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New to Mandrake : Please help!


Art
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Hello:

 

I gather that Mandrake Linux is the suitable for people making a transition from Windows becoz of its ease. Is this true? Does one have to become a MandrakeClub member to download modem drivers, firewalls, security updates, and software updates?

 

Thanks.

Art

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Art, welcome to this board. You'll find this site a very valuable place to learn about Linux. I still consider myself a newbie to linux but I think you'll find mandrake a very good OS.

 

No you don't have to be a memeber to get your system up and running, or get updates. Your modem probally will work, but you may want to check if it is supported by mandrake or post here, if you can't get connected, your model of modem.

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post your modem type , and we'll look it up for you. the vast majority of modems are supported by mandrake.

 

what are you installing onto - is it a spare box, or your existing Windows system? What Windows version is it (if that is applicable)

 

it actually pays to give more information before posting to boards like this , or even on UseNet or elsewhere. That helps a great deal in getting the right answer for your situation.

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Hi:

 

Thanks for your reply. I have Pentium II 800nMHz machine now. I guess it is 30GB

HD. I have Win2K on it and some other Windows software. I dont know If want to install on this computer or buy a new one. I was thinking of buying/assembling one from the computer show. The present modem is Intel MD563X which was Ambient/Cirrus Logic modem. I have MandrakeMove CD (9.2 v) will this install the OS. Or should I wait for 10.0 release?

 

Thanks.

Art

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About your modem, I believe it is possible to get it working though I'v enever successfully goten a winmodem working in linux.

 

This is my best advice: Take that winmodem out of your computer and burn it.

 

No realy, set the thin on fire.

 

At first you will have a hard time getting the circuit board and IC's to actualy combust, but if you use a good accelerant, it can be done. You might try Automotive starting fluid. it's usualy made of ether, which is VERY flamable.

 

If that doesn't work, you might try something slow burning like diesle, kerosine or lamp oil. Of course, you'll need a small quantity of gasoline or ethanol to get it going, but then you should be good to go.

 

 

 

Once you've thouroughly destroyed your winmodem, go buy yourself an external serial modem. I use the Creative lab modemblaster external and I'm very happy with it. I'd avoid Winmodems and USB modems if you can.

 

Even in windows, setting up a serial modem is VERY simple and requires no extra drivers. Also a hardware controlled modem will connect faster, have fewer errors and fewer dropped connections.

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Getting a bit heavy-handed there veedubb :P

 

Believe it or not but there is a noon-destructive way to get a winmodem to a better place.

 

With a bit of help from www.linmodems.org I was able to track down this driver here.Intel Developer

 

This is perfect except for the fact that its only compatible with kernel versions 2.2.12 to 2.2.18. So you cant use that (the kernel for 9.2 is 2.4)

 

 

Now by the looks of it that modem you have there is actually quite old (v.90), hence the end of its support at kernel v.2.2.18. So probably my recomendation would be to overhaul that modem and put a newer (v.92) modem. Internal modems are only about $15 here is Australia so if youre in the US it would be even cheaper.

 

Now the advantage is if you end up with the newer intel chipset modem then driver support will be easy. Intel saw fit to provide us with a driver for the MD5628D-L-B chipset (the newer v.92 one) @

this page

 

A v.92 modem would probably be faster and/or have better packet manager than a v.90 if my memory serves me correct.

 

 

My 0.02cents,

plati

 

PS. If you get a new winmodem email me @ avenger_1900@hotmail.com if you ned help getting it working.

Edited by plati
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Hi:

 

I am planning on buying an external modem. I happen to lookup on Yahoo Shopping there is a pretty cheap one CenDyne ($13) they claim tha it works with Linux. Should I burn the latest 10.01 beta CDs or hold off till the offcial 10.0 are released?

 

Art

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I you are making a transition from M$ Win, for sure, better _NOT_ start with a beta version: they are not stable, made for developers and testers and could be the best way to disgust you from Linux.

Better start with a ML9.2 (!! carefull if you have a LG CD-ROM !!) or a ML9.1.

 

roland

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Hi,

First check you really wanna switch, get comitted.

It worked for all of us so it should work for you too

 

One of the board members has a special site to help make the swtich, give it a read ...aRTee's site

 

IMHO you need to work out if you really want to switch, probably yes and then what exactly you want out of linux.

 

Are you interested in Games ? If so then Win still has more choice and probably better (subjectively) games. If this is important to you then you might want to dual boot, personally I have a console ...

 

Then decide what else you want out of linux....

Basically it comes in many flavours and a lot of us change flavour as we get to be more experienced.

 

1) I just want it to work, I don't wanna know how or why and I don't wanna have to fiddle.

 

OK stick with windows or look at commercial desktop distro's.

Lycoris/Lindows or maybee Xandros are all ideal for people in this category...

My laptop has a winmodem and funncy PCMCIA. I hacked around and got thelindmodem working under Mandrake but NOT the PCMCIA.....

Eventually I tried Lindows ... everything worked first time.

However, other than the fact everything worked I don't actually like it because I Like to fiddle.

 

3) (Ill get back to 2)

You want primariliy to learn and fiddling about is part of it. If things don't work you will try harder.

