Author: Bian Xi

Xbox Series X|S Wireless Controller

Xbox Series X|S Wireless Controller

The Xbox Series X|S wireless controller works with Xbox One, Windows 10, and cloud gaming devices.

Layout

N Name N Name
1 Left stick 10 Expansion port
2 Left bumper 11 Right stick
3 View button 12 Left trigger
4 Xbox button 13 USB-C power port
5 Share button X X button
6 Menu button Y Y button
7 Right bumper A A button
8 Directional pad (D-pad) B B button
9 3.5-mm port

References

Get to know your Xbox Series X|S Wireless Controller

Btrfs Basic

Btrfs Basic

Status

btrfs device states /app
btrfs fi show /app

Convert raid

Convert to raid0 and remove one disk

btrfs balance start -f -sconvert=single -mconvert=single -dconvert=single /app
btrfs device remove /dev/bcache0 /app

Add disk and convert to raid1

btrfs device add -f /dev/bcache0 /app
btrfs balance start -dconvert=raid1 -mconvert=raid1 /app

Check raid level

# btrfs fi df /app
Data, RAID1: total=2.69GiB, used=2.51GiB
System, RAID1: total=32.00MiB, used=16.00KiB
Metadata, RAID1: total=317.94MiB, used=239.55MiB
GlobalReserve, single: total=12.03MiB, used=0.00B
#

If contains multiple block group profiles, could happen when a profile conversion using balance filters was interrupted.

Data, RAID1: total=2.03GiB, used=1.86GiB
Data, single: total=704.00MiB, used=665.56MiB
System, RAID1: total=32.00MiB, used=16.00KiB
Metadata, RAID1: total=288.00MiB, used=239.56MiB
GlobalReserve, single: total=11.94MiB, used=0.00B
WARNING: Multiple block group profiles detected, see 'man btrfs(5)'.
WARNING:   Data: single, raid1

Perform rebalance again

# btrfs balance start -dconvert=raid1 -mconvert=raid1 /app
Done, had to relocate 12 out of 12 chunks

Scrub

btrfs scrub start /app
btrfs scrub status /app

Error

To correct error, first find out corrupted file, then restore from backup or delete the file

dmesg -T | grep BTRFS | grep 'check error' | grep path

Then reset error count to zero

btrfs device states -z /app

Then scrub again.

References

BTRFS-MAN(5)

Show dd progress in MacOS

Show dd progress in MacOS

The default dd command in MacOS doesn't have progress option.

Solution

Send SIGINFO signal to the dd command.

Press Control-T

By pressing the Control-T character in dd terminal, you are sending the same SIGINFO signal to the dd command.

Run kill command

Run following command in another Shell.

pkill -INFO -x dd

or

kill -INFO <pid>

References

How can I track progress of dd

Snap Basic

Snap Basic

To check the snap utility version, you need to use snap --version command as shown below.

Basic Commands

snap install <snap_name>
snap remove <snap_name>
snap remove <snap_name> --purge       # No snapshot generated
snap list
snap list --all
snap info <snap_name>
snap find <snap_name>
snap revert <snap_name>
snap enable <snap_name>
snap disable <snap_name>
snap download <snap_name>

Snap updates

snap refresh <snap_name>
snap refresh --list

Snap Channels (releases)

They are stable, edge, beta and candidate.

# snap install --edge <snap_name>
# snap install --beta <snap_name>
# snap install --candidate <snap_name>

Snap Changes

snap changes

Snap Connections

snap connections <snap_name>

Snap Model/Version

snap model
snap --version

Snap Service

snap services lxd
snap restart lxd
snap stop lxd
snap start lxd
snap logs lxd

Snap Alias

snap alias <snap_name> <alias_name>
snap aliases
snap unalias <alias_name>

Snap Snapshot

snap save
snap check-snapshot <snapshot_num>
snap restore <snapshot_num>
snap forget <snapshot_num>        # Delete a snapshot
snap saved
snap saved --id=<snapshot_num>        # View a snapshot

Snap login

snap login
snap logout

Snap Config

snap set system refresh.retain=2
snap get system refresh.retain
snap unset system refresh.retain

References

36 Popular Snap command examples in Linux for Beginners

Missing iSCSI module in Ubuntu 20.10

Missing iSCSI module in Ubuntu 20.10

Recently, I have upgraded Ubuntu 20.04 to 20.10, then iscsi_tcp module is missing, which caused iscsi LUN could not be loaded.

I checked /var/log/syslog, showed zram (reported by init-zram-swapping) and autofs (reported by containerd) module were missing too.

Error

Looking at error message shown during iscsi discovery, the command was looking for file iscsi_tcp.ko. Which can not be found in the system.

Update

The latest missing package can be installed using following command.

apt install linux-modules-extra-raspi

apt search

When performing apt search, shows three packages should include such file, but when listing all files in those packages, there is no iscsi_tcp.ko file at all.

