diff --git a/articles/CONTRIBUTING.md b/articles/CONTRIBUTING.md index 55a1b13..e474021 100644 --- a/articles/CONTRIBUTING.md +++ b/articles/CONTRIBUTING.md @@ -3,16 +3,16 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Contributing to the PiNet project +# Contributing to the PiNet project One of the key things about the PiNet documentation is it should be easy to contribute fixes, edits or new guides to the documentation. The documentation is all written in markdown, a simple, easy to to learn plain text language for formatting documents. The documentation is stored in a Github repository which can be found [here](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io). -##I have never used markdown before +## I have never used markdown before Don't worry, it is very easy to pick up, [here is a handy guide to get your started](https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet). -##Do you have a nice text editor you recommend using to write it with? +## Do you have a nice text editor you recommend using to write it with? ![](/assets/images/atom-1.jpeg) @@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ All the markdown files end in .md and are stored in the [articles folder](https: Once you open a markdown file, hit ```ctrl``` + ```shift``` + ```m``` to open the markdown renderer beside the text editor. You will also want to disable ```Remove Trailing Whitespace``` from the ```Whitespace``` package in Atom. To do this, open Atom preferences, select packages, search for ```whitespace```, select the package settings and uncheck ```Remove Trailing Whitespace```. -##I am completely new to Github! +## I am completely new to Github! No problem, the Raspberry Pi foundation have a great getting started guide over on their [github](https://github.com/raspberrypilearning/creating-resources/blob/master/github.md). -##Ok, I have got a change or edit I want to make, what do I do? +## Ok, I have got a change or edit I want to make, what do I do? If it is a small edit, create a pull request ([how to do that](https://github.com/raspberrypilearning/creating-resources/blob/master/github.md)) with your change [here](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/pulls). If it is a new page or big edit, please open an issue first [here](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/issues) (In case someone else is already doing it). One of the documentation team will have a look over and decide the next step. -##My edit has been accepted, now what? +## My edit has been accepted, now what? It will take 2-3 minutes for the main documentation site to update with your change. Once it has updated, check [http://pinet.org.uk](http://pinet.org.uk) and your change should be there. If the change is not there after an hour, please open an [issue](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/issues). diff --git a/articles/advanced/benchmarks.md b/articles/advanced/benchmarks.md index 0c8516a..f134eb0 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/benchmarks.md +++ b/articles/advanced/benchmarks.md @@ -15,31 +15,31 @@ For PiNet there are 2 modes it can be run in **2. NBD mode** - Uses NBD and squashFS compression to compress the operating system beforehand. After every change to the master operating system, the OS must be recompressed, which takes roughly 5-10 minutes. It is recommended for production use. The compression normally involves the amount of data cross the network dropping to roughly 40% of what NFS mode uses making it very useful for slower networks or networks running 8+ Raspberry Pis. The tests were completed on a Raspberry Pi model B revision 2 and the SD card used in these tests was a class 10 SanDisk Ultra card rated at 30MB/s. -##Results -####Boot to login +## Results +#### Boot to login Test | SD card | NFS | NBD (with compression) ----|----|----|---- Time | 35s* |66s| 63s -####Open Libreoffice Writer +#### Open Libreoffice Writer | SD card | NFS | NBD (with compression) ----|----|----|---- Time | 15s |24s| 20s Data crossing network | N/A |75mb| 28mb -####Open Chromium web browser +#### Open Chromium web browser | SD card | NFS | NBD (with compression) ----|----|----|---- Time | 13s |20s| 12s Data crossing network | N/A |45mb| 30mb -####Open Scratch +#### Open Scratch | SD card | NFS | NBD (with compression) ----|----|----|---- Time | 6s |7s| 6s Data crossing network | N/A |4.7mb| 3.6mb -####Open Sonic-Pi version 2 RC3 +#### Open Sonic-Pi version 2 RC3 | SD card | NFS | NBD (with compression) ----|----|----|---- Time | 37s |42s| 36s diff --git a/articles/advanced/boot-files.md b/articles/advanced/boot-files.md index 2f9656c..989bdb9 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/boot-files.md +++ b/articles/advanced/boot-files.md @@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ up of a number of configuration files and boot files. - **Vmlinuz-KERNEL** – The main PiNet kernel. -###Additional files you may have +### Additional files you may have - **Kernel.img** – An untouched Raspbian kernel. diff --git a/articles/advanced/change-background.md b/articles/advanced/change-background.md index 4aea46c..029f592 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/change-background.md +++ b/articles/advanced/change-background.md @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Changing PiNet background PiNet comes with the amazing stars background photograph taken by [John Lemieux](https://www.flickr.com/photos/newdimensionfilms/7108632527/). ![](/assets/images/desktop-background.png) -##Changing this image +## Changing this image If you want to change it to your own custom background image, the image is stored in 2 places. - Desktop background - ```/opt/ltsp/armhf/usr/share/images/desktop-base/PiNet.png```. - Login screen background - ```/opt/ltsp/armhf/usr/share/ldm/themes/raspi/bg.png```. diff --git a/articles/advanced/custom-config-file.md b/articles/advanced/custom-config-file.md index d9a03ee..1b19791 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/custom-config-file.md +++ b/articles/advanced/custom-config-file.md @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Like normal Raspberry Pis running Raspbian. The config.txt file is the first thi The config.txt file can contain some key configuration/setup variables which can be used to set stuff like monitor resolution, overclocking etc. A full list of the config.txt supported values can be found [here](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt.md). -##What you need to know +## What you need to know Right now PiNet does not fully support custom config.txt parameters. They can be manually added to each config.txt on each SD card, but they will be overwritten when the system does an automated kernel update (every 3-6 months). diff --git a/articles/advanced/editing-outside.md b/articles/advanced/editing-outside.md index 035f865..0c412da 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/editing-outside.md +++ b/articles/advanced/editing-outside.md @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ The key things you need to know are - The raw boot files before configuration changes have been made can be found at [here](https://github.com/gbaman/PiNet/tree/master/boot) -##An example - Deleting Minecraft Pi edtion +## An example - Deleting Minecraft Pi edtion Lets say you want to run a command in the Raspbian operating system, which is stored on the server (and each Pi boots from). For example, lets say you want to remove Minecraft-Pi edition (which is installed by default). diff --git a/articles/advanced/kernels.md b/articles/advanced/kernels.md index 61f34e8..f4eec14 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/kernels.md +++ b/articles/advanced/kernels.md @@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ Understanding kernels on the Raspberry Pi and PiNet ***Note*** - This guide is provided as is, it is unlikely any additional support will be offered for its contents if you get stuck. It is only designed for more advanced Raspberry Pi / Linux users. If you do have issues though, you could always try you luck at [contacting support](../support.html). ***Note 2*** - Take this document as draft level quality as it has not been double checked by all relevant experts yet, it is only what I have been able to gather myself over the past year. -##What is a kernel? +## What is a kernel? "In computing, the kernel is a computer program that manages I/O (input/output) requests from software, and translates them into data processing instructions for the central processing unit and other electronic components of a computer. The kernel is a fundamental part of a modern computer's operating system." - [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_%28operating_system%29) The kernel is a vital part of Raspbian (and any operating system), it is the bridge between the computer hardware and the software on top. It is incredibly complex and is generally just huge! The standard Linux kernel currently (February 2015) has over 17 million lines of code contributed by over 13,000 people. It contains all the drivers/modules required to work with the hardware. Sometimes if you want a very specialist piece of hardware to work, you may need to compile your own kernel. -##Raspberry Pi kernels +## Raspberry Pi kernels The kernel for the Raspberry Pi can be found on the /boot partition (the FAT32 partition you can open on Windows, Mac and Linux). For the Raspberry Pi 1 (B, B+, A, A+) it is called kernel.img. For the Raspberry Pi 2 (B) it is called kernel7.img. @@ -23,25 +23,25 @@ For the Raspberry Pi 2 (B) it is called kernel7.img. The kernel is one of the few bits of software that wasn't able to run on both the Raspberry Pi 1 CPU (ARM6) and the Raspberry Pi 2 (ARM7) with the same version. Instead the 2 versions had to be compiled separately and the firmware selects the correct one depending on the hardware it detects on boot. -##Kernel sources +## Kernel sources There are 2 main sources for Raspberry Pi kernels. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. - Official Raspberry Pi foundation kernels - Unofficial Raspbian team kernels -####Raspberry Pi foundation kernels +#### Raspberry Pi foundation kernels The Raspberry Pi foundation kernels are the official kernels the Raspberry Pi is shipped with. They are considerably more stripped down than the Raspbian team kernels, but are always the most up to date. For new hardware (like the new USB chip in the B+ or new CPU in Raspberry Pi 2 B), they available on day 1 of the hardware release. They have a number of issues including not being correctly in line with the standard Debian kernels and lacking the header files, required to build custom kernel modules with. They also don't follow the normal installation method and package names in the Raspbian software repositories. For the average user though, these 2 downsides make no difference. The kernel is though currently lacking AUFS support. AUFS is a virtual module for PiNet. -####Raspbian team kernels +#### Raspbian team kernels The Raspbian team maintains their own kernels. The Raspbian team maintain the Raspbian software repositories. Their kernels are based off the standard Debian kernels, and so contain a larger array of modules to support even more hardware. Due to this fact alone, their kernels are larger and take longer to build, although this is rarely an issue. They include proper header files for compiling your own modules and generally more closely follow the standard Debian way of handling kernels, including the standard Debian way of packaging kernels and distributing them using apt. One of the extra modules they include is AUFS, a vital module for PiNet network booting that is currently missing from the Raspberry Pi foundation kernels. One of their major downsides though is they usually arrive quite a bit later than the Raspberry Pi foundation kernels, sometimes a number of weeks later. -###Initramfs +### Initramfs When talking about kernels, another key thing to discuss is the initramfs (also sometimes known as initrd although they are slightly different). The initramfs is a tiny compressed entire filesystem in a single file. It contains a complete mini linux filesystem in 5mb-10mb. The idea behind it is it is an extension of the kernel, containing a number of modules and startup scripts. It can be easily edited, while editing the kernel would require completely recompiling it again! It also allows you to start a mini operating system to load more advanced modules to use as a springboard for loading more advanced operating systems in complicated circumstances, for example network booting! @@ -51,16 +51,16 @@ Then use ```sudo mkinitramfs /boot/myAwesomeInitramfs3.18.img 3.18.6-v7+```. **Note - You must build the initramfs with the exact same kernel version you intend to use. Even if they are out by one minor version or they are out of date with the version on the server, devices (like keyboards and mice) may not work** -##So where does PiNet come into all this? +## So where does PiNet come into all this? With PiNet, the kernel and initramfs version is extremely important. Both live on the SD card with normal Raspberry Pi firmware and all the config files. **PiNet currently uses the Raspbian team kernels as they contain the required extra modules (OverlayFS or AUFS, SquashFS and NBD) which are missing from the Raspberry Pi foundation kernels.** - this is being worked on though. You may notice after software updates to PiNet, sometimes your PiNet clients will randomly reboot just after hitting the login screen a single time. This is because they have detected they are running an out of date version of the kernel files (mismatch with the version on the server) and the server has automatically copied the new kernel and initramfs over to the SD card. It must restart the Pi to apply the update. It should only happen a single time for each SD card on a new kernel update. -##I am impatient and want to try the new kernel features right now! +## I am impatient and want to try the new kernel features right now! You can do this if you compile your own kernel. Kernel compiling is an incredibly CPU intensive job. Although it could be done natively on the Raspberry Pi, it would take many hours. Fortunately we can cross compile (compile it on another more powerful computer) it. -####Building the kernel +#### Building the kernel Adafruit has an excellent kernel building tool that runs on Windows, Mac and Linux called the [Kernel-O-Matic](https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-kernel-o-matic/overview) that is a great place to start. Once it is installed (and you have got as far as ```vagrant ssh```), you need to grab a few extra bits. The main one being AUFS. @@ -89,18 +89,18 @@ To enable a module, hit y when it is selected. Finally, select exit at the bottom (tab then enter). The kernel will start compiling. You will need to do the same for the Pi 2 kernel once the Pi 1 kernel is completed. -####Installing the new kernel +#### Installing the new kernel The new kernel is packaged up inside a .deb file. Follow the instructions on the kernel-o-matic guide on how to get the newly created .deb file. - Once you have it, move it to your PiNet server (via pendrive or FTP) and copy the file into somewhere like ```/opt/ltsp/armhf/tmp```. - Next, switch to the Raspbian OS with ```sudo ltsp-chroot --arch armhf```. - Install the .deb package using ```dpkg -i /tmp/whatYouNamedIt.deb```. -####Generating the initramfs +#### Generating the initramfs We now need to generate the initramfs for the new kernel. To do so (continuing on from above) - Build the initramfs with ```sudo mkinitramfs /boot/myAwesomeInitramfs3.18.img 3.18.6-v7+```. (Remember to change the version number if need be, see initramfs section above). - At this point it would be worth starting a manual recompress of the Raspbian install, the tool can be found in PiNet, in "other" and is called ```NBD-recompress```. -####Install it on the SD card +#### Install it on the SD card - First, start with a normal PiNet SD card. - Delete anything with pervious kernel versions in its name (e.g.