Total Newbie

[drbfunk]

OK, I've spent all day trying to get this thing to work. I really want to like Linux systems. They appear to be miles ahead of Windows.

I just installed Knoppix 3.3 11-19 version. I accidetally booted from the backup floppy I created when I did the initial install. It works fine, but it won't detect USB devices and I don't think I can do things I should. I restarted without the bootdisk and it displays "no operating system found." I partitioned the HD myself (probably problem #1) giving partition #1 to a Windows Fat 32 system. Partitions 2 and 3 are Linus root and swap respectively.

I've spent a considerable amount of time looking in the FAQ's, but can't seem to find the right questions.

Questions:
1) If I can boot without a disk, will my USB problem clear up?

2) How do I boot without a disk?
By disk I mean 3.5' floppy. I have the CD-Rom and can boot from that, but would rather have this Knoppix as my primary operating system.

Please have pity on a very first time Windows convert. :lol:
Dr. B

[Stephen]

OK, I've spent all day trying to get this thing to work. I really want to like Linux systems. They appear to be miles ahead of Windows.

I just installed Knoppix 3.3 11-19 version. I accidetally booted from the backup floppy I created when I did the initial install. It works fine, but it won't detect USB devices and I don't think I can do things I should. I restarted without the bootdisk and it displays "no operating system found." I partitioned the HD myself (probably problem #1) giving partition #1 to a Windows Fat 32 system. Partitions 2 and 3 are Linus root and swap respectively.

I've spent a considerable amount of time looking in the FAQ's, but can't seem to find the right questions.

Questions:
1) If I can boot without a disk, will my USB problem clear up?

2) How do I boot without a disk?
By disk I mean 3.5' floppy. I have the CD-Rom and can boot from that, but would rather have this Knoppix as my primary operating system.

Please have pity on a very first time Windows convert. :lol:
Dr. B

It looks like lilo did not get installed properly to the MBR. To fix the usb problem I believe you will need a line:


none /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs defaults 0 0

In the file /etc/fstab you will have to edit the file as root to do this open a console window (clam shell icon on the taskbar) and type in su then the enter key type in the root password enter key again next type gvim /etc/fstab then enter key to open the file for editing and put the above on a line by itself and save the file. To fix the lilo problem if the file /etc/lilo.conf is configured correctly but not installed properly all you have to do is type /sbin/lilo -v and enter this would be done as root still in the console window and example of a properly configured lilo.conf:


vga=791
# /etc/lilo.conf - See: `lilo(8)' and `lilo.conf(5)',
# --------------- `install-mbr(8)', `/usr/share/doc/lilo/',
# and `/usr/share/doc/mbr/'.

# +---------------------------------------------------------------+
# | !! Reminder !! |
# | |
# | Don't forget to run `lilo' after you make changes to this |
# | conffile, `/boot/bootmess.txt', or install a new kernel. The |
# | computer will most likely fail to boot if a kernel-image |
# | post-install script or you don't remember to run `lilo'. |
# | |
# +---------------------------------------------------------------+

# Support LBA for large hard disks.
#
lba32

# Overrides the default mapping between harddisk names and the BIOS'
# harddisk order. Use with caution.
#disk=/dev/hde
# bios=0x81

#disk=/dev/sda
# bios=0x80

# Specifies the boot device. This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block. It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
#
boot=/dev/hda

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
root=/dev/hda3

# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk. It is disabled here by default
# because it doesn't always work.
#
# compact

# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: bmp, compat, menu and text
# Look in /boot/ and in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
#
install=/boot/boot-menu.b

# Specifies the location of the map file
#
map=/boot/map

# You can set a password here, and uncomment the `restricted' lines
# in the image definitions below to make it so that a password must
# be typed to boot anything but a default configuration. If a
# command line is given, other than one specified by an `append'
# statement in `lilo.conf', the password will be required, but a
# standard default boot will not require one.
#
# This will, for instance, prevent anyone with access to the
# console from booting with something like `Linux init=/bin/sh',
# and thus becoming `root' without proper authorization.
#
# Note that if you really need this type of security, you will
# likely also want to use `install-mbr' to reconfigure the MBR
# program, as well as set up your BIOS to disallow booting from
# removable disk or CD-ROM, then put a password on getting into the
# BIOS configuration as well. Please RTFM `install-mbr(8)'.
#
# password=tatercounter2000

# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
#
delay=20

# You can put a customized boot message up if you like. If you use
# `prompt', and this computer may need to reboot unattended, you
# must specify a `timeout', or it will sit there forever waiting
# for a keypress. `single-key' goes with the `alias' lines in the
# `image' configurations below. eg: You can press `1' to boot
# `Linux', `2' to boot `LinuxOLD', if you uncomment the `alias'.
#
# message=/boot/bootmess.txt
prompt
timeout=150
# prompt
# single-key
# delay=100
# timeout=100

# Kernel command line options that apply to all installed images go
# here. See: The `boot-prompt-HOWO' and `kernel-parameters.txt' in
# the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory.
#
# append=""
append="hda=scsi hdb=scsi hdc=scsi hdd=scsi hde=scsi hdf=scsi hdg=scsi hdh=scsi apm=power-off nomce"

# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-xfs
label=Linux
initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
read-only
# restricted
# alias=1

image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
# restricted
# alias=2

# If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the
# following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to
# where your other OS' partition is.
#
# other=/dev/hda4
# label=HURD
# restricted
# alias=3
other=/dev/hda1
label="Windows"


When you open the file to check the contents before running the lilo command above it should look similar to this the only things that you should really have to check for is the boot=/dev/hda this is where lilo will be installed in this case the MBR (hda) and the root=/dev/hda3 that are near the top of the file (the windows entry is the other= line at the bottom of the file) in this example I am showing you make sure it is set for your / to check if they match before opening the file do fdisk -l which will tell you the partitions on the disk you would have one Win95 FAT32, one Linux swap and just Linux this is the one you want to match the root= line so after having checked that the file is correct quit without making changes run the lilo command to write to the MBR if not correct then make the change save the file and run the lilo command next you would reboot for both changes to take effect and you should be able to boot into either windows or linux from the lilo screen and hopefully the usb will work also. If these steps do not work can you post the contents of the /etc/lilo.conf, /etc/fstab and the output of fdisk -l, lsmod and some details on the usb devices.

[rickenbacherus]

Boot the Knoppix cd like so:

knoppix 2

Then you need to mount the partition that you installed Knoppix to. If it were hda3 then:

mount /dev/hda3

chroot /mnt/hda3

mcedit /etc/fstab

Now for USB to work you just need to add a new line to /etc/fstab like so:

mcedit /etc/fstab

At the bottom add the following:

usbdevfs /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs defaults 0 0

Hit F2 to save and F10 to exit.

Now for the boot loader:

mcedit /etc/lilo.conf

You need to make these 2 entries look like so:

boot=/dev/hda

root=/dev/hda3

Then you need an entry for M$ like so:

other=/dev/hda1
label="wienerdoze"

Hit F2 to save it then F10 to exit.

/sbin/lilo

It should say *something* like:

Added Linux
Added wienerdoze

If it spits an error guess what?? :) When you get no errors then do CTRL+D to exit chroot. Reboot.

What that does is installs LILO to MBR and points it to your /root partition so that the next stage of the bootloader can take over. This should get you booting into Knoppix or windows. And hotplugging for USB should also work.

[drbfunk]

Thank you guys. I'm still very new so I really appreciate you talking me through with kid gloves.

[drbfunk]

Looks like I spoke too soon. When I do the gvim /etc/fstab function I can add the code in the window. BUT, the usbdevfs is highlighted in red. The line of code looks like this (with colors in parenthesis)

none (light green) /proc/bus/usb(black) usbdevfs (highlighted red) defaults (dark green) 0 0 (pink)

Also, my USB thumb drive will not appear on the desktop as the hdb2 partition and other things do. The drive is an PNY thumbdrive 128 MB 1.1 USB. I'm sorry to be so juvenile in this, are there places that explain the code so I could better learn this on my own? The lilo problem has been solved. Thanks a bunch.

