# Ubuntu Device Database

2005
In Words
In Words Techdoc Solutions
&legal;Sean Wheller In Words

    sean@inwords.co.za

V0.0.1
01/03/2005

First version of the manual created in accordance with hwdb-client 0.5-0ubuntu4. Documentation Writer sean@inwords.co.za

InWords Techdoc Solutions

This manual explains how to use Ubuntu Device Database, an application to collect device, config, logs and other Q&A data for the Ubuntu Hardware Database.

## Feedback

To report a bug or make a suggestion regarding this package or this manual, send mail to ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com.

## Introduction

Ubuntu Device Database is a graphical wizard driven application that collects device, config, logs and other Q&A information from your system. This information is packaged and uploaded to a central server database where Ubuntu developers use it to perform research that results in various improvements to the Ubuntu distribution. Most notably the improvements result in better auto detection and support for a greater spectrum of hardware types.

By adding your information to the Ubuntu Device Database you are helping the Ubuntu developers to improve this most excellent of distros. You can view the information collected from your system at the Ubuntu Device Database web site as described in .

The information collected is limited to data pertaining to your computer and the choices and comments you choose to provide. At any information about your person collected. Nor is any attempt made to link the information back to your computer or person.

In addition, the application only submits data on the request of the user. Installation of this application does not install any processes that operate without the users knowledge and is therefore not "spy-ware".

## Getting Started

### Installation

The Ubuntu Device Database should be installed by default. However, if it is not you can install using the command line or from Synaptic. In Synaptic search for hwdb-client.

#### From the command line

1. Start a terminal from Application System Tools

2. At the prompt issue the following command.

       sudo apt-get install hwdb-client

3. Enter your password when prompted.

### Starting Ubuntu Device Database

Ubuntu Device Database can be started from the or from the . On starting Ubuntu Device Database shows the first screen of the wizard that will guide you through the process of collecting information. This screen does nothing more than explain what Ubuntu Device Database is all about. Click the Forward button to start the process.

At each step in the process the Ubuntu Device Database will interrogate your system, present questions and enable you to input text comments. Click the Forward button to proceed through the process described in .

#### From the menus

Choose Applications System Tools Ubuntu Device Database.

#### From Device Manager

Choose System Administration Device Manager.

Click the Submit data button.

## The Wizard Process

The Ubuntu Device Database application is designed as a walk-through wizard. Each step of the wizard interrogates your system and waits for your input. Some of the screen provide options to select and the ability to add comments. The options are as follows:

Yes

  Select this option if the devices related to a test were correctly discovered and are working correctly.

Partial

  Select this option if the devices related to a test were discovered but you are experiencing problems.

No

  Select this option if the devices related to a test were not discovered.

N/A

  Select this option if a test is not applicable on your computer. For example, your computer may not have a sound card.

Clicking the Forward button progresses you through the wizard until all the required information is captured. At this point the data is packaged and sent to a central server where the data of all Ubuntu users is collected for analysis.

Following is an overview of the wizard procedure.

1. ### Welcome splash

   Read the text then click Forward.

2. ### Audio test

   Interrogates the audio system and plays a sound. Click Test again to run the test again.

3. ### Video test

   Interrogates display adapter and displays the settings detected.

4. ### Mouse test

   Tests for presence of a mouse or pointing device in the system.

5. ### Network adapter test

   Interrogate the network adapter and pings the host defined as the default gateway three times. For each ping shows success or failure. Click Test again to run the test again.

6. This screen requests user input concerning the network test done in the previous screen.

7. ### Keyboard test

   Interrogate for information pertaining to keyboard. To test the keyboard type in the comment box provided.

8. ### Comments

   The final screen provides you with an opportunity to provide general comments and feedback about Ubuntu.

9. ### Assemble

   At this point the information is assembled into a package ready for transmission.

10. ### Sending

    After data is assembled and packaged it is ready to be sent to the central database. Click OK to proceed or Cancel to end.

## Viewing your information

After information is collected it is submitted to a central server database. Your information is accessible via the Ubuntu Device Database web site. This section explain how to access that information.

On sending the information the application creates a file and generates an checksum for this file. This is a unique string used to ensure that the file sent to the Ubuntu Device Database server is received in good order. Since no two strings of data will produce the same checksum answer, it can also be used to uniquely identify and retrieve your record from the server database. The checksum is written in `.hwdb`, a hidden file in your home directory (to make a new submission, just remove this file).

To view the submitted data:

1. Start Ubuntu Device Database from the menu Application System Tools

2. The application now presents you two buttons, Copy to clipboard and Show online record

To view your information online:

1. Click the Show online record button

2. A web browser opens and accesses your data at http://hwdb.ubuntu.com.

To work with the id:

1. Click the Copy to clipboard button

2. The id is now in your Gnome clipboard. People who are supporting you, or are working on your bugs can lookup your hardware information at http://hwdb.ubuntu.com with this id. Paste it whereever needed.

## Which data is collected

The Ubuntu device database collects the following data from your system:

1. The output of lshal (including additionally to the standard hal: all data from the machines BIOS, /proc/cpuinfo, /proc/meminfo and lsb-release)
2. The configuration of your X server from /etc/X11/xorg.conf
3. The current X server logfile (/var/log/Xorg.0.log)
4. The kernel boot log (/var/log/dmesg)
5. The data from the interactive wizard including your comments.

## About Ubuntu Device Database

The Ubuntu Device Database was written by Oliver Grawert hostmaster@grawert.net. The user manual was written by Sean Wheller sean@inwords.co.za.

To report a bug or make a suggestion regarding this package or this manual, send mail to ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com.

&GFDL;