One year ago we had this weather at the same time:

At Feburary the 13th 2010 we’ve got a new dog, Max. It was from a local pet shelter. After the former owner died it stayed there for 6 month.

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Simply follow the instructions in this howto:

http://wiki.debian.org/LTSP/Howto

(look for: “If you want to use newer LTSP related packages …”)

Here is a step-by-step solution that work’s for me.

Note: This is a description for a scanner physically connected to a terminal (not to the server).

A.) This first step is optional (for Epson scanners only):

If you have an Epson Perfection 2480 Photo (or another Epson scanner) you may need the firmware files. Get it here:

http://www.avasys.jp/english/linux_e/dl_scan.html

You have to select the model and the distribution that you are using, for me it is the Perfection 2480 PHOTO (same as the GT-F500).

I downloaded this file: <iscan-plugin-gt-f500-1.0.0-1.c2.i386.rpm>. The extension c2 is for for gcc 3.4 or later (fits perfectly for my i386 etch clients).

To convert this rpm file I use alien, so type in an xterm (as root):

apt-get install alien

Then I convert the package in an tgz file:

alien –to-tgz iscan-plugin-gt-f500-1.0.0-1.c2.i386.rpm

List all files to search for the firmware with:

tar -tzf iscan-plugin-gt-f500-1.0.0.tgz

and extract the firmware file:

tar -x -zf iscan-plugin-gt-f500-1.0.0.tgz ./usr/share/iscan/esfw41.bin

Then copy the firmware file to it’s new location:

cd ./usr/share/iscan/

cp esfw41.bin /opt/ltsp/i386/usr/lib/hotplug/firmware

B.) chroot

You have to be root in the chroot LTSP client environment for the next steps, so get the power with these commands in an xterm (or equivalent):

su

chroot /opt/ltsp/i386

C.) Install necessary packages

Thanks to the Debian package system it’s easy to get almost all software:

apt-get install libexif12 libgphoto2-2 libgphoto2-port0 libieee1284-3 libltdl3 libsane libsane-extras sane-utils

D.) User ‘saned’ needs an additional group:

usermod -a -G scanner saned

E.) Modify /etc/inetd.conf

Open /etc/inetd.conf (e.g. with vi) and add at the end of the file (after ‘#:OTHER: Other services’) this line:

sane-port stream tcp nowait saned.saned /usr/sbin/saned saned

F.) The initial openbsd-inetd links are wrong.

Delete them with (be sure that you are in the client – chroot!):

rm /etc/rc*/*openbsd*

Create new one’s:

ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc2.d/S20openbsd-inetd
ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc3.d/S20openbsd-inetd
ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc4.d/S20openbsd-inetd
ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc5.d/S20openbsd-inetd

ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc0.d/K20openbsd-inetd
ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc1.d/K20openbsd-inetd
ln -s ../init.d/openbsd-inetd /etc/rc6.d/K20openbsd-inetd

Check if everything is fine:

ls -l /etc/rc*/*openbsd*

G.) Leave chroot

Leave the chroot:

exit

H.) Install necessary packages (server)

Thanks to the Debian package system it’s easy to get almost all software (as root):

apt-get install libsane libsane-extras sane-utils

I.) Set user grants

You have to set the saned group for every scanner user, e.g. for the user ‘jumako’:

usermod -a -G saned jumako

J.) saned.conf – Configuration (client)

cd /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/sane.d

Modify the saned.conf file. Put the IP – address of your server, e.g.:

#
# saned.conf
#
# The contents of the saned.conf file is a list of host names, IP
# addresses or IP subnets (CIDR notation) that are permitted to use local
# SANE devices. IPv6 addresses must be enclosed in brackets, and should
# always be specified in their compressed form.
#
# The hostname matching is not case-sensitive.
#
192.168.0.11

K.) net.conf – Configuration (client)

cd /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/sane.d

Modify the net.conf file. Put the IP – addresses & names of your server, scanner – terminal – client and localhost here, e.g.:

# This is the net config file. Each line names a host to attach to.
# If you list “localhost” then your backends can be accessed either
# directly or through the net backend. Going through the net backend
# may be necessary to access devices that need special privileges.
192.168.0.59
x09
localhost
192.168.0.11
s01

Explanation: x09 & 192.168.0.59 is the IP and the name of my scanner – terminal, s01 & 192.168.0.11 is the IP and the name of my server. Normally the IP should be sufficient but I saw a lot of trouble in the past with this configuration, so I use both.

