[FADCA] Re: Linux FBB and FPAC install

[Chuck Hast]

On 8/6/05, Bill Sinbine <n4xeo at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Hi Charlie bud Chuck and all
> 
> Do you think we might have time on my main linux box to get fpac
> telpac and fbb installed and working from scratch at the TC? All I
> need to have done with fbb is to have it working properly and to know
> where the config files are and I can configure it my self here at the
> house as long as everything is working.
> 
> I'm planning on bringing at least 2 to 4 computers to configure from scratch.
> 
> I would like to have the FULL version of linux running on my main
> computer that I'll be using here. What would be the best to install
> and I can have it done before we meet. I do have Debian and Suse here
> so I can install either one of them. For the box here at the house I
> want to have the full version so I can learn more about linux and do
> more with it. If I install Suse would that be a problem to get the
> fpac files installed and running? The only thing that I don't know if
> the ax25 files are on the cd or not. I haven't looked. Other than
> that everything is in there.
> 
> I'll bring my dvd drive so if anyone else wants to do this type of
> install we can hook it up and be able to do installs from a dvd.
> 
> I really feel that I'll probably be about the only one doing this
> type of major switch installs so we should have plenty of time to do
> all the boxes I'm bringing and people can see several installs from
> scratch and see what has to be done.
> 
>   I was talking to bud last weekend and I came up with a brain fart....
> 
> How about if we do a type of dual boot system for fpac.
> 
> I was thinking that we could do the normal linux install and have
> everything running and then do a normal install with a dos fpac
> partition. We would be able to use the dos setup as a backup.
> 
> What I was thinking was if we had both versions loaded on the HD and
> not get into loading LILO to run as dual boot on start up we can have
> both linux running and if it would crash just push in a dos floppy
> disk and reboot it and it would come up and run dos fpac. This would
> allow getting a switch back on the air quickly.

I think it is a good idea, I would use GRUB rather than LILO it is alot
easier to configure for that sort of thing and is not as "touchy" as LILO.

> 
> Here is a example.
> 
> I have my switch at the EOC (w4slc) running in linux and it crashes
> and a reboot won't bring it back up. I can make a phone call and have
> Greg just push in the floppy disk ( dos boot floppy) and it would
> boot up in dos and run the proper autoexec.bat files to get dos fpac
> up and running.  This would put a switch back on the air quickly if
> there was no time to work on it . I'll be the guinea pig on this one
> since I want to get that site changed over to Linux.
> 
> What does everyone think about this idea???

I think it would make the transition to Linux easier, the only issue is
that I do not think there is a way for Linux DOS to support 6pack,
but it will support all the various forms of KISS, and the polled KISS
does a better job of handling the link than regular KISS does so it
would be a good compromise as we move forward.


-- 
Chuck Hast 
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."