```vmlinuz-3.12-1-rpi``` or ```initrd.img-3.12-1-rpi``` etc). Also, if you have it, delete the ```kernel.img``` and ```kernel7.img```. - Copy the new kernel and initramfs from /opt/ltsp/armhf/boot to the SD card. They will be named ```kernel.img```, ```kernel7.img```, ```myAwesomeInitramfs3.18.img```. diff --git a/articles/advanced/keyboard-layout.md b/articles/advanced/keyboard-layout.md index 978609a..e47df65 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/keyboard-layout.md +++ b/articles/advanced/keyboard-layout.md @@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ Changing keyboard mapping If you are having issues with keys in the wrong place on PiNet on your keyboard, you may need to change your keyboard layout. It is recommended you first test it on a running Raspberry Pi then select the final working layout on the server. -###Changing keyboard mapping on a Raspberry Pi +### Changing keyboard mapping on a Raspberry Pi Launch a terminal and enter ```dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration```. This will launch the configuration utility allowing you to select your keyboard model. To test it, enter ```invoke-rc.d keyboard-setup start```. If it does not fix it, try another option in the keyboard-configuration panel. If you loose control of your keyboard, just reboot your Raspberry Pi and all configuration changes will be reverted. -###Changing keyboard mapping for all Raspberry Pis via the server +### Changing keyboard mapping for all Raspberry Pis via the server Once you have figured out the needed keyboard mapping, open a terminal on the server and enter ```sudo ltsp-chroot dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration```. Select the required layout and then recompress the operating system with ```ltsp-update-image /opt/ltsp/armhf```. diff --git a/articles/advanced/network-technologies.md b/articles/advanced/network-technologies.md index 989180a..e38fe49 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/network-technologies.md +++ b/articles/advanced/network-technologies.md @@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ NFS is an older standard that its competitor NBD. It has been proved reliable fo and is still the default for underlying LTSP for Ubuntu and Debian. Keep in mind though PiNet's default is NBD. -###Advantages +### Advantages - Old and reliable. - Well supported on everything. - All changes made to Raspbian from the server are live! No need to recompress the operating system. - Very useful for testing and trying out different changes -###Disadvantages +### Disadvantages - No compression enabled by default with LTSP so slower. - Lacking some newer error detection etc. @@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ NBD NBD is a much newer file sharing technology that is the default for PiNet. With NBD, we have enabled squashfs compression to reduce network traffic by roughly 40%! -###Advantages +### Advantages - Raspberry Pis boos faster and load large applications faster. - Considerably less network traffic transferred across the network due to compression (roughly 40% less). -###Disadvantages +### Disadvantages - Changes are not live. You must recompress the operating system after each change with takes 5-10 minuets. - After a recompress of the operating system, all clients need rebooted. diff --git a/articles/advanced/raspbian-kernels-process.md b/articles/advanced/raspbian-kernels-process.md index 9b187ca..1ecf97c 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/raspbian-kernels-process.md +++ b/articles/advanced/raspbian-kernels-process.md @@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ This guide is mainly written as a reminder for the PiNet team on the process of **WARNING** - This guide was written mainly for myself to on steps to build the SD card boot files. The guide may be missing parts or may be out of date. This guide is not an officially supported piece of documentation, follow at your own risk. -##Steps -###Getting up to date files +## Steps +### Getting up to date files 1. Enter chroot ```sudo ltsp-chroot```. 2. Update the package lists ```apt-get update```. 3. Make sure ```overlay``` is in ```/opt/ltsp/armhf/etc/initramfs-tools/modules```. @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ This guide is mainly written as a reminder for the PiNet team on the process of 9. Copy new firmware files ```cd /opt/ltsp/armhf/boot``` followed by ```cp -r bcm2708-rpi-b.dtb bcm2708-rpi-b-plus.dtb bcm2709-rpi-2-b.dtb bootcode.bin overlays start_cd.elf start.elf start_x.elf fixup_cd.dat fixup.dat fixup_x.dat /home/$USER/newBootFiles/``` then ```cd```. 10. Copy the kernels. Remember you will need to change the names if you are using a different version other than 3.18. ```cd /opt/ltsp/armhf/boot``` followed by ```cp vmlinuz-3.18.0-trunk-rpi vmlinuz-3.18.0-trunk-rpi2 initrd.img-3.18.0-trunk-rpi initrd.img-3.18.0-trunk-rpi2 /home/$USER/newBootFiles/``` then ```cd```. -###Adding OverlayFS support to boot files - No longer needed +### Adding OverlayFS support to boot files - No longer needed This section is kept for reference but is no longer needed. In the 3.18 kernel release, overlayfs was renamed to overlay, which breaks LTSP support for it. We must manually fetch a more up to date version of the script. @@ -39,5 +39,5 @@ In the 3.18 kernel release, overlayfs was renamed to overlay, which breaks LTSP 7. Zip the folder back up again ```find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9 > ../initrd.img-3.18.0-trunk-rpi```. 8. Repeat for Pi2 (initrd.img-3.18.0-trunk-rpi2) -###Final steps +### Final steps The boot files should now be ready. Verify the cmdline files have 1.1.1.1 in them and that the config.txt files are correct. Then copy to an SD card and test. diff --git a/articles/advanced/ssh-information.md b/articles/advanced/ssh-information.md index a711b21..c4dd4a1 100644 --- a/articles/advanced/ssh-information.md +++ b/articles/advanced/ssh-information.md @@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ There is though a few things you need to be aware of. - The Raspberry Pi verifies the provided credentials when a user enters them by using an SSH connection to the server instead of storing the credentials locally. - SSH is enabled by default, although there are no valid user accounts enabled. To SSH into a Raspberry Pi on PiNet, you must enable the root account using ```sudo ltsp-chroot --arch armhf passwd```. Don't forget to recompress the operating system after changing it (can be found in other/NBD-recompress in PiNet). You can log in as root. -##Troubleshooting -###I don't know what the IP address of the Raspberry Pi is? +## Troubleshooting +### I don't know what the IP address of the Raspberry Pi is? Open a terminal on the Raspberry Pi and enter ```hostname -I```. It should print the current IP address of the Raspberry Pi. -###I am getting key errors when trying to connect to the Raspberry Pi or getting other random errors. +### I am getting key errors when trying to connect to the Raspberry Pi or getting other random errors. Sometimes the ssh keys are not generated correctly on