# apt search iscsi_tcp.ko
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
libopeniscsiusr/impish,now 2.1.4-0ubuntu1 arm64 [installed]
  iSCSI userspace library

libopeniscsiusr-dev/impish 2.1.4-0ubuntu1 all
  iSCSI userspace library headers

open-iscsi/impish,now 2.1.4-0ubuntu1 arm64 [installed]
  iSCSI initiator tools

Reinstall OS

Then I decided to install a new fresh OS, but got the same result.

Search in ubuntu website

When searching packages content file iscsi_tcp.ko from ubuntu website, found there is no module package called linux-modules-extra for kernel 5.13.0-1009-raspi, the latest is 5.13.0-1008-raspi, which is for 20.04.

https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=impish§ion=all&arch=any&keywords=iscsi_tcp.ko&searchon=contents

In other words, 20.10 doesn't have iscsi_tcp module, at all.

# apt install linux-modules-extra
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package linux-modules-extra
# 

Search in ubuntu repo

Then I go to ubuntu packages repo site below

http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/pool/main/l/linux-raspi/

...
/lib/modules/5.13.0-1008-oracle/kernel/drivers/scsi/libiscsi_tcp.ko     linux-modules-5.13.0-1008-oracle [arm64, amd64]
/lib/modules/5.13.0-1008-raspi-nolpae/kernel/drivers/scsi/iscsi_tcp.ko  linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi-nolpae [armhf]
/lib/modules/5.13.0-1008-raspi-nolpae/kernel/drivers/scsi/libiscsi_tcp.ko   linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi-nolpae [armhf]
/lib/modules/5.13.0-1008-raspi/kernel/drivers/scsi/iscsi_tcp.ko     linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi [armhf, arm64]
/lib/modules/5.13.0-1008-raspi/kernel/drivers/scsi/libiscsi_tcp.ko  linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi [armhf, arm64]
/lib/modules/5.13.0-19-generic-64k/kernel/drivers/scsi/iscsi_tcp.ko     linux-modules-5.13.0-19-generic-64k [arm64] 
...

found that there are linux-modules-extra package for both 1009 and 1010.

...
[ ] linux-modules-5.13.0-1010-raspi_5.13.0-1010.11_armhf.deb    2021-10-29 10:29    23M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi-nolpae_5.13.0-1008.9_armhf.deb    2021-09-29 20:44    21M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi_5.13.0-1008.9_arm64.deb   2021-09-29 20:43    23M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1008-raspi_5.13.0-1008.9_armhf.deb   2021-09-29 20:44    21M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi-nolpae_5.13.0-1009.10_armhf.deb   2021-10-28 08:33    21M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi_5.13.0-1009.10_arm64.deb  2021-10-28 08:33    23M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi_5.13.0-1009.10_armhf.deb  2021-10-28 08:33    21M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1010-raspi-nolpae_5.13.0-1010.11_armhf.deb   2021-10-29 10:29    21M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1010-raspi_5.13.0-1010.11_arm64.deb  2021-10-29 10:29    23M
[ ] linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1010-raspi_5.13.0-1010.11_armhf.deb  2021-10-29 10:29    21M
[ ] linux-raspi-headers-5.4.0-1008_5.4.0-1008.8_arm64.deb   2020-04-10 11:18    11M
...

Install linux-modules-extra

Then I decided to do download the package and check the contents

wget http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/pool/main/l/linux-raspi/linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi_5.13.0-1009.10_arm64.deb
dpkg -c linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi_5.13.0-1009.10_arm64.deb | grep iscsi

found the iscsi_tcp.ko is in the package

Install package via dpkg

dpkg -i linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-1009-raspi_5.13.0-1009.10_arm64.deb

Testing

Tested using iscsiadm, shows the problem fixed

iscsiadm --mode discovery --op update --type sendtargets --portal 192.168.1.17

In fact, this also fixed some other similar issues, such as, zram model missing, etc.

Reconfigure btrfs filesystem

In this system, the btrfs filesystem which was mirrored to iscsi LUN using bcache, the iscsi LUN was removed using following command during troubleshooting

btrfs balance start -f -sconvert=single -mconvert=single -dconvert=single /app
btrfs device remove /dev/bcache0 /app

Now use following command to reconfigure it back.

btrfs device add -f /dev/bcache0 /app
btrfs balance start -dconvert=raid1 -mconvert=raid1 /app

Configure module auto-loading

In order to load modules automatically, add iscsi_tcpline in /etc/modules. This may also avoid apt autoremove command removes linux-modules-extra package.

Possible cause

I think the issue was caused by spliting the kernel module package in to two in 1008, because linux-modules-extra only exists in the version 1008 in package searching list. I think ubnutu forgot this when releasing 1009. At this time, apt hasn't auto updated system to 1010.

References

Ubuntu Raspberry Package Repo
Ubuntu Package Searching
How to list files of a Debian package without install
How to install specific Ubuntu packages, with exact version?

VIM Basic

VIM Basic

This is not a full guide, but those new functions to me.

