Archive
View wireless connection password on Mac
Problem:
How to get the wireless connection password.
Solution:
Open Keychain Access
Select/Open the entry for your wireless network
View password.
You will be asked for the administrator username and password.
Source:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/4984428#4984428
PulseAudio – No sound on laptop
Problem:
I was having a flaky sound problem. I could reboot my machine and not get any sound when playing videos via vlc or mplayer. Other times it would work. I eventually broke it and even with multiple reboots and prayers I was not getting any sound. Granted this all happened when I started messy around trying to install software that would allow me to convert mp4 videos to simple audio. (Dropped that project though since I now had bigger problems).
Debian Testing initially did not come installed with pulseaudio… I installed this due to skype. That is another issue explained here. So here is how I finally managed to get back my sound.
Solution:
I reinstalled pulseaudio (not sure if you need all these files but I was pretty desparate at this stage and just copying stuff of the internet. See source below.)
As root
apt-get install pulseaudio libao4 paprefs libpulse-mainloop-glib0 pulseaudio-module-jack pavucontrol pulseaudio-module-x11 gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio pulseaudio-utils libasound2-plugins paman pulseaudio-module-gconf libgconfmm-2.6-1c2 pavumeter libglademm-2.4-1c2a pulseaudio-esound-compat libpulse0 libpulse-dev pulseaudio-module-bluetooth pulseaudio-module-zeroconf
Then installed mate-volume-control using synpatic.
From the bash prompt I had a look at my sound settings
$ mate-volume-control
If you still have an issue with pulseaudio then mate-volume-controller will not open up. It was at this point that I noticed that my volume was on mute. Once I un-muted, my sound was back.
Extra:
Since I use fluxbox I added mate-volume-control-applet to the startup script.
# Applications you want to run with fluxbox. # MAKE SURE THAT APPS THAT KEEP RUNNING HAVE AN & AT THE END. # # unclutter -idle 2 & # wmnd & # wmsmixer -w & # idesk & nm-applet & xscreensaver & mate-power-manager & mate-volume-control-applet & nitrogen --restore &
Skype – No sound/audio when making a test call
Problem:
So finally managed to install skype 4.3 on 64bit Debian Testing. Next hurdle was that I could not make a skype call as the other party could not hear me. Selecting Options->Sound Devices->Make a Test Call would result in nothing getting recorded.
Solution:
Install pulseaudio and mate-volume-controller.
So most noticible effect was that now every time skype starts up you get all the moans and groans, but still “Make a Test Call” does not play back my voice.
In skype go to Sound Devices
Skype Sound Devices
Click on “Open PulseAudio Volume Control”
Volume Control
Make sure that the internal microphone is not muted. Once I unmuted mine. I redid the skype test call and it played back my voice.
nitrogen – Setting wallpapers
Problem:
Needed to setup a wallpaper on fluxbox and it needed to appear on one or two screens.
Solution:
Installed nitrogen. (Esetroot just did not work nicely for me. YMMV)
(as root) apt-get install nitrogen
Set up your preferred wallpaper using nitrogen.
$ nitrogen
nitrogen
Click “Preferences” and select the folder with the wallpapers. Then pick the wallpaper you want for a fullscreen or selective screens.
Nitrogen settings
$less ~/.config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg [xin_0] file=/home/rodnee/Pictures/wolves_wide.jpg mode=0 bgcolor=#000000 [xin_1] file=/home/rodnee/Pictures/wolves_wide.jpg mode=0 bgcolor=#000000 .config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg (END)
Now all that was left was to configure fluxbox
Add nitrogen –restore to ~/.fluxbox/startup
# Applications you want to run with fluxbox. # MAKE SURE THAT APPS THAT KEEP RUNNING HAVE AN ''&'' AT THE END. # # unclutter -idle 2 & # wmnd & # wmsmixer -w & # idesk & xscreensaver & mate-power-manager & nitrogen --restore &
Added the following two lines to ~/.fluxbox/init
session.screen0.rootCommand: nitrogen --restore session.screen1.rootCommand: nitrogen --restore
That was it.
Update (11th September 2014)
Above settings would work like a charm when I had a monitor plugged in. But the new wall paper would not take effect otherwise. To fix this I simply ran nitrogen again and picked the desired wallpaper. The nitrogen config file now looks like this
$less ~/.config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg [xin_0] file=/home/rodnee/Pictures/wolves_wide.jpg mode=0 bgcolor=#000000 [xin_1] file=/home/rodnee/Pictures/wolves_wide.jpg mode=0 bgcolor=#000000 [:0.0] file=/home/rodnee/Pictures/wolves_wide.jpg mode=0 bgcolor=#000000 .config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg (END)
Now my wallpaper is set whether or not a monitor is plugged in.
fluxbox gdm flaky display resolution – update
Problem:
As I had mentioned here. I was having display settings issues. As I wasn’t able to change my settings using gnome-control-center I installed arandr. With arandr I am able to change back my settings from 800×600 to 1366×768. I had added the xrandr command to my ~.fluxbox/startup file but it was failing to reset my display when the settings were changing to 2214×768.
Solution:
arandr allows you to save your chosen settings to a file. It is a xrandr command.
$less .screenlayout/desired_layout.sh #!/bin/sh xrandr --output DP2 --off --output DP1 --off --output TV1 --off --output HDMI1 --off --output LVDS1 --mode 1366x768 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --output VGA1 --off
I copied this command to ~.flubox/startup file replacing the old xrandr command that I had there.
I hope that this will be the end of my troubles with wrong display settings.
Update:(2012-02-22)
Yes. It works. For some reason it boots up and detects that there is a TV connected so it adjusts the display to consider that. The new xrandr command works nicely.
fluxbox gdm flaky display resolution
Problem:
I love fluxbox, but occassionally when booting up my laptop the display resolution changes from 1366×768 to 1024×768. Why? I do not know. (Although I think it is because of the gnome-settings-daemon version 2.30.2 that I am using that has a “bug” – Not sure. Once I get this version 3.2.2-1 I will know for sure). So I finally found a fix. xrandr.
Solution.
I added this line to my ~./fluxbox/startup file.
xrandr -s 1366x768 -r 60
Which means every time fluxbox starts up the correct resolution is set.
Source.
I got that tip from here
http://fluxbox-wiki.org/index.php?title=Change_resolution
Now the only issue I have is that I can not use gnome-control-center to change settings while using fluxbox. Hopefully the newer version of gnome-settings-daemon will sort that out.
Debian Squeeze on HP 620 Notebook
Problem:
External speakers and wireless not working on HP 620 Notebook
Solution:
Followed the step by step instructions here. Now everything works.
http://blog.sviluppoweb.eu/2011/08/05/how-to-install-debian-6-0-squeeze-linux-on-hp-620-notebook/
Laptop screen blank when switched on
Problem:
Laptop screen is blank when I try to switch it on. I can feel the HDD spin, the LED lights up, the DVD drive spins and its LED lights up but the machine does not boot.
Solution:
Found the solution over here http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-24155-laptop-screen-blank-when-switched-on. The first tip worked for me.
… Unplug the power, remove the battery and then hold the power button for 30 to 60 seconds. Then reattach the power and attempt a boot… Just shutdown, put the battery back in you’re good to go…
This worked for the Toshiba Satellite Pro that I was using.
pseudo-scripter 