r.singh

Success! But unfortunately I have no idea why. As far as I know, I did exactly the same things I did on previous attempts to configure the network, but now it works. I have restarted the computer 3 times and succeeded every time. During the first unsuccessful attempt, today, the screen went black while the "testing your connection" window was working, and the Mandriva desktop re-loaded without any action on my part, and there was no connection. Then I deleted the ADSL connection and re-created it. After that all has been well. Perhaps ther is some hardware glitch in this old computer? At any rate it is good that nothing illogical is happening. I hope I have not wasted people's time in seeking help for this problem. I did so after trying on my own for days. My thanks to all who took the trouble to respond. r.singh

Thank you for your response. It occurs to me now that updating could not have had any thing to do with it, since in order to update I would have needed a connection to the net! So the mystery remains. I will fool around some more and report back if anything solves the problem. If I fail, I will try your other suggestions to obtain a live CD off which I can connect to the net in an emergency.

Thank you for your response. Yes, I did need to configure the network on my installed system but did not have to add any extra packages. Exactly the same screens appear when I use the live CD to configure the network. I should mention that I did permit updates after installing, but I have no idea what got updated. No updating is possible on the Live CD version, of course. I guess I will look elsewhere for a live CD off which I can connect to the net. May be I should explore Puppy linux? r.singh

I have only one computer. If the hard disk fails, it would be nice to be able to connect to the net to check email, at least, which is why I am interested in connecting with the LiveCD. I thought even a minimal Linux installation would have the ability to connect to the net. Please enlighten me if this is not correct. Thank you. r.singh

It is possible that the message below is being posted twice. If so, I apologize. I could not locate my first attempt to post it and am therefore trying again. A couple of weeks ago I downloaded Mandriva 2008.1 (spring), and checked that the CD I burnt did indeed boot the machine and bring up the expected screens. But I found that I could not connect to the Internet with my ADSL account. I then used this CD to instal Mandriva 2008.1 on a hard disk, booted from the hard disk, found that all the applications I needed seemed to be present and functional, and I was also able to connect to the Internet right away! Several attempts to connect to the net using only the CD have failed. If I monitor etho0 while it tries to connect, I see that some bytes are sent, and some are received, but always there is the message that the connection failed and I should verify the settings, which of course I have done several times. Could some expert be kind enough to indicate where I am going wrong? I should mention that I am mainly a Windows user and my knowledge of Linux commands is minimal. Thanking you. r. singh [moved from Installing Mandriva by spinynorman]

