Google Docs.. The Good News and The Bad News..

We were working with a Google presentation, and all of a sudden google docs crashed hiding the document, with the message,

The bad news is that Google Docs has just encountered an error. The good news is that you've helped us find a bug, which we are now looking into. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. In the meantime, if you'd like updates on this and other issues, try visiting our Google Docs Help Group: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Docs Sorry, and thanks for your help! - The Google Docs Team Can't prepare without a quorum of living replicas Trace: [ 0.000] LogSession {[logKey="dchc522j_15cw6c8ng5", logSpace=logspace:global/writely.production-data.data.logspace]} +------------------------------------------------------- | Started 0.000 after root (absolute time 1276770846.526 seconds) | [ 0.000] CoordinatedLog.init key="dchc522j_15cw6c8ng5" replica=E params=op=WRITE, piggybackRead=true, dl=null, localReadPatienceMs=750, allowFailover=true | [ 0.000] Transitioning from=Init to=AskCoordinator | [ 0.000] SEND [#0] E.isUpToDate() | [ 0.000] Transitioning from=AskCoordinator to=FindPos | [ 0.000] SEND [#1] E.queryLog(queryMode=DEFAULT, piggybackReadRequest=[#8:=]com.google.rewritely.storage.ReplicatedReader$PiggybackReadRequest@f8125b, logPos=null, dl=11.000) | [ 0.000] Predicted local read (5.196 mdev=1.122) as fast as quorum (90.646 mdev=32.633); waiting 750ms before issuing majority read. | [ 0.001] CB [#0] E.isUpToDate => (up-to-date: true, pos: 216) | [ 0.004] CB [#1] E.queryLog => (appliedPos: 249, appliedTime: 1276769410763000, nextLeader: E, lastMustRoll: 249, LWM: {D=(low=228,high=228), E=(low=249,high=249), A=(low=248,high=249), B=(low=228,high=228), C=(low=248,high=249)}, logEntry: null, piggyRead: com.google.rewritely.storage.ReplicatedReader$PiggybackReadResponse@7d3de4) | [ 0.004] Transitioning from=FindPos to=FindFirstReplica | [ 0.004] Transitioning from=FindFirstReplica to=Querying +------------------------------------------------------- | *** trace being toString'd *** | Started 0.004 after root (absolute time 1276770846.530 seconds) | [ 0.000] CoordinatedLog.write key="dchc522j_15cw6c8ng5" replica=E logspace=logspace:global/writely.production-data.data.logspace | [ 0.000] Constructed proposer Proposer {[localReplica=E, id=8130, logPos=250]} timestamp=1276770846530000 syncApply=[E] syncLearn=[] | [ 0.000] Transitioning from=Init to=AcceptLdr | [ 0.000] SEND [#0] E.accept(logPos=250, proposal=[#18:=](0, 0): (nextLdr E, hash f811b883b75d1f21, @1276770846530000, logPos 250, 126 bytes), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19:=](PS: Unready, Acpt=[], Inv=[], Mrf=[], View=replicas={A=dv, B=dv, C=dv, D=dv, E=dv}, gen=0, time=0, LWM: {D=(low=228,high=228), E=(low=249,high=249), A=(low=248,high=249), B=(low=228,high=228), C=(low=248,high=249)}), dl=1.001) | [ 0.008] CB [#0] E.accept => EXCEPTION / com.google.bigtable.BigtableOverQuotaException: OVER_QUOTA: owner class (@production) exceeds its quota, while the owner (chubby!mdb/writely) is using 36631910110495.500 of its own 108851651149824.000 disk:.|OVER_QUOTA|/bigtable/srv-gd/writely.production-data | [ 0.008] Transitioning from=AcceptLdr to=Prepare | [ 0.009] SEND [#1] A.prepare(logPos=250, proposalNum=(298744293, 7902741955929074510), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19], dl=6.991) | [ 0.009] SEND [#2] B.prepare(logPos=250, proposalNum=(298744293, 7902741955929074510), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19], dl=6.991) | [ 0.009] SEND [#3] C.prepare(logPos=250, proposalNum=(298744293, 7902741955929074510), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19], dl=6.991) | [ 0.009] SEND [#4] D.prepare(logPos=250, proposalNum=(298744293, 7902741955929074510), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19], dl=6.991) | [ 0.009] SEND [#5] E.prepare(logPos=250, proposalNum=(298744293, 7902741955929074510), mustRollForward=false, logState=[#19], dl=6.991) | [ 0.039] CB [#4] D.prepare => EXCEPTION / com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException: Remote RPC failed {[status=EXCEPTION, replicationStatus=MISC, stubbyErr=/AcceptorService.Prepare to 10.230.37.70:25685 [APPLICATION_ERROR(4)] << EXCEPTION / com.google.bigtable.BigtableOverQuotaException: OVER_QUOTA: owner class (@production) exceeds its quota, while the owner (chubby!mdb/writely) is using 54750724655241.000 of its own 134580222820352.000 disk:.