (WAN connected) and now XOs have internet access, but
no name resolution!

Step 15b (optional):

Had to add forwarders section to /etc/named-xs.conf.in
Add the following line between the "options" opening '{' and closing '}':
forwarders {<dns-server1>; <dns-server2>; ..};
# xs-setup-network
Reboot.

School server works with registration, passthrough login into Moodle.
External DNS also resolves and goes through the XS.

Problem: XS seems to cause XOv1 computers to repeatedly restart X
(brief text messages say something about dcon freeze?)
Happening to both XO-1 and XO-1.5 running build 883. XO 1.5 HS with
build 852 was unaffected.