How to use Skype 4.2 on SliTaz (was SOLVED for a limited time)

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How to use Skype 4.2 on SliTaz (was SOLVED for a limited time)

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Started 9 years ago by Aleksej
Latest reply from gdesilva
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Aleksej

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Coder-hobbyist
Hi all!

Chances are, you already know that Microsoft Skype is now only requires the latest version.
And the latest Skype version for Linux not works because SliTaz uses ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) but now Skype needs PulseAudio (in fact, PulseAudio has a lot of negative feedback).

Now I'll tell you how you can make good old version of Skype 4.2 work in SliTaz.

TL;DR (too long; didn't read):

wget http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/pool/partner/s/skype/skype-bin_4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2_i386.deb
tazpkg convert skype-bin_4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2_i386.deb
su
tazpkg install skype-bin-4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2.tazpkg
echo "127.0.0.1 ui.skype.com" >> /etc/hosts

First. Where to download?
Our get-skype package downloads latest Skype package from the official Skype web site. And really that web site provides only latest version. SliTaz not keeps any Skype packages in its repository because Skype is not free. But here is solution! We'll find trusty old Skype Linux package at the pkgs.org. Great!

Type "skype" at the search entry
Press Enter
Scroll page down
Click "Ubuntu 14.04 LTS"
Nooo, here 4.3
What about "Ubuntu 13.10"?
Yes! Here 4.2 version! For 32-bit architecture:
- skype_4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2_i386.deb
- skype-bin_4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2_i386.deb

Go deeper and I found that I need second package (skype-bin).
Click link
Scroll page down to "Download" and click blue diskette icon
Scroll page down to blue link under "Binary package".

Really you can download this package as you want: you can use your browser or even wget on your terminal.

Second. How to get SliTaz package?
Not too hard.
Imagine, you downloaded this deb file into your home directory. Now open terminal (by default it opened exactly in your home directory) and type next command:
```
tazpkg convert skype-bin_4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2_i386.deb
```
Note that you do not need to type the file name completely (skype-bin......). You can type few first letters of its name (sk) and type "Tab" key on your terminal keyboard. And terminal will write the full name for you. If it not works, type one more letter (sky) and press "Tab" again. Repeat if necessary (with skyp ... skype ... skype- ... skype-b ... etc.)

Now you can make a cup of coffee and wait few minutes.
After process finished you'll get SliTaz *.tazpkg package beside *.deb package. Now you can remove deb package.

Third. How to install?
Double click skype-bin......tazpkg package, enter root password, click Install button, wait... That's all.

And now ... the magic! :D
You need to edit /etc/hosts file. You can do it in many ways, but first of all you should have root access.
How to do it?
Open terminal. Type:

su

and blind type root password.
Then type

nano /etc/hosts

Here append file with this line:

127.0.0.1 ui.skype.com

Press Ctrl+O (letter O, not zero) and press Enter to save file.
Press Ctrl+X to exit.

That's all!
Run your Skype-OldStable-4.2-SliTaz-Edition ;)
Posted 9 years ago #
aniguenni

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Member

@Aleksej

thank you for this intresting post. i have skype (beta) 2.2.0.35 installed and with this version i was quite happy.

but now, since this version doesn't run anymore, i updated to 4.3. but i#m not really happy with it.
so do you know how i can still use my old skype version? when i start it, it says always "server connect failed".

what are the benefits to run the 4.2 version above?

Posted 9 years ago #
christophe

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Member

Aleksej, thanks for the tip

Anniguenni
It is likely (but not certain) that echo "127.0.0.1 ui.skype.com" >> /etc/hosts will allow any version of skype that was working in the past to work for the time being

I found 4.2 to be better than the old 2.X i also used for a while

4.3 does not work as well as 4.2 used to work (at least this is the impression I get)

This being said I read Ms is migrating skype from the peer to peer model to a centralised model
I expect there will be new upgrades that will make older versions incompatible (but I have been wrong in the past and have no crystal ball).

In which case pulseaudio will become a must have (until there is a broadly available skype replacement....)

Posted 9 years ago #
Aleksej

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Coder-hobbyist

christophe,

Yes, you're right.
Original solution with /etc/hosts I've found here. And seems you're right too that it's only temporary solution. But it works now for me.

aniguenni,

Really I run Skype hardly ever. I just do not to talk with anyone. And the first version of Skype, with whom I met, was one of the fourth branch. You can try the trick with the /etc/hosts, but I do not know if that helps you.

