Phillip Pearson - web + electronics notes

tech notes and web hackery from a new zealander who was vaguely useful on the web back in 2002 (see: python community server, the blogging ecosystem, the new zealand coffee review, the internet topic exchange).

2004-6-3

Setting up a new Debian server

apt-get install emacs21
    i need my editor :)
emacs /etc/hostname
    change hostname.
apt-get remove exim
    otherwise we can't install qmail...
apt-get remove portmap
    who needs nfs on a web server anyway?
emacs /etc/inetd.conf
    comment everything out.
/etc/init.d/inetd restart
apt-get install ucspi-tcp-src
build-ucspi-tcp
apt-get install qmail-src
build-qmail
    right, now qmail is in.
apt-get install logrotate
emacs /etc/lilo.conf
    add initrd=/initrd.img
emacs /etc/kernel-img.conf
    add do_initrd = Yes
apt-get install kernel-image-2.4.18-686
emacs /etc/modules
    add eepro100
apt-get install hdparm
hdparm -t /dev/hda
    damn that's slow! probably dma is off ...
hdparm -d1 /dev/hda
hdparm -t /dev/hda
    much better now!
emacs /etc/init.d/phil-hdparm
    add hdparm -d1 /dev/hda
chmod +x /etc/init.d/phil-hdparm
update-rc.d phil-hdparm defaults
cd /boot
mkdir safe
cp *2.2* safe/
emacs /etc/lilo.conf
    copy the previous OK config to a new 'Linux22SAFE' config, and make that the default
lilo -v -v
reboot
    ok, that worked (with the safe config)
lilo -R Linux
reboot
    phew! it rebooted ok! we now have a 2.4 kernel in action!
cd /boot
cp *2.4* safe/
emacs /etc/lilo.conf
    copy all the working kernel stuff to a new 'Linux24SAFE' config
lilo -v -v
lilo -R Linux24SAFE
reboot
    still working!
emacs /etc/lilo.conf
    change default to the working kernel.
lilo -v -v
reboot
    and it goes still! we're done with the kernel now.
apt-get install apache php4 mysql-server
apt-get install python2.2 python2.2-egenix-mxdatetime python2.2-mysql
    i would install python2.3, but i'm trying to stick to debian stable here.
apt-get install bind9

OK, now we're getting there. I've got my server mostly set up -- running a stable but fast kernel image, and with all the tools I need. Now to start copying stuff over from the old (virtual) FreeBSD server. This should be interesting - do all my web bits and pieces run on Linux???

The server is one of Layered Tech's $35 dedicated servers, BTW. Both cheaper and more powerful than the old server ... hopefully everything will stay up OK :)
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