Ubuntu 6.06 LTS alternate with XDMCP on Toshiba 335CDS

The aim was to use this 32 MB RAM (!) laptop as a thin client. LTSP with a PCMCIA ethernet card is not yet supported. Thinstation did not recognise the PC-card or there was some other network problem (everything started perfectly, it loaded the modules and the card turned on the light, but it ended all with network configuration error. I haven't tried further...)

After thinstation I tried Redhat 8.0 and 9.0 but without succes. Installation did not work.

Mandrake 9.1 worked - even with graphical support (light weight X),but very slow, too slow to use efficiently and without network support. PCMCIA card support had to be turned off during boottime (use interactive booting). It is probably possible to fix that problem.

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS alternate edition finally won the race! (I had to burn the cd twice, probably disk error in the first case... don't give up!! :))

setup

on the client side (i.e. the toshiba)

1. Use command line (press [esc]) for installation

2. #server acpi=off

3. ignore the message that at least 36 MB RAM are needed.

4. Do not install any additional modules

5. Do like a hen to install the base system, i.e. step by step without any option

6. ignore network 

7. reboot
   as root or sudo:

8. install xserver-xorg
   #sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg)
   (I copied the fonts from another linux station. X did not start because the fonts where missing. )

9. start network (dhclient eth0 or else)

10. get a chooser for login  with   #/usr/X11R6/X  -broadcast or  #/usr/X11R6/X  -query <IP_of_X-server>

 (from http://klomdark.servebeer.com:8081/MessageBase2/ReadMessage.aspx?MsgNum=1967 - thanx :))

1. sudo vi /etc/kde3/kdm/kdmrc
   Scroll down until you find a section starting with [Xdmcp], a few lines below you'll find a line as follows and enable the following (delete # to enable):

• #Enable=true

• #Port=177

• #KeyFile=/etc/kde3/kdm/kdmkeys

• #Xaccess=/etc/kde3/kdm/Xaccess

• #Willing=/etc/kde3/kdm/Xwilling

2. sudo vi /etc/kde3/kdm/Xaccess
   Only two changes to make to this file (delete # to enable):

• #*               #any host can get a login window

• #*           CHOOSER BROADCAST  #any indirect host can get a chooser
  

save the file

3. add your client's IP into /etc/hosts !!
   (Without the entry in etc/hosts you will have troubles to reconnect after closing the connection. Do not ask me what to do when using dhcp...)

4. open ports  udp 177 and tcp 6000 (firestarter or iptables)

good luck!