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Driver install for total Linux Newbie


conehead66
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Darkelve - what do you mean by a live distro ? I kinda thought the ones that ran from a cd like Knoppix was a live distro - again a lack of knowledge of linux on my part !

Yeah I mean those. Would have allowed you to see what is detected and what not without actually having to partition/install/ ...

 

If you're new-new to Linux and have no idea if your existing hardware will works, it will at least give you an idea of what it will be like.

 

I tried to install Mandrake on my friends PC. I gave him a tour on my computer and he was totally impressed. Then when we went installing some of his hardware was not found/configured properly. Courtesy of very strange hardware I found out later (I'd asked him to make a list so I could look it up online, but he didn't have it when I got there to install).

 

Needless to say it was kind of a disappointment for him. If you buy a new PC knowing you want to use/try Linux, you really have no excuse of checking the HW parts, you are in total control. As for already bought hardware that doesn't or won't work, well that's lame but what are you going to do about it?

 

But think on this for a moment: should you even be IN this situation? There exist STANDARDS for these things, including hardware. Should it matter what OS you are using? Is Linux to blame when drivers get written solely for Windows? (or worse, mutilated such as winmodems)

 

Please separate the value of Linux as a system from the rate of 'luck' with your hardware. Your 'Gforce' card, I have a Gforce4 myself and I set it up a few weeks ago, with help on this forum. I've never did real work editing config files in a text editor before, but now I have and I'm glad I did. I have reïnstalled my system afterwards, to be able to put my /home on a different partition and setting up the Gforce card was just a matter of minutes this time. Hey, presto - free education!

Also, not working at this moment does *not* mean 'never will work'.

 

As for the concept of point&click:

this is really something you have to decide for yourself. Chanches are you will get all or most of your hardware running. But you have to make a mental click when using Mandrake. There's tutorials abound to help you get the most out of your computer.

 

1. If you do not want to miss/replace any of your hardware, do not want to make an effort AND do not want to use anything other then point&click, then I'd suggest to stay with windows.

2. You can also "bite the bullet" and tackle problems one by one. Sites like these will give you great guidance and I'm pretty sure you can get some more of that HW working. As a last resort, it's always possible to replace some component (e.g. soundcard or network card). I know, you're not supposed to, but again: who's to blame?

3. In case you are ever looking for a new PC, might as well take Linux into account.

 

4. Distro-hopping is not abnormal: everyone has to find his place. Switching over and over and over hoping your HW gets detected isn't going to help. Better to stick with a distro for a while and get an opportunity to get your hands wet.

 

5. Linux can be just as 'point&click' as you ever want it to be. However, what you mean is, I think 'click&install' or 'click&configure'. If HW vendors wouldn't write their drivers to work with windows, this wouldn't go as smooth in windows either.

 

If you don't want to get your hands wet, if you don't want to spend some time, effort, perhaps money, getting these things to work - basically, if you do not want to make any investment in it - then stick with windows.

 

The reason people who tried Linux, persevered and finally sticked with it, adore Linux so much, is because their investment has payed back, both in financial as in less 'worldly' aspects.

 

So you either

- persevere and tackle problems 1 by 1, e.g. your soundcard or Geforce (recommended).

- don't care about spending some dough in order to buy hardware that will work (of course how will you know if you don't try to fix it first?) in order to save on time.

- again use windows, with no hard feelings ;)

 

 

Linux - putting the fun back into computing!

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quote: "5. Linux can be just as 'point&click' as you ever want it to be. However, what you mean is, I think 'click&install' or 'click&configure'. If HW vendors wouldn't write their drivers to work with windows, this wouldn't go as smooth in windows either."

 

yeh you hit the nail on the head , it is plenty point and click , just not click and install .

The Minitar wireless card had downloadable drivers (the original post) , just couldn't work out the errors and I couldn't find out from the website what chipset is on it . The sound card I'm very fond of and it would suck having to hit bios and turn on onboard sound for linux (not my idea of a dual boot system which is what I wanted (and currently have I guess) . I tried that hard drake , seemed to recognize the card to a degree but the config or search whatever seemed to do little .

 

You were right about different distros not picking up hardware any better/worse too (I thought newer versions might though) , maybe I'll see if Knoppix will let let me use the commands mentioned earlier in the thread to install the wireless card . The graphic card doesn't matter as I'll have windows for any stuff like games . The sound would be wicked though but searching google didnt seem to come up with much .

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OK, I made some comments about windex vs linux that was off-topic for this thread, and I should not have done so. I apologize. There are plenty of windex/linux debates on the board without them being in a help section. :woops:

 

There are pieces of hardware being produced that are not "real". that is, they must use the system processor in order to be what they are. Modems, printers, and scanners have been the worst offenders. Windex wants to move into this type of hardware. The standard hardware runs fine in linux, because linux uses standard conventions. Many of the driver problems are related to this issue.

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Ixthusdan , thats ok , I wasnt trying to say windex is better either , just easier for me . Anyway , so I tried enabling onboard sound (AC97, realtek chip I believe) , both Knoppix and Mdk9.2 recognize it but I still couldn't get a peep out of it , Knoppix even offered me a choice of 2 different drivers to use ! I did leave the Phillips sound card in though so maybe that is interfering , not sure if Linux likes that sort of thing , I know Windoze usually doesn't . One funny thing I noticed , both linux's said the Phillips Psc706 sound card was a VLSI Thunderbird but wouldn't/couldn't use it . Knoppix scanned for a Wireless network card but replied "no wireless card found" , but it should be useable as the company distributes linux drivers .

