Copy Protection Grrrrr...
Jack's kids are huge Harry Potter fans. The youngest's birthday is coming up very soon, and as she just spent the week at Grandma's and Grandpa's, they gave her some money to buy her own birthday present.
I loved getting money as a kid, meant I was able to get what I wanted, instead of 'something close'.
Jack takes the kids to a local computer store to pickup a RAID controller for a client installation, and while we're there, they see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for both the PC and the Gamecube. We have 10 PCs and 1 Gamecube - yes, I know, I'm hopeless.
The Gamecube version is $40, and the PC is $30. The youngest just happens to have exactly $30, and decides she wants the game. So we buy the PC version.
I put the game CD into my computer and start the installation, which goes just fine. After the game installs, it tries to start and stops with the error, "CD ROM not found. CD/DVD emulationb detected, please disable CD/DVD emulation and try again."
OK - The CD is in the tray, don't know why it can't find it. However, I do use an old version of CloneCD that supports 'Virtual Clonedrives'. Why? Because I have kids. Kids are very rough on CD media. This way I can image the disk to the hard disk, and the kids know how to mount the images.
No problem, I disable CloneCD and try again.
Same error.
Over at Foxnews, they have the Strakalogue, which chronicles things that make you go Grrr... They also have some interesting definitions of people like 'Oblivions', 'Obliviots', and 'ImporTants'.
I know its the CD protection on the disk that is causing this error, and that makes me go Grrr. I'm using their disk in my computer, I didn't download it from some warez website. I bought it with cold hard cash. Actually, my little one did.
Back to the computer store for another copy in-case this one is bad. With the advanced copy protections using things like digital signatures, bad sectors, and the like, it would be easy to get bad copies. I exchange it and head back home.
Same error after uninstall-reinstall. I even uninstalled and cleaned CloneCD from the computer just in case. No help.
I head down to my workshop, haul out one of my test computers, do a complete install of Windows XP only with all the patches. Install the game, and yes, it works, after a lot of thrashing about.
Hmmmm. So I head over to some of the areas on the web that help you make backup copies of software. I know that most of these sites are so you can get games for free, but I'm just looking to get my $30 out of what I bought. I use a program that analyses the disc, and tells me that it is using Safedisc v3.20.20 - Which uses a bunch of different methods to protect the disc.
I have no problem with that at all, until it comes to the point that I can't play a game I paid for on a computer that has nothing wrong with it.
I did find a solution to the problem at one of those sites. I'm not going to tell you where I found it or what it was, because I don't want to help people steal the games, but its safe to say its not hard to find on your own.
I certainly wouldn't blame anyone for taking the same steps I did to get something I paid for working. It is sad that I had to go that route at all.
UPDATE: Apparently my blog is high on the Google search list results for this same problem. I have received many e-mails from people with the same problem. Here's a Google Search you can try to get you what you need.
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Get 1 GB of E-mail NOW
Jack likes options. OK - As an active Blogger, I could get a Gmail account. But it hasn't intrigued me. In fact, it has seemed like a lemmings-over-the-cliff fad that you just have to get to be 'in' on-line.
As if that's something to aspire to.
Anyway, I was checking around, and got send over to Spymac - 1 GB of E-mail, along with 100MB for storage space (like uploading graphics). Though I've just noticed that the free blogger now allows uploading of graphics. Hmmm....
Anyway it looks neat, and yes while the name is a little scary, I think its a good alternative. OK - It's Mac-centric, but does it really matter? It's a new service, so there are a few bugs. To activate your storage, you have to first go create your blog. I did that and pointed my blog to here.
Give it a try.
Jack likes options. OK - As an active Blogger, I could get a Gmail account. But it hasn't intrigued me. In fact, it has seemed like a lemmings-over-the-cliff fad that you just have to get to be 'in' on-line.
As if that's something to aspire to.
Anyway, I was checking around, and got send over to Spymac - 1 GB of E-mail, along with 100MB for storage space (like uploading graphics). Though I've just noticed that the free blogger now allows uploading of graphics. Hmmm....
