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12. Tricks

12.1 The configure-mode.sh script

This script turn the configure mode on and off (no argument) It does this by creating a file /xterminals/root/configuring or removing it. This file is checked in the /xterminals/root/etc/rc script If there, the xgo script is not started.

When an X terminal has been configured once (X, mouse, keyboard) it boots and jump right into X, offering no way to change its configuration. This is especially annoying when the current configuration has a problem and crashes the X terminal :-(

You can achieve the same result by erasing the file /var/xterminals/IP/XF86Config, if you know the IP number of the terminal. The configure-mode.sh script is easier to use but have the side effect of putting all terminals in manual boot mode.

12.2 Booting from the hard drive

The X terminal can boot from a DOS drive very easily. Just copy the following files from this kit

Pick one of the two supplied kernels and rename it to zimage (expected by the linux.bat command).

Put those files in c:\ and then, place at the beginning of the file autoexec.bat a call the linux.bat batch file

        linux
        

Note that this will short-circuit other functionalities of the machine. If the machine was running Windows, you may want to place a small menu allowing the user to either start linux.bat or windows.

The kernel-2.2 is a little larger. It contains more ethernet drivers, including many popular PCI adaptor. It also support modular sound drivers. Use the kernel-2.0 only on machine with low memory (4 megs for example).

12.3 Using a swap file or swap partition

The kit allows you to setup a swap file, generally in the DOS partition of the X terminal. This allows the PC to be used as an X terminal or a normal DOS machine.

Using a swap partition is nevertheless much more efficient. If you experience erratic operation, with long delay when you switch from one desktop to another (or from one application to the other), with steady disk activity (the led is not blinking, it is ... red for several seconds, you may consider using a full partition for swap.

For example, if the computer has already a /dev/hda1 DOS partition you can run xconf and specify this partition, with a filesystem type none. Note that the data on the partition will be destroyed so the computer won't be usable anymore as a DOS machine.

To change the swap strategy, you may run swapconf on the terminal. To be able to run swapconf, you may use the configure-mode.sh script to turn the terminals in manual startup mode. Then run swapconf on the terminals you wish to modify. Run configure-mode.sh again to put the terminals in auto start mode.


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