Dr. B

[Bartman]

Try plugging in the USB bar, open a console and enter:

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

Your USB bar should be recognised as a SCSI device by Knoppix, which is why you use /dev/sda1 (assuming you have no SCSI hard drives on your system. I do, so I have to use /dev/sdb1 instead).

If this does not produce an error, you should be able to see the contents of your USB bar by entering:

cd /mnt
ls

in the terminal. If this does not work, post back with the errors you get.

Bartman

[drbfunk]

Thanks Bartman. It's been awhile since I've checked back because the site seemed to be down for a couple days.

Anyway. I did the commands and they worked; I got the contents of the usb drive to display in the shell konsole. But I stilll cannot access the contents from my desktop. And, in the gvim /etc/fstab the word usbdevfs still appears as red. Am I correct in assuming that this word is foriegn to the OS?

thanks,
Dr. B

[Stephen]

Thanks Bartman. It's been awhile since I've checked back because the site seemed to be down for a couple days.

Anyway. I did the commands and they worked; I got the contents of the usb drive to display in the shell konsole. But I stilll cannot access the contents from my desktop. And, in the gvim /etc/fstab the word usbdevfs still appears as red. Am I correct in assuming that this word is foriegn to the OS?

thanks,
Dr. B

The colours would be the syntax highlighting in gvim. To get access to the device from the desktop you would edit the /etc/fstab and put a line in it for the /dev/sda1 to be able to make a shortcut on the desktop.


/dev/sda1 /pendrive auto rw,noauto,user 0 0


Now I am not sure of this line I do not have any device to test it with so someone may have a better solution. For this to even have a chance to work you have to use mkdir /pendrive as root to make a directory for the mount point /pendrive you can call this whatever you want too you would just put your choice in the /etc/fstab line in the pendrive's place. Now you should be able to create a shortcut on the desktop by right clicking and choosing create new then Hard Disc and in the device tab choose the /dev/sda1 and make sure the read only is unchecked name the shortcut as you want it to appear on the desktop and save the shortcut. Now plug in the drive and see if you can access it through the shortcut.

[drbfunk]

it seems that all has worked so far. creating the pendrive went well. Now, when I try to mount, I use the code:

mount /dev/sda1 /pendrive

Is this right? How do I access it if it is? Should I type something in the line right after I write that code?

Please forgive my little knowledge

[drbfunk]

a little more info:

when I click on the icon on the desktop, it opens file:/pendrive but nothing is shown

when I'm in the konsole, I type

cd /pendrive
ls

and I can see the contents of my thumbdrive in the konsole. The contents are linux programs I want to install to my new system.
Where is the communication issue?
Thanks for all your help already
B

[Stephen]

a little more info:

when I click on the icon on the desktop, it opens file:/pendrive but nothing is shown

when I'm in the konsole, I type

cd /pendrive
ls

and I can see the contents of my thumbdrive in the konsole. The contents are linux programs I want to install to my new system.
Where is the communication issue?
Thanks for all your help already
B

Try adding umask=000 to make it rw,noatuto,user,umask=000 you may have to add uid=1000,gid=1000 this assumes that you are user 1000 to check use the id command in a console it will tell you the numbers in the first two fields. Also if you can see the files in the console then you can just copy them to a directory of your choice with the cp command eg. cp /pendrive/* /directory_to_be_copied_too/ which would copy the entire contents of the pendirve to the directory copied too. When you do the ls in the console are you root?

[drbfunk]

I am in root when I do the ls.

I did the instructions exactly as they were written and now when I click on the shortcut on my desktop it says: "Access denied to /pendrive"

A couple of things:
The usbdevfs is still highlighted in red in the etc/fstab. Not red text, but rather like when I type something wrong. i.e. this last time I wrote unmask instead of umask and it was red. Should I be concerned? Sorry to keep bringing this up, but it seems problematic to me.