Anyway it looks neat, and yes while the name is a little scary, I think its a good alternative. OK - It's Mac-centric, but does it really matter? It's a new service, so there are a few bugs. To activate your storage, you have to first go create your blog. I did that and pointed my blog to here.
Give it a try.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Knoppix, the Computer User's Friend
Jack's here, bored, waiting for some HUGE mailboxes on some Microsoft Exchange servers to move from one location in Kansas to here in Ohio. It's all coming across a T1 line. I need to have multiple Remote Desktop windows open to make sure things are going smoothly, and unfortunately, Remote Desktop Connection for the Mac only allows one RDC window to be open at a time. No matter, I have my trusty Netlux Notebook Computer I've mentioned before.
That was until the dreaded hard drive failure I've been talking about happened to me.
So earlier today I was wondering how I'd get the job done without going crazy logging in and out. Standing in front of a 19" rack in the server room for hours wasn't my idea of fun.
So what to do? Easy. Hard Drive failure won't stop Jack. I just whip out my trusty Knoppix 3.4 CD-ROM, boot it up on the Netlux, and instant Linux operating system complete with X-Windows, sound, network, and all the goodies you need. In fact I am listening to a Shoutcast stream on Port 80 (Firewalls are annoying, don'tcha know), typing this post, and have 3 RDC screens open (one to home for MSN Messenger, see previous content between parenthesis).
Jack uses Knoppix for many of his Computer Forensics' applications. You can boot into console mode, skipping the pretty X-Windows, which sometimes just gets in the way, and use dd, dd_rescue, md5sum, and other tools that are already compressed and waiting on the Knoppix disk. Amazing that you can get 2 GB of data onto a little 700MB disk, and have it all work.
Cheers to Knoppix!
UPDATE: You can also get Knoppix info at www.knoppix.net.
Jack's here, bored, waiting for some HUGE mailboxes on some Microsoft Exchange servers to move from one location in Kansas to here in Ohio. It's all coming across a T1 line. I need to have multiple Remote Desktop windows open to make sure things are going smoothly, and unfortunately, Remote Desktop Connection for the Mac only allows one RDC window to be open at a time. No matter, I have my trusty Netlux Notebook Computer I've mentioned before.
That was until the dreaded hard drive failure I've been talking about happened to me.
So earlier today I was wondering how I'd get the job done without going crazy logging in and out. Standing in front of a 19" rack in the server room for hours wasn't my idea of fun.
So what to do? Easy. Hard Drive failure won't stop Jack. I just whip out my trusty Knoppix 3.4 CD-ROM, boot it up on the Netlux, and instant Linux operating system complete with X-Windows, sound, network, and all the goodies you need. In fact I am listening to a Shoutcast stream on Port 80 (Firewalls are annoying, don'tcha know), typing this post, and have 3 RDC screens open (one to home for MSN Messenger, see previous content between parenthesis).
Jack uses Knoppix for many of his Computer Forensics' applications. You can boot into console mode, skipping the pretty X-Windows, which sometimes just gets in the way, and use dd, dd_rescue, md5sum, and other tools that are already compressed and waiting on the Knoppix disk. Amazing that you can get 2 GB of data onto a little 700MB disk, and have it all work.
Cheers to Knoppix!
UPDATE: You can also get Knoppix info at www.knoppix.net.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
CTCon5 - Wars, Tournaments, and Fun!
What's this? CTCon, a outgrowth of my time over at Chaos Theory, a great bunch of people, who happen to be LAN gamers.
What's a LAN game? It is where a bunch of people bring their computers to a central location, usually a convention center, hotel, university, sometimes a warehouse, and play different networkable computer games. Quake III Arena, Battlefield 1942, Half-Life's Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament, and others.
NMP Consulting, the company I own, is running CTCon for its 5th year. Head over to the NMP CTCon Website and check it out!
What's this? CTCon, a outgrowth of my time over at Chaos Theory, a great bunch of people, who happen to be LAN gamers.