PiNet clients. To regenerate the keys, reconfigure the openssh-server using ```sudo ltsp-chroot --arch armhf dpkg-reconfigure openssh-server```. Don't forget to recompress the operating system after changing it (can be found in other/NBD-recompress in PiNet). diff --git a/articles/backups/backups.md b/articles/backups/backups.md index 4fdba7e..0671e0b 100644 --- a/articles/backups/backups.md +++ b/articles/backups/backups.md @@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ You should not save backups onto the same hard drive as you installed Ubuntu and PiNet onto. Backups should be saved onto an external hard drive for example. -##Configuring a backup +## Configuring a backup 1. Select backup-Menu. ![](/assets/images/image57.jpeg) diff --git a/articles/faq.md b/articles/faq.md index fd9c963..667697b 100644 --- a/articles/faq.md +++ b/articles/faq.md @@ -3,35 +3,35 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -##Frequently asked questions +## Frequently asked questions I get a number of frequently asked questions about PiNet, here are the answers to a few. -- ###How much does PiNet software cost? +- ### How much does PiNet software cost? PiNet is completely free. The software is free and opensource. It is released under the GNU General Public Licence version 2 which you can view [here](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pinet/PiNet/master/LICENSE). -- ###Can I run the server off a Raspberry Pi? +- ### Can I run the server off a Raspberry Pi? Although there is nothing stopping it in theory, doing this is unsupported and not recommended. The Raspberry Pi only has a 100mbit Ethernet port, 10 times slower than the modern standard available on most computers in the past few years of 1000mbit (or gigabit) Ethernet. This means boots will be slow for more than 1 or 2 Raspberry Pis. -- ###Does it support wifi? +- ### Does it support wifi? No. PiNet does not support wifi. Wifi is way too slow for this type of thing unless you use an expensive wifi high quality adapter. As most people buy cheap ones that aren't great (although claim to be!), boot speed would be drastically hit. Plus, keep in mind how wifi works. It has a shared bandwidth, for wireless N, the standard is roughly 150mbit/s. This 150mbit/s is shared between all devices on the network (unless using 2 networks via 2.4GHz and 5GHz, in this case you have 300mbit). A Raspberry Pi basically requires 50mbit/s to boot at a decent speed, so you could just about get 3 Raspberry Pis booting. But with wireless you have a number of other overheads and stuff like walls in the way and just general interference dropping the speed further. To put this into perspective, standard gigabit Ethernet provides 1000mbit/s... 150mbit/s vs 1000mbit/s. So although it is possible, the amount of work required to integrate common drivers etc into the initramfs and get it all tested massively outweighs the benefits, so no, PiNet does not support wifi. -- ###Is it much slower than running standard Raspbian off a normal SD card? +- ### Is it much slower than running standard Raspbian off a normal SD card? Other than bootup, for most application no. Bootup takes roughly 30 seconds longer with the Raspberry Pi 1 (including B+) on most networks. The new Raspberry Pi 2 though boots just as fast as from an SD card, off the PiNet server. For more detailed benchmarks, check out the [benchmark section](advanced/benchmarks). -- ###Is the Raspberry Pi model B+ supported by PiNet? +- ### Is the Raspberry Pi model B+ supported by PiNet? Yes! As long as you are running at least version 0.7.2. -- ###Is the Raspberry Pi 2 (model B) supported by PiNet? +- ### Is the Raspberry Pi 2 (model B) supported by PiNet? Yes! As long as you are running at least version 0.10.42. -- ###I was running Release 0.10.25 and can't update to newer versions? +- ### I was running Release 0.10.25 and can't update to newer versions? There was a bug in version 0.10.25 which broke the auto updater. If you applied this update, please manually redownload PiNet using ```wget --content-disposition http://pi-ltsp.net/downloadalpha``` followed by ```sudo bash pinet```. This should manually apply the most recent update. -- ###I see "LTSP" mentioned in a number of places, what is it? +- ### I see "LTSP" mentioned in a number of places, what is it? The [Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP)](http://www.ltsp.org/) is the base that PiNet is built upon. It includes a number of scripts for setting up and managing thin and fat clients. It has the issue though that the documentation for it is limited and is all managed from the commandline. Another major issue is that the Raspbian SD card images provided by the Raspberry Pi Foundation are very heavily tweaked versions of base Raspbian. These tweaks need to all be added afterwards when simply using LTSP itself. To get around the difficulties of LTSP for new users and to add the required tweaks, PiNet (previously RaspberryPi-LTSP) was born. It adds an easy to use graphical frontend to the system and includes a number of extra features including shared folders, student work handin and automated backups. PiNet was built with help and support from a number of the awesome LTSP developers. The list can be found in the [thanks section](thanks.html). diff --git a/articles/general-features.md b/articles/general-features.md index 1e3488e..2532930 100644 --- a/articles/general-features.md +++ b/articles/general-features.md @@ -3,17 +3,17 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#General PiNet Features +# General PiNet Features PiNet has a number of other features designed to make setting up Raspberry Pis in a classroom even easier including shared folders, automated backups and collecting students work. -##Installing extra software +## Installing extra software Although PiNet comes built in with every piece of software from standard Raspbian SD card images (including a number of extra pieces of software), you may want to add your own packages need for your class. To do this, you have 2 options. 1. The easy way - If it is in the Raspbian repositories (aka can be installed via ```apt-get install```) or is one of the preconfigured packages ready to install automatically (like ```libreoffice```), use the [PiNet software installation tool](installation/installing-software.html). 2. The hard way - If the package you want to install is not in the Raspbian repositories, you must install it manually outside PiNet, see the [editing-outside guide](http://pi-ltsp.net/advanced/editing-outsite.html). -##Automatic backups +## Automatic backups It is **highly** recommended if your students are working on critical work (like controlled assessments or assessed work), that you enable backups of their work. If your server is already backed up automatically (for example if it is a virtual machine on the school server which is backed up every night), then you don't need to worry. If you set up your own system and it is not already being automatically backed up, you should enable the [PiNet backup utility](backups/backups.html). @@ -21,24 +21,24 @@ It allows you to configure the entire server home folder (which stores all the u **DO NOT STORE THE BACKUP ON THE MAIN INTERNAL HARD DRIVE!** If you do this, there isn't much point of a backup as all it takes is for that hard drive to fail and you loose everything. **Do note, the PiNet backup utility is still pre-alpha and is supplied with no guarantee, it is your responsibility to frequently check the backups are successfully being created.