Posted 9 years ago #
kultex

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Key Master

@aniguenni - first question - did you get 4.3 working in SliTaz?

and old 2.xxx linux versions do not work anymore - I could not find any 3.xxx old linux versions. So this 4.2 ubuntu version seems to be the only one, that works with alsa in SliTaz - thanks Aleksej for finding that possibility

Posted 9 years ago #
aniguenni

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Member

christophe,
Aleksej,
kultex

yesterday i tried the above to get run the mentioned 4.2 version without success. but also my 2.xxx version doesn't run with this solution for me. it still says "server connect failed".

So at the moment i run the last 4.3 version and worry about the power consumtion and the not movable chat windows, wich are always placed automaticly at the up left corner.

But thank's to you three all for spendig your time to fix my and others problems.

Posted 9 years ago #
kultex

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Key Master

@aleksej

where do you run it - on aktual rolling I get this error:

tux@slitaz:~$ skype
process 8257: D-Bus library appears to be incorrectly set up; failed to read machine uuid: Failed to open "/etc/machine-id": Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden
See the manual page for dbus-uuidgen to correct this issue.
D-Bus not built with -rdynamic so unable to print a backtrace
Abgebrochen
tux@slitaz:~$

Posted 9 years ago #
Aleksej

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Coder-hobbyist

Hi kultex,

No, my SliTaz system can not be called clean. It's Rolling with more than 700 packages installed. Sorry, I not tested Skype on the clean installation.

Maybe this post helps you:
http://forum.slitaz.org/topic/slitaz-50rc1/page/3#post-29685

...
Skype
#tazpkg -gi skype then $skype returns error with /etc/machine-id
This problem is solved with #dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id
Now $skype starts skype and stop right now.
This problem is solved by #mkdir /var/run/udev then #/etc/init.d/dbus start and check if UDEV="yes" in /etc/rcS.conf
...

Posted 9 years ago #
kultex

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Key Master

ok thx aleksej - skype 4.2 works now, but I cannot connect to my account.

Please can you try it again, to be shure, that Microsoft did not stop this possibility in the meantime

Posted 9 years ago #
Aleksej

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Coder-hobbyist

kultex,

Ok, I tried just now and it still works.

Seems like autologin helps me.
And in general it is like joggling of 4.3 and 4.2 versions. So, seems we need both 4.3 (latest) and 4.2 (latest working with ALSA) binaries.

Maybe this helps you and other:

1. Install latest Skype 4.3 using get-skype package. Rename its binary /usr/bin/skype to /usr/bin/skype43. It works for me but it have no sound (no sound in the speaker, and it not see my microphone). But I can log in using it.

2. Install Skype 4.2 using method described above.

3. Run Skype 4.3, log in with autologin checkbox checked. Quit Skype 4.3.

4. Since now for everyday using you can run Skype 4.2. I read somewhere that it helps up to 30 days (it is a some sort of cookies that can remember you not longer than a month).

I know that final of using Skype 4.2 is somewhere in not far future. But today it works.

PS. Also, I installed and removed pulseaudio package which not help me with sound. Not remember if pulseaudio needs to start Skype 4.3 or not.

Posted 9 years ago #
kultex

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Key Master

thx Aleksej - works now like a charme!!! - I will write a howto ......

Posted 9 years ago #
Aleksej

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Coder-hobbyist

Kultex,

I'm glad it works for you.

... or anyone will create "monster package" Skype-2-in-1 with two binaries and two menu entries?

Sorry, now I not interested in Skype -- only working under tramys2 web service (web design, CSS, javascript, etc.)

Posted 9 years ago #
kultex

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Key Master

Aleksej - I am also not interested in Skype,

but I need it to communicate with my east european friends and collegs (Lithuanians, Polish, Russians) - they are Skype addicted and nobody wants to change to linphone and also we have the problem, that linphone does not work at the moment in SliTaz.......

so its good to have skype again, even I really hate it - skype calls are 100% controlled by NSA

Posted 9 years ago #
Lessons

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Member

Thanks for support .. this helps me a lot :)

Posted 9 years ago #
K3nn3th

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Member

@Aleksej: thanks, man! your method worked. what a great trick ;)

Posted 9 years ago #

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