What's a LAN game? It is where a bunch of people bring their computers to a central location, usually a convention center, hotel, university, sometimes a warehouse, and play different networkable computer games. Quake III Arena, Battlefield 1942, Half-Life's Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament, and others.
NMP Consulting, the company I own, is running CTCon for its 5th year. Head over to the NMP CTCon Website and check it out!
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Hacking from Mac OS X Panther (Installing nmap, Nessus, and others)
In continuation of my previous post about installing Ethereal on OS X using Darwin Ports, I present to you an article on installing some basic tools to perform initial security audits from the Mac using OS X Panther (10.3.x).
You have to have Darwin Ports installed on your system to follow these instructions. Just follow the instructions from the link above. I'll wait until you have it done. Promise.
Back already? Good. Besides, no 'Security Workstation' is any good without Ethereal.
First we're going to install nmap, a command-line based port scanner. This one is easy, from a terminal window:
sudo port install nmap (remember this will ask you for your USER password, not your root password. The 'su' command asks for the root password.)
Wait a little while, and you've got it.
Since you are using a Mac, it would be a shame not to have a graphics front end. Therefore, the next step is to install nmapFE (nmap Front End). Just download and install it from the link I just gave you. It installs like any other 'normal' Mac program
Oh, and as I mentioned in the Ethereal post, you can install MacStumbler as well.
Now for the grand-daddy of Auditing tools, Nessus, a vulnerability scanner that can be pointed at a single host or range of hosts and probe for missing patches, open ports, or other OS and Application weaknesses. It's a bit of a bear to install, but using my favorite, Darwin Ports, it can be done. Here are the step-by-step instructions...
- Nessus normally needs wget and/or lynx to allow it to install the script 'nessus-update-plugins', which downloads the latest lists of vulnerabilities that nessus uses to perform it's tests. So from a terminal session, issue the following commands:
1. sudo port install wget
2. sudo port install lynx
(or you can just 'su' to start, and leave off the sudo on these commands)
lynx is a cool text-based browser, which can come in handy from time to time to check out some not-so-trustable webpages. wget allows you to retrieve files, sort of like ftp, but different.
- Now we're going to install Nessus itself. First, the libraries, then the core, then the plugins. You can do it all by starting with step 3, because Ports will get all the dependent programs/files needed, but I like to be complete:
1. sudo port install nessus-libraries
2. sudo port install nessus-core
3. sudo port install nessus-plugins
- Now you need to add Nesses to your PATH variable:
1. export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin
This line should be added to .profile from the Terminal, and .bashrc in X11. In fact, I now is the time to switch from Terminal, and to X11's xterm. If you don't want to restart your sessions, issue the command on the xterm line. Be sure you are su'd to root.
- Now we have some other commands needed to finish setting nessus up. You must create a Certificate for nessus clients to run against, and add a user (different from your login), and update your plugins:
1. nessus-update-plugins
2. nessus-adduser
3. nessus-mkcert
You can do these in any order, and follow the instructions (except for nessus-update-plugins, it just loads).
- Now something different. If you don't follow this step, you will get the nasty GTK error similar to the one I saw with Ethereal.
1. With your normal user login issue the command 'xhost +' (without quotes) this will allow anyone to connect to the local display.
2. Change to root, by issuing the 'su' command (without quotes)
3. Now type the following command: export DISPLAY=:0.0
- As root, you can start the nessus server:
1. nessusd -D (This will take a little while to load)
- I would suggest placing these last 4 command into a script. First 'vi startnessus.sh' (without quotes) to start the VI editor. Then press 'i' on your keyboard to enter insert mode, and place the following 4 lines in the file:
xhost +
su
export DISPLAY=:0.0
nessusd -D
press [escape key]:wq to save the file and exit VI.
Now issue this command: chmod 777 startnessus.sh
Leave startnessus.sh in your Users/Username directory, or place it somewhere in your PATH. Now you can start nessus by typing startnessus.sh on a line by itself.
