Lab:B209

B209 Fitzpatrick is a computer lab used by EGR 53, EGR 119, ECE 141, ME 131, and occasionally ME 141 and ME 160.

Specifications

• 46 networked Windows XP with acpub.duke.edu credential logins split up into 23 lab benches
• 1 instructor station Windows XP - equipped with a SMART Sympodium
• Projection system with screen
• WolfVision document camera
• 22 National Instruments NI PCI 6014e cards (one at instructor station, one per lab bench)
• 20 Circuit Specialists PBB 272 powered breadboards
• 20 Circuit Specialists MS8264 digital multimeters

Using the PCs to Run MATLAB Remotely

Here is the somewhat long-form of the log-in procedure:

1. Pick a PC
2. Log in using your OIT credentials, and make sure the login is set to acpub
3. Start the most recent version of X-Win 32 available - at least 9.2 on the PCs in B209 (i.e. NOT 6.x)
   • If X-Win is asking you if you would like to scan for things, decline
   • If X-Win is asking you for a license option, choose "Floating Node" and use the license here: LINK
4. Once X-Win has started, over the mouse over the X-Win icon at the bottom right - it should say you are using Display 0
   • If not, try the troubleshooting methods on the X-Win Troubleshooting page
5. Start PuTTY - first check to see if there is a "PuTTY With Config" icon on the desktop - if so use that since there will be several configurations already loaded. If not, start it from the Start button, this will either be in a PuTTY folder or the X-Win 6.x folder. Again - do not use the X-Win in the 6.x folder, just PuTTY
   • If a session already exists for a Hudson or Teer machine, you can try loading it. Make sure whomever made the session set X11 correctly:
     • Go to the Connection category in the navigation list at left, open the SSH option, and click X11 (for version 0.6) or Tunnels (for version 0.56, as there is no X11). Make sure the Enable X11 forwarding box is checked. If it is, great; if not, re-save it by:
       • In the category in the navigation list at left, go to the very top and select Session
       • Click save
   • If no sessions exist, see the the information on First-Time Use for PuTTY.
6. Once you have logged in, see if the Hudson or Teer machine has reported any errors locking the .Xauthority file. If there is a message about an error locking the .Xauthority file, go to the PuTTY page regarding Xauthority_file_locking
7. Type xterm to see if an x-terminal comes up. If you have done everything correctly above and the terminal will not open, find a TA or the instructor.
8. Type lpq to check the line printer queue - if there are no entries, you are set. If there is a list of files, the particular Teer or Hudson machine to which you have connected is detached from the ePrint queue. You will want to log into a different Teer or Hudson machine

After you have created and changed into the appropriate directory and copied any files, try matlab - if the machine claims matlab does not exist, you will need to log into a different machine - most likely a Teer machine.

Problems Logging In

• If xterm will not work and if the error is something about "error in locking authority file"

  Go to the PuTTY page regarding Xauthority_file_locking

• If x-win needs a license,

  pick "floating node," and use this license

• If your password doesn't work or matlab "doesn't exist,"

  try logging in to a Teer machine

• If PuTTY claims that you cannot connect to localhost or some other graphical problem:
  1. Make sure the Teer or Hudson machine did not complain about an error in locking authority file - if it did, see solution above.
  2. Make sure X-Win 32 is running.
  3. Hover over the X-Win icon to make sure it is Display 0 - if not, see the X-Win 32 page for troubleshooting.
  4. Exit PuTTY, restart it, load the session you tried to open, go to X11 or Tunneling in the Category, and make sure X11 was checked
  5. If none of that works, find a TA or the instructor.

Software

Partial list:

Specifically for EGR 53

• Acrobat reader
• ePrint
• MATLAB with toolboxes (esp. Simulink, data acquisition, controls)
• Microsoft Office
• NI Measurements and drivers
• PuTTY
• SSH (including file transfer)
• X-Win 32

Other courses

• SolidWorks (ME 131 / 141 / 160)

Questions

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