Make a USB Boot CD for Ubuntu 9.04
The following tutorial explains how to create a USB Boot CD that can be used to boot a Ubuntu 9.04 USB flash drive on computers with a BIOS that does not natively support booting from USB. The boot CD contains a grub bootloader that loads the initrd and vmlinuz kernel from the CD and then proceeds to locate the filesystem on the USB drive. Because the USB driver modules are preloaded from the initrd on the CD, the compressed filesystem can then be detected and loaded from the USB device.
USB Boot CD for Ubuntu 9.04 creation essentials
- PC with a BIOS that does not support booting from USB
- Working CD Drive and USB Port
- Ubuntu 9.04 Live CD
- USB flash drive with Ubuntu 9.04 preinstalled
- Insert the Ubuntu 9.04 Live CD and restart your computer, booting from the CD
- Open a Terminal and Type mkdir -p ubcd/boot/grub
- Type cp /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/stage2_eltorito ubcd/boot/grub
- Type gedit ubcd/boot/grub/menu.lst
Add the following information to your menu.lst file and click save:title Run Ubuntu 9.04 from USB DISK
root (cd)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
boot - Type cp /cdrom/casper/initrd.gz ~/ubcd/boot
- Type cp /cdrom/casper/vmlinuz ~/ubcd/boot
- Type sudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
Add the following lines to the modules file and click save:usbcore usb-storage uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd sd_mod scsi_mod
- Type sudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf
Add the following line to the bottom of the file and click save:WAIT=8
- Type sudo mkinitramfs -o ubcd/boot/initrd.gz 2.6.2*
- Type mkisofs -R -b boot/grub/stage2_eltorito -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o usbcd.iso ubcd
- Burn the usbcd.iso to a CD
Replacing 2.6.2* with your actual kernel version.
Type uname -r to find your kernel version. I.E. initrd.gz 2.6.28-11-generic
Make a USB Boot CD for Linux Mint
This USB Boot CD can be used to boot Linux Mint 6 from a USB flash drive on computers with a BIOS that does not support booting from USB. Linux Mint is a remix based on Ubuntu. The USB Boot CD uses a grub bootloader to launch the vmlinuz kernel and initrd from the CD, loading the necessary USB drivers, and then proceeds to locate and extract the compressed filesystem from the flash drive.
Please Note: This USB Boot CD should work on most systems. However, it should be noted that the USB Boot CD may not work on really old computers with only USB 1.0 hardware support.
Can be used to boot flash drives created using the Linux Mint USB Install via CD or Linux Mint USB Install via Windows
USB Boot CD for Linux Mint 6 creation essentials:
- PC with a BIOS that does not support booting from USB
- Linux Mint 6 Live CD
- Working CD Drive and USB Port
- USB flash drive with Linux Mint 6 preinstalled
Creating a CD to Boot Linux Mint 6 from USB
The following process will enable you to create a Boot CD that can be used to Boot Linux Mint 6 from a USB Flash Drive on systems that do not natively support booting from USB.
- Insert the Linux Mint 6 Live CD and restart, booting from the CD
- Open a terminal and type mkdir -p usbcdm/boot/grub
- Type cp /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/stage2_eltorito usbcdm/boot/grub
- Type gedit usbcdm/boot/grub/menu.lst
- Add the following information to your menu.lst file and save it
title Run Linux Mint 6 from USB DISK root (cd) kernel /boot/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent quiet splash initrd /boot/initrd.gz boot
- Type cp /cdrom/casper/initrd.gz ~/usbcdm/boot
- Type cp /cdrom/casper/vmlinuz ~/usbcdm/boot
- Type mkisofs -R -b boot/grub/stage2_eltorito -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o usbcdmint.iso usbcdm
- Burn the usbcdmint.iso to a CD
Booting from the USB Boot CD for Linux Mint
- Shutdown your computer
- Insert the USB Boot CD and your Linux Mint flash drive
- Set your BIOS or Startup Menu to boot from CD
- Start your computer (booting from the CD)
The USB Boot CD should load the necessary USB drivers, detect the filesystem.squashfs on your flash drive, and then proceed to boot Linux Mint 6 from the flash drive.
Step-by-Step Guide to Unlock iPhone 3GS running iPhone OS 3.0 using Purplesn0w
As we all know, after releasing the jailbreak software for iPhone 3GS, Geohot also released his unlock method for iPhone 3GS.
Purplesn0w developed by Geohot is an alternative to ultrasn0w developed by the iPhone Dev Team to unlock iPhone 3GS. Geohot claims that his unlocking software actually improves on some of the common issues faced by using the ultrasn0w developed by the iPhone Dev team.
The improvements mentioned by Geohot are as follows:
- Corrects the Wi-Fi connectivity bar that does not show full signal strength
- Reduces the rapid battery drain
- Fixes some miscellaneous unlock related issues
Some important points before we start:
- This guide is only for iPhone 3GS users, if you are an iPhone 3G user, please check out our step-by-step guide to unlock iPhone 3G running iPhone OS 3.0 using UltraSn0w.
- To use this guide, you must have a jailbroken iPhone 3GS and the iPhone OS 3.0 installed. Please checkout our guide to jailbreak iPhone 3GS on Windows. Alternatively, you can check our guide to jailbreak iPhone 3GS using Redsn0w for Windows users or this one Mac users.
- If you are on a T-mobile network or any carrier without 3G support then, please disable the 3G service before proceeding.
Tap Settings icon > Go to General > Go to Network > Turn OFF the Enable 3G option.
