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In the Linux world, it is very easy to install a software or driver that is already included in the software repositories of the specific distro. However, if you want to install a program that is not already in the default repositories, then you will have to add the source yourself. This maybe a headache for the new Linux users. In the latest version of openSUSE, it has improved its package manager a lot. One nice feature I really like is its “1-click-install” system that helps openSUSE users to install software more easily.

Easy Installation

If you go to opensuse.org and search for a software or driver that you want to install, you maybe presented with a one-click-install icon contained in the tutorial in the search result. If you get this icon, then all you need to do is to click on it and it will automatically add the required repositories to the package manager and download the necessary packages. The software package manager will then install the software for you. It eliminates the step to manually add the source repositories and import the GnuPG keys.

For example, if you go to http://en.opensuse.org/Nvidia, you are presented with a tutorial on how to install the Nvidia graphic driver. If you are using the latest version of openSUSE which is 10.3, then you are given the option to use the “1-Click-Install” method. Comparing to the steps for installing the driver in version 10.2, it would have taken you 5 to 6 steps to install the driver when there is no “1-click-install” and you would need to type commands in a terminal window. This is not user friendly for the new Linux users.

A Better Future

I think the “1-Click-Install” system is still in its premature stage as there are very few software and drivers that can be installed through this method. I hope the developers will use this function more on other software installation. In the long run, I think we will see more of “1-Click-Install” or similar methods provided by openSUSE and other distro. This should be the way to help users to install the software that can not be included in the default software repositories due to whatever reasons.

In the last post, I have mentioned about my unpleasant experience with the RAID controllers in the nForce chipsets. Today, I want to follow up on this issue after I have done further testings.

Rearrange Hard Drive Connections

On the A8N-E system (the one with four hard drives in RAID 0+1 mode), I found that if I connect the four hard drives in a certain sequence on the 4 SATA ports, the RAID array would become unstable. To resolve this issue, I had to switch two of the hard drives connections to the SATA ports on the motherboard. After that, the system seems to be pretty stable. Hence, if you are having a similar problem, you may want to try rearranging the connection of the drives on the motherboard.

Adding A Drive With Data

On the M2N-MX system, I had to replace one of the three hard drives with a new one even though the original hard drive is working well by itself when installed in another system. Also, another thing to note is that if you want to add another hard drive to the computer and there are data in it, then you better not connect it directly to the motherboard. If you do this, you will have a chance of losing your data as the system will attempt to add your newly installed hard drive to the RAID array which may screw up the MBR. If you happen to do that, then you may want to turn off you computer immediately. Then you can install the hard drive in a non-RAID system and boot into the Windows Recovery console (you will need Windows disc). In the recovery console, you may want to try FIXMBR to see if it can fix the master boot record of the drive so that the partitions can be accessed again.

I have been trying to configure some hard drives in RAID 0+1 mode and RAID 5 mode in two different systems. One system is using the ASUS M2N-MX motherboard while the other system is using the ASUS A8N-E motherboard. Both motherboards are using Nvidia’s nForce chipsets that include their own RAID controllers. On the M2N-MX system, I was trying to setup three hard drives in RAID 5. On the other system, I was trying to setup four hard drives on the A8N-E motherboard.

RAID Array Degraded

On both systems, I was able to build the RAID array initially and install Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 on them. However, after a few times of normal restart, the RAID array on both systems would become degraded. When they were degraded, one of the hard drives in each system was being excluded from the array. In order to add the excluded hard drive back, I had to completely turn off the system power and then turn it back on. I could then go into the RAID configuration menu and add it back. Otherwise, you wouldn’t get the choice of adding the hard drive to the array. After adding it back, the RAID array would become healthy again.

Healthy Lonely Hard Drives

While the RAID arrays were degraded, I have found out which hard drives were the excluded one. I have taken them out and installed them on a different system as a stand alone hard drive. They were working well as I was able to partition them, format them, and read and write data on them. Moreover, the four hard drives on the A8N-E system were all brand new hard drives so the chance of anyone of them being broken shouldn’t be high.

Could this be a problem in the RAID controllers in the nForce chipsets? Or, is there some hardware compatibility issues with the hard drives and the motherboards? I am still trying to isolate the cause of the problem right now. What are your experiences on the RAID controllers in the nForce chipsets?

I am using Telus’ High Speed ADSL Internet at home but it has been down for 6 days now. Therefore, I am not able to write my blog and setup another website as I planned. This down time is unacceptable. My internet plan included 5 hours of dial up connection but this is absolutely not enough for 6 days (and maybe more) of down time. I am now only using my spare time at work to blog about this matter.

No Excuse

I called Telus’ technical support and they told me that there is an outage in my area. They said there is something broken and they had once sent a technician to fix it but not successful. They needed to send a technician down to fix it again but there is no estimated time of when it will be fixed. Why didn’t they test it throughly after the first attempt? As a computer technician myself, I always think testing is one of the most important stages because it allows you to find out what has really been changed and fixed. Testing allows you to find out what you didn’t plan for.

More Spare Time

So without internet at home, I now have more time to play games on my PC and XBox 360. I am currently playing The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion on my PC (yea, its getting old but I don’t think I can finish the game) and NHL 08 on my XBox 360. I was able to “fix” my NHL 08 disc so that the game does not freeze any more. If you want to know how I fixed it, please read here.

So how long is the longest internet outage for you? I am expecting for the worst case and may need to change ISP if necessary. Anyways, it’s time to get back to work.

Facebook is one of the most popular topics on the Internet nowaday. Although I have a Facebook account myself, I intend not to use it because of the risk that you have to take from the nature of Facebook and similar networks, as compared to traditional social utilities such as MSN Messenger and ICQ.

Traditional Tools

When using MSN Messenger and ICQ, I know that my contact lists are not revealed to the public. I know that my relationships and connections with other people are not exposed. This gave me the security to establish relationships freely with anybody because no other people can see who is on my list. Nobody can take advantage of me based on my relationships with others.

Dangers in Facebook

Unlike traditional social utilities, Facebook and other similar networks reveal all your connections to the public. Even if you don’t use Facebook, your relationships are still revealed by others through different ways such as tagged pictures. You can no longer keep your relationships a secret. For instance, if you tell me that you have never met “somebody”, but then I have found a picture on Facebook that has you and “somebody” in it, then I would know you have lied to me.

In a worse scenario, if one of your friend has done something unlawful, then people can find out through Facebook that you are his friend and they may stereotype you as another unlawful person. This stereotype may expand to other people who has connection with this unlawful guy. It will have a negative effect on those people around him.

Besides the connections being revealed, your ranking of the connections could be revealed too. I can probably have a general idea of who you like the most or which relationship you value the most by checking how many digital gifts you may have sent to a particular person. I can also check what you wrote to others to get clues about how well your relationships are. There are just too many clues out there on Facebook to draw a lot of information about you. If these information is collected by your enemies or by some unlawful people, you are being put into a dangerous position and there is no way to stop them from getting these info.

I Still Need It But…

One day, I may need to play around with Facebook myself in order to provide technical support to my customers. However, I will not use it as a tool to communicate with others or build up any relationships. The consequences can be way too serious than one could imagine.