-If all goes well, you can now issue the 'nessus' command (without quotes) to start the GUI client interface. Enter your username and password you created in the nessus-adduser step, and click on 'login'. You will be asked to accept a certificate. Select option #2 for accepting the Cert (or like the instructions say, if you are paranoid, choose 1 or 3).
Now wait.
It took a long time for the login process to complete on my system. In fact, the GUI stopped responding, and I thought it was 'locked up'. It just takes a long time to load.
Congratulations, you now have all the basic tools to poke around your network or any network you are authorized to snoop. If you need help in running any of the programs above, check their websites and RTFM, and if you still have questions, stop by my IT Forum at www.nmpforum.com, and I'll help you out if you ask intelligent questions. :)
In continuation of my previous post about installing Ethereal on OS X using Darwin Ports, I present to you an article on installing some basic tools to perform initial security audits from the Mac using OS X Panther (10.3.x).
You have to have Darwin Ports installed on your system to follow these instructions. Just follow the instructions from the link above. I'll wait until you have it done. Promise.
Back already? Good. Besides, no 'Security Workstation' is any good without Ethereal.
First we're going to install nmap, a command-line based port scanner. This one is easy, from a terminal window:
sudo port install nmap (remember this will ask you for your USER password, not your root password. The 'su' command asks for the root password.)
Wait a little while, and you've got it.
Since you are using a Mac, it would be a shame not to have a graphics front end. Therefore, the next step is to install nmapFE (nmap Front End). Just download and install it from the link I just gave you. It installs like any other 'normal' Mac program
Oh, and as I mentioned in the Ethereal post, you can install MacStumbler as well.
Now for the grand-daddy of Auditing tools, Nessus, a vulnerability scanner that can be pointed at a single host or range of hosts and probe for missing patches, open ports, or other OS and Application weaknesses. It's a bit of a bear to install, but using my favorite, Darwin Ports, it can be done. Here are the step-by-step instructions...
- Nessus normally needs wget and/or lynx to allow it to install the script 'nessus-update-plugins', which downloads the latest lists of vulnerabilities that nessus uses to perform it's tests. So from a terminal session, issue the following commands:
1. sudo port install wget
2. sudo port install lynx
(or you can just 'su' to start, and leave off the sudo on these commands)
lynx is a cool text-based browser, which can come in handy from time to time to check out some not-so-trustable webpages. wget allows you to retrieve files, sort of like ftp, but different.
- Now we're going to install Nessus itself. First, the libraries, then the core, then the plugins. You can do it all by starting with step 3, because Ports will get all the dependent programs/files needed, but I like to be complete:
1. sudo port install nessus-libraries
2. sudo port install nessus-core
3. sudo port install nessus-plugins
- Now you need to add Nesses to your PATH variable:
1. export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin
This line should be added to .profile from the Terminal, and .bashrc in X11. In fact, I now is the time to switch from Terminal, and to X11's xterm. If you don't want to restart your sessions, issue the command on the xterm line. Be sure you are su'd to root.
- Now we have some other commands needed to finish setting nessus up. You must create a Certificate for nessus clients to run against, and add a user (different from your login), and update your plugins:
1. nessus-update-plugins
2. nessus-adduser
3. nessus-mkcert
You can do these in any order, and follow the instructions (except for nessus-update-plugins, it just loads).
- Now something different. If you don't follow this step, you will get the nasty GTK error similar to the one I saw with Ethereal.
1. With your normal user login issue the command 'xhost +' (without quotes) this will allow anyone to connect to the local display.
2. Change to root, by issuing the 'su' command (without quotes)
3. Now type the following command: export DISPLAY=:0.0
- As root, you can start the nessus server:
1. nessusd -D (This will take a little while to load)
- I would suggest placing these last 4 command into a script. First 'vi startnessus.sh' (without quotes) to start the VI editor. Then press 'i' on your keyboard to enter insert mode, and place the following 4 lines in the file:
xhost +
su
export DISPLAY=:0.0
nessusd -D
press [escape key]:wq to save the file and exit VI.
