LDP/LDP/howto/docbook/Online-Troubleshooting-HOWTO.sgml

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<artheader>

<title>Online Troubleshooting Resources : HOWTO</title>

<author>
   <firstname>Jean-Philippe</firstname>
   <surname>Gu<47>rard</surname>
   <affiliation>
      <address>
         <email>jean-philippe.guerard@laposte.net</email>
      </address>
   </affiliation>
</author>

<revhistory>
   <revision>
      <revnumber>1.5</revnumber>
      <date>2002-10-20</date>
      <authorinitials>jpg</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         More dead links removal & URL updates.
         Author and copyright updated as per Horward Mann request.
      </revremark>
   </revision>

   <revision>
      <revnumber>1.4</revnumber>
      <date>2002-03-04</date>
      <authorinitials>jpg</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         Dead links removal. Outdated links update. Revision of the 
         HOWTOs and FAQs sections.
      </revremark>
   </revision>

   <revision>
      <revnumber>1.3</revnumber>
      <date>2000-07-24</date>
      <authorinitials>hm</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         Update.
      </revremark>
   </revision>

   <revision>
      <revnumber>1.2</revnumber>
      <date>1999-11-20</date>
      <authorinitials>hm</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         Added "Introduction to Unix" to Unix section.
      </revremark>
   </revision>

   <revision>
      <revnumber>1.1</revnumber>
      <date>1999-11-08</date>
      <authorinitials>hm</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         Added Geocrawler.com to Mailing List Section. Convert to 
         DocBook.
      </revremark>
   </revision>

   <revision>
      <revnumber>0.5</revnumber>
      <date>1999-09-18</date>
      <authorinitials>hm</authorinitials>
       <revremark>
         Initial release. 
      </revremark>
   </revision>

</revhistory>

<abstract>
<para>
This document will direct Linux users to resources available on the Internet
that provide access to a vast amount of Linux-related information useful in
troubleshooting problems
</para>
</abstract>
</artheader>

<sect1 id="intro">
<title>Introduction</title>
<para>The traditional means of troubleshooting computer-related problems
involves consulting user's manuals, books, friends - probably enticed with
goodies - and, when all the former do not yield a solution, calling the
technical support service of the vendor of the product in question. And, we all
know pleasant and reliably efficacious the latter stratagem is. Unfortunately,
this is the norm in the sphere of commercial proprietary products. </para>

<para>In contradistinction, Linux, and related distributions, utilities and
applications software, has largely been developed according to the <ulink
url="http://www.opensource.org" >Open Source</ulink> model, wherein developers
have used electronic communication over the Internet - typically in the form of
publically-accessible Mailing Lists - to collaborate with their peers in
the refinement of the associated source code. Such collaboration has
also traditionally  involved the online publication of user's manuals,
lists of Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ's), knowledge bases, release
notes, formal guides such as this document (HOWTO's) and tutorials. In
addition, users often assist others through the forum of Usenet and
other newsgroups and the posted messages are readily accessible in the
form of searchable archives. These linux-related newsgroups are renowned
for their high level of user participation. In significant measure,
Linux may be considered a product of the Internet.</para>

<para>Considered together, these resources enable access to a large,
ever-expanding factual database, and my intent is to encourage and direct the
reader to utilize these repositories when faced with an issue not  addressed in
the documentation that is included with each distribution of Linux. Linux
veterans who assist newcomers through the forum of Usenet soon become aware of
the frequency with which certain technical questions are repeatedly posted -
questions the answers to which are readily available in one or more of the
existent online repositories. So, to diminish the likelihood of being "flamed"
in response to your posted question on Usenet or irc , read further!</para>

<para>Armed with a browser, Linux users may rapidly become adept at
troubleshooting their systems. The key is knowing how and where to look. My
objective is to guide the user - particularly the Linux newbie -  in this
quest.</para>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="docupdates">
  <title>Document Updates</title>
  <para>The latest version of this document will always be available via the
  <emphasis>HOWTO index</emphasis> at the <ulink
  url="http://www.tldp.org">Linux Documentation Project</ulink>
  The document will also be available in SGML, PS, PDF, and other
  formats at that website.
</para>

