# The Cruncher's Guide to The Linux Operating System



## librin.so.1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Okay, so I was writing that guide I promised. Writing... writing... bah!

I realized I made an incomprehensible mess of it. I also realized it got way too big to go well with the "forum format" - writing it in a "forum format" made it into an even worse mess.
So today I decided to scrap it all and start over from scratch. But this time, I went on writing it as a printable document && scrapped the idea of also making it into a forum post. A printable mini-book / brochure in a PDF format should be heaps better anyway.

I also decided I should post my WIP and update it frequently. Thus, all of You Gentoomen could give insta-feedback on what to improve and in what way. I mean, some thing might make sense to me, but that doesn't mean that thing makes sense to others, eh? Gotta fix all such problems 'n all. And that should also keep me from getting carried away and turning it into a complete mess again. Not to mention the fact that WIP might be useful for some from the very start.
I shall update this post regularly with a link to the newest version + add an update timestamp.

When the guide hits v1.0, i.e. when it is ready for prime-time / release, I shall rewrite this post entirely.

*/* last updated 2013-11-07 18:05 UTC+0 */*
Get the mostly-empty, typo-ridden, hardly-formatted and not-yet-comprehensible *version 0.2 of the guide here!* (direct link to the pdf file)
(the *scripts tarball here*. The link is also present inside the guide itself.)

of the guide PDF:
filesize: 103270 bytes
md5sum: dc82675672be5ed47fe6b45c83b666d2
of the scripts archive:
filesize: 3614 bytes
md5sum: 9ca4febb7d473218bfb69cff7e05dad4

Don't forget to bring a towel!

P.S. I decided to use free fonts for this guide, so please bear with me in case You feel like "OMD! Muh... Muh... Times New Roman, Arial and Courier New!". If You want to hear the looooong and boring reason for this decision, do ask.

P.P.S. I don't trust Dropbox much, so I plan to host it somewhere else in the future. Preferably in my own server. (Preparations for that have already started a couple of days ago)


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## Nordic (Oct 9, 2013)

I will note that there are graphical errors in the text through out the pdf for me. This may be isolated to just me though.


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## librin.so.1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Hmm... I tested it on firefox pdf viewing plugin on Windows & Linux, on Adobe Reader 11.0.2 on Windows and 9.5.5 on Linux and on the FOSS / "native" Gnome/Mate PDF viewer Evince/Atril, and it was fine on all of those.
It's quite possible that You got an incomplete download. Since dropbox tends to be kind of a b*** at times, I wouldn't be surprised.

From now on, I am going to include the exact filesize in bytes and a md5 hash of the latest version in the OP. So You'd know if the download is fine. (filesize as a "sanity" check - if sizes do not match, it's a clear sign that the file is corrupt without the further need of hashing the md5 sum of the file. More convenient, since unlike on Linux, on Windows obtaining a md5 hash of a file can be a non-trivial task)


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## ACidBaseD (Oct 9, 2013)

What exactly is the guide about?

Is it safe to download that pdf?

I am looking to install Linux [Mostly Ubuntu] as dual boot with windows 8.1


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## librin.so.1 (Oct 9, 2013)

ACidBaseD said:


> What exactly is the guide about?
> 
> Is it safe to download that pdf?
> 
> I am looking to install Linux [Mostly Ubuntu] as dual boot with windows 8.1



This guide is still very much WIP and doesn't cover installing Linux yet.
It is written mostly with WCG crunchers in mind, but when it becomes more complete, it should be useful for all Linux users.

TL;DR
wait for a newer version.


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## ACidBaseD (Oct 9, 2013)

Vinska said:


> This guide is still very much WIP and doesn't cover installing Linux yet.
> It is written mostly with WCG crunchers in mind, but when it becomes more complete, it should be useful for all Linux users.
> 
> TL;DR
> wait for a newer version.



Okay thanks, will keep a watch on this thread 
But I am a noob around here.. what is WCG crunchers? What is WIP? [Coudn't find it @google, only know that WCG = World Community grid but what is it?]


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## librin.so.1 (Oct 9, 2013)

WIP == Work In Progress

WCG (website) is a distributed computing project. We, the Team TechPowerUp! participate in it. Look around in TPU's WCG forum section if You're interested


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## xvi (Oct 14, 2013)

Looking forward to diskless nodes/network boot. I have some experience here, although not specifically for automated crunching. Getting it to boot to sort of a "Hi! Please add a project" screen should be easy, although so would adding "boinccmd --project_attach <URL> <account_key>" to startup.


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## librin.so.1 (Nov 7, 2013)

Updated with a new version.
That was way overdue. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah.


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## xvi (Nov 12, 2013)

Vinska said:


> Updated with a new version.
> That was way overdue. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah.



I un-thanked the original post so I could thank it again.


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## librin.so.1 (Nov 12, 2013)

wait. what.


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## librin.so.1 (Feb 17, 2014)

NOTE: Don't use this guide at the moment – found several MAJOR issues. Next release will fix them.


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## stinger608 (Feb 20, 2014)

Vinska said:


> NOTE: Don't use this guide at the moment – found several MAJOR issues. Next release will fix them.




That is good to know. I have a couple of "older" systems that I am thinking about installing Ubuntu on and have them crunch in a different location soon. Probably in a couple of weeks.


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## librin.so.1 (Feb 20, 2014)

I'll keep that in mind and will try to push a proper update in time for Your install-fest
(not too much time on my hands lately since university started again, but I am sure I will manage)


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Feb 21, 2014)

stinger608 said:


> That is good to know. I have a couple of "older" systems that I am thinking about installing Ubuntu on and have them crunch in a different location soon. Probably in a couple of weeks.


Do itttttt. I have both my I7's on buntu. I may move my 1055t rig to buntu also. Can't move the 8350 or the 1090t rig though as the 8350 is my gaming rig and the 1090t is it's back up just in case.


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## Arjai (Feb 21, 2014)

Vinska said:


> I'll keep that in mind and will try to push a proper update in time for Your install-fest
> (not too much time on my hands lately since university started again, but I am sure I will manage)


Nothing is too much for you, I believe in your name, not to be revealed here. 
P.S. remember to sleep, or try to!!


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## t_ski (Jul 9, 2014)

Here's a way to find CPU use in many versions of Linux:

http://www.ocmodshop.com/find-linux-cpu-usage/


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## Arjai (Nov 29, 2014)

Did this thread die?


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## manofthem (Nov 30, 2014)

Arjai said:


> Did this thread die?



Think so, like a runned over cat 

I think maybe it's because @Vinska has been really tied up lately with a lot going on. Hopefully he'll drop by again


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## t_ski (Nov 30, 2014)

How do you make a dead cat say "meow?"



Spoiler



Put it in the freezer for several hours, then run it across a band saw.  MMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!


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