Now issue this command: chmod 777 startnessus.sh
Leave startnessus.sh in your Users/Username directory, or place it somewhere in your PATH. Now you can start nessus by typing startnessus.sh on a line by itself.
-If all goes well, you can now issue the 'nessus' command (without quotes) to start the GUI client interface. Enter your username and password you created in the nessus-adduser step, and click on 'login'. You will be asked to accept a certificate. Select option #2 for accepting the Cert (or like the instructions say, if you are paranoid, choose 1 or 3).
Now wait.
It took a long time for the login process to complete on my system. In fact, the GUI stopped responding, and I thought it was 'locked up'. It just takes a long time to load.
Congratulations, you now have all the basic tools to poke around your network or any network you are authorized to snoop. If you need help in running any of the programs above, check their websites and RTFM, and if you still have questions, stop by my IT Forum at www.nmpforum.com, and I'll help you out if you ask intelligent questions. :)
Thursday, June 24, 2004
How To Install Ethereal Packet Sniffer on OS X with Open Darwin and Ports
If you've been reading Jack's other posts, you will see that Jack has caught a little bit of the OS X bug. (Jack's friends are hoping he gets better soon).
One of my favorite network utilities for Windows and Linux is Ethereal, an Open Source (Freeware) network packet sniffer used for capturing network traffic for analysis. Since OS X is based on a derivation of Darwin, there had to be a version of Ethereal for OS X. I popped over to the Ethereal website and sure enough, there were links to installing Ethereal for OS X using either Fink or Darwin Ports over at the OpenDarwin project.
"Ports" appealed to me over "Fink" because of the closeness to BSD Ports, which is the idea behind the whole Darwin Ports project.
OK - So I need to install Darwin Ports. Jack decides to take his own advice and RTFM (Read the FINE Manual) before installing it.
Hmmmm. What do we need. Jack's Powerbook G4 - 17 is equipped with Panther, but Jack doesn't have the original Panther install disks. That's OK, I'm sure I can find everything online.
First I need to open up a Terminal. Done. (It's in the Applications/Utilities folder)
Now we need to use CVS, which allows you to install a program by downloading the latest code (you 'check it out') and compiling it on your computer.
So I issue the appropriate command and get the "CVS not found" error. Oops. Going to have to install it. Maybe Jack didn't RTFM close enough.
I need to get Xcode, which contains CVS, so I head over to Apple's Developer Website and go through the sign-up process (it's free for the lowest level), head to the download section. Download xCode 1.2 and install it.
Whee!
OK - Now I follow the instructions (RTFM) at opendarwin and do an install of Darwin Ports by issuing the following commands (in order):
% cd ~/
% cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@anoncvs.opendarwin.org:/Volumes/src/cvs/od login
% cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@anoncvs.opendarwin.org:/Volumes/src/cvs/od co -P darwinports
OK - Being the Linux Guru (NOT!) I am, I know we aren't done. We just have the code downloaded. Now it's time to compile. (Besides, the FINE MANUAL tells us this in the next step!)
% ./configure
% make
% sudo make install
The last command will ask you for your USER password (not the ROOT password of OS X, which is normally locked). Things will scroll by for a while after each command, so be patient. After you are done, Voila! - Darwin Ports is installed.
OK - Almost.
You need to add /opt/local/bin to your PATH. This is where "Ports" is installed, and unless you want to cd /opt/local/bin before you issue your ports command, you need to add this path to your BASH profile (The Panther Default Shell).
Be sure you are in your /Users/Username directory, in Jack's case this is /Users/jack and issue the following command:
vi .profile
This will open the VI text editor and allow you to edit your hidden (the "." at the beginning of the filename means its a hidden file) BASH profile. Hopefully yours like Jack's is empty.
Press "I" to enter insert mode and type the following on the first line (with the EXACT case here):
export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin
Then press the following keys: [esc-key]:wq
This writes the file (changes) and quits vi.
Unless you want to quit and restart terminal, you'll have to issue the command to add the path to your current path. Just type "export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin" (without the quotes) on the terminal line.