L.) Modify the dll.conf (client)

cd /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/sane.d

Enable only two lines, one with ‘net’ and the other one with the name of your (!) scanner backend (for me: snapscan -> works with Epson scanner).

It has to look like this:

# enable the next line if you want to allow access through the network:
net
snapscan
#abaton
#agfafocus
#apple
#avision
#artec
#artec_eplus48u
#as6e
…

Here you find an overview of supported backends:

http://www.sane-project.org/sane-mfgs.html

M.) Modify the conf – file of your scanner backend (client)

cd /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/sane.d

This step depends on your scanner.

For me I only have to modify this line in the ‘snapscan.conf’ file (the firmware location from step A.):

firmware /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/esfw41.bin

You find some information within the specific conf – file.

N.) Modify dll.conf (server)

cd /etc/sane.d/

Modify dll.conf.

Enable only the line with ‘net’.

It has to look like this:

# enable the next line if you want to allow access through the network:
net
#abaton
#agfafocus
#apple
#avision
#artec
#artec_eplus48u
#as6e
…

O.) Modify net.conf (server)

cd /etc/sane.d/

Modify net.conf.

Put the IP – address of your scanner – terminal – client (!) here, e.g.:

# This is the net config file. Each line names a host to attach to.
# If you list “localhost” then your backends can be accessed either
# directly or through the net backend. Going through the net backend
# may be necessary to access devices that need special privileges.
192.168.0.59

P.) Restart your client terminal and your are ready

I was very close to switching back to LTSP 4.2 in the last few weeks (due to the printing and scanning problems). But at least I think the LTSP 5 approach is the right way. I am very sure that this will give us more possibilities and flexibility in the future.

So far I am happy now. LTSP 5 is working well, printer and scanner are running.

I googled around and found that there maybe is a licence problem with the print server application “lp_server”. I also found this statement from Vagrant Cascadian: “… as we had to remove lp_server due to unclear copyright licensing …” (see http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/pkg-ltsp-devel/2006-November/000462.html).

For me it looks like that lp_server is a fork from p910nd (author: Ken Yap, see http://www.etherboot.org/p910nd/), but I am not really sure.
<edit 2007/04/10: I am wrong with that. Both applications have nothing in common.>

There are some debian lp_server packages around but nothing created for etch (so far as I can see).

I tried to use cups at the terminal with no success (you need rw access and I want to keep my terminal file system as small as possible).

I have to get my printer working as soon as possible. Here is my (very dirty) solution (ONLY for i386 clients):

A.) Copy the lp_server file to your client file system.

I got the lp_server sources from ltsp.org (via the LTSP 4.2 LBE) and compiled them for i386 (etch – architecture).

Do this for yourself or get it here: http://www.jumako.de/transfer/lp_server

Copy lp_server to /sbin in your client (!!!) file system (for me it is: /opt/ltsp/i386/sbin/lp_server). This file must have the execution flags.

If you copy from the above url, you do this on your own risk. I am not responsible for any damage to your computer.

B.) Modify start_printer

You have to patch the script start_printer (for me it is: /opt/ltsp/i386/usr/lib/ltsp/startprinter). There is a line with “. /etc/ltsp_functions”. You have to change this line to “. /usr/lib/ltsp/ltsp_functions”.