Please forgive my apparent failure to respond to your post, above. I have still not learnt to manage the forum posts well and missed your message entirely, until I spotted it today, by chance! I have turned off anti-aliasing. Perhaps it will take effect after the next reboot, because right now the text remains fuzzy. Images, however, have always been as good as those in Windows, which I should have mentioned in my post to arctic. I have posted below an excerpt from /var/log/messages as advised. The file is very long. I looked for "eth0" and "failed" and the occurence of this combination during today's bootup is what I have copied and pasted. I love the fact that so much information is supplied by the Linux system, though it will take some weeks of reading before I begin to understand any of it! Mar 1 09:03:42 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Using interface eth0/00:50:FC:B4:1B:5C with driver <via-rhine> (version: 1.2.0-2.6) Mar 1 09:03:42 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Using detection mode: SIOCETHTOOL Mar 1 09:03:42 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Initialization complete, link beat detected. Mar 1 09:03:42 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Executing '/etc/ifplugd/ifplugd.action eth0 up'. Mar 1 09:03:44 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 6 Mar 1 09:03:50 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11 Mar 1 09:04:01 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 7 Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost kernel: usbcore: registered new driver usblp Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost kernel: drivers/usb/class/usblp.c: v0.13: USB Printer Device Class driver Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Found user 'avahi' (UID 72) and group 'avahi' (GID 72). Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Successfully dropped root privileges. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: avahi-daemon 0.6.13 starting up. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: WARNING: No NSS support for mDNS detected, consider installing nss-mdns! Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Failed to read /etc/avahi/services. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: socket() failed: Address family not supported by protocol Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Network interface enumeration completed. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Registering HINFO record with values 'I686'/'LINUX'. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost avahi-daemon[3245]: Server startup complete. Host name is localhost.local. Local service cookie is 2697511220. Mar 1 09:04:07 localhost kernel: ip_tables: © 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team Mar 1 09:04:08 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 15 Mar 1 09:04:09 localhost kernel: Netfilter messages via NETLINK v0.30. Mar 1 09:04:09 localhost kernel: ip_conntrack version 2.4 (2039 buckets, 16312 max) - 224 bytes per conntrack Mar 1 09:04:09 localhost kdm_config[3385]: Invalid option value 'All' at /usr/share/config/kdm/kdmrc:359 Mar 1 09:04:15 localhost kernel: ClusterIP Version 0.8 loaded successfully Mar 1 09:04:16 localhost kernel: ipt_recent v0.3.1: Stephen Frost <sfrost@snowman.net>. http://snowman.net/projects/ipt_recent/ Mar 1 09:04:23 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 20 Mar 1 09:04:31 localhost kernel: CSLIP: code copyright 1989 Regents of the University of California Mar 1 09:04:31 localhost kernel: PPP generic driver version 2.4.2 Mar 1 09:04:34 localhost kernel: netfilter PSD loaded - © astaro AG Mar 1 09:04:34 localhost kernel: IFWLOG: register target Mar 1 09:04:35 localhost logger: Shorewall started Mar 1 09:04:42 localhost net_applet[5382]: ### Program is starting ### Mar 1 09:04:43 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 2 Mar 1 09:04:44 localhost mdkapplet[5385]: ### Program is starting ### Mar 1 09:04:45 localhost dhclient: No DHCPOFFERS received. Mar 1 09:04:45 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: client: Determining IP information for eth0... failed. Mar 1 09:04:45 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Program execution failed, return value is 1. Mar 1 09:04:45 localhost ifplugd(eth0)[2397]: Exiting. Mar 1 09:04:55 localhost mdkapplet[5385]: Checking config file: Not present Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): starting (version 2.14.0), pid 5458 user 'rumi' Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): Resolved address "xml:readonly:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory" to a read-only configuration source at position 0 Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): Resolved address "xml:readonly:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.local-mandatory" to a read-only configuration source at position 1 Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): Resolved address "xml:readwrite:/home/rumi/.gconf" to a writable configuration source at position 2 Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): Resolved address "xml:readonly:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.local-defaults" to a read-only configuration source at position 3 Mar 1 09:23:11 localhost gconfd (rumi-5458): Resolved address "xml:readonly:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults" to a read-only configuration source at position 4 Mar 1 09:23:17 localhost net_applet[5382]: running: /usr/sbin/net_monitor --defaultintf ppp0 Mar 1 09:23:17 localhost net_applet[5382]: running: /usr/sbin/net_monitor --defaultintf ppp0

Thank you for your advice and patience. I will try not to bother you or the other experts on the forum, because I think you have given me a good start and I should be able to manage on my own (for a while, at least, I hope!). Thanks and regards...R.Singh

arctic: I did not understand until I read your last message, #12, that essentially all installable packages that a newbie like me would be likely to install are to be found in the Main and Contrib lists. I hope I have it right now! I have downloaded the compressed lists and will try to find the documentation you mentioned. At this point my main problems seem to have been solved and the system can meet all my needs. However, if your patience still survives please answer a couple of questions about minor issues. While booting up I see a message "bringing up eth0", I think, and a green OK. Then there is a pause of about 30 seconds after which there is a line "waiting for the network to be up" invariably showing a red "Failed". Thereafter the boot process goes on smoothly. I have no problem accessing the Internet. I looked at the file /etc/sysconfig/network and found an entry there about NETWORKING=yes (I think), which I deleted. I did this thinking the system was trying to bring up my local area network, and I do not have any. This made no difference to the above behaviour. Then I tried NETWORKING=no, which did have an effect: ADSL could not connect to the Internet! The question is, what is the system trying to do and why does it always fail (I suppose it is time limited)? I should mention that I did not get this pause or message with Linux 9.1. An even smaller issue is that all text is fuzzier on the Linux screens compared to the Windows screens. The hardware is the same (I am dual booting) and the monitor settings are identical, so I don't know why there should be a difference and whether anything can be done about it. Regards....R.Singh

Thank you for your last 2 posts. I think the second one (post #12) arrived while I was doing what you advised in #11. So I looked for libsane via GUI (yesterday I searched SANE) and found that libsane I asked you about is already installed. Mystified, I tried to install the scanner and this time it quietly installed! I have no idea what happened. I certainly did not install any packages yesterday and several attempts at Scanner installation failed. I will now install XSane, as you advise. I will also download the compressed index and find out what it means and what to do with in future. Many thanks for all your help. Slowly, the process is beginning to make sense...R.Singh

