Fixing broken computers

milk · **Posted:** Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:49 pm

As title.

Baoboa is getting stuck half-way through booting.

I don't have the linux-fu to fix them :/

Also, am I correct in saying that the security lock keys are missing?

ChaoticReality · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 6:31 pm

As far as I know, the security keys are missing. If anyone knows where they are, please return them ASAP as I have been waiting to fix these machines for a few days now.

I will have a look at Baoboa tomorrow and see if I can get it to boot again.

milk · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:16 pm

TWO MACHINES WORKING!!

does anyone know who fixed the far left machine? and what they did to fix it? all the forest data is still there which is great.

SO

does anyone have the time to look at the other machines?

OR

does anyone have an ubuntu knowledgeable friend who could look at the other two workstation machines?

also, we need to get the SUN machines running as basic web terminals using ubuntu (or xubuntu depending on their specs?). these would go on the table under where the mirror used to be.

neil · **Joined:** Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:50 pm **Posts:** 944

Can whoever knows about PCs please make it their priority to sort out at least one (preferably two) high-spec working machines for the admin office. Lynne has a lot of pressure on her at the moment and she's trying to do the accounts on a machine that randomly shuts itself down about three times a day.

neil · **Joined:** Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:50 pm **Posts:** 944

Btw, I have a 250GB SATA hard drive going spare. I meant to get a PATA one instead. Cost £26. Any use?

milk · **Posted:** Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:58 pm

cool on the office machine. i'll start asking further afield so we can get someone in to fix the admin/action computers as soon as possible.

i don't know about the hard drive.

(n.b. the security keys were found a while back and again residing in the admin office)

swithun · **Joined:** Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:24 am **Posts:** 2456

I brought in a small P4 box and put Ubuntu on it. It is in the admin office and just needs a working network card. Graeme dropped on off, and it just needs to be put in. The user data from the old admin box can be copied over. I might get some of this done tonight, depending on how busy EMing is. Otherwise, it will be a while before I have more time, so someone else is welcome to do some.

milk · **Posted:** Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:11 am

ah, yes, soz, forgot about the shuttle ;o

swithun · **Joined:** Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:24 am **Posts:** 2456

This didn't happen. I couldn't find the network card, and the one in one of the old beige boxes under the desk was broken too.

milk · **Posted:** Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:32 pm

fair dos.

i've passed a link to this thread on to a beltane friend, billy, and new volunteer, maxime, who hannah advised was interested in helping with techy stuff.

if people could post any kind of update here that would be fab so everyone is in the loop on this!

renaclerican · **Joined:** Mon Nov 09, 2009 4:56 pm **Posts:** 8

Hi all. I'd be happy to pass by and try to troubleshoot some of the computers. Since I am a new volunteer, I would probably need someone to show me what computers are in need of attention and also to type in admin passwords as required. I'm the Hannah advised™ Maxime guy by the way.

Lynne · **Joined:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:35 pm **Posts:** 1343

Hey

Basically we need to keep everything on our admin computer. All the Open Office programmes and files in the following folders:

'Home'
'ShareAdmins'
'Lynne'
'Emma'

And equally important is our 'gnu' accounts package.

All of the above are stored in the higher level 'file system' you get to through accessing the 'computer' option on the 'places' menu bar of Open Office. I think this would probably be the best thing to copy and re-install?

There are a lot of other folders contained in the 'file system' which James set up when he programmed the computer, and I don't know if they're necessary. A techie person would have to look at them...

If we could get another computer networked up so that two admins could work at the same time that would be very, very useful! We asked for this to happen when Emma started back in February, but it hasn't been possible as yet...

milk · **Posted:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:05 pm

thanks on the admin files info Lynne.

there are several people who would like to help out, i guess it depends on who gets there first

a backup/format/wipe could be good, although you have noted that GNUcash takes an age to load up, so maybe the quicker shuttle machine would be better?

my friend billy has noted that one should be able to tell there the speed bottleneck is if you know where to look.

milk · **Posted:** Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:04 pm

neil has noted;

Quote:

Just thinking... an easier way to test admin comp might be to take working comp from action room and stick admin hard drive inside it, see if things work proper. If so, great! If not, look's a software prob and needs backup & reinstall.

Swapping hard drive would be a lot quicker. Waddaya think?

i don't have the time/impetus/experience to deal directly with this so i'm putting the suggestion here

neil · **Joined:** Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:50 pm **Posts:** 944

Billy has set up the Shuttle in the admin office and transferred the relevant files across from the old machine. He didn't have time to transfer everything, but the main ones (Shared, Lynne, Emma, James) are done. We also took Baoboa from the action room and set up in admin office. No changes have been made to Baoboa, but it has a bunch of people's files on it. It will need to be set up to access the Shuttle. I don't know what to do about the other files which are already on there.

We don't know what can be salvaged from the old office comp. It should probably be kept for a while just in case we need to retrieve something.

milk · **Posted:** Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:40 pm

coolies, thanks.

is GnuCash working on the shuttle for Lynne?

is there a network hub/switch in the office already?

i could go through the old machine to see what other files will merit saving and then sit down with Lynne to confirm?

neil · **Joined:** Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:50 pm **Posts:** 944

Cool. Yes, GNUcash is working.

The switch Mike set up is still in there, working.

ChaoticReality · **Posted:** Thu Dec 03, 2009 6:13 pm

neil wrote:

The switch Mike set up is still in there, working.

Happy Days! For a nasty hack, it's working quite well. Seems to be the only thing I've got involved with that is (mutter mutter cmos batteries grumble grumble jukebox etc)

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Fixing broken computers

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