C.) Modify ltsp-client-setup

You have to enable printing in ltsp-client-setup (for me it is: /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/init.d/ltsp-client-setup).

Before the function

configure_syslog() {
cat <<EOF > /etc/syslog.conf
*.* @${SYSLOG_HOST-$SERVER}
EOF
}

paste this 6 lines:

configure_printer() {
for prn_dev in $(env | awk -F= ‘$1 ~ /^PRINTER_[0-9]_DEVICE/ { print $1 }’); do
prn_no=`echo $prn_dev | cut -f2 -d’_'`
/usr/lib/ltsp/start_printer $prn_no &
done
}

And in the same file before the line

configure_syslog || true

paste this line

configure_printer || true

I’ve got this informations from:
“https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ltsp/+bug/93863/comments/1″

D.) lts.conf

Enable a printer in your lts.conf. For me it looks like that:

[XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX]
PRINTER_0_DEVICE = /dev/usb/lp0
PRINTER_0_TYPE = U # P-Parallel, S-Serial, U-USB
PRINTER_0_PORT = 9100 # tcp/ip port: defaults to 9100
PRINTER_0_WRITE_ONLY = Y

Where XX:XX … is the IP of your workstation.

E.) Forgiveness

Forgive my ugly patches.

Forgive me not to build a debian package. I think that the LTSP and/or the Debian and/or Ubuntu people will find (or have?) a perfect solution.

On special demand I will create debian packages (i386 and/or amd64).

The Debian installer runs smooth and after that I started to go for LTSP 5. The basic LTSP 5 installation worked perfect. Thanks to the LTSP people!

After all, the combination of Etch and LTSP 5 needs some make-up. Here is a solution that works for me (everything is stolen and nothing is mine, sources/references at the end):

A.) Setup a Debian Etch server. There are a lot of good instructions around.

B.) We need root permissions to do all the next steps.

C.) Get the basic packages. Open an xterm (or equivalent):

apt-get install ltsp-server openssh-server

D.) Built the ltsp client in the same xterm (I only use i386 clients with my amd64 server):

ltsp-build-client –dist etch –arch i386

Optional, you can use your own mirror (or local mirror) with an additional parameter (e.g. this is my local mirror, you have to pick another one):

ltsp-build-client –dist etch –arch i386 –mirror http://192.168.0.11/mirrors/etch

The ltsp-build-client script needs a lot of time (especially with a non local mirror).

E.) If you want to have local device access you need some Debian Sid (= Debian unstable) packages. These packages are at the moment not available for Etch (as of april 2007). Don’t care about “unstable”, they worked fine for me.

Point your favorite browser to:

http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/ltspfs

and get the package for your server (!!!) architecture (for me it is amd64 = ltspfs_0.4.3+debian2_amd64.deb).

Then go for:

http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/ltspfsd

and get the package for your clients (!!!) architecture (for me it is i386 = ltspfsd_0.4.3+debian2_i386.deb)

F.) Install the ltspfs server (!!!) package:

In an xterm as root go to the just downloaded ltspfs server package and type (remember, amd64 is my server architecture, you may have another one):

dpkg -i ltspfs_0.4.3+debian2_amd64.deb

G.) Copy the ltspfsd client package into your chroot:

In an xterm as root go to the just downloaded ltspfsd client (!!!) package and type:

cp ltspfsd_0.4.3+debian2_i386.deb /opt/ltsp/i386/root

H.) Now we do some action in the chroot:

You are root and type in an xterm:

chroot /opt/ltsp/i386

From now you are in the client environment (!!!), go to:

cd /root

and there install the client ltspfsd package:

dpkg -i ltspfsd_0.4.3+debian2_i386.deb

I.) Sound needs some extra help, so type in the same client environment (chroot):

apt-get install libasound2 libesd-alsa0 alsa-oss alsa-base linux-sound-base aumix

J.) We are already in the same client environment (chroot). The sound volume is 0 as default so we need a little pump up:

cd /etc

Here you have to create a file named “aumixrc” with this content:

vol:84:84:P
pcm:85:85:P
line:0:0:P
mic:0:0:P
cd:0:0:P
pcm2:85:85:P
igain:0:0:P
line1:0:0:P
dig1:0:0:P

You can do that with:

vi aumixrc

Pressing “i” (only the letter i) and pasting the above lines. Pressing of the esc – key and “:x” will save the file.