Type: cat $PATH (remember, it is CASE SENSITIVE) to confirm /opt/local/bin is in your path.
Whew.
OK, now to install Ethereal. YAY!!!!
It's easy, just type: sudo port install ethereal
Now you will have to wait a looooong time, as port will go out to the opendarwin server, and download all the dependent programs as well as Ethereal itself. You can type 'sudo port deps ethereal' (without quotes) before you start to see what other programs have to be installed. Several of those programs have dependencies as well.
After you've had breakfast/lunch/dinner - depending on your internet connection speed and how fast your Mac is, ethereal will be installed. Yeehaw!
Now as long as you have put in the PATH I have indicated, you can type 'ethereal' (without quotes) at the command line, and you will see.....
"Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:"
Now this really pisses me off to no end!
SIGH. GRUMBLE. KICK GROUND. BEAT MAC.
WTF? Now what? Time to do some Googling. Jack googles for a while and finds not much information, because Jack is getting to be too impatient to dig 10 pages deep in google's results.
So a few days go by, I try uninstalling and reinstalling ethereal. Still no luck.
I'm surfing around, and find MacOSXHints, a WONDERFUL website for OS X newbies like me!
There's several articles about Ethereal, and all Mention X11. Well, isn't that what OS X already uses???
Of course, Jack finds out the answer is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
So, over to Apple's X11 page and download and install X11, which allows for Unix-like (read Darwin) programs to be run. Yay!
After it downloads and I install it, there's a new Icon in my Applications/Utilities Folder. "X11"!!! I add it to the Dock, and click on it, to find that yes, I have a new XTERM window!
Here we go, I carefully check my path (cat $PATH), yup, /opt/local/bin is there. Now type 'ethereal' (without the quotes, of course) and Woo-Hoo! Ethereal is running.
BTW - If you have a Powerbook G4 or other Airport equipped Mac, en0 is the onboard wired ethernet adapter, and en1 is the Airport wireless.
Happy sniffing!
UPDATE: If you want to locate some wireless networks, you can download MacStumbler, but be forewarned, it cannot put the AirPort card into "Monitor" mode on the Mac, so you can't find networks that aren't broadcasting SSID's. This means no AirSnort for OS X either.
UPDATE2: Note that when you start X11's XTerm, to get all the features of Ethereal, you'll have to start it by typing 'sudo ethereal' (without the quotes) and enter your user password. If you want to run it as root by su'ing, you'll have to type 'xhost +' (without the quotes) to allow any user to use X-Windows, then you su, then you can run ethereal if you have the proper pathing.
UPDATE3: Keep your Darwin Ports up to date with the latest available programs. First you must login to CVS as listed above (Just do the first command, not the second.), and issue the following commands:
If you've been reading Jack's other posts, you will see that Jack has caught a little bit of the OS X bug. (Jack's friends are hoping he gets better soon).
One of my favorite network utilities for Windows and Linux is Ethereal, an Open Source (Freeware) network packet sniffer used for capturing network traffic for analysis. Since OS X is based on a derivation of Darwin, there had to be a version of Ethereal for OS X. I popped over to the Ethereal website and sure enough, there were links to installing Ethereal for OS X using either Fink or Darwin Ports over at the OpenDarwin project.
"Ports" appealed to me over "Fink" because of the closeness to BSD Ports, which is the idea behind the whole Darwin Ports project.
OK - So I need to install Darwin Ports. Jack decides to take his own advice and RTFM (Read the FINE Manual) before installing it.
Hmmmm. What do we need. Jack's Powerbook G4 - 17 is equipped with Panther, but Jack doesn't have the original Panther install disks. That's OK, I'm sure I can find everything online.
First I need to open up a Terminal. Done. (It's in the Applications/Utilities folder)
Now we need to use CVS, which allows you to install a program by downloading the latest code (you 'check it out') and compiling it on your computer.
So I issue the appropriate command and get the "CVS not found" error. Oops. Going to have to install it. Maybe Jack didn't RTFM close enough.
