[CLUE-Tech] Re:"getting insanely frustrated"

[Mike Staver]

> The reason I mentioned modules.conf is that this is where you turn off
> the apm module.  If it is running and causing your problem, lsmod should
> show it (apm is the name, I think, and there may be something newer
> too--is it acpi?)  Even if it doesn't, you can turn it off like this:
> 
> alias apm off

Very cool, I'll also try this as well and get back to you on the
results.
 
> I will say, even though man pages are intimidating at first everyone
> should get used to reading them.  Some are better than others (don't get
> me started on the one for xdm) but they frequently have the answer if
> you're a little persistent. Some, like bash, are very clear and
> specific--but that one is long so no one reads it, even though you can
> search through it with your pager (use a /, like in vi).  See below.

Yeah, I would read a man page... but for what?  I tried apm, and that
didn't help, so I'm at a loss.

> > 3) Run the following commands:
> > setterm -powersave off
> > setterm -blank 0
> 
> Does this need to be run as root?  If so it has to go in a boot script
> (like rc.local).  If not it should go in your .profile (or
> .bash_profile).  That is run when you log in (and .bashrc is not, unless
> .profile says to).  This should not go in .bashrc, which is run for
> interactive, non-login shells, as you've seen in your xterms.  Look at
> bash(1) and search (or scroll) down to INVOCATION.  That's where all the
> stuff Jed forgot about ksh is ;-)

Yeah, I figured it needed to be run as root, and the account I'm logged
in as looks like this in the password file:

hawkbug:x:0:0:SU - Mike:/home/hawkbug:/bin/bash

So, I don't think that's a problem :) Yeah, yeah, I know - using my root
account for my desktop - bad idea, but I couldn't help myself.

> Finally, you didn't say whether you tried any kernel parameters.  If you
> look at the boot prompt howto, under misc. you'll see there's one for
> acpi=off.  Take a look at some of the others, I just showed Mike B init=
> today.  To use this, when you get the boot: prompt, do this:
> 
> boot: linux acpi=off

Sweet, I'll try that too.  Thanks.

> The boot prompt is lilo's chance for you to tell it what to do.  The
> linux part is the name of the kernel you want, from your lilo.conf
> (that's section 5 of the manual, hint hint).  Then come the boot
> parameters.

Yeah, I'm very familiar with both lilo and grub.

> So, between acpi and apm, I think you'll fix the problem.  If not, there
> isn't much else to do in Linux.  Take a look at your monitor and
> motherboard manuals.  You can bring them to the installfest next month,
> too :-)
> 
> Now that I think about it, my systems do this too (even a "from scratch"
> one IIRC).  But I've never worried about it.  If you find that you fix
> this but break auto power off on shutdown, ask back and we can fix that.

Yeah, I hope I find it, it annoys me to no end.  I have 3 computers in
my cube at work: Windoze 2k, Mac OS X, and Linux.  My linux box is the
only one where I can't figure out how to keep the monitor from going
black after 10 minutes, but I'm sure with everyone's suggestions, I'll
eventually figure it out.

-- 
                                 -Mike Staver
                                  mstaver at globaltaxnetwork.com
                                  http://www.fimble.com/staver
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