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[anna]

I hope I'm not the only one trying to figure out the XS.  Could there be a need to have a board dedicated to it on this forum?  Maybe a child board under XO Misc?

I'm subscribed to the server-devel list, but have been hesitant to post questions on it due to some not very nice responses other folks have gotten to their questions and issues.

[ash]

I think it would be good to have a board, but a thread is better than nothing.  I'd be interested to hear what you have found so far. 

[Directive0]

Here are some pages I found regarding the XS.

A broader definition of the XS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XS

wiki.laptop.org's Definition and Specifications:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Server_Specification

Most importantly there's installing the software:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Installing_Software

This is Cscott's page where he documents his attempts to get the XO running as an XS:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XO_as_XS

[anna]

Thanks for the link to the XS on the XO.  I hadn't seen that before.  I sure hope I don't have to do that, though!

Here have been my problems so far:

One error on the http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Configuration_Management page (and I think these directions show up in a couple of other places) is the direction for this script:

/etc/sysconfig/olpc-scripts/domain_config <new_domain_name>

You have to put "xs.random.laptop.org" (no quotes) after <new domain name>, otherwise it doesn't know what to change.  This comes directly from OLPC.  I guess they haven't gotten around to fixing the instructions yet.

Another thing is if you try to install the XS Software on a hard drive that used to have Windows on it (I hadn't used my Windows machine in 2 years, so I said why not), the Fedora installer might not like it and balk at the partitions.  I had to fdisk it to remove all the partitions, then run the olpc_install script in /root.

I think those were the major stumbling blocks.  I still need to figure out a lot of stuff, of course.

[Directive0]

You have to put "xs.random.laptop.org" (no quotes) after <new domain name>, otherwise it doesn't know what to change.  This comes directly from OLPC.  I guess they haven't gotten around to fixing the instructions yet.

Beauty of a Wiki.  Hit "edit" and make the changes yourself!

[anna]

XS Build 163 was unofficially put out there a couple of days ago, so I burned a copy and took it to Glen Iris yesterday.  After a futile attempt to get dhcp working under 161, I installed 163. 

What I didn't know/realize was the setup they have their with the active antennas.  There are over a dozen of them throughout the school, all going through a switch. Everything's set up with an IP address specific to the school's internal network.  Bad!  Also, there's something in there that's too smart for it's own good, as I was able to get an XO to pull an IP from something other than the server.  That's not supposed to happen - the server is the only thing in the network supposed to be running dhcp.

However, once we disconnected the one active antenna that was programmed correctly (assigned the IP of 172.18.0.2), hooked that up straight to eth1 on the server to bypass the switch, then I was able to get it to work like it's supposed to.

After doing the little domain name config and jabber setup tasks, I registered a few XOs to the server.  It worked like it was supposed to!  Registering an XO pushes the jabber server information into the config file, so restarting sugar gets you connected to it.  I still need to figure out what all's supposed to going on behind the scenes as a result of registering, but it's a start.  To verify an XO is registered, go to /home/idmgr and run the list_registration script.  The output should be the user names and S/Ns of the registered XOs.

If the IT dept is still insistent that the XS/XO network be integrated with the rest of the school infrastructure, there are going to be problems.  I don't think any of this was designed with that in mind.   You can't use just any old IP for the stuff connected to eth1.  It has to be 172.18 range or it won't work.  That's what both the XOs and XS are expecting.  I guess you could muddle around with a bunch of config files, but I suspect you'd just end up with a non-working mess.

[Wayan Vota]

Where do you suggest I put an XS board?

[anna]

Where do you suggest I put an XS board?

Maybe a child board under XO Misc?  But it's your forum, Wayan.  Put it wherever it makes sense for you and we'll find it.

[Tortuga]

Thought I would bump this issue to see if the new guys are willing to start a section for servers.

I know Wayan had started to address this, but given the recent flurry of OLPC activities and his new job, it may of slipped from the radar.

[Wayan Vota]

It slipped off my radar till now.  I don;t think this fits best under XO misc.  maybe under XO Hacks as this si hacking the XS.  I'll move it there now - Tortuga, please keep this thread active but not by bumping.