|OVER_QUOTA|/bigtable/srv-vb/writely.production-data | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:65) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:46) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.RootCallback.failure(RootCallback.java:89) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.health.HealthTracker$HealthTrackingCallback.failure(HealthTracker.java:288) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.ApiTrace$ApiTraceCbk.failure(ApiTrace.java:254) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.acceptor.AcceptorImpl$15.failure(AcceptorImpl.java:1909) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.BtCallbackWrapper$2.run(BtCallbackWrapper.java:113) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.RequestContainer$ExceptionForwardingRunnable.run(RequestContainer.java:357) | at com.google.storage.megast ... [exception text truncated by msrepl; total 6685 characters] | [ 0.058] CB [#3] C.prepare => EXCEPTION / com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException: Remote RPC failed {[status=EXCEPTION, replicationStatus=MISC, stubbyErr=/AcceptorService.Prepare to 10.13.114.19:25782 [APPLICATION_ERROR(4)] << EXCEPTION / com.google.bigtable.BigtableOverQuotaException: OVER_QUOTA: owner class (@production) exceeds its quota, while the owner (chubby!mdb/writely) is using 55970616351910.500 of its own 115976485994496.000 disk:.|OVER_QUOTA|/bigtable/srv-ia/writely.production-data | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:65) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:46) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.RootCallback.failure(RootCallback.java:89) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.health.HealthTracker$HealthTrackingCallback.failure(HealthTracker.java:288) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.ApiTrace$ApiTraceCbk.failure(ApiTrace.java:254) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.acceptor.AcceptorImpl$15.failure(AcceptorImpl.java:1909) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.BtCallbackWrapper$2.run(BtCallbackWrapper.java:113) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.RequestContainer$ExceptionForwardingRunnable.run(RequestContainer.java:357) | at com.google.storage.megast ... [exception text truncated by msrepl; total 6685 characters] | [ 0.059] CB [#2] B.prepare => EXCEPTION / com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException: Remote RPC failed {[status=EXCEPTION, replicationStatus=MISC, stubbyErr=/AcceptorService.Prepare to 10.224.115.11:25699 [APPLICATION_ERROR(4)] << EXCEPTION / com.google.bigtable.BigtableOverQuotaException: OVER_QUOTA: owner class (@production) exceeds its quota, while the owner (chubby!mdb/writely) is using 54920498505744.000 of its own 124683614683136.000 disk:.|OVER_QUOTA|/bigtable/srv-qa/writely.production-data | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:65) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.StorageException.wrap(StorageException.java:46) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.RootCallback.failure(RootCallback.java:89) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.health.HealthTracker$HealthTrackingCallback.failure(HealthTracker.java:288) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.monitor.ApiTrace$ApiTraceCbk.failure(ApiTrace.java:254) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.acceptor.AcceptorImpl$15.failure(AcceptorImpl.java:1909) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.BtCallbackWrapper$2.run(BtCallbackWrapper.java:113) | at com.google.storage.megastore.replication.net.RequestContainer$ExceptionForwardingRunnable.run(RequestContainer.java:357) | at com.google.storage.megas ... [exception text truncated by msrepl; total 6686 characters] | [ 0.059] Proposer failing: Can't prepare without a quorum of living replicas | [ 0.059] Transitioning from=Prepare to=Failed | [ 0.061] CB [#1] A.prepare => CANCELLED | 1 unfired callbacks: {5}