** -##Collecting students work +## Collecting students work Collecting work from students can be a major issue with Raspberry Pis. The normal way to do it is by plugging in a USB flash drive into the Raspberry Pi or uploading it to the internet. PiNet comes with a built in solution called ```Collect work```. The collect work system system fetches the students work from each user account from the ```handin``` folder which can be found ```/home/username/handin```. More information on this can be found on the [handin page](collect-work.html). -##Shared folders +## Shared folders PiNet comes with a shared folder system similar to a lot of Windows or Mac OS school networks. Shared folders on PiNet are available with 2 permission levels, pupil read only or pupil read/write. Teachers can always edit any file in a shared folder. To create a shared folder, check the [shared folder page](shared-folders/shared-folders.html). -##Updating SD card image +## Updating SD card image A number of boot files must be placed on the SD card to connect the Raspberry Pi to PiNet. These include a number of configuration files and the Kernel. From time to time updates for these will be provided. Also stored on the SD card is the IP address of the server so the Raspberry Pis know what to connect to. If this changes or if new boot files are released, you may want to update the SD card image folder. To do this, use the Update-SD option. For more information on Update-SD, check the [Update-SD page](sd-card-update.html). -##Epoptes classroom management software +## Epoptes classroom management software PiNet comes with the ability to easily install Epoptes. Epoptes is a free classroom management suite for helping manage Linux computers. Although not all features work on the Raspberry Pi, it is still worth trying out as it does have a number of excellent features that do work with Raspberry Pis. These include diff --git a/articles/guides.md b/articles/guides.md index 1f822ef..3120550 100644 --- a/articles/guides.md +++ b/articles/guides.md @@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ Note - Some documentation pages may still have mentions of Raspi-LTSP, ignore th ![](/assets/images/desktop-sonic-pi.jpeg) -##[Getting started](installation/getting_started.html) +## [Getting started](installation/getting_started.html) - ### [Installing Ubuntu](installation/installing-ubuntu.html) - ### [Installing PiNet](installation/installing-PiNet.html) - ### [Copy boot files to SD card](installation/sd-card-copy.html) - ### [Installing Ubuntu using VirtualBox (optional)](installation/virtualbox.html) -##[Managing users](manage-users/manage-users.html) +## [Managing users](manage-users/manage-users.html) - ### [Creating a new user](manage-users/creating-users.html) - ### [Deleting a user](manage-users/deleting-users.html) - ### [Changing a users password](manage-users/change-password.html) @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Note - Some documentation pages may still have mentions of Raspi-LTSP, ignore th - ### [Migrating user data (for moving to a new PiNet server)](manage-users/migration.html) - ### [Import users from CSV file](manage-users/csv-import.html) -##[General features](general-features.html) +## [General features](general-features.html) - ### [Key information](key-info.html) - ### [Installing additional software](installation/installing-software.html) @@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Note - Some documentation pages may still have mentions of Raspi-LTSP, ignore th - ### [PiNet Benchmarks](advanced/benchmarks.html) - ### [Editing Raspbian outside of PiNet](advanced/editing-outside.html) - ### [Boot files explanation](advanced/boot-files.html) -- ### [Supported addon boards](advanced/supported-addon-boards.html) +- ### [Supported addon boards](advanced/supported-addon-boards.html) - ### [Understanding network technologies](advanced/network-technologies.html) - ### [Changing the default desktop and login screen background](advanced/change-background.html) - ### [Changing keyboard mapping](advanced/keyboard-layout.html) @@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ Note - Some documentation pages may still have mentions of Raspi-LTSP, ignore th - ### [Web filtering](advanced/web-filtering.html) - ### [Additional languages](advanced/additional-languages.html) -##Other +## Other - ### [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting/troubleshooting.html) - ### [Frequently asked questions](faq.html) -##Contributing +## Contributing All the documentation written in markdown can be found in the [Github repository](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io). If you see **issues/typos/mistakes/etc** in this documentation please feel free to send in [pull requests](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/pulls) to fix them or open an [issue](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/issues). If you want to **contribute** to the documentation (**please do!!**) then check out the [contributing guide](CONTRIBUTING.html) diff --git a/articles/installation/getting_started.md b/articles/installation/getting_started.md index 8cb5828..4358881 100644 --- a/articles/installation/getting_started.md +++ b/articles/installation/getting_started.md @@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Getting started with PiNet +# Getting started with PiNet ![](/assets/images/raspi-login.jpeg) -##What is PiNet? +## What is PiNet? PiNet is a free and open source project for helping schools set up and manage a Raspberry Pi classroom. It has been developed alongside teachers with feedback from over 15 countries across the world. Its key features include @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Its key features include The server software is installed on a computer running Ubuntu Linux 14.04 (which also is completely free). You must then connect the server and Raspberry Pis together by using a wired network. **Note Wifi is not supported** - More information on WiFi [here](../faq.html). -##Ok, I am interested... How do I get started? +## Ok, I am interested... How do I get started? First you need to grab the required equipment. - An old desktop/laptop computer for the server with a gigabit ethernet port. - A network switch (requires at least a single gigabit or 1000/100/10mbit port for the server). @@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ First you need to grab the required equipment. - Some Ethernet cables. - A Raspberry Pi and SD card with a size of at least 128mb (so yes, 2gb, 4gb, 8gb etc cards will also work). -###I dont have a spare old desktop/laptop computer sitting around currently.. +### I dont have a spare old desktop/laptop computer sitting around currently.. **It is not recommended to use this method in a production environment and it is not officially supported.