ffmpeg -i foo.avi 

 mplayer -vo null -ao null -identify -frames 0 foo.avi 

piix4_smbus 0000.00.07.0: SMBus base address uninitialized - upgrade bios or use force_addr=0xaddr

This error is caused by VM having no smbus but Ubuntu always trying to load the module. It doesn’t affect anything but is a bit annoying – to fix: -

1. Check module is being loaded: -

lsmod | grep i2c_piix4

2. If so, blacklist it in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf, by adding the following to the end of the file :-

blacklist i2c_piix4

3. Update the initramfs

update-initramfs -u -k all

1. Install Samba

sudo apt-get install samba smbfs

2. Edit Samba Configuration File

Find the line which is commented out – “;   security=user” and change it to: -

security = user

username map = /etc/samba/smbusers

Find the line “encrypt passwords = no” and change it to “encrypt passwords = true”

Add a section for each share that you want to be available: -

[data]

browseable = yes

comment = Data

path = /data

force user = viglen

force group = users

read only = No

guest ok = Yes

3. Add “smbusers” file

A new file is now needed to map smb users onto local linux users. Create the file: -

sudo vi /etc/samba/smbusers

and add the following to it: -

viglen = "viglen"

4. Change  SMB Password for user

Set a password for the viglen smb user by running the following command: -

sudo smbpasswd viglen

5. Restart Samba

sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

6. Test Connection from Windows

Open a windows command prompt (Start -> cmd) and enter the following command (with the correct IP address and password)

net use q: \\aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd\data password /user:viglen

You should get a message “The command completed successfully.”, and Q: should be accessible through Windows Explorer etc.

To remove the share, enter the following command: -

net use /d q:

Windows Media Center Software

• Windows Media Center – http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/media-center.aspx (supports TV cards)
• XBMC – http://xbmc.org
• Moovida – http://www.moovida.com
• MediaPortal – http://www.team-mediaportal.com (supports TV cards)
• Freevo – http://freevo.sourceforge.net (supports TV cards)
• GB-PVR – http://www.gbpvr.com (supports TV cards)
• MeediOS – http://www.meedios.com (supports TV cards)

Linux Media Center Software

• XBMC – http://xbmc.org
• Boxee – http://www.boxee.tv
• Moovida – http://www.moovida.com
• My Media System – http://mymediasystem.org
• Entertainer – http://www.entertainer-project.com
• Freevo – http://freevo.sourceforge.net (supports TV cards)
• GeeXboX – http://www.geexbox.org (supports TV cards)
• LinuxMCE – http://www.linuxmce.org (supports TV cards)
• MythTV – http://www.mythtv.org (supports TV cards)

sudo apt-get install peace-wallpapers tropic-wallpapers ubuntustudio-wallpapers blubuntu-wallpapers

VBoxManage startvm name_of_virtual_machine

for example : -

VBoxManage startvm “Windows XP”

1. Create a group usbusers and put yourself in it.

sudo addgroup usbusers
usermod -a -G usbusers andy

2. Note down the vendor and id numbers for the USB devices that you want to enable after running the following command: -

VBoxManage list usbhost

3. In VirtuaBox’s USB section add both of these devices, making sure you have the vendor and id numbers correct.

4. Add the following lines in /etc/fstab (you can get the ID of the usbusers group by looking in /etc/group) : -

# usbusers is the USB group (id 1001)
none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devgid=1001,devmode=664 0 0

5. A reboot is required.

pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf cat output newfile.pdf

First install “smbfs”: -

sudo apt-get install smbfs

Then it’s just a matter of creating the relevant directories in /mnt

sudo mkdir /mnt/Qdownload
sudo mkdir /mnt/public
sudo mkdir /mnt/Qmultimedia
sudo mkdir /mnt/Qweb

…and then editing /etc/fstab

//192.168.0.2/Qdownload /mnt/Qdownload cifs credentials=/root/.credentials,directio,iocharset=utf8,noacl,noperm,nosetuids,rw
//192.168.0.2/Public /mnt/public cifs credentials=/root/.credentials,directio,iocharset=utf8,noacl,noperm,nosetuids,rw
//192.168.0.2/Qmultimedia /mnt/Qmultimedia cifs credentials=/root/.credentials,directio,iocharset=utf8,noacl,noperm,nosetuids,rw
//192.168.0.2/Qweb /mnt/Qweb cifs credentials=/root/.credentials,directio,iocharset=utf8,noacl,noperm,nosetuids,rw

You then need to create a file with your username and password in it: -

sudo vi /root/.credentials

and put the following in it: -

username=user
password=pass

A simple “sudo mount -a” will mount these filesystems ready for use.