I need to get Xcode, which contains CVS, so I head over to Apple's Developer Website and go through the sign-up process (it's free for the lowest level), head to the download section. Download xCode 1.2 and install it.
Whee!
OK - Now I follow the instructions (RTFM) at opendarwin and do an install of Darwin Ports by issuing the following commands (in order):
% cd ~/
% cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@anoncvs.opendarwin.org:/Volumes/src/cvs/od login
% cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@anoncvs.opendarwin.org:/Volumes/src/cvs/od co -P darwinports
OK - Being the Linux Guru (NOT!) I am, I know we aren't done. We just have the code downloaded. Now it's time to compile. (Besides, the FINE MANUAL tells us this in the next step!)
% ./configure
% make
% sudo make install
The last command will ask you for your USER password (not the ROOT password of OS X, which is normally locked). Things will scroll by for a while after each command, so be patient. After you are done, Voila! - Darwin Ports is installed.
OK - Almost.
You need to add /opt/local/bin to your PATH. This is where "Ports" is installed, and unless you want to cd /opt/local/bin before you issue your ports command, you need to add this path to your BASH profile (The Panther Default Shell).
Be sure you are in your /Users/Username directory, in Jack's case this is /Users/jack and issue the following command:
vi .profile
This will open the VI text editor and allow you to edit your hidden (the "." at the beginning of the filename means its a hidden file) BASH profile. Hopefully yours like Jack's is empty.
Press "I" to enter insert mode and type the following on the first line (with the EXACT case here):
export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin
Then press the following keys: [esc-key]:wq
This writes the file (changes) and quits vi.
Unless you want to quit and restart terminal, you'll have to issue the command to add the path to your current path. Just type "export PATH=$PATH:/opt/local/bin" (without the quotes) on the terminal line.
Type: cat $PATH (remember, it is CASE SENSITIVE) to confirm /opt/local/bin is in your path.
Whew.
OK, now to install Ethereal. YAY!!!!
It's easy, just type: sudo port install ethereal
Now you will have to wait a looooong time, as port will go out to the opendarwin server, and download all the dependent programs as well as Ethereal itself. You can type 'sudo port deps ethereal' (without quotes) before you start to see what other programs have to be installed. Several of those programs have dependencies as well.
After you've had breakfast/lunch/dinner - depending on your internet connection speed and how fast your Mac is, ethereal will be installed. Yeehaw!
Now as long as you have put in the PATH I have indicated, you can type 'ethereal' (without quotes) at the command line, and you will see.....
"Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:"
Now this really pisses me off to no end!
SIGH. GRUMBLE. KICK GROUND. BEAT MAC.
WTF? Now what? Time to do some Googling. Jack googles for a while and finds not much information, because Jack is getting to be too impatient to dig 10 pages deep in google's results.
So a few days go by, I try uninstalling and reinstalling ethereal. Still no luck.
I'm surfing around, and find MacOSXHints, a WONDERFUL website for OS X newbies like me!
There's several articles about Ethereal, and all Mention X11. Well, isn't that what OS X already uses???
Of course, Jack finds out the answer is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
So, over to Apple's X11 page and download and install X11, which allows for Unix-like (read Darwin) programs to be run. Yay!
After it downloads and I install it, there's a new Icon in my Applications/Utilities Folder. "X11"!!! I add it to the Dock, and click on it, to find that yes, I have a new XTERM window!
Here we go, I carefully check my path (cat $PATH), yup, /opt/local/bin is there. Now type 'ethereal' (without the quotes, of course) and Woo-Hoo! Ethereal is running.
BTW - If you have a Powerbook G4 or other Airport equipped Mac, en0 is the onboard wired ethernet adapter, and en1 is the Airport wireless.
Happy sniffing!
UPDATE: If you want to locate some wireless networks, you can download MacStumbler, but be forewarned, it cannot put the AirPort card into "Monitor" mode on the Mac, so you can't find networks that aren't broadcasting SSID's. This means no AirSnort for OS X either.
