Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

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joehenley8100
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Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by joehenley8100 »

I'm running LM 19.3. I use ncidd for Caller ID notification. It uses a POTS modem connected via /dev/ttyS0. It all runs fine.

Upgraded to LM 20.3, installed ncidd (same version as on 19.3) using the same parameters. Now the modem or serial port times out after about 2 minutes, which crashes ncidd.

I suspect systemd changes between 19.3 and 20.3, but have insufficient esperience with it to resolve. Thoughts, suggestions, help??

Thanks, Joe Henley
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kato181
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by kato181 »

It is recommended that fresh installs of latter versions of LM are better than upgrades. Just because the program worked in LM 19.3 doesn't necessary mean that it will work in later versions.
You should backup your important files etc, and then do a fresh install of LM 20.3 and see if it works then.
In terminal, copy & paste the following command and post the results back here in between the code display brackets </> 5th icon above the text box.

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz
Hoser Rob
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by Hoser Rob »

joehenley8100 wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 2:51 pm ... I suspect systemd changes between 19.3 and 20.3...
Why? I wouldn't. There are a number of possible reasons.

As mentioned by kato, doping a web upgrade instead of a clean reinstall could be one. The web upgrade process just isn't reliable enough, in both Mint and its Ubunttu base. I haven't used it for years.

There are other possible reasons so post the text output of inxi -Fxz as mentioned in the previous post.
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong - H. L. Mencken
joehenley8100
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by joehenley8100 »

Kato & Hoser,
Thanks for your replies; I can use the help.
"Upgrade" was poor choice of words. Strictly speaking, I did a fresh install of 20.3 on a separate partition.
The reason I suspect systemd changes to be at the heart of the issue is that in the new (OS) version, the ncidd daemon closes out when the serial port times out; in the old (OS) version, the serial port does not time out -- so the ncidd daemon doesn't shut down -- so all works fine. These days, systemd does pretty much all the management of various hardware "bits," and there were significant systemd changes from LM 19.3 to 20.3 (sysd ver 237 to 245). So I suspect systemd is driving the serial port timeout.
But, I'm not sure. That's the point of my note. I have traced the problem back as far as I am able, think I have a "likely" cause, but don't have the experience or training to go further to resolution. I could very well be wrong about systemd.
What do y'all suggest. Where do you suggest I run the ixni test,on LM 19.3 or on 20.3?
Thanks. Joe Henley
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kato181
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by kato181 »

It doesn't matter what version of LM you use the command on, it will produce the same results, it will give the spec's of your system which is what we need so we can help you.
joehenley8100
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by joehenley8100 »

OK, ran "inxi -Fxz".

Results:

Code: Select all

System:
  Host: Edward Kernel: 5.4.0-107-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc 
  v: 7.5.0 Desktop: MATE 1.22.2 Distro: Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia 
  base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: P5N7A-VM v: Rev 1.xx serial: <filter> 
  BIOS: American Megatrends v: 0519 date: 04/29/2010 
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E8400 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  arch: Penryn rev: A L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11999 
  Speed: 2000 MHz min/max: 2003/3003 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2000 2: 2000 
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GM107 [GeForce GTX 750 Ti] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: nvidia 
  v: 470.129.06 bus ID: 02:00.0 
  Device-2: NVIDIA C79 [GeForce 9300 / nForce 730i] vendor: ASUSTeK 
  driver: N/A bus ID: 03:00.0 
  Display: x11 server: AT&T Laboratories Cambridge X.org 1.19.6 
  driver: nvidia tty: N/A 
  OpenGL: renderer: N/A v: N/A direct render: N/A 
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
  bus ID: 02:00.1 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-107-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP79 Ethernet vendor: ASUSTeK driver: forcedeth 
  v: kernel port: c480 bus ID: 00:0a.0 
  IF: enp0s10 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
  IF-ID-1: docker0 state: up speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: <filter> 
  IF-ID-2: veth91cc45a state: up speed: 10000 Mbps duplex: full 
  mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 592.47 GiB used: 78.84 GiB (13.3%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Mushkin model: MKNSSDCR60GB-DX7 size: 55.90 GiB 
  temp: 26 C 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Kingston model: SKC600256G size: 238.47 GiB 
  ID-3: /dev/sdc vendor: Western Digital model: WD3200AAKS-00L9A0 
  size: 298.09 GiB temp: 34 C 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 54.77 GiB used: 25.09 GiB (45.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0 C mobo: N/A 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:
  Processes: 233 Uptime: 4d 24m Memory: 7.52 GiB used: 1.62 GiB (21.5%) 
  Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 7.5.0 Shell: bash v: 4.4.20 
  inxi: 3.0.32 
I really appreciate your help.

Joe Henley
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kato181
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by kato181 »

Ok I can see maybe the problem you have here. Your system is over 12yrs old, the newer versions of LM from 20 on wards are aimed at the latest hardware, this is where you will have problems. I would do either the following:
1. Stay with LM 19.3
2. Update your system.
The latter being that most of the linux world are in the process of negating 32bit systems. What once worked on LM19.3, as you have found out won't work on later versions, and, with the forth coming release of LM21, you will have even more problems I would say.
If you can afford it then I would upgrade to a more recent system, can be expensive at first, depending on what you want, but you may not have an alternative if you want to run the latest versions..
FWIW, that's my opinion. Good luck.
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by joehenley8100 »

Kato,

Thanks for your reply. I'm afraid I don't understand your comments about 32 bit systems as it pertains to my question. The PC in question is 64 bit; as the inxi report you requested clearly shows. Can you please clarify the point you were making?
My question was seeking knowledgeable insights into the differences between systemd versions 237 and 245 -- as they pertain to serial ports. From that I expected to return to debugging the issue with my system. While I certainly appreciate your opinions regarding the age of my hardware, they don't really help to address the request I made.
Do you have some info to share on likely places within systemd to look for answers to the problem of ports timing out? I would greatly appreciate any such info.
Thanks agsin,
Joe Henley
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kato181
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by kato181 »

As far as I can see is the systemd version 237 uses the bionic system, and the systemd 245 uses the focal system. Ubuntu uses the focal system. As you know Ubuntu is based on Debian and in turn LM is based on Ubuntu. I no nothing about the hardware you are using so my help is limited.
I found a link to the manual on NCIDD if you don't have it.

Code: Select all

https://ncid.sourceforge.io/doc/NCID-UserManual.pdf
Delving further into that program, it appears the last version made was in 2016, hence the reason maybe it will not work in LM 20 versions.

Code: Select all

https://ncid.sourceforge.io/
joehenley8100
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Re: Systemd changes in LM 19.3 to 20.3

Post by joehenley8100 »

Hey Kato,

Actually a bit further down on that page it says the latest version is from two months ago, 4/30/2022.

Thanks for all your help; I think I'll seek another route to resolve this issue.

Joe Henley
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