<sect2>

<title>Copyright and License</title>

<para>Copyright (c) 1999-2002 , by Jean-Philippe Gu<47>rard. This material
may be distributed only subject to the terms and conditions
set forth in the Open Publication Licence, v1.0 or later (the latest
version is presently available at <ulink url="http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/">
http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/</ulink>).
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2>
<title>Feedback and Corrections</title>
<para>I always welcome feedback and constructive criticism. You can 
reach me at <ulink url="mailto:jean-philippe.guerard@laposte.net">
jean-philippe.guerard@laposte.net</ulink>. In particular, I wish to be
notified about any errors in this document and resources you believe
deserving of inclusion, but not presently covered herein. Because the
assessment of the value of a particular resource is inherently
subjective, I do not guarantee that I will include it, but I will
certainly give any suggestion thoughtful consideration. In anticipation,
Thanks.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2>
<title>Document history</title>
<para>Howard Mann conceived and formulated the first version of this 
HOWTO. He kept managing and updating it until version 1.3. 
Maintainership was then taken over by Jean-Philippe Gu<47>rard, who is now 
in charge of this document.
</para>
</sect2>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="howtos">
<title>HOWTOs and mini-HOWTOs</title>

<para>HOWTOs are detailed reference documents on a specific subject, 
usually following a step-by-step approach. A HOWTO is a good document to
help you discover a task or a topic you don't know. It will provide you
with the basic steps and the major references.</para>

<para>These documents are particularly useful when you decide to provide or
access a new service with your Linux system, or when you embark on a technically
complex project. For example, you may have the option of accessing the 'net with
a DSL or Cable Modem service - excellent guides are available in the form of
HOWTOs.</para>

<para>Authors of these documents often include references and links to
sites that they have found useful. You may find the information you need
at one of these hyperlinked sites rather than in the HOWTO itself. For
example, I found <ulink url="http://www.scyld.com/network/">Linux
Network Drivers</ulink>, an interesting site for information about
Network
Interface Card drivers, in the Ethernet HOWTO.</para>

<para>To find HOWTOs, the first place to go is the <ulink
url="http://www.tldp.org">Linux Documentation Project (LDP)</ulink>.
The LDP includes a <ulink 
url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/howtos.html">HOWTO
Index Page</ulink> that I suggest you bookmark in your browser.</para>

<para>These HOWTOs are written by Linux users and are periodically 
updated by the authors. Many authors provide the latest version at a
personal website and a hyperlink to the latter is typically provided in
the document. This version may be newer than the one available at the
LDP website.</para>

<para>Note also that other HOWTOs are available, the authors of which
have not submitted them to the LDP. It is definitely worthwhile trying
to find these using an Internet search engine as I describe in a
subsequent section.</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="faqs">

<title>Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQs)</title>

<para>Users of Internet Newsgroups and Mailing lists soon discovered
that some basic questions were being asked over and over again. 
To provide an answer to these questions, and to avoid them 
being repeated continually, FAQs were developed, listing the most 
classical questions and their agreed answers.</para>

<para>A list of FAQs is also a traditional accompaniment to
Linux-related software. The FAQ is the first document to peruse when
troubleshooting a particular application. It provides answers to typical
questions, and is a good place to start troubleshooting a specific
problem. In addition, FAQs exist for Linux distributions, window
managers, and the so-called desktop environments (KDE and
Gnome).</para>

<para>A FAQ is typically provided online by the developers of the
product in question, and enterprising users sometimes host an
<quote>unofficial</quote> FAQ as well. Search for the latter with an
Internet search engine.</para>

<para>For Linux newbies, I provide links to two FAQs that collectively
address <emphasis>many</emphasis> of the questions posted to the Usenet
newsgroups :</para>
<itemizedlist>