UPDATE2: Note that when you start X11's XTerm, to get all the features of Ethereal, you'll have to start it by typing 'sudo ethereal' (without the quotes) and enter your user password. If you want to run it as root by su'ing, you'll have to type 'xhost +' (without the quotes) to allow any user to use X-Windows, then you su, then you can run ethereal if you have the proper pathing.
UPDATE3: Keep your Darwin Ports up to date with the latest available programs. First you must login to CVS as listed above (Just do the first command, not the second.), and issue the following commands:
% cd ~/darwinports/dports
% sudo cvs -q -z3 update -dP
Time To Switch Browsers
In my OS X review a couple of posts below, I go over Apple's reasons to 'switch' from PCs to Macs. Now I give you an argument for another type of change.
Yet another Internet Explorer Vulnerability has been exploited, meaning more spam and other malware to come.
For a while now, I've been using Firefox, a Mozilla-based web browser. It's an alternative to Internet Explorer. While it's not 'pain-free' - it has a few bugs and some other quirks. (But then again, IE doesn't?), it's quite nice. Tabbed browsing is the way to go, and not having to worry about spyware being installed on your computer without you knowing is a big plus.
Especially this new spyware with its keylogger. Yes, all of your keystrokes get sent to someone out there in cyberspace.
Comforting, ain't it?
(I'd also suggest switching e-mail clients from Outlook Express to Thunderbird, also built by the Mozilla team)
UPDATE: There are more comments than listed below. I answered one, and its only showing one comment. Maybe it will fix itself later.
In my OS X review a couple of posts below, I go over Apple's reasons to 'switch' from PCs to Macs. Now I give you an argument for another type of change.
Yet another Internet Explorer Vulnerability has been exploited, meaning more spam and other malware to come.
For a while now, I've been using Firefox, a Mozilla-based web browser. It's an alternative to Internet Explorer. While it's not 'pain-free' - it has a few bugs and some other quirks. (But then again, IE doesn't?), it's quite nice. Tabbed browsing is the way to go, and not having to worry about spyware being installed on your computer without you knowing is a big plus.
Especially this new spyware with its keylogger. Yes, all of your keystrokes get sent to someone out there in cyberspace.
Comforting, ain't it?
(I'd also suggest switching e-mail clients from Outlook Express to Thunderbird, also built by the Mozilla team)
UPDATE: There are more comments than listed below. I answered one, and its only showing one comment. Maybe it will fix itself later.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Buying a new Notebook Computer?
In my last post, I spoke about the Netlux-755 notebook (laptop) computer I own. It's original maker is a company called Uniwill. I also own a Netlux 7351 notebook as well, which one of my employees owns. That notebook is made by a company called Mitac, another Original Design Manufacturer (ODM). ODMs produce almost all of the notebooks in the industry, whether for Sony, Dell, or any of the other Tier I Vendors. You can read more about it at this notebook seller's website.
Looks like I found a new place to buy my next one. I think it will be the Sager NP5690 or whatever is the newest version of it. Quite a bit cheaper than an equivalent system from Alienware. I like the 15" normal screens over the 17" 'wide screen' versions, because I like the taller resolution.
You'll save a lot of money buying these 'generic' versions of the notebooks, unless of course you need the hand-holding type support you'd get from the larger companies.
In my last post, I spoke about the Netlux-755 notebook (laptop) computer I own. It's original maker is a company called Uniwill. I also own a Netlux 7351 notebook as well, which one of my employees owns. That notebook is made by a company called Mitac, another Original Design Manufacturer (ODM). ODMs produce almost all of the notebooks in the industry, whether for Sony, Dell, or any of the other Tier I Vendors. You can read more about it at this notebook seller's website.
Looks like I found a new place to buy my next one. I think it will be the Sager NP5690 or whatever is the newest version of it. Quite a bit cheaper than an equivalent system from Alienware. I like the 15" normal screens over the 17" 'wide screen' versions, because I like the taller resolution.
You'll save a lot of money buying these 'generic' versions of the notebooks, unless of course you need the hand-holding type support you'd get from the larger companies.
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