Step 1: Launch Cydia on your iPhone
Step 2: Press the Manage tab at the bottom of the Cydia Home Screen.
Step 3: On the Manage section of Cydia, click on the second option named Sources.
Step 4: Now press the Edit button displayed on the top right corner of the screen.
Step 5: Press the Add button displayed on the top left corner of the screen.
Step 6: The screen will display a text box where you have to enter apt.geohot.com as the URL and press the Add Source button.
Step 7: Install com.geohot.purplesn0w
Step 8: As a final step, press the Home button and power OFF and then power ON your iPhone. You can do this by following the sequence:
i. Press the Home button for about 3 seconds
ii. Press the Power button on your iPhone
iii. Move the slider to the right. This will power OFF your iPhone
iv. While keeping the Home button pressed - press the Power button again to power ON your iPhone.
Step 9: You should now be able to insert any SIM card you want in your newly unlocked iPhone 3GS!
If you hit any issues with purplesn0w then you can try UltraSn0w by the Dev Team which also unlocks iPhone
3GS. You can checkout our step-by-step guide to unlock iPhone 3GS running iPhone OS 3.0 using UltraSn0w
Install easy_install Via yum on Linux CentOS Server
To install easy_install on Linux using yum you will need to install the python-setuptools package. Installing this package with yum is easy by following the directions below.
Run this command in your ssh termianl bash:
yum install python-setuptools
An example of a python-setuptools install is below.
[root@server ~]# yum install python-setuptools Loading "fastestmirror" plugin Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: pubmirrors.reflected.net * updates: mirrors.serveraxis.net * addons: mirror.anl.gov * ruby: repo.premiumhelp.eu * extras: mirror.sanctuaryhost.com Setting up Install Process Parsing package install arguments Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package python-setuptools.noarch 0:0.6c5-2.el5 set to be updated --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ============================================================================= Package Arch Version Repository Size ============================================================================= Installing: python-setuptools noarch 0.6c5-2.el5 base 479 k Transaction Summary ============================================================================= Install 1 Package(s) Update 0 Package(s) Remove 0 Package(s) Total download size: 479 k Is this ok [y/N]: y Downloading Packages: (1/1): python-setuptools- 100% |=========================| 479 kB 00:00 Running rpm_check_debug Running Transaction Test Finished Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing: python-setuptools ######################### [1/1] Installed: python-setuptools.noarch 0:0.6c5-2.el5 Complete!
How to Install dig on a CentOS Linux Server?
Installing dig on a CentOS Linux server is easy with yum. Dig is actually a bind tool so you will be required to install some bind libraries along with the bind utility package.
[root@server ~]# yum install bind-utils
Now you can run something like the below using dig to find MX records.
[root@server ~]# dig @NAMESERVER EXAMPLE.COM MX
Your install will look something like the below showing how yum looks for dependencies and installs them automatically.
[root@server ~]# yum install bind-utils Loading "installonlyn" plugin Setting up Install Process Setting up repositories Reading repository metadata in from local files Parsing package install arguments Resolving Dependencies --> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait. ---> Downloading header for bind-utils to pack into transaction set. bind-utils-9.3.4-6.0.2.P1 100% |=========================| 40 kB 00:00 ---> Package bind-utils.x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 set to be updated --> Running transaction check --> Processing Dependency: libisccc.so.0()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: bind-libs = 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: libbind9.so.0()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: libdns.so.22()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: libisccfg.so.1()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: liblwres.so.9()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Processing Dependency: libisc.so.11()(64bit) for package: bind-utils --> Restarting Dependency Resolution with new changes. --> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait. ---> Downloading header for bind-libs to pack into transaction set. bind-libs-9.3.4-6.0.2.P1. 100% |=========================| 41 kB 00:01 ---> Package bind-libs.x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 set to be updated --> Running transaction check Dependencies Resolved ============================================================================= Package Arch Version Repository Size ============================================================================= Installing: bind-utils x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 updates 171 k Installing for dependencies: bind-libs x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 updates 874 k Transaction Summary ============================================================================= Install 2 Package(s) Update 0 Package(s) Remove 0 Package(s) Total download size: 1.0 M Is this ok [y/N]: y Downloading Packages: (1/2): bind-libs-9.3.4-6. 100% |=========================| 874 kB 00:35 (2/2): bind-utils-9.3.4-6 100% |=========================| 171 kB 00:04 Running Transaction Test Finished Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing: bind-libs ######################### [1/2] Installing: bind-utils ######################### [2/2] Installed: bind-utils.x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 Dependency Installed: bind-libs.x86_64 30:9.3.4-6.0.2.P1.el5_2 Complete!
How to Verify a CentOS Linux Server is 32 Bit or 64 Bit?
To verify if a system is 32 bit versus 64 bit you can use the uname command. Below are examples of using the uname command from the CLI on a 32 bit system followed by using the uname command on a 64 bit system.
32 Bit CentOS Linux Server
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[root@server ~]# uname -a Linux server1.example.com 2.6.18-92.1.13.el5 #1 SMP Wed Sep 24 19:33:52 EDT 2008 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
64 Bit CentOS Linux Server
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[root@server ~]# uname -a Linux server.example.com 2.6.18-53.1.21.el5 #1 SMP Tue May 20 09:35:07 EDT 2008 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
As you can see above the 64 bit server will show x86_64 numerous times after the install date and time. The 32 bit system will show i686 and i386 after the install date and time. So it is very easy to verify if a system is 32 bit versus 64 bit using the “uname -a” command from a shell.