	<listitem>
	  <para><ulink url="http://www.tldp.org/FAQ/Linux-FAQ/">The
Linux FAQ</ulink>
</para>
</listitem>
	<listitem>
	  <para><ulink url="http://www.tux.org/lkml/">The Linux Kernel mailing
list FAQ</ulink></para>
	</listitem>
      </itemizedlist>

  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="onlinesupport">
    <title>Online Support Sections</title>
    <para>These sections are typically found at the websites of Linux
distributions, and often contain a variety of helpful documents with information
not easily encompassed within a FAQ. Look for sections with one or more of the
following titles:</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
	<para>Installation Support</para>
 </listitem>
<listitem><para>Knowledge or Solutions Databases</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Tips and Tricks</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Errata, Fixes and Updates</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>White Papers</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Technical Guides</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Hardware Guide or Compatibility List</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Security Information</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Bug Tracking System</para>
</listitem>
<listitem><para>Bug Database</para>
</listitem>
 </itemizedlist>
<para>Some websites provide a site search engine that will facilitate your quest
for a solution.
</para>
<para>If you have a problem with a newly installed distribution, look 
here first as bugs and their fixes are typically posted here. You may 
find a detailed guide that will help you accomplish a task such as 
upgrading your kernel or the version of the X Window System you are 
using.</para>

<para>I have often been able to solve problems with my Linux 
distribution by looking into the bug report database, and finding that 
another user already has offered a solution to this issue.</para>

<para>I recommend you spend some time at the website of the 
distribution you are using, familiarizing yourself with what is 
available.</para>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="usenet">
<title>Usenet Newsgroup Archives</title>

<para>The ability to search for and retrieve information from archived posts
to the linux-related (Usenet) newsgroups represents a powerful means of
troubleshooting in Linux.</para>

<para>Search engines permit one to search the archives by stipulating the forum,
keywords, authors, dates, language and combinations thereof. Because the number
of linux-related newsgroups is large, the likelihood of finding useful
information is high.</para>

<para>The main web site that currently provides access to Usenet
archives using a search engine is <ulink
url="http://groups.google.com">groups.google.com</ulink>. The most 
effective way to do a search is to use its <ulink
url="http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search">Advanced 
Groups Search page</ulink>.</para>

<para>I would like to relate a brief anecdote to demonstrate the efficacy of
this approach. The first time I attempted to build a kernel, I was presented
with this error message when I invoked a <quote>make</quote> command:</para>

<screen>make[1]: as86: Command not found make[1]: *** [bootsect.o] Error 127
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot' make: *** [zImage]
Error 2</screen>

<para>I had no idea what <emphasis>as86</emphasis> was, but I entered
it as the keyword in the <emphasis>Subject</emphasis> field of the 
Advanced Groups Search page at groups.google.com, and was presented
with a large number of posts from folks who had encountered the same
problem. Respondents had provided the reason and solution: I did not
have an assembler/linker necessary to create machine code, and the
<emphasis>bin86</emphasis> package provided it. I downloaded and
installed a RPM package of the latter and was on my way. This entire
process took about 10 minutes (I do have an ADSL connection to the 'net
!).</para>

</sect1>

  <sect1 id="searchengines">
    <title>Internet Search Engines</title>
   <para>I frequently use a Search Engine to retrieve helpful or necessary
information from the 'net. These engines catalogue pages from commercial,
personal and academic websites, as well as Mailing Lists and the like.</para>
<para>Of course, there are a large number of available Search Engines, and I
suggest you try several before giving up on a particular quest. Research has
shown that any one of them catalogues but a small portion of existent web pages.
It is worthwhile becoming very familiar with the operational details  of at
least one non-directory engine to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of your
search efforts. You probably already have a favorite - I like 
<emphasis>Google.com</emphasis>, and will discuss it in a little more
detail.</para>

