# lsb_release -d
Description: openSUSE 12.2 (x86_64)
# uname -r
3.4.28-2.20-default
Problem:
One of the most common issues providing help is that the OP may not post relevant information about his system.
Proposal:
A shortlist of commands that will quickly provide standard information about the system and possibly additional information leading to a solution. Also, new Users may gain some empowerment just by executing some command lines that actually provide useful information.
Additional:
Although there is some advancing technology in Unstructured Data Analysis and NLP (Natural Language Processing), if openSUSE/SUSE has visions of mining the data, additional steps could be taken to store data in specific fields for structured data analysis. If anyone is already working on this kind of roadmap, this should be brought to that person’s attention immediately for input and co-ordination.
**
Additional implementation recommendation:**
If this proposal moves forward and is not implemented with structured data analysis in mind, I highly recommend that these standard commands to display system setup and configuration should be “suggested” as comment in the Input Box and not as a separate FAQ for each forum. This would unmistakeably bring to the attention of the poster what information would be required/recommended. I also suggest a reminder for the User to consider again Forum might be most appropriate, and can refer to the Forum Posting FAQ.
Starting recommmended CLI commands
Required:
This post starts off with these commands (see top)
# Displays kernel version
**uname -r **
# Displays OS, version and platform
**lsb_release -d **
Optional:
# Display partitions, mount points
**df **
# Displays free and used memory
**free -m **
# Replacing ifconfig, displays NIC network info
**ip addr **
# For 12.2 and earlier, displays last 100 lines of the syslog
**tail -n 100 /var/log/messages **
# For 12.3 and later the "systemctl status" automatically displays the error, error location and syslog entries. See Tony's systemd page for use and explanation
**systemctl status <unitname>.<unittype> **.
**Missing **(I haven’t yet found a command)
Display currently running Desktop and version
(Because this is not a system setting, is specific to current User)
I propose and am willing to start a wiki page for elementary steps in troubleshooting common issues. This can support or replace the current method which seems to be to create a sticky post. My current very early draft is at
https://en.opensuse.org/User:tsu2/systemd-1
You’ll notice some links are not completed. Also, because of the extreme format and theme limitations of the default template it’s hard to modify for better visual impact to clarify and explain without words. Am hoping to make the document smaller after some review. BTW - like any other User wiki page it’s editable by <anyone> and I do invite people to hack away at it or if you feel shy about hacking directly send me something and I’ll make any improvements.
I also haven’t embedded an example for what a “systemctl status” output would look like, I can include an error from my own 12.2 system and update later with a better output from a 12.3 system.
Lastly,
A side benefit of listing these commands goes beyond Forums Post use, they may even be useful for Users to understand their machines better on their own.
TSU