Many thanks for the links. I have placed the linux manual on my desktop and have already used it. It is very handy. I do need to ask more questions and your willingness to answer considerably lessens my embarrassment. Thank you. I have spent some hours reading FAQs, Googling, and cutting and pasting, in an attempt to solve the following problem, which arose when my attempt to install my scanner failed with the message that ScannerDrake could not install the required SANE packages. I should mention that the same scanner installed readily with Mandrake Linux 9.1 a few days ago! I guess the CDs I got for Mandriva 2007, free, are imperfect? Via the MCC I looked for installable SANE packages and found several. But when I tried to install them it turned out that some of them, or their dependencies, had bad signatures. Not knowing the consequences of installing such packages, I declined the option of installing them anyway. The problem then is how to get good versions of these packages. And a question here is whether it is dangerous to install packages with bad signatures? I went to the Easyurpmi site and found my way to the 3 available options, i.e. to addmedia Main, Contrib or Updates. There was no option to choose a specific package of my choice. I chose Main anyway and a 30 MB download began. I cancelled this since I need just 4 or 5 packages and not a large number of others. In the forum FAQ section someone has described how he got a particular package, but I failed to adapt his method to get mine. Could you please explain, explicitly, how, for example, I can get libsane1-1.0.18-7mdk2007.0 ( should there be an rpm in the name?). Also, will the downloaded version overwrite the bad one, and if not how do I get rid of the bad version (if it is sitting somewhere in my system)? Many thanks and sorry to trouble you....R.Singh

Happily, arctic's suggestion worked! The problem was not global and the new user desktop behaved normally. Also, to my relief, I got rid of the busy cursor (small things can sometimes be bothersome) following jagwah's directions. Another good point for my confidence is that while pondering the problem it had occurred to me that it could be like a corrupted userprofile in Windows, and I had planned to try out, when I woke up this morning, exactly what arctic suggested. Perhaps I am beginning to think in Linux?! Thank you for emphasizing updates, AussieJohn. In my last message (item 4) I did mention that I did a lot of updating. I used the MCC rather than easyurpmi because, being a novice, I can understand a bit better what I am doing via the MCC. Thanks also to neddie for explaining some of the commands to me. I should get a Linux handbook of commands from somewhere. My thanks and regards to all of you gentlemen. I can now go ahead to learn and use Linux with renewed confidence...R.Singh

Thank you for the instructions, jagwah and arctic, and for your prompt response. Unfortunately, no success. I did the following, in each case as "root" and in a console window opened from the menu available in the user login window. 1. I found the ./kde directory and renamed it, as advised. The command I used was "rename". The command was seemingly accepted (there was no error message or "protest" from the system), but when I re-checked the directory list, I found that the name had not changed. I then tried the rename command on my username directory, instead of a serious directory like ./kde, to find, again, no effect. So, this command does not work on directories at least. If there is a different command for renaming directories, a Google search did not reveal one. 2. Frustrated by the above, I removed the ./kde directory altogether (after going down its tree and deleting all files). This time, it did not show up in the directory list of /, so this part at least worked. 3. I rebooted, to find nothing had changed! 4. I went to the MCC (which does work, though the window borders are missing) and updated a great deal. Rebooted. No change. 5. I considered re-installing, this time after formatting all the Linux partitions, but decided against this because unless I can fix the present problem with the advice of the helpful experts on this forum, I really cannot have confidence in Mandrake Linux and make it my main system. I would have to try some other distribution I suppose, or stay with Windows. Please advise. Thanks. R.Singh