<sect2 id="google">
<title>Google.com</title>

<para>This <ulink url="http://www.google.com">engine</ulink> has 
several novel features that are described in its
<ulink url="http://www.google.com/why_use.html">Why use Google.com 
page</ulink>. In particular, the engine often returns the most useful
pages first; in fact, I have often found that the first listed page
contains the information I need. Because it caches web pages, it is
relatively fast at displaying requested items. It has a so-called
<emphasis>GoogleScout (TM)</emphasis> feature, activated by clicking on 
the "similar pages" links, that provides additional relevant links with
each item returned.</para>

<para>In addition, it has a specialized <ulink
url="http://www.google.com/linux">Linux Search Engine</ulink> that I use as my
primary Internet search tool. It searches the database of linux-related pages at
Google.com further promoting search efficiency. Try it - I am confident
you will bookmark it immediately.</para>

</sect2>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="mailinglists">

<title>Mailing List Archives</title>

<para>As you might expect, there are a very large number of linux-related
Mailing Lists that enable developers and users to communicate and collaborate on
projects. These Lists cover every conceivable aspect of Linux, from the
technical arcana of kernel development to the relatively unfocused discussion of
issues at the newbie level. Subscribers to a particular Mailing List are
generally very knowledgeable in the List's topic, and detailed and useful
information is often retrievable. The communications are publically accessible
through Internet search engines and in the form of online Mailing List Archives.
You will typically see archived pages when you conduct a search using an
Internet search engine.</para>

<para>Not all Mailing Lists are associated with an online archive, but this is
increasingly the case. Similarly, not all archives have an associated search
engine.</para>

<para>Initially, try locate the Mailing List Archive you are interested in by
typing keywords and "mailing list archive" in an Internet search
engine.</para>

<para>For a listing of linux-related Mailing Lists, peruse websites such as the
<ulink url="http://www.linuxrx.com/Lists/Lists.perl">Linux Resource
Exchange</ulink> and the <ulink url="http://www.linux.org/help/lists.html">Linux
Online Mailing Lists</ulink></para>

<para>A relatively new, excellent Mailing List resource is <ulink
url="http://www.geocrawler.com">Geocrawler (The Knowledge Archive)</ulink>. This
is a continuously updated, searchable archive of a large number of Lists that
also allows one to register and subsequently post to any particular Mailing
List. Its user interface is simple and its search function delivers messages
very quickly. I highly recommend this site.</para>
<para>You may also find Mailing List archives at the following locations
:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>The website of the distribution of Linux you use.</para>
</listitem>

<listitem><para>The website of the Window Manager or Desktop
Environment you use.</para></listitem>

<listitem><para>The website dedicated to the application or project in
question.</para></listitem>

<listitem><para><ulink url="http://www.mail-archive.com/lists.html">The Mail
Archive</ulink></para></listitem>

<listitem><para><ulink url="http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/">Mailing List
Archives</ulink></para></listitem>

<!-- <listitem><para><ulink url="http://kernelnotes.org/lnxlists/">The -->
<!-- Linux MailingList Archives</ulink></para></listitem> -->

<listitem><para><ulink url="http://www.tux.org/hypermail/">Tux Mailing List
Archives</ulink></para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>This is not a complete listing of archives and you may find additional
sites with an Internet search engine. But, this should certainly get you
going.</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="usersmanuals">
<title>Online User's Manuals</title>

<para>Some of the major Linux distributions, Window Managers and Desktop
Environments publish their user's manual online. If the entire manual is not
online, installation and configuration guides are typically found at the
relevant website. This also applies to major applications like the
<emphasis>Gimp</emphasis> (GNU Image Manipulation Program).</para>

<para>So, for those users who do not have the printed manual, a wealth of
installation and configuration guidance is generally available online.</para>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="unixrefs">
<title>Online Unix References and Tutorials</title>