** You can also install a virtual copy of Ubuntu onto another computer to try it out first. This comes with the advantage it is all self contained. If you don't like PiNet, you can just delete the entire virtual machine (is contained in a single file). diff --git a/articles/installation/installing-PiNet.md b/articles/installation/installing-PiNet.md index 3b7cb94..6fe9c93 100644 --- a/articles/installation/installing-PiNet.md +++ b/articles/installation/installing-PiNet.md @@ -95,6 +95,6 @@ Lets get started! setting up an automatic backup of your students work to an external hard drive in case of hard drive failure. -##Copying to SD card +## Copying to SD card Now that you have installed PiNet, you need to copy the boot files to an SD card. [Copy boot files to SD card](sd-card-copy.html) diff --git a/articles/installation/installing-ubuntu.md b/articles/installation/installing-ubuntu.md index e6ea68a..42d0298 100644 --- a/articles/installation/installing-ubuntu.md +++ b/articles/installation/installing-ubuntu.md @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Ubuntu +# Ubuntu Linux itself is actually a family of different distributions, all their own Operating Systems but based on the Linux Kernel. Ubuntu is one of @@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ software and security updates till April 2019. The codename for 14.04 is Trusty Tahr. -#Installation +# Installation -##Creating Ubuntu Installation Disk +## Creating Ubuntu Installation Disk First you need to create an installation media for installing Ubuntu on your server computer. This can be in the form of a disk or a USB flash drive. Creating and booting from a disk is easier for beginners. Ubuntu have a number of guides for different operating systems for creating an Ubuntu 14.04 installation disk from @@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Select the one you are going to create the installation DVD from. You will need - [Mac](http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-mac-osx) - [Ubuntu Linux](http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-ubuntu) -##Installing Ubuntu 14.04 +## Installing Ubuntu 14.04 Please make sure your server machine has no important information left @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Wired Ethernet is preferable for installation. from the drive and select “Restart now”. ![](/assets/images/image10.jpeg) -##Installing PiNet +## Installing PiNet Now that Ubuntu is installed, you can move onto installing PiNet. [Installing PiNet](installing-PiNet.html) diff --git a/articles/installation/virtualbox.md b/articles/installation/virtualbox.md index 9542501..216a346 100644 --- a/articles/installation/virtualbox.md +++ b/articles/installation/virtualbox.md @@ -9,19 +9,19 @@ Virtualbox with PiNet Virtualbox provides a free, simple and easy to use solution for virtualising your PiNet server. -##Virtualisation... what is that? +## Virtualisation... what is that? Virtualisation is basically running a second *virtual* computer inside (and at the same time as) your normal computer. Each virtual install is completely separate from anything else, as the virtual hard drive is just a single file, you can delete the entire virtual operating system extremely easily. Virtualisation should not be confused with multithreading or hyper-threading. These only run 1 operating system but allow you to run more than 1 program at a time. Do note though, you need a slightly more powerful computer than if just installing Ubuntu directly to the internal hard drive (as it has to run your normally operating system and Ubuntu at the same time). -##Do I need a special type of computer? +## Do I need a special type of computer? A duel core or quad core computer from the past 4-5 years with at least 4GB of ram is highly recommended. If you run into issues with virtualisation (crashes or failing to load), you may want to check as hardware CPU virtualisation may have to be turned on in your BIOS. On Intel based processors this is called ```Intel Virtualisation Technology``` or ```Intel-VT``` and on AMD processors it is called ```AMD-V```. -##Ok, lets get started +## Ok, lets get started 1. Download Ubuntu 14.04 for your platform (32 bit or 64 bit, if in doubt download the 32 bit version) from [here](http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/). 2. Download Virtualbox platform package for your host operating system (aka Windows, Mac or Linux) from [here](https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads). This should be what your computer is currently running. @@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ Once you have decided your size, select ```Create```. [Installing Ubuntu guide.](installing-ubuntu.html) Once you are finished, check back here for changing key settings like networking settings. **This is essential or you system will not work!** -##Configuring Virtualbox virtual machine +## Configuring Virtualbox virtual machine There is a number of things you may want to change with the virtual machine. To open the settings panel, right click the virtual machine in VirtualBox and select ```Settings...``` -###CPUs +### CPUs You can change the number of CPU cores the virtual machine has access to. By default virtualbox will only assign a single processor. If the computer you are using has many processor cores, it would be worth assigning more to the virtual machine. **It is not recommended assigning any more than 50% of your CPU cores to the virtual machine unless you know what you are doing.** @@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ You can change the number of CPU cores the virtual machine has access to. By def 2. Select the ```Processor``` subtab. Here you can drag the slider to select how many processor cores you wish to assign to the virtual machine. ![Virtualbox](/assets/images/virtualbox-9.jpeg) -###Networking +### Networking VirtualBox has a number of ways to create a virtual network card for the server. Each of them has their uses but also their issues. **To use PiNet, you must change the network adapter from the default.** 1. After opening settings, select the ```Network``` tab. @@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ VirtualBox has a number of ways to create a virtual network card for the server. 4. Once bridged adapter is selected, select your network card from the dropdown box. Most computers come with 2 network cards, a wired Ethernet card (you should be using this one) and a wireless card. **Make sure the wired Ethernet card is selected!** If you do not know which is the wired and wireless card, Googling their names may help. -###Guest additions +### Guest additions It can be a good idea to install the Virtualbox guest additions. These are additional software modules/drivers to improve compatibility with Virtualbox. Once you install them, a few additional features are added, including support for bidirectional copy and paste support between the virtual machine and the host operating system, more importantly it adds the missing screen resolution detection modules for Ubuntu 14.04, allowing you to resize the screen. To install them, launch the Ubuntu virtual machine, open a terminal and enter diff --git a/articles/key-info.md b/articles/key-info.md index e648025..710c0f4 100644 --- a/articles/key-info.md +++ b/articles/key-info.md @@ -3,18 +3,18 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#PiNet Key Information +# PiNet Key Information This page contains some key information for PiNet that may be useful, especially when trying to diagnose issues. -##General +## General - PiNet is licensed under the [GNU General Public License version 2](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet/blob/dev/LICENSE). - PiNet documentation is licensed under the [MIT license](https://github.com/PiNet/PiNet.github.io/blob/master/LICENSE). - Both licenses allow the full PiNet system to be used in commercial and non commercial environments. - PiNet sets up the Raspberry Pis as **fat clients!** Not thin clients! Fat clients do all the processing locally on the Raspberry Pi, meaning you have full access to all the local hardware features like the GPIO pins and the camera module port. - PiNet is based on the [Linux Terminal Server Project](http://www.ltsp.org/). -##Hardware requipments +## Hardware requipments - The server must be able to reliably run Ubuntu 14.04 and have a gigabit ethernet port. There are no minimum hardware requirements provided, but a machine with at least 2gb of RAM is recommended. - The supported Raspberry Pi models are - Raspberry Pi 1 Model B revision 1 - Can sometimes have issues due to very limited RAM. @@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ This page contains some key information for PiNet that may be useful, especially - UDOO -##Data +## Data - All user data is stored on the server, not the Raspberry Pis. It is stored in ```/home/```. - The Raspbian based operating system is built from the base packages from the Raspbian repositories. **It is not built from a Raspbian SD card image.