XSCE

XSCE 6.0 Release Candidate 1 for CentOS “7.1”

updated Dec 30, 2015

• Important addendum:

Download 1.8GB XSCE 6.0 Release Candidate 1 for CentOS “7.1” (November 2015)

• Download centos7_xsce.6.rc1.img

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/installer/centos/centos7_xsce.6.rc1.img

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/installer/centos/centos7_xsce.6.rc1.img

use dd or gnome disks restore to write onto a USB memory stick, verifying its MD5 checksum equals

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/installer/centos/centos7_xsce.6.rc1.img.md5.txt 

Follow instructions here: (Option 1.5)

http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/images/a/a4/IntelNUCInstallation-XSCEIIABServer.pdf

System Setup

• Configuration I used for this testing

satellit

• NOTE NUC i3 has 4 GB memory and wifi internal card installed.

intel (tm) NUC kit D34010WYKH1

1 TB Seagate HD added to empty kit

Also See

• Google Docs with relevant info

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/FAQ#Is_a_quick_installation_possible.3F

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ez1H2LYrkqeXR_r5T93CMdmx9CeTJp_vC-IDBGam1Bc/edit#heading=h.hr9kca62zrfq

Configuration

• Connect a USB­to­Ethernet dongle (adapter) from the NUC to a live Ethernet cable (with

live Internet) so that during installation, software can download and update itself. ​

• Ideally, this live Ethernet wire leads from the dongle to a LAN port in the Netgear 3G

Modem/Router, whose WAN port (during this installation only!) leads to the Internet. Later you’ll verify “ping 8.8.8.8” and “ping mit.edu” works thru this wire, as will be discussed below.

• Connect an Ethernet cable and a powered TP­LINK AP ​

(LAN port, and tape over WAN port to make sure it’s never used)​

to the NUC’s Ethernet port (its green link lights should light).

Install onto Intel NUC

• This also works on a system 76 i7 laptop

• Write to a USB stick with dd or gnome-disks restore
• Windows users can use ​

http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

Format of HD for install

• Do not use GPT format

Testing seems to result in all of installed content to be limited to 500 MiB

• Format HD as fat ext4 in gnome-disks or gparted

Hint use booted f23 workstation live DVD or USB to access disks to reformat the internal HD.

exit live

then do install with dd USB of centos

Boot NUC with USB stick inserted, using F10 is necessary

• NOTE USB port on NUC or Laptop where TP-Link is connected must be marked and be the only port used.

Or the server will not communicate with XO's or laptops

• Type “erase” when requested
• Watch for “done!” or #prompt; ignore “I/O error”.
• Run “reboot”

Optionally Disable all USB booting in BIOS: F2 on Boot ­> Boot Configuration ­>

Boot Devices ­> USB

Likewise this should already be disabled: Boot ­> Boot Configuration ­> UEFI Boot ­> Boot USB Devices First

Login to your new server as: root / centos, then change both passwords:

passwd                      (changes root password) 
passwd xsce-­admin           (has sudo powers, careful!) 

• Verify that you have internet connection with “ping yahoo.com”

Ensure both your networking connections are live and connected in their final position.

• Update Centos7

yum update

Get the most recent version of the XSCE playbook

cd /opt/schoolserver/xsce
git pull
./install-console

• Reboot

Login to xsce-admin/(password)

sudo yum groupinstall xfce --skip-broken
sudo install firefox
startxsfce4

• start firefox
• Test client machines can reach ​

http://schoolserver.lan

or ​

http://172.18.96.1

• Finally, if you have no downstream WiFi AP, try:

http://localhost

from any browser, on the server itself if available! And also try:

http://localhost/admin​ 

with username “xsce-­admin” and the password you set above.

• Alternate:

Log into the Admin Console (click on “Admin Console” link, user: xsce-­admin and the password you set above)

• Select the services you want to install within "Configure­­ services".

Save configuration (green button)

Install Configured options (red button)

The TeamViewer service will automatically install a graphical environment.

Partition structure from centos 7.1 install on 1 TB Hd

installing content in the xsce-admin-console

• installing content is a 3 step procedure

1) xsce-admin-configure services

save configuration

install configured options

• Wait for succeeded in Utilities-display job status

2-)select content

zim files

• Refresh Catalog first

select the Zims to download

[Install selected Zims]

• NOTE log in as root and rename /library/zims/content test.zim to test1.zia so that it will not interfere with access to Ted files

rachel

• [Download Rachel Content]

3-)schoolserver utilities

to monitor downloads; unzip; and installs

wait for Succeded

Rachel errors in xsce

• retry install rachel several times and it will install successfully bypassing the CRC error stop

Multiple installs of Rachel

• http://www.ewikitech.com/articles/linux/how-to-mount-ntfs-partition-in-rhel-centos-7/

