Mailing List Archive: Help! :(

Help! :(

May 16, 2000, 12:28 PM

Post #1 of 6 (807 views)

Hi,

I've just installed GnuPGP and tried to make myself a new key.
When I do it gets to:

------
We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to perform
some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
..+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.+++++++++++++++.++++++++++.++++++++++.
.+++++.+++++.....++++++++++++++++++++..++++++++++.+++++++++++++++...+++++>..
+++++.+++++...>+++++..<++++++++++

Not enough random bytes available. Please do some other work to give
the OS a chance to collect more entropy! (Need 20 more bytes)
------

and then hangs. I do as it says, run a few programs, bash at the keyboard,
etc.. but it still just hangs there. I've left it for 10 minutes before
thinking something wasn't working.

I'm on FreeBSD 3.4-STABLE and using version 1.0.1

Anyone help me out here with what I've done wrong?

Can you also please CC me a copy of the email as I am not subscribed to the
list.

Thanks,
Andy.

Re: Help! :( [ In reply to ]

ftobin at uiuc

May 16, 2000, 1:35 PM

Post #2 of 6 (795 views)

Permalink

Andy Coates, at 20:28 +0100 on Tue, 16 May 2000, wrote:

> I'm on FreeBSD 3.4-STABLE and using version 1.0.1

echo 'rand_irqs="1 10 12 14 15"' >> /etc/rc.conf

man rndcontrol

By default FreeBSD uses nothing but the keyboard (low source of
entropy) for it's entropy pool. The above settings get it from several
sources (I forget which numbers are what..I used xosview to find out which
interrupts were being used on my system. You'll need to make sure I
quoted stuff correctly above there and reboot after the changes are made,
or else use "rndcontrol -s num" for each number listed above.

--
Frank Tobin http://www.uiuc.edu/~ftobin/

"To learn what is good and what is to be valued,
those truths which cannot be shaken or changed." Myst: The Book of Atrus

Re: Help! :( [ In reply to ]

rguyom at 321

May 16, 2000, 2:20 PM

Post #3 of 6 (801 views)

Permalink

On Tue, May 16, 2000 at 08:28:59PM +0100, Andy Coates wrote:
[...]
> Not enough random bytes available. Please do some other work to give
> the OS a chance to collect more entropy! (Need 20 more bytes)
> ------
>
> and then hangs. I do as it says, run a few programs, bash at the keyboard,
> etc.. but it still just hangs there. I've left it for 10 minutes before
> thinking something wasn't working.
>
> I'm on FreeBSD 3.4-STABLE and using version 1.0.1

man 4 random
man 8 rndcontrol

Re: Help! :( [ In reply to ]

ino-waiting at gmx

May 16, 2000, 10:03 PM

Post #4 of 6 (804 views)

Permalink

> Frank Tobin (Tue 16.0500-15:35):
> echo 'rand_irqs="1 10 12 14 15"' >> /etc/rc.conf
>
> man rndcontrol

you can also set a configuration variable in /etc/rc.conf. it's name is
rand_irq, and you can put in there: "1 5 10 11 12 14 15", or you can say:
"rndcontrol -s 1 -s 5 -s 10..." either manually or in your /etc/rc.local.

now, does anybody recall the [freebsd-]command which tells which interrupt
gets called how many times (gee, i keep forgetting...)?

--
clemens ino-waiting@gmx.net
do D4685B884894C483
gpg recv-key 0x9

Re: Help! :( [ In reply to ]

ino-waiting at gmx

May 17, 2000, 2:15 AM

Post #5 of 6 (799 views)

Permalink

> L. Sassaman (Tue 16.0500-22:47):
> echo 'rand_irqs="1 10 12 14 15"' >> /etc/rc.conf
>
> ;)

yes. early in the morning. what shall i do with a drunken sailor, what...

--
clemens ino-waiting@gmx.net

Re: Help! :( [ In reply to ]

ftobin at uiuc

May 17, 2000, 6:44 AM

Post #6 of 6 (797 views)

Permalink

clemensF, at 07:03 +0200 on Wed, 17 May 2000, wrote:

> now, does anybody recall the [freebsd-]command which tells which interrupt
> gets called how many times (gee, i keep forgetting...)?

I was lazy and used the port xosview to see blinking lights matching with
interrupts. :)

--
Frank Tobin http://www.uiuc.edu/~ftobin/

"To learn what is good and what is to be valued,
those truths which cannot be shaken or changed." Myst: The Book of Atrus