Thank God.. We had a local backup, quite outdated though.. 
And once more thank God.. The document in Google Docs came alive in an hour!!!

Ubuntu Lucid Lynx and the fixes

So here comes Lucid Lynx, an LTS (Long Time Support) version of Ubuntu after two years, giving so much of expectations. I can see many whistles such as the new theme which tries to wrap Ubuntu in a non-geeky cover, specially the shift from brown to purple. Twitter integration, UbuntuOne, Mac like theme, which still seem whistles to a user, unless he is literally a kid which can rarely be the case for a Linux user. Ubuntu 10.04 was released on 30th of April, with the code name Lucid Lynx. This has become the long time support version of Ubuntu after Ubuntu 8.04, known as Hardy Heron, making a huge expectation from the user base.

I did upgrade my operating system from Ubuntu 9.10. The upgrade had introduced me few bugs, which I have fixed without much difficulty. As there are many users out there facing similar issues, work arounds for many of the bugs can be found online, and that's the biggest supportive force behind Ubuntu, as well as the other FOSS projects, I would say.

Let me share few of the issues I had to fix after the upgrade.

After the upload, when each time the computer started, this annoying error was thrown. "An error occurred while mounting /proc/bus/usb. Press S to skip mounting or M for manual recovery." I realized this was due to a usb fix I did for Virtualbox for Ubunut Karmic Koala which is no more required after the upgrade to Lucid. To fix this, in terminal,
sudo vim /etc/fstab
Removing the line we had added from the file, "none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devig=123,devmod=664 0 0" from the fstab fixed this issue, according to the Ubuntu Community's help page for Virtualbox/USB.

"The panel encountered a problem while loading "OAFIID:Deskbar_Applet". Do you want to delete the applet from your configuration?", an error message was thrown immediately after the upgrade. I deleted it, and it seems I didn't lose any deskbar applets at all.

An annoying bug that I had to fix was, "Desktop effects could not be enabled.", where I was unable to go for the 'Normal' and 'Extra' visual effects from the 'None'. That obviously was due to an error in the graphics card driver, I felt. Command lspci shows the PCI buses and the devices, where we can get the details of the graphics controller installed, where mine was
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07).
This had many workarounds on the web. Anyway I found the reason for the issue as well as a nice fix here, which finally made my Lucid free from the annoying bugs introduced during the upgrade.
sudo apt-get purge nvidia*
sudo apt-get install --reinstall xserver-xorg-video-intel libgl1-mesa-glx libgl1-mesa-dri xserver-xorg-core
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
sudo update-alternatives --remove gl_conf /usr/lib/nvidia-current/ld.so.conf

Though the new purplish Mac-like theme got a huge attention, as I was already using Mac4Lin theme, this new enhancements to the look n feel failed to impress me, as I felt Mac4Lin still leads!

The first software that I tried after the upgrade was, Zekr - A Qur'an Study Tool, which obviously is a cool tool for the Muslim brethren, as I see. As the final note, I really feel that I shouldn't go for 'Ubuntu Maverick Meerkat', which will be released this October. The reason simply is, I am not ready to spend days for downloading the upgrade files of 4 GB and fixing bugs to move from an LTS version to just a normal version.

Is Delete() == Hide() for Facebook?