I used Mandrake linux 9.1 for a few days to get a feel for Linux. It could not fulfill all my needs, but it was stable and reliable. Encouraged by this I obtained Mandriva 2007, free, disks and installed. For the first 30 minutes or so, after installation everything worked well --the only major annoyance being the tiny bouncing icon that accompanied the arrow after I clicked on anything (it continues to bounce for a while even after the click has had the desired effect). I am using the KDE desktop, and I wandered through various menus trying to get rid of the bouncing icon, but failed. Instead, at some point, and I don't know how, the following happened: 1. The uppermost bar on every window (title bar ?) I opened was missing, so no window could be moved or resized, or clicked to close (File -->quit does work). And the default location of any open window showed only about the top 3/4 and the left 3/4 portions, i.e. the windows did not open in a central position. An exception is the Firefox browser window, which opens in the normal position, but cannot be maximised or moved. 2. I could not enter any text in the Firefox address bar, and the Konqueror address bar did not show. 3. I could open a Konsole, or an X-terminal, but no text (or other) entries were possible in either. 4. By right clicking on the desktop and choosing End Session, I got a login window, with a "Menu" button at the bottom. Choosing "console" from this menu did open a console window in which text entries could be made. 5. Having failed to solve the problem myself, I re-installed Mandriva 2007 but formatted only the / partition, thinking the system had been messed up somehow. However, at the end of the process I found that the situation had remained unchanged!! 6. Incidentally, I had copied the contents of the 4 CDs to the disk during the first installation, hoping that if I had to reinstall some day I would not need to use the CDs again. But I could not find any way to use the copied material (and I do not know where it is kept in the Linux system). Any comments on this? Please help. I have some knowledge of Linux and vi editor commands if some expert can kindly advise me what to do. Thanks....R.Singh

Thank you for your response....R.Singh

Hi, I am the newbie who sought advice on Mandrake Linux 9.1. I have received the Mandriva 2007 CDs I ordered but your post about the errata makes me wonder if I should wait a while before attempting the install or go ahead. I will be grateful for a word of advice....R.Singh

Thank you. I will do as you advise. There is a lot to read in the FAQs on this site, and I am doing it slowly. Also there will be a lot more to read on the links you gave in an earlier post. I will attempt the 2007 install (over the existing one) after I have read a bit more. I cannot resist asking a question which may well be answered in some of the stuff I am going to read and probably sounds silly. Please bear with me. What exactly is a "package"? Is the gphoto software that I downloaded for my Mandrake Linux 9.1, for example, a package? And can an ordinary user, like me, install packages not available in the Mandriva libraries, or is that only for the experts? I am trying to connect the terminology used here to the Windows one with which I am somewhat familiar. Thank you...R.Singh

I got my versions mixed up! I have ordered Mandriva 2007 CDs and hopefully they will arrive in a few days, since the vendor is in India (I don't know whether it is a scam or not, at this point, because they state that they have no office anywhere!). I have never used BitTorrent and am not sure whether I could download from there. One of the problems of a long download, here, is unexpected power failures which can last some hours and make a mess of things. I am glad you think I can go on to develop a close relationship with the Linux system. I really do like to understand the devices (hardware and software) I use, as far as possible. So far, computers have defeated me (I am a retired mechanical engineering teacher). They remain black boxes! R.Singh

Thank you for your comments and advice. I do want to learn a bit about the machinery of Linux but not at the cost of pestering the members of this forum. I am sure Mandrake 10.1 will do everything I want, but that is already possible with Win XP, which I now use. However, XP is a black box and changing to Linux would make sense to me only if I can have a closer relationship with the software, so to speak! Perhaps that is too ambitious a goal for a man in his seventies? I will order the version 10.1 disks and install it and then continue the process of learning more. Thanks again. R.Singh Many thanks, Greg2. Please see my response to neddie's post. I thank you for giving me the links to the Mandriva KB. From there and from books I will try to understand things a bit more and then decide whether the move to Linux makes sense, for me. R.Singh

I tried to see what packages are already installed on my system, and I have read the Wiki about installing software. I am fairly confused, which is understandable! I should try and get a book I suppose, because I can hardly expect tutorials on the forum. I looked at the packages (the list in your message) which I need to install in order to install gphoto2-2.3.1? Excepting "lidgcc" (I also tried libgcc just in case there was a typo!) I found some version of almost all the packages either already installed or available. My questions are: How did you determine the list in your message? I want to see if I can reproduce it and find more details. If more than one version of a package is available, should I remove the older version before installing the newer one? Where do I find missing packages, like lidgcc for example? Apart from the Wiki, is there some other article which I can read to learn more about software installation? I have seen some HOWTOs from the Linux Documenatation Project (I think) but most of them are old and I don't know whether they still apply. I am sorry to have to continue to make demands upon your time. I hope I can learn the basics soon. R.Singh