** Instead, it is built a very similar way to the Raspbian images are, using a lot of code from Alex Bradbury's excellent [Spindle](https://github.com/asb/spindle) tool. This approach means that the PiNet Raspbian version will lag a little behind the Raspberry Pi Foundations SD card images. **Not all features may be brought across from the Raspberry Pi Foundation SD card images if they are deemed unnecessary or unneeded for PiNet.** - Raspbian files are stored in ```/opt/ltsp/armhf```. @@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ This page contains some key information for PiNet that may be useful, especially - By default, SquashFS is also used. The idea is that the operating system stored in ```/opt/ltsp/armhf``` is compressed into a single file which is then stored in ```/opt/ltsp/images```. By compressing the image, on average we get a 40% reduction in network traffic between the server and the Raspberry Pis. - If using SquashFS, you must recompress the SD card image after every change you make to Raspbian. PiNet automatically does this, but if you manually edit it outside PiNet, you must force it yourself. More info on this on the [editing outside](advanced/editing-outside.html) page. -##Users and groups +## Users and groups - All users on PiNet are just normal Linux users. - They must be in the ```pupil```, ```dialout``` and ```video``` groups as a minimum. PiNet automatically does this when added a new user inside the software. - PiNet can also manually be told to check every user is in the correct groups by running the ```Group-check``` menu option in ```Manage-Users```. - Teachers should also be in ```teacher``` group. This gives them access to Epoptes control panel and shared all shared folders read/write. -##SD Card +## SD Card - The SD card image contains just the required files to start the Raspberry Pi booting and connect it to the server. - In the ```cmdline.txt``` file is the IP address for the server. This is fixed on the SD card image. You can though edit it to a different address if your server changes IP address. If you wish to edit it, change the address after ```nbbroot=```. - The main things contained on the SD card are the Kernel, the Initramfs, Raspberry Pi firmware blobs and the configuration files (main ones being ```cmdline.txt``` and ```config.txt```). There is also a ```version.txt``` file which is used by the server to verify the SD card image is in sync with the server. @@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ This page contains some key information for PiNet that may be useful, especially - Sometimes, updates are released for the kernels. As the SD card images are manually built, they must be updated. This can take a few days. - Once a PiNet SD card image update is released, you are notified the next time your server is connected to the internet and it is auto applied to SD cards. This works most of the time, but if you have issues just run ```Update-SD``` to build a new SD card image and copy it across. -##Project +## Project - The project is completely open source and free. It contains no advertising. - The lead developer is [Andrew Mulholland](http://pi.gbaman.info/?page_id=90). - The main code is split into 2 branches, stable and dev (also know as bleeding edge). Dev branch has new experimental features that may or may not make it into PiNet stable. @@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ This page contains some key information for PiNet that may be useful, especially - The main site for the project can be found at [http://PiNet.org.uk](http://PiNet.org.uk). - PiNet is mainly written in BASH with a number of supporting functions also written in Python 3. -##Networking +## Networking - PiNet server is by default completely passive on a network. **It does not include a DHCP server.** It just Raspberry Pis to be able to connect to it. - An internet connection to at least the server is recommended for updates, but not required. - For any more than a few Raspberry Pis, a gigabit (1000/100/10mbit/s) network is required. diff --git a/articles/manage-users/csv-import.md b/articles/manage-users/csv-import.md index bc0569e..830459b 100644 --- a/articles/manage-users/csv-import.md +++ b/articles/manage-users/csv-import.md @@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Import users from CSV file +# Import users from CSV file PiNet includes a utility to batch import users from other systems using a CSV file. It was initially designed for use with SIMS.net, but there is no reason it couldn't be used with any application that can export users as a CSV file. -##Data format +## Data format The CSV file must be in the form of an MS-DOS Comma Separated Values file (Microsoft Excel) or a Text CSV file (Libreoffice). Other CSV file formats may not be supported. The formatting required is very simple @@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ An example CSV file can be found [here](/assets/images/csvExample.csv). -##Importing CSV file +## Importing CSV file You will be asked to enter a default password when importing the users, if any of your users don't have an attached password (in column 2), then the selected default password will be used. diff --git a/articles/manage-users/manage-users.md b/articles/manage-users/manage-users.md index 89e4f74..d11dfcf 100644 --- a/articles/manage-users/manage-users.md +++ b/articles/manage-users/manage-users.md @@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -##Managing user accounts +## Managing user accounts The Manage user users submenu contains all the tools for working with the users and groups on the system. Although there are graphical tools available that perform similar functions, it is much quicker using the built in tools. -##Tools +## Tools - [Creating a new user](creating-users.html) diff --git a/articles/manage-users/staff-sudo.md b/articles/manage-users/staff-sudo.md index 396c3f5..4aab242 100644 --- a/articles/manage-users/staff-sudo.md +++ b/articles/manage-users/staff-sudo.md @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -##Staff +## Staff PiNet supports two levels of user permissions. @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Staff have **full access** to PiNet control panel, Epoptes control panel and are Members of the staff group should keep their login credentials secure and use a strong password. -###Adding a member of staff +### Adding a member of staff 1. Create the user as normal through the ```Create-user``` option in ```Manage-users```. 