Under this category start with Linux From Scratch (LFS). This is basically a compiler and you download the code and build everything from scratch. Its a huge project and not for the faint hearted but when its finished you understand more or less everything there is to know.

Less intimidating but still a pure hacker distro is Slackware and then maybe Debian and Gentoo.

Debian gets a special mention because its a parent linux, like Redhat from which lots of others have sprung. The install is a bitch but once its installed thats about it becuase everything else is just a series of upgrades. It also uses APT a program or set of programs that look after upgrades

 

 

2) This is userland Linux for those who wanna learn without ripping out their hair.

Its also where Mandrake fits in.

Its not quite so slick as Lindows for automatic configuration and being usable by your grandma BUT its still very good. Linmodems and things take a bit more effort but are do-able.

Mandrake is probably the best mix of configuarability and ease of use in this class. It als uses URMPI, a pacjkage tool which solves most of the inhernet problems in RedHat based systems and RPM's.

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Thanks Gowator:

 

I made some research,I have narrowed it down toMandrake and Knoppix (basically Debian on install) . I used Mandrake Move was quite impressed. I have some experience with Unix while at college, so I can handle command line commands etc. My only question is should I wait for the official relase of Mandrake 10.0 or go ahead and install 9.2.

 

Thanks for your advice all along.

Art

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EEEK Don't make me say it art, not here!!!! I have to choose knoppix over mandrake but thats for me.....

 

On 10beta, no don't even think about a beta as your first experience!!!

knoppix on the hd is not quite a debain, it has a couple of remants of the live ancestory in it.

 

If you have broadband then download both....

This forum is much better than the knoppix one for answers... and thats an important consideration for noobies.

 

You subscribed to the club so use it!!!! Download the fULL mandrake would be my advice but keep a knoppix CD as a bootable CD.

Hardware detection is better under knoppix than ANYTHING ive seen. (Except perhaps a mac with apple hardware)

 

If your modem doesn't work then Id use knoppix to connect to the internet to get any bits you need to make it work.

 

Plus the knoppix download is a bargain.... You get 2GB of data compressed onto the iso for a 700MB download!!! :D

 

Overall your likely to try a few distro's so just leave room when you install mandrake. You can then do a hddinstall of knoppix of you so wish!!!

You tried MandrakeMove so go with it, use your club subscription and get the stable version!!!

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Two points strike me from this discussion. The first deals with the fate of the Windmodem. Check to see if there is an organization in your community that distributes used computer equipment to schools, non-profits or the economically disadvantaged.

 

The second relates to choice of distro. You have tested out Mandrake Move and now you are leaning to Knoppix and a hard drive install resulting in Debian install of the unstable branch. (See the Debian site for the meaning of the branches). The main advantage of Debian is that once installed you will never again be concerned with a total install of a new version. Updating to the next version called Sarge (presently the testing branch) can be accomplished with the apt-get package management system. The downside is that changes are made at an almost glacial pace with the result that the upside, stability and with few bugs does not happen as fast as some us who use it and we wish it was faster. It is also the only distro that is and always will be totally free coupled with the most complete documentation you can find in the Linux world.

A final factor with Knoppix is that it appears that Klaus Knopper is going to do it again with the first live cd with the 2.6.1 kernel in a few weeks.

 

Were I in your shoes, I would next look at PCLinuxOS which is a live CD presently at pre5 that really shows Mandrake at its full potential. Texstar, the principal author has been a contributor to much original packaging for the Mandrake community as reflected in his mirror on the download section here at Mandrakeusers. PCLinuxOS is capable of hard drive install and includes development packages unlike Mandrake Move. It is miles ahead of Mandrake Move in its pre form and will include the new KDE 2.3 in its final form.

 

Since you are not in a hurry to make a decision, I would review all of these alternatives and make a chart listing their differences, both positive and negative. By then you will have had a chance to decide on the hardware and what will work the best for you on it.

 

Counterspy

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You know I was never really big on Texstar though I appreciated a few pkgs I could easily get from him in the past. I have PCLinuxOS Preview5 and for me it has been the best livecd I've used. He has done a fantastic job, and I look forward to more. I had the hd install but craved cooker again.

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Actually I take issue with not appreciating texstar....

 

But Only because i tried living without texstar and PLF for a while :D

 

Mandrake as it is SOLD is not really very complete. In fact its potentially a let down for converts becuase it misses out on a few things people don't wanna give up like DVD playing and MP3 ripping.

 

You can shout all you like about ogg being opensource BUT ultimately my hardware MP3 player won't play ogg.

 

As a noobie searching out RPM's and their deps is not the best first experience of Mandrake you could have.... and if you have no permanent internet connection then your pretty much stuffed without PLF and in the past texstar.

 

When i discovered texstar and PLF it changed my mandrake install from being something purely functional to a joy to play with.

 

Of course PLF are still there but imagine a mandrake without PLF and texstar!!!

 

If PLF get disenchanted too then Mandrake suddenly becomes a much less interesting noobie distro becuase noobies will have to work hard to get it to undertake what they are giving up in windows. Its not impossible but it is painful as a noobie ...

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