Used to store usb_32EN_3.1.5.zip to a ntfs external USB HD

so one can copy usb_32EN_3.1.5.zip to to a xsce install in /library/downloads/rachel and shortcut the download time for rachel in xsce-admin

Rachel install sees zip and starts unzip and install steps immediatly

Boot into root to copy zip file

Connecting to XSCE from a XO-1.5

• Connect to Internet-in-a-Box in F1

• Connected to Internet-in-a-Box in F1

• Connecting to iiab in Browse

• iiab on XO-1.5

• Rachel

logged into Internet in a Box from Ubuntu 14.04 LTS sugar0.107

• Ubuntu 14.04 LTS sugar0.107

http://people.sugarlabs.org/quozl/ubuntu/trusty/sugar-0.106/olpc-ubuntu-sugar-14.04.2-desktop-amd64-1436317817.iso

• T-400 laptop
• NOTE be sure to set in sugar control panel power/Automatic power management [ ] off

• Chat on T-400 olpc (ubuntu) sugar 0.107 sees XO 1.5 sugar 0.106

when both are checked in to Internet-in-a-Box in F1 Network Neighborhood (f1)

Chat works between the 2 connected devices.

Centos 7.3 XSCE Kiwix Server as seen (wirelessly) from T-400 PC

• Also works in MacBook Pro 8.1 (firefox browser) logged in to Internet-in-a Box wireless AP
• Rachel also works remotely from Internet in a Box main menu
• screenshot of Kiwix server on T-400 PC

From T-400 PC running sugar 0.107 from centos 7.3 XSCE server running on NUC i5 (Headless)

Launch TeamViewer from top­left "Applications Menu" > Internet > TeamViewer 10

• Go to and select at bottom page"Configure Each service to Enable/Services Enabled" (in schoolserver/admin/)

Caution for learning only -- traditionally X Windows (graphical environment such as xfce, likewise TeamViewer running within it) should not be intalled on servers, in general.

• Configure “Setup unattended access...” under TeamViewer’s Connection menu If You Dare.
• Separately, OpenVPN can also allow remote diagnosis and support (over lower-bandidth connections, without the live visual mentoring/screensharing aspects of TeamViewer of course!)

Install your favorite text editor

For example, run:

yum install emacs

Install GNOME Desktop

yum groupinstall 'GNOME Desktop'

• Works well in centos7

Installed 12/18/2015 satellit

http://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-gui-gnome-on-centos-7-linux-system

Install Xfce

If you must have a graphical environment on your server, run:

yum groupinstall xfce

Install browser, at your own risk

Install your favorite browser IF YOU UNDERSTAND ITS INHERENT RISKS TO DESTROYING YOUR SERVER. For example:

yum install firefox

Start the Xfce desktop

startxfce4

To make Xfce start at default boot

cd /etc/systemd/system 
ln -­sf /lib/systemd/system/graphical.target default.target 

If above line fails, run

unlink default.target 

then retry above "ln" command.

• Reboot to test graphical login, presumably with username: xsce-­admin

Browsing rachel on centos 7.1 xsce

In the centos 7.1 xsce install (which has rachel installed) and logged into the wireless AP Internet in a Box from my T-400 laptop where I have cinnamon 2.6.12 desktop installed in Ubuntu 14.04 /sugar 0.106

http://people.sugarlabs.org/quozl/ubuntu/trusty/sugar-0.106/olpc-ubuntu-sugar-14.04.2-desktop-amd64-1436317817.iso

Start firefox and point it to

http://schoolserver.lan/xs-portal 

which has a rachel entry under wikipedia (Interesting things. menu)

• Here I can see the videos from kahn; Medline; Hesperian; Kahn health and Medicine; Project gutenburg etc....all mp4 files work
• from ubuntu 14.04 on laptop ($100 rebuilt T400)
• Videos are not available using an XO-1.5 software build 13.2.5, but I can see rest of content on the XO that does not use mp4.

• Of course. No need to mention that here, as it is a known problem with OLPC OS. Why not test with restricted software loaded? You can do that with instructions for adding codecs, or by using a build with restricted software already included. You can contact me by mail for access to that build, as it is not public. --Quozl (talk) 20:00, 10 December 2015 (EST)

Share .xo files; .pdf, text content wirelessly from server

Add files to centos7.3 /library/content/ (Visible in /xs-portal:”Access Other Content”):

Logged in as xsce-admin: write/download file to xsce-admin save in home/xsce-admin/downloads

log-out/in as root: copy file in xsce-admin/download to file system /library/content/

• Example of content:

XSCE is .pdf of this wiki page

music: contains Classical Music

recent activities: a suite of .xo files

F21-server-netinstall with xfce

• REF from : https://github.com/XSCE/xsce/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.rst (modified by satellit on 1/31/2016)
• option 1