Second, this was written in another forum:
pardon a newbie. hotplug seems to be working.
I looked in /proc/bus/usb/devices and /proc/bus/usb/drivers
and my usb had been installed.

When I type those in the Kwebbrowser I get a prompt asking me which program I would like to access this with. Is this normal? I'm thinking that these problems may intersect somewhere.
B

[Stephen]

I am in root when I do the ls.

I did the instructions exactly as they were written and now when I click on the shortcut on my desktop it says: "Access denied to /pendrive"

That is what I thought it is a permission problem those additions to the fstab line I gave you in the previous post were to try and solve this. Try this one it should work chown user_name:user_name /pendrive this will change the ownership of the pendirve directory to the user name you have chosen of course you would substitute the user name that you have chosen or you could use the uid and gid numbers you get from the id command in place of the user_name if you wish.



A couple of things:
The usbdevfs is still highlighted in red in the etc/fstab. Not red text, but rather like when I type something wrong. i.e. this last time I wrote unmask instead of umask and it was red. Should I be concerned? Sorry to keep bringing this up, but it seems problematic to me.


Looks like the spell checking then, that is the line I have in my /etc/fstab and it works for my UPS (the system sees it as a keyboard/mouse) but it just being a power backup I can't really tell if I can access it none of the software I can find wants to talk usb.



Second, this was written in another forum:
pardon a newbie. hotplug seems to be working.
I looked in /proc/bus/usb/devices and /proc/bus/usb/drivers
and my usb had been installed.

When I type those in the Kwebbrowser I get a prompt asking me which program I would like to access this with. Is this normal? I'm thinking that these problems may intersect somewhere.
B

That looks like Konqueror thinks you want to open a file and is asking you what progam you want to use to view it with.

Also you may want to try the fstab line without the umask=000 line and just the uid and gid before you start changing the permissions on directory. And lastly you do not mention if you tried to copy the files from the command line like I suggested in my previous post.

[drbfunk]

Thanks for the help. The USB drive works great now. I can't access it in my user account, but when I log in as root everything works like I would expect it to. I didn't end up doing the install from the konsole like you suggested, instead I logged in as root and everything worked like you had previously written.

When I accessed my USB I installed a program called ecasound. The installation went well according to the readme file, but now I can't open it. Should I just buy some cheesy "Linux for Dummies" book or something. I seem to be having more problems than I should be posting. Also, my Cd-rom won't mount.

When I type mount /dev/cdrom /mnt (or /cdrom instead of /mnt) it reads: /dev/cdrom: Imput/output error
mount: block device /dev/cdrom is write-protected, mounting read-only
/dev/cdrom: Imput/output error
mount: you must specify the filesystem type

Anyway, thanks for all your help on the USB device. I'm trying to find some friends or local people that I can learn this system from. It's definatly better than Windows, but it speaks an entirely new language I don't know.
B

[Stephen]

Thanks for the help. The USB drive works great now. I can't access it in my user account, but when I log in as root everything works like I would expect it to. I didn't end up doing the install from the konsole like you suggested, instead I logged in as root and everything worked like you had previously written.

When I accessed my USB I installed a program called ecasound. The installation went well according to the readme file, but now I can't open it. Should I just buy some cheesy "Linux for Dummies" book or something. I seem to be having more problems than I should be posting. Also, my Cd-rom won't mount.

