Guy Cohen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > Sorry, I cannot help you. But in situations like these, mentioning the > > version of the kernel you are running pptp, and/or your distribution > > can be helpful. So is writing here the exact message that led you to belive > > it was a kernel freeze and that it was pptp's fault. > > Latest kernel/pptp/pppd. > no error messages, but pppd terminated before freeze. it happens to me > on a regular besis.
Flames notwithstanding this list is more often helpful than not, *provided* a question is asked to which an answer can be given. The above is an example of how *not* to ask for help on linux-il. Saying "latest kernel" does not help. Saying "No error messages" does not help either. "Latest kernel" may be the latest Marcello's stable 2.4, or the latest cutting edge 2.5, or the latest Red Hat, or one of a baker's dozen other "latest" versions. Same for pptp/pppd - latest official / patched (e.g. with Bezeq-specific stuff) / rpm? Latest Red Hat rpm and latest PLD rpm are often different, are built from different versions of the software, etc. Please tell us your distribution, the details of the kernel (whether it comes from the distribution out of the box, or was custom configured and/or compiled - provide the configuration details in the latter case - etc), what modules were loaded, what hardware you are using, all the relevant details. As an example, reporting a pptp/pppd problem I would at least report that I run fully up2dated RH7.2 with the latest RH kernel, bash-2.05$ rpm -q kernel ppp pptp-linux kernel-2.4.18-17.7.x ppp-2.4.1-3 pptp-linux-1.1.0-1 - this gives the full info of what version of the software you are running. Better yet include the output of "uname -r" - this will tell us what kernel you are actually running as opposed to which kernel you think you are running (I was bitten by this myself once or twice - trust me). That the computer is a 800 MHz Intel PIII Coppermine with 256MB of RAM may or may not be relevant - if you don't know what the problem is, do include the info. I would also include the output of /sbin/lsmod - *most* of the things there are directly relevant in my case, such as the various modules related to ppp, iptables, NIC drivers, etc. I'll spare you the actual output, but I count 16 relevant lines out of 23 in the output of lsmod on my machine - and some of the irrelevant 7 are due to the weird fact that I hooked a printer to the computer that is my gateway to the world, for physical location reasons in my apartment, so 80% or more of lsmod can be relevant. Note that this info will provide the makes of my NICs and the drivers I am using, which may be important. Please include the relevant portion of the syslog output - there must be something there if pptp/pppd/kernel barf in any way - better yet (if the problem is reproducible) after the problem happens when pptp/pppd run with their debugging options on. Do specify how *exactly* pptp/pppd were invoked. A lot of useful info may exist in /proc, but if you are not an expert then likely you will be guided through that if needed after you post. Include the exit codes - they may give us clues even if there is no explicit error message. Tell us what you have tried yourself to determine what the problem was and/or to fix it. In general, please, when you ask for help, do provide the information needed. Saying "I have a problem, please help me" is nowhere close to sufficient. You either need to provide enough info for someone really knowledgeable to be able to identify the problem and maybe suggest a solution *quickly*, or pay enough money to a consultant to find all the details out himself/herself on site. Finally, if you just try to compile a decent problem description, it may suddenly become clear to you, and maybe you won't need to write to the list at all, and if you still do your chances of getting help will be much higher. I am not saying that you didn't try to solve the problem, I am only saying that a) I didn't see any evidence you tried, b) I cannot offer any help at all given the lack of details, c) I am not at all sure I will be able to help given all the details, but maybe Nadav or someone else will - right now no one can. There used to be a FAQ or guidelines that explained both how to post proper questions and when a poster deserved flogging with a differential SCSI cable and when applying a parallel port replicator to the poster's temple was in order. It was all spelled out in clear Anglo-Saxon. Is it gone? Did I see it in the Mirror of Erised? In any case, I think such guidelines should be prominent on the IGLU site and the linux-il link, http://www.iglu.org.il/mailing-lists/linux-il.html If none exist, I am willing to write (and maintain) one in my copious spare time [NB: the usual meaning of this is "never", cf. the Jargon File; here I really mean I am willing to do it if it is needed, but be patient]. If nothing else, it will give everyone a warm feeling of righteousness when flogging an offender with a differential SCSI cable. If you didn't read all the way through to here, then obviously you think we don't need detailed posting guidelines. If you did, let me know if you think we do. I won't attempt to do anything unless I am convinced there is an itch. A seven-year itch, considering the age of linux-il. ;-) -- Oleg Goldshmidt | [EMAIL PROTECTED] ======================================================== First binary search algorithm - J. Mauchly, 1946 First correct binary search algorithm - D.H.Lehmer, 1960 ================================================================= To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