NUC with 1 TB HD

• Install on 32bit or 64bit Intel Machines

"The tried and true option is to start with a netinstall of the current OS, detailed as "option 1" below, and gradually build the machine up from offline downloads":

• Option 1 (modified)

Start with an install of the base OS based upon your hardware:

http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/21/Server/x86_64/iso/Fedora-Server-netinst-x86_64-21.iso
http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/21/Server/i386/iso/Fedora-Server-netinst-i386-21.iso

Copy the downloaded iso to a USB stick (use dd in linux, or UNetbootin in windows)

• The installer is somewhat obscure:

The first screen asks you to select keyboard and language

The next screen is the home page; you will click on topics, go off make to selections, and then return by clicking done.

• Select "system"-installation destination:

Device selection, click on hard disk, click checkbox for "I will configure partitioning", click done.

• In the left side window, under the drop down box, click <any previous OS> (unless the disk is already clean)

Click on the minus (which deletes the selected partition), select the "delete all other filesystems in .. as well"

Then select the drop down option "standard partition" and click the "install automatically" button

Delete the /home partition and add the resulting space to /

Otherwise the /library/downloads directory is only 53.7 GB and fills up when trying to install rachel

modify the file type to ext2 for all remaining partitions; update with right bottom button

Click the done twice, and the accept changes

• Click on software selection, and xfce desktop

in right pane:

xfce extras; Admin tools; Devel Tools; Headless; SMB.

• Then click start install

You will need to put in a password for root during the install.

DO NOT add a user as the ansible run later will add xsce-admin as user.

At the end of the install, a button will appear, which asks you to reboot into the newly installed Operating System.

Once you have logged in:, the steps are pretty straight forward:

In terminal:

ping yahoo.com (this verifies that the server is properly connected to internet after the reboot) 
yum -y install icecat (or firefox)

• NOTE: There is no need to do a

yum -y update

As the netinstall installs the latest files from the repo.

• Connect the wifi unit to the adapter that will be used as the local area network (LAN), and make sure everything is under power with link lights.
• Issue the following commands:

           yum -y install git ansible
           cd /opt
           mkdir -p schoolserver
           cd schoolserver
           git clone https://github.com/XSCE/xsce
           cd xsce
           ./install-console
           reboot

• log in as root and add a password for xsce-admin

passwd xsce-admin

• login as xsce-admin

• I find it helpful to check that all the services are running on the server:

           syscemctl status NetworkManager
           systemctl status dhcpd
           systemctl status named
           ip addr (verify that the external adapter and the LAN adapter or br0 have ip addresses)

• At this point you can connect to the server via the wifi at http://schoolserver/admin. Or with IceCat (firefox) from xfce desktop

Decide which services need to be enabled, check the checkboxes, Save Configuration, and click "Install configured Options'.

Wait for "SUCCEEDED" in Utilities/Display job status.

Next Install Content needed for rachel, kiwix, and/or other instructional materials.

Note: Get Rachel only appears On Install Content if you checked the rachel check box in Configure services

There are instruction for how and where to place the downloaded materials in README files in each of the roles folders.

F22-XSCE-LIVE

NOTE login to root of booted live; hit return no password to get to # prompt

run "xsceinst" to start the text installer

use installer to set your root password but please do not use "xsce-admin" as a new user, that one is already taken.

Text-mode Installation

NOTE only there seem to be problems with the formatting of the text mode install

• logged in to xsce-admin user: Only /home (/dev/sda1)500MB; seems to be available for installs of content. /dev/sda2(931GIB) does not appear to be used.

Install of zims seems to run out of space and stop

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/Features/Liveiso

• Download:

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/installer/experimental/ (27-Nov-2015 14:27 1.7G )

Login as root, then run "xsceinst"

Proceed through the guided prompts.

Reboot and login as "xsce-admin" with password "g0adm1n"

• Should you want to create another user please do not use "xsce-admin" as a new user, that one is already taken.

• Note: Please refrain from using liveinst during testing, trying to implement that functionality in the future.

• Note-2 On reboot of the server you will re-enter (text install) and be promted to add a user (optional) as XSXE-admin was preconfigured on the DVD.

Install Xfce

If you must have a graphical environment on your server, run:

dnf groupinstall xfce  

f22 uses dnf not yum now

Start the Xfce desktop

(Xfce will not start on next login, unless you arrange for that below)

startxfce4

• Disable screensaver
• Presuming you've installed Firefox above, go to:

http://localhost

http://localhost/admin

Logging into XSCE-admin from XO-1.5

To make Xfce start at default boot

cd /etc/systemd/system 
ln -­sf /lib/systemd/system/graphical.target default.target 

If above line fails, run

unlink default.target 

then try it again.