<para>As Linux is a Unix-like operating system, a general familiarity with
fundamental Unix concepts such as the Unix directory hierarchy and file
permissions is essential. Fortunately, there are many Unix tutorials online that
collectively cover everything a user might need to know to use Linux. I suggest
you bookmark the following as an online reference library:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para><ulink 
url="http://www.tru64unix.compaq.com/docs/base_doc/DOCUMENTATION/V40D_HTML/APS2HDTE/TITLETXT.HTM"
>The Command and Shell User's guide</ulink> from Digital Equipment 
Corporation is an excellent guide to the Unix Operating System. Bookmark
the <emphasis>Index Page</emphasis> linked there as an online
reference.</para></listitem>

<listitem><para><ulink
url="http://unixhelp.ed.ac.uk/">UNIXhelp</ulink> is
mirrored on many servers around the world. It is a useful resource for
newbies.</para></listitem>

<listitem><para><ulink
url="http://wks.uts.ohio-state.edu/unix_course/intro-1.html">Introduction to
Unix</ulink> also contains a useful <ulink
url="http://wks.uts.ohio-state.edu/unix_course/intro-137.html#HEADING137-0">Unix
Command Summary</ulink> page with brief, but useful, explanations of commonly
used Unix commands.</para></listitem> 

<listitem><para><ulink
url="http://unix.t-a-y-l-o-r.com/">Unix is a Four Letter
Word...</ulink> is another resource suitable for newbies.</para>
</listitem>

</itemizedlist>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="miscresources">
<title>Miscellaneous Resources</title>

<para>In this section, I provide a number of links to websites that I have
found useful while learning to use Linux. This is an eclectic collection, but
keep these handy.</para>

<sect2 id="Xwindow">

<title>Release Notes and Available Documentation related to the XFree86 
X Window Server</title>

<para>This documentation accompanies each version of XFree86, and is
available at the <ulink url="http://www.xfree86.org/">XFree86 website</ulink>.
Whenever you have trouble with your X environment, peruse the notes applicable
to your videocard and chipset. These typically provide details about the
configuration of the X Window System relative to your card, and will
enumerate any "options" you have to include in the<filename>
XF86Config</filename> file that governs X.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="gnumanuals">
<title>GNU Software and Manuals</title>

<para>Many important programs that are frequently utilized by the Linux user are
GNU utilities -  for example, the <application>tar</application> (archive) and
<application>gzip</application> (compression) programs. Descriptions of these
programs are located at the <ulink
url="http://www.gnu.org/software/software.html#DescriptionsOfGNUSoftware">GNU.org
website</ulink> where many <ulink 
url="http://www.gnu.org/manual/manual.html">Online Manuals</ulink> may also be
found.</para>

<para>These manuals typically provide a lot more information than is found in
the corresponding <application>man</application> page on your system. For
example , compare the <application>man</application> page and online manual for
the <application>tar</application> utility. </para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="pcs">
<title>A detailed Guide to Personal Computers</title>

<para>The Topic Index to the voluminous hardware guide at <ulink
url="http://www.PCguide.com/topic.html">PC guide.com</ulink> will give you a
great idea of the contents of this website. I used it quite frequently when
first installing Linux and configuring the X Window System. I learnt a lot about
videocards and monitors, including the concepts of screen resolution, color
depth etc., useful when troubleshooting X display problems.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="webopedia">
<title>An online dictionary of computer and technology terms</title>

<para>The <ulink url="http://www.pcwebopedia.com/">PC Webopedia</ulink> 
consists of a large online dictionary of computer-related terms and a 
search engine that provides links to documents that discuss each item in 
more detail. For example, I used this site to learn the differences 
between <emphasis>ISA</emphasis> and <emphasis>PCI</emphasis> 
buses.</para>

</sect2>

</sect1>

<sect1 id="conclusions">
<title>Concluding Comments</title>

<para>If you are a Linux newbie, you may want to create a
<emphasis>Troubleshooting</emphasis> folder in your browser's bookmark list,
into which you put the hyperlinks I have included in this document, as well as
those pertinent to the distribution of Linux and the Window Manager 
or Desktop Environment you use. </para>

<para>As you use these links, you will quickly become adept at troubleshooting
online.</para>

<para>Cheers and happy searching !</para>

</sect1>
</article>