2. Select ```Add-staff``` from the ```Manage-users``` menu. ![](/assets/images/Add-staff-1.jpeg) diff --git a/articles/sd-card-update.md b/articles/sd-card-update.md index 88c1826..858ac51 100644 --- a/articles/sd-card-update.md +++ b/articles/sd-card-update.md @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Updating the SD card image +# Updating the SD card image You may need to update the SD card image if the server IP address changes or if a new Kernel is released. It is usually a good idea to update your SD cards with the new boot files every few months. diff --git a/articles/thanks.md b/articles/thanks.md index 42619a5..62034b3 100644 --- a/articles/thanks.md +++ b/articles/thanks.md @@ -3,30 +3,30 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Thanks +# Thanks A huge number of people have helped make PiNet possible. I have tried to list as many as possible below, but if I have forgotten anyone, please let me know! -##Development/code support -###PiNet core development team +## Development/code support +### PiNet core development team - [Andrew Mulholland (aka @gbaman1)](https://twitter.com/gbaman1) - [Tim Golden (aka @tjguk)](https://twitter.com/tjguk) -###LTSP development team +### LTSP development team - [Alkis Georgopoulos (aka alksig)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AlkisGeorgopoulos) - Vagrant Cascadian (aka Vagrantc) -###General +### General - [Peter Green (aka Plugwash)](http://www.p10link.net/plugwash/) - [Alex Bradbury (@asbradbury)](https://twitter.com/asbradbury) -##System testing -###Pre Alpha +## System testing +### Pre Alpha - [Ben Smith (aka @ManchesterBudo)](https://twitter.com/ManchesterBudo) - [Harry Mills (aka @hgsmills1)](https://twitter.com/hgsmills1) - [Craig Richardson (aka @CraigArgh)](https://twitter.com/CraigArgh) - [Dave Honess (aka @DaveSpice)](https://twitter.com/dave_spice) -###Early Alpha +### Early Alpha - [Ryan Walamsley (aka @ryanteck)](https://twitter.com/ryanteck) - [Haddad Nidal (aka @haddad_nadal)](https://twitter.com/haddad_nidal) @@ -37,14 +37,14 @@ A huge number of people have helped make PiNet possible. I have tried to list as - [Simon Walters (aka @cymplecy)](https://twitter.com/cymplecy) - [Jason Barnett (aka @boeeerb)](https://twitter.com/boeeerb) -###Alpha +### Alpha There are way too many people to mention here! You all know who you are, you took the leap to try out the software and test it in your schools/organisations. I really appreciate all your feedback. -###Prerelease Beta +### Prerelease Beta - [Graham Taylor (aka @vinnievg)](https://twitter.com/vinnievg) - [Rob Jones (aka @robjones_cowley)](https://twitter.com/robjones_cowley) -##Bug finding +## Bug finding - [Vincent Lee](https://vlee.me/) - [Liam Nicholson](http://lia.mn/) - [Oli Gryphius](http://fuglu.org/) @@ -54,17 +54,17 @@ There are way too many people to mention here! You all know who you are, you too - Richard Barnes - Suneil Basu -##Other help -###Documentation Website +## Other help +### Documentation Website - [Ben Nuttall (aka @Ben_Nuttall)](https://twitter.com/ben_nuttall) - [Andrew Bolster (aka @Bolster)](https://twitter.com/bolster) - [Frank Thomas-Hockey (aka @fth_nix)](https://twitter.com/fth_nix) - [Helen Lynn (aka @helenlynn)](https://twitter.scom/helenlynn) -###PiNet Github account +### PiNet Github account - [Giancarlo Finesso](http://www.pinet.it/index.php/it/) -###Artwork +### Artwork - [Andy Hunt](http://www.andyhunt.com/) - [Paul Beech (aka @Guru)](https://twitter.com/guru) - [Amy Mather (aka @MiniGirlGeek)](https://twitter.com/minigirlgeek) diff --git a/articles/troubleshooting/boot-issues.md b/articles/troubleshooting/boot-issues.md index 1904d53..e2b7175 100644 --- a/articles/troubleshooting/boot-issues.md +++ b/articles/troubleshooting/boot-issues.md @@ -3,35 +3,35 @@ title: "PiNet, a centralised user accounts and file storage system for a Raspber layout: article --- -#Boot issues +# Boot issues There are a number of reason your Raspberry Pi may fail to boot from the PiNet server. **Note the video above includes hard written transcriptions which may help with some commands.** -##Blank screen or rainbow screen +## Blank screen or rainbow screen If you get a blank screen or a rainbow screen, this is most likely to be 1 of 2 possible issues -###Incorrectly formatted SD card +### Incorrectly formatted SD card If the SD card does not have a FAT partition as the 1st partition with all the generated boot files, the Raspberry Pi will fail to load. The fix for this is reformat the entire card. See the [SD card guide](../installation/sd-card-copy.html) for how to do this. -###Corrupt or missing boot files +### Corrupt or missing boot files If the SD card is formatted correctly, but the boot files are corrupt or missing, it will also fail to boot. Check the config.txt file and check the files defined after ```kernel``` and ```initramfs``` exist on the SD card root. If in any doubt, copy the entire folder over from the server PiBoot folder again. -##It starts up but never reaches the login screen +## It starts up but never reaches the login screen This usually means it can't correctly connect to the PiNet server. This can be identified by if the console shows ```Giving up``` errors or if it drops out into an ```(initramfs)``` prompt. -###Check the cmdline.txt file +### Check the cmdline.txt file As the server IP address is saved in the cmdline.txt file on the SD card, make sure it is correct. You can view the server IP address by opening PiNet. It is displayed in the top right. Check that this is the same as on the SD card in the cmdline.txt file. If not, change it to the correct address. -###Can you ping the server? +### Can you ping the server? If you are dropped out into an ```initramfs``` shell, trying entering ```ping``` followed by the server IP address from above. You should get something like ```64 bytes from...``` which means it is receveing a reply. If you get ```Request timeout for icmp_seq...``` then there isn't a direct link between the Raspberry Pi and the server. Check your cables. Is there perhaps some sort of firewall in the middle? -###Check the OS installed correctly +### Check the OS installed correctly On the server, open a terminal and enter ```ls /opt/ltsp/armhf```. If you see a folder titled ```debootstrap``` then this means the PiNet software failed to correctly build Raspbian. This usually happens because the internet drops out half way through or your network is blocking access to part of the Raspbian repositories. To fix this issue, it is highly recommended you start from the start again, reinstalling Ubuntu then PiNet to make sure everything is cleared out. If it continues to fail, try installing PiNet using a different internet connection, perhaps try taking the server home? -##I have an error not listed here or suggestions aren't working +## I have an error not listed here or suggestions aren't working If these suggestions don't help, you may want to contact [support](../support.html). diff --git a/articles/troubleshooting/overclock-issues.md b/articles/troubleshooting/overclock-issues.md index c26982f..f9cde55 100644 --- a/articles/troubleshooting/overclock-issues.md +++ b/articles/troubleshooting/overclock-issues.md @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ This is supported by the Raspberry Pi foundation and for most users is not an is Some users though have reported issues with this with older Raspberry Pis (or dodgy power supplies). These issues usually manifest themselves in power hungry applications (especially Minecraft Pi edition) crashing or black-screening. -###Disabling overclocking +### Disabling overclocking You can easily disable overclocking by modifying the Piboot folder and copying it over to the SD card. In the folder is a file called config_standard.txt and also a file called config.txt. Delete config.txt file and copy and rename the config_standard.txt file to config.txt. This file is exactly the same as the initial config.txt file except it does not have any overclocking settings so the Raspberry Pi will default to no overclocking. diff --git a/articles/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md b/articles/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md index 1c40c0b..cf62b6f 100644 --- a/articles/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md +++ b/articles/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Troubleshooting **Note this section is far from completion and is getting added to as people report issues. If you have an issue not reported here, consider dropping support an [email](../support.html).** -##Troubleshooting guides +## Troubleshooting guides - [Bootup/startup issues](boot-issues.html) - [Some applications (like Minecraft) frequently crashing or failing to start](overclock-issues.html)