• Reboot to test graphical login, presumably with username: xsce-­admin

RACHEL

• Link to rachel.zip

http://rachelfriends.org/downloads/public_ftp/rachelusb_32EN/

http://46.235.224.50/rachelusb_32EN/ (older link)

• web site: http://46.235.224.50/
• Copy/paste of wget of rachelusb_32EN_3.15.zip from external USB HD to booted XSCE

1-) I copied/paste rachelusb_32EN_3.15.zip to /library/downloads/rachel

logged in as root of the f22-xsce-live install;

2-) log in to xsce-admin and get rachel. Should unzip and install rachel.

Saves redownloading of 21.2 GB file

Fix rachel CRC error

• Tim Moody 12/11/2015

the rachel problem corrects itself the second time you take the option. the screen should say this.

if it doesn't you don't have the latest version.

when doing an install from an image do you make sure you have the latest fixes by doing the following?

cd /opt/schoolserver/xsce
git pull
./install-console

XO_1.5

• XSCE for X0_1.5

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/os/xo1.5/xo1.5_20151224.img.zip

Write SD with fedora Gnome-Disks/Restore

• NOTE this can be done from a booted live DVD of f23 workstation (Gnome)

https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/23/Workstation/x86_64/iso/Fedora-Live-Workstation-x86_64-23-10.iso

• Gnome-disks/Restore

select the SD Card

• Select the .img file to restore to SD

Insert SD card into XO-1.5 slot and power on

• Located under right bottom edge of screen (Turn the screen 90 degrees counterclockwise to reveal slot)
• Press power button on XO-1.5 and wait for boot

There is a delay as firstboot re sizes the SD partitions

Login as name and user (age and gender)

wait for f3 sugar screen to appear

• Start Browse

http://schoolserver.lan/xs-portal appears

To access the admin-console you need a password

• start Terminal (hidden at bottom of list of activities {click on the [=] button at top right of f3 screen}

su  (go to root)
# 
passwd xsce-admin
(enter new password)
(enter new password 2nd time)

• NOTE you are connected to the Ad-hoc Network 1 on boot (F-1 network neighborhood screen)
• Connect to an active Wifi Hotspot shown on the f1 screen and connect to it.

return to the Browse screen and hit the (+) tab to add a 2nd screen.

• Connect to http://schoolserver.lan/xs-portal

enter the xsce-admin /(password) in login screen

• Configured School Server as Appliance as am only using the XO-1.5 wifi ears (one network adapter)
• Follow the steps to configure the server shown in the screenshots above

You are connected to the wifi hotspot and can add content.

• Registration works from sugar control panel

installed kwix wikipedia and wikibooks

• reboot server from School Server Admin Control after install to see installed content

Fix "get rachel"

"get rachel" on xo1.5_20151224.img has bad address: links have changed

needs

http://rachelfriends.org/downloads/public_ftp/rachelusb_32EN/rachelusb_32EN_3.1.5.zip

now uses: http://rachelfriends.org/rachelusb_32EN_3.1.5.zip (Not accessable)

• Tim Moody 01/15/2016:

easiest way to patch is to edit /opt/schoolserver/xsce/var/local_vars.yml

add the line

rachel_src_url: http://rachelfriends.org/downloads/public_ftp/rachelusb_32EN/rachelusb_32EN_3.1.5.zip 

this will fix any future ansible run and change it in

/etc/xsce/xsce.ini

this will cause the console to have the correct address

NOTES

http://download.unleashkids.org/xsce/downloads/os/xo1.5/

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/FAQ

https://github.com/XSCE/xsce/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.rst

https://github.com/tim-moody/xsce/blob/nov21/ReleaseNotes6.0.md

http://schoolserver.org/

http://schoolserver.org/FAQ

https://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Creation_Kit/sck/Advanced_Topics#XS_Community_Edition

http://www.ewikitech.com/articles/linux/how-to-mount-ntfs-partition-in-rhel-centos-7/

Used to store usb_32EN_3.1.5.zip to a ntfs external USB HD

so one can copy zip to to a xsce install in /library/Downloads and shortcut the download time for rachel in xsce-admin

http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/181503/how-to-install-desktop-environments-on-centos-7

http://www.kiwix.org/wiki/Main_Page

https://github.com/XSCE/xsce/blob/master/roles/kiwix/README.rst

http://download.kiwix.org/portable/wikipedia/

http://download.kiwix.org/zim/

http://rachelfriends.org/downloads/public_ftp/

http://dev.worldpossible.org/cgi/rachelmods.pl

http://ka-lite.readthedocs.org/en/latest/installguide/advanced.html#static-version

Open Educational Resources

https://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Open_Educational_Resources

• see discussion for more links