K.) There is one package missing. As of april 2007 the package “lsof” (part of local cdrom) is absent by default, so in the same client environment (chroot):

apt-get install lsof

L.) Remote logging is not working and need to be fixed, so in the same client environment (chroot):

cd /etc/rc2.d

mv K10sysklogd S10sysklogd

mv K11klogd S11klogd

M.) Delete all (!) entries in /etc/hostname in the chroot, then you have the right terminal name (from dhcpd) and everything works fine:

cd /etc

rm hostname

touch hostname

N.) Leaving the chroot, type:

exit

O.) We’re back onto the server and enabling remote logging:

cd /etc/default

Edit the file “syslogd” to make sure the the following line is present:

SYSLOGD=”-r”

Then restart the logging with:

/etc/init.d/sysklogd restart

P.) NFS configuration:

cd /etc

Make sure that in the file “exports” the following line is present:

/opt/ltsp 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(ro,no_root_squash,async,subtree_check)

You have to adapt the 192.168.0.0 to your network settings!

Restart the nfs – server:

/etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server restart

Q.) At least, the dhcpd configuration:

cd /etc/dhcp3

You have to edit the file “dhcpd.conf”. This may be very tricky, because this depends on your hardware situation. Here is a part of my configuration, you have to adapt it:

ddns-update-style none;

default-lease-time 21600;
max-lease-time 21600;

option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 192.168.0.255;
option routers 192.168.0.100;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.100;
option domain-name “YourDomain”;

option root-path “/opt/ltsp/i386″;

option option-128 code 128 = string;
option option-129 code 129 = text;

option option-128 e4:45:74:68:00:00;
option option-129 “MOPTS=nolock,ro,wsize=2048,rsize=2048″;

authoritative;

log-facility local7;

subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
use-host-decl-names on;
option log-servers 192.168.0.11;

host x04 {
hardware ethernet XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX;
fixed-address 192.168.0.54;
next-server 192.168.0.11;
if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = “PXEClient” {
filename “/ltsp/i386/eb-5.4.3-via-rhine.zpxe”;
}
else if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = “Etherboot” {
filename “/ltsp/i386/pxelinux.0″;
}
}

}

XX:XX … must change to your hardware.

You can get the *.zpxe files from http://rom-o-matic.net/

After all, restart dhcp with:

/etc/init.d/dhcp3-server restart

R.) Fuse support for local device access.

Be sure that the packages fuse-utils & libfuse2 are installed (on the server):

apt-get install fuse-utils libfuse2

Load the fuse module in a console (server):

modprobe fuse

Then go to /etc/modules on the server and add one line with:

fuse

After that run this command (in the same console):

update-modules

S.) So far you are ready, I only have some little hints:

If you are low on client memory you can save some kilobytes by deactivating useless tty’s. Switch to chroot and edit /etc/inittab:

comment out the lines:

#2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2
#3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3
#4:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty4
#5:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty5
#6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6

If something goes wrong, it may help switching to the first tty and login at the client as root. To do that you need to give root a password. So switch to chroot and type “passwd” and enter a password.

Booting the client takes a lot of time now (since LTSP 5), you can improve that by optimizing the lts.conf file (e.g. naming a xorg.conf file). I will post a lts.conf file in the near future.

References:

LTSP 5: http://www.ltsp.org

Debian: http://www.debian.org

Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com

LTSP/Howto: http://wiki.debian.org/LTSP/Howto

NO remote – logging, BUG: #410485: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=410485