 

thanks to whoever said I give up too easy , it got my hackles up a little and made me at least keep looking a little longer and further .

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Hmm , I tried the wireless card drivers with knoppix and got this error after I told it to "make install" .

 

root@ttyp0[rt2400a]# make install

========= Install RT2400 device driver and utility =========

make[1]: Entering directory `/ramdisk/home/knoppix/tmp/rt2400a/rt2400_rh73'

install rt2400.o /lib/modules/2.4.18-3

install: cannot create regular file `/lib/modules/2.4.18-3': Read-only file system

make[1]: *** [install] Error 1

make[1]: Leaving directory `/ramdisk/home/knoppix/tmp/rt2400a/rt2400_rh73'

make: *** [install] Error 2

root@ttyp0[rt2400a]#

 

can anyone interpret those errors for me ?

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Hello CONEHEAD66.

I think I was the one who thought you may be giving up to easily.

 

It is fantastic to see you are still pressing on and learning rapidly all the time.

 

Give a coupe of months or so and we will possibly be seeing YOU giving helpful hints to others.

 

Keep up your good effort and have a great Mandrake New Year.

 

Happy New Year everyone.

 

John. (69yrs young)

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aha , that sounds like it , I'll try that in a minute when I boot in to linux , sounds a little similar to the error Mdk gave me though :::

 

[barry@localhost barry]$ cd /home/barry/Download/rt2400_linux

[barry@localhost rt2400_linux]$ su

[root@localhost rt2400_linux]# make install

========= Install RT2400 device driver and utility =========

make[1]: Entering directory `/home/barry/Download/rt2400_linux/rt2400_rh73'

install rt2400.o /lib/modules/2.4.18-3

make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/barry/Download/rt2400_linux/rt2400_rh73'

alias ra0 rt2400

install: `./xwlan/' is a directory

chmod: failed to get attributes of `/usr/local/bin/RaConfig': No such file or directory

./script/setupui: line 14: [: =: unary operator expected

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By default knoppix mounts your HD read-only. You'll have to remount it rw.

I just looked and it already says readable and writeable , It wouldnt let me unmount that hard drivr partition , kept say drive in use or something similar - so I right clicked the drive icon and went to the enable / disable write and when I clicked it the setting was already write and asked if I would like to disable that capability (I said no) -

 

am I doing something wrong here , to try to unmount I just right clicked the drive icon and clicked on un mount , but as I said , was told it's already/still in use !

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oh, don't even go there. Whinning won't get you far especially after expressing such a negative attitude earlier in the thread.

 

1.

chmod: failed to get attributes of `/usr/local/bin/RaConfig': No such file or directory

is it there?

 

2. you aren't root....su to root and try again!

 

3. post a link to the driver and there's usually someone kind enough to try it on there machine. You have to ask nicely though....and don't be so negative :P ....believe me, I know, I'm the definition of negative around here....go see how many replies I get to my post :D

Edited by bvc
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  • 1 month later...

Good Evening

 

Conehead, I feel your pain. I installed Mandrake 9.2 2 weeks ago and have spent countless hours tring to get my Turtle Beach Montego II sound card to work. I've followed threads all over the place and straw that broke my back was not having kernel source and trying to download and install it.

 

For someone new to Linux, even the supposedly easy to follow instructions from very helpful board members result in at least one or two messages that they don't mention. I'm not easily frustrated but 9.2 is getting to me. I just want to hear some sounds and when I boot back to XP Pro, all of my 5 year old hardware is working properly.

 

As Conehead said, I want to use my computer not spend frustrating hours trying to get sound to work.

 

I applaud all of you who use Linux successfully.

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I think for newbies (like me too) you really need to have a second computer, any old thing, and be prepared to learn how to fix and install things 'manually'. Very rewarding when you do.

I did the first stage of my 'apprenticeship' on 1 computer, frustratingly rebooting every 5 minutes.

I then gave up for a couple of months, while I sourced some parts to rebuild our old p3 that died. 70AUD later I got a new mobo and video card (3 year old technology, but I needed a slot1 m/b ). Installed Mdk9.0 and away I went, trying to understand all the help I was searching and receiving.

This made it a much less tedious process having linux running, while seeking help with the running windows box.

I think windows has made us very lazy in using our computers, and with all the 'freeware' available potentially damaging to our privacy. I occasionally install something on windows then run spybot and adaware to remove the spycrap only to find the app doesn't work. ARRGGHH!

Now Mdk9.2 is always the first computer powered up, windows is here mainly for my wifes benefit, I found an interest in networking, am totally paranoid about what windows is doing, etc...

Either way you can spend most of your time trying to sort install problems in linux or trying to figure out what got installed on windows!

 

get a second computer from a swap meet or fair.

 

cheers.

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yup, that's a good thing to do. I "claimed" a computer in school and am now tinkering with it. I manage to crash Mandrake twice a day and I'm really having a hard time to fix it each time, but I learn a lot that way.

 

Actually that was also how I learned windows except that I didn't WANT to crash it.

And no, it was not a "test" computer. :furious3:

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