Thank you, Greg2. This is indeed the first application I am trying to install. I will try to do the needful in stages. Even if I fail, I will surely learn a lot on the way! Instead of adding to the number of posts in this thread, I will take the liberty of replying to the other kind responders in this one message. So, let me thank Daniewicz for directing me to the Wiki that deals with software installation, and him and spinynorman for telling me where I could get reasonably priced Mandriva Linux CDs. The high price I mentioned was the one I saw on the Mandriva website, and I now realize that the their price is high because they also provide support if one buys from them. R. Singh

I must say the experts on this forum are amazingly helpful! I live in India and would not dream of having you (jagwah) take the trouble and expense of downloading the Mandriva 10.1 CDs and shipping them to me, as you have so kindly offered to do. I will try to find them somewhere in India. Meanwhile, I wish to continue the learning experience with my version 9.1. Encouraged by all the kind responses, I am posting my current problem, below. I tried to install gphoto2-2.3.1. The "install" text file said, among other things, that the simplest way to install is to use the command ./configure after moving to the unzipped gphoto directory. I did that and the process began, but it soon ended. The last 3 lines on the console screen are reproduced below (I tried a "cut and paste" but that did not work for me): " checking dependency style of gcc ...gcc3 checking how to run the C preprocessor... gcc -E checking build system type... Invalid configuration 'gphoto2-2.3.' : machine gphoto2 not recognized configure: error: /bin/share ./config.sub gphoto2-2.3.1 failed " I do not understand what the error is and what I need to do to correct it. I will re-state here that on the gphoto website it says that this software will work on any platform. I will be grateful for advice. Could someone also please tell me whether I will also need to update digikam if the gphoto install succeeds. That will be the next battle! With thanks and regards, R.Singh

I am probably making a mess of posting my replies to this forum. My apologies. I will eventually figure out how to reply to the right person, if that is the forum etiquette. At present, it seems, all the responses in a thread appear together. Many thanks to Greg2. I followed up his suggestion about using digikam and it worked at once with the old Kodak camera! The camera I currently use is however not listed in the digikam list. But I found, on the gphoto website, that it is listed in their newest software gphoto2-2.3.1. I downloaded it but could not install it. It is supposed to work on any platform, so I thought it might also work in my older version of Mandrake Linux 9.1. I will make more attempts to install it, but I may have to seek help in this forum again. I also looked at the possibility of downloading Linux 10.1, but that is a huge download and will be too much for my version of ADSL. I could order the CDs I suppose, but they are expensive and at the moment I am not sure I can manage the problems that may arise with Linux unaided and I do not wish to impose on the experts here on a regular basis! With thanks, again, R.Singh

Many thanks for responding. I will see if the limitations of my ADSL permit me to download Mandriva 2007. R. Singh Thank you for your friendly response. I will look for the documentation you pointed me to. R. Singh Thank you for your kind response. I thought I was using digiKam! As I said in my reply to the first responder, I will see whether I can download Mandriva 2007, given the limitations of my ADSL. R. Singh I'm not familiar with your camera... but with many models you must set your camera's 'USB Connect' to 'PTP', not the 'Normal' setting. You may want to try using digiKam, it seems to work better for me. I also agree that you may still need a newer version of Mandriva for it to work properly? IIRC, I had problems with my camera using Mandrake 9.1?

I am reasonably experienced in using Win XP and am trying to move to Linux. Someone gave me the CDs for Mandrake Linux 9.1 which installed easily and which I later updated using the MCC. My ADSL connection and printer were set up with ease and I thought I could start using Linux soon (my needs are small) while I learnt more about it. I am full of admiration for the hundreds of experts who have freely given of their expertise and time to create this system, develop it and provide help to new users. However, I realise that there is no systematic support available. I have used Google a lot to find help but get defeated many times. As an example, I encountered the following problem and I don't know how to get it sorted out other than by appealing to experts in a forum like this. Perhaps there is another way to obtain help? I tried to download pictures from my Kodak DX3600 camera, using GTKam. As soon as I click on the icon, a window opens headed "Bad parameters" and saying "Could not list folders in '/'" . Clicking "More" brings an error message saying "An error occurred in the io-library ('Bad parameters'): Could not find USB device (vendor 0x40a, product 0x510). Make sure this device is connected to the computer." However, the printer is connected to the same device (and works), so I don't know where to go from here. If I close this small window and try to add my camera, it is detected correctly but nothing more happens. I would not like to pester the experts with problems of this kind (there are others too!) but where else do I turn to? With thanks to anyone reading this and responding. Rami