Movement

Scrolling

^E - down (End)
^Y - up (Hard to remember and use)

Jumping

H - High (Top)
M - Middle
L - Low (Bottom)

Object

w - words
s - sentences
p - paragraphs
t - tags (in XML/HTML file)

Selection

a -- all (whole + border)
i - in (whole)
t - 'til (find but no border)
f - find
F - find backword

Command

d y v
c i a o

Basic Example

diw
caw
yi)
va"

Macro

Register

q{key}
...
q

Play

@{key}

Register

View

:reg

Paste with number

"<n>p

Plugins

vundle - plugin manager
nerdtree - file drawer
ctrlp - fuzzy file finder
fugitive - git tool
syntastic - systax checker / linter

References

nicknisi / vim-workshop

Systemd services for user in Linux

Systemd services for user in Linux

The traditional way of starting up program after user login, is using user profile. The systemd provides a new way for such tasks.

Usage

The systemd regular services are running as root privileges, unless User value in Service session. They are triggerred as background jobs, no matter user login or not. The systemd user services are running for user and run as that user id, and they are triggered after that user login.

Definition

To define services run as a normal user, they can be defined in user's home directory in ~/.config/systemd/user folder, they will be picked up by systemd as a user service.

Managing

To manage these services, folowing commands can be used.

Check all systemd services for user

systemctl status --user

Enable and start up

systemctl --user enable myuser.service
systemctl --user start myuser.service

Reload all systemd configuration. It is required after service definition files modified.

systemctl --user daemon-reload

For all users

The /etc/systemd/user/ folder is to define services for all users. The default available user services definition files are in /usr/lib/systemd/user/ folder, they can be used to enable systemd user service. For example,

# ls /usr/lib/systemd/user/syncthing.service
syncthing.service
# systemctl --user status syncthing
Unit syncthing.service could not be found.
# systemctl status syncthing
* syncthing.service - Syncthing - Open Source Continuous File Synchronization
...

Other systemd user definition file locations can be defined by administrator

$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/systemd/user/
~/.local/share/systemd/user/

Common usage

The most common usage of systemd user servers, are X window related processes, they need to be run after user login, running as background services for user, such as reminder, window manager, etc., but not the background services for system.

References

systemd user services and systemctl --user
What does "systemctl daemon-reload" do?

ESXi with UEFI iSCSI boot on Raspberry Pi

ESXi with UEFI iSCSI boot on Raspberry Pi

Steps

Setup iSCSI disk

  • Create iSCSI Target and LUN in Synology
  • Download RPi4 UEFI Firmware, and unzip it to a SD card which formatted as FAT32 partition
  • Boot from the SD card, and perform following tasks using UEFI menu
    • Disable 3G memory limit
      Device Manager => Raspberry Pi Configuration => Advanced Configuration => Limit RAM to 3 GB)
    • Create device which mapped to iSCSI target
      Device Manager => iSCSI Configuration => Add an Attempt

After Attempt 1 created, Reset (restart) Raspberry Pi. Now, in Boot Manager, should see UEFI SYNOLOGY iSCSI Storage.

Setup boot order

  • Change Boot order and let it before other network boot, otherwise, there will be too much waiting time.

Prepare ESXi installation disk

  • Download and flush VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0.0-xxxx.aarch64.iso to USB device

Install ESXi

  • Reset (Reboot) again, and in UEFI menu select boot from USB device
  • Then perform ESXi installation, and select iSCSI disk as target

After installation completed, take out ESXi installation USB, then another reset is required,

Configure ESXi

  • Boot into iSCSI
  • Change ESXi name, etc.

Troubleshooting

Unable to see iSCSI disk in Boot Manager

Most likely is the iSCSI configuration wrong.

  • Check iSCSI Target Name
  • Check iSCSI Target IP
  • Check iSCSI LUN ID (This issue costed me a few hours)
  • Check User/Password

Synchronous Exception

After installation complete, suddenly cannot boot into any destination, and just show error Synchronous Exception.

End up, I have to recopy UEFI image into micro SD card, redo iSCSI configuration. Luckily the iSCSI has no issue, which contains installed ESXi image.

References

Boot ESXi-Arm Fling on a Raspberry Pi 4 Using ISCSI
Raspberry Pi 4 UEFI Firmware Images
ESXi on Arm 10/22 更新
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8GBにESXi for ARM 7.0.0をインストール
Synchronous Exception at 0x00000000371013D8 #97

Add bluetooth device from ubuntu console

Add bluetooth device from ubuntu console

I used following steps to add bluetooth keyboard.

Steps

  • Run bluetoothctl, then get following prompt
[bluetooth]# 
  • Run following commands to initialize bluetooth
power on
agent on
default-agent
scan on
  • Find the bluetooth device mac address

  • Run following command to connect to it

trust XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
pair XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
connect XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
  • Then disable scan and quit
scan off
exit

References

How to connect bluetooth headset via command line on ubuntu 12.04