As you all may have noticed facebook was having some problems today, as mentioned here. Interestingly when I tried to delete my status message today, the prompt I got was as usual, "Delete post: Are you sure you want to delete this post?". But when I clicked yes, another message popped up "Unable to hide minifeed story: Failed to hide mini-feed story". After trying thrice it did delete. But what does this error message point out? Facebook never deletes stuff in real; it just hides them from your view.

So I feel unlike twitter, facebook deletion is not a permanent delete, but a mere hide. Once you put it there, it will be there for an unknown period of time. Of course, it is obvious that there is no way of permanent deletion* of facebook accounts. Aren't these a violation of user-rights? I'd better go and read the user agreement of facebook (only if I am that much jobless).

* Update: Seems they have enabled the permanent deletion option at the moment. Give it a try!

Log in Screen Issue - Ubuntu

Last night I was working with some Localized applications in Tamil Language in Ubuntu 9.04.

For that I had changed my keyboard settings to ta-IN using System > Preferences > Keyboard, and choose Tamil India. For the first time, I forgot to switch back to the English Keyboard before I log out.

Today, at the log in screen, I tried to enter my user name. To my bad, it was entering Tamil characters, which made logging in impossible. I changed the language there at the log-in screen, but it just changed the log-in screen interface language, not the input language.

I tried to recover using CD, and failed. Similarly when I tried to go to the console using Alt+Ctrl+F1, still the keyboard input to the username field must have been in Tamil, thus giving diamonds instead of the letters. Finally in the Grub, I choose somewhat earlier version of gnome-terminal before the update to the later Ubuntu version, as the log in option, where I was unable to log in, yet still able to log in using the console (Alt+Ctrl+F1), as the keyboard was still EN-US there.

Then after some serious examination of the web and bugging my pals, I found the solution.

In /etc/default/console-setup

I found the two parameters were set to refer to India and Tamil.

sudo vi /etc/default/console-setup

I modified them to refer to EN-US.

XKBLAYOUT = "us"

XKBVARIANT = "en"

After saving the console-setup file, I restarted the computer. Then I was able to type in EN-US, and I successfully logged in.

Now I will make sure my keyboard settings is not Tamil or Arabic before I log out, to prevent this issue repeating again. Seems sticking to EN is mostly the safe.

[Update as on Nov 2009]

Since Ubuntu Karmic Koala has the input language and keyboard as a setting option in the log in window itself, it seems this issue has been fixed for Karmic Koala.

Tracker Applet

Tracker Applet.
"There was an error while performing indexing: Index corrupted."

Since I upgraded to Ubuntu jaunty (9.04) from 8.10, I am getting the above message frequently. Which will stay there, asking for an indexing, where it will never disappear even if we positively respond to its query. So regardless of our response, this message thingy will be popping up again and again.

I found a temporary solution for this well known bug from web.
sudo apt-get install tracker-utils
tracker-processes -r # --hard-reset

This bug was not appearing after that for a long time, but appeared again today!
Had to do tracker-processes -r # --hard-reset again.

The terminal output follows:

pradeeban@pradeeban:~/c$ tracker-processes -r # --hard-reset
Found 157 pids...
Found process ID 3742 for 'tracker-applet'
Killed process 3742
Found process ID 3827 for 'tracker-indexer'
Killed process 3827
Found process ID 8746 for 'trackerd'
Killed process 8746
Setting database locations
Checking database directories exist
Checking database version
Checking database files exist
Removing all database files
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.local/share/tracker/data/common.db'
Removing database:'/tmp/tracker-pradeeban/cache.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/file-meta.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/file-fulltext.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/file-contents.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/email-meta.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/email-fulltext.db'
Removing database:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/email-contents.db'
Setting index database locations
Checking index directories exist
Checking index files exist
Removing all database index files
Removing database index:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/file-index.db'
Removing database index:'/home/pradeeban/.cache/tracker/email-index.db'