When I type mount /dev/cdrom /mnt (or /cdrom instead of /mnt) it reads: /dev/cdrom: Imput/output error
mount: block device /dev/cdrom is write-protected, mounting read-only
/dev/cdrom: Imput/output error
mount: you must specify the filesystem type

Anyway, thanks for all your help on the USB device. I'm trying to find some friends or local people that I can learn this system from. It's definatly better than Windows, but it speaks an entirely new language I don't know.
B

You are going to all this trouble and the program is already available in Debian LOL, it's good for the learning though. ;)


HappyTux:/home/stephen/archives/deb# apt-cache search ecasound
libecasound7 - shared libraries for ecasound
libecasoundc0 - C bindings for ecasound
libkvutils2 - kvutils library required for ecasound
ecasound - Multitrack-capable audio recorder and effect processor
libecasound-dev - development files for ecasound
libecasound7c102 - shared libraries for ecasound
libecasoundc0-dev - c binding files for ecasound (devel)
libecasoundc0c102 - C bindings for ecasound
libkvutils-dev - kvutils library required for ecasound - development
libkvutils2c102 - kvutils library required for ecasound
python-ecasound - python binding files for ecasound
ecamegapedal - an audio effects pedal application
ecasound-el - emacs binding files for ecasound sound editing environment
ecasound2.2 - Multitrack-capable audio recorder and effect processor
ecawave - graphical audio file editor
libecasound2.2-dev - development files for ecasound
libecasoundc2.2-dev - c binding files for ecasound (devel)
libkvutils2.2-dev - kvutils library required for ecasound - development
python-ecasound2.2 - python binding files for ecasound 2.2
swh-plugins - Steve Harris's LADSPA plugins
HappyTux:/home/stephen/archives/deb# apt-cache policy ecasound
ecasound:
Installed: (none)
Candidate: 2.0.4-11
Version Table:
2.0.4-11 0
990 http://ftp2.de.debian.org testing/main Packages
600 http://ftp2.de.debian.org unstable/main Packages
2.0.3-5 0
500 http://ftp2.de.debian.org stable/main Packages


So you may want to install using apt-get if you can not get it working. How are you trying to start the program any errors? Usually you would just have to type in the name of the program on the command as long as it got installed in a directory already in your path if it was installed into /usr/local/bin/ then use that in front of the program name. To find out where the program is use locate ecasound or whereis ecasound once you find the file use ls -l /path/to/ecasound it may not have been made executable ( x in the line like this drwxr-xr-x ) if this is the case then [i]chmod +x /path/to/ecasound as root to make it executable.

For the cdrom put -t iso9660 in the mount line that should tell the mount that it is a CD file system you may also check the line in the /etc/fstab for the device it should mount with no problem without the -t at least it does on my machine but I use the /dev/scd0 for the scsi emulation you may want to try this if you continue to get the error with the -t in the command what it looks like in my install:


/dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0


For the USB one more thing that you can check is the permissions on the directory pendrive with ls -l /pendrive it should have something like this at the start drwxr-xr-x for the permissions if not then use chmod 0755 /pendrive and see if you can access it as a normal user.

[drbfunk]

As always I'm extremely thankful for your help.

I went 0 for 3 on the last run however.

What/Where is the Debian LOL?

I tried the cdrom code and now it gives the same Imput/output message but now it adds, "you must specify the filesystem type."

I tried the /pendrive tricks with no positive outcome. As long as I can access it now, I think that I'll live with this problem until I can get better aquainted with Linux.

Again, thanks for all your help. How did you get to learn so much of this system? was it books or doing what I'm doing. Can you suggest a good windows to linux book? Thanks. B

[Stephen]

As always I'm extremely thankful for your help.

I went 0 for 3 on the last run however.

What/Where is the Debian LOL?

I meant the Debian repositry so you can install the program you want with apt-get and you were going through all this to install the same program from the usb LOL= laughing out loud. Another trick anytime you run across one of these acronyms (LOL) use dict in a console window eg. dict LOL will use the dictionary program to give you the meaning of most acronyms and if you do not misspell the words to bad will give you suggestions on the proper spelling as well as the meaning of the word.


I tried the cdrom code and now it gives the same Imput/output message but now it adds, "you must specify the filesystem type."

Boy that one is strange what kind of CD is it, can you put it in the drive and access it through the shortcut on the desktop?


I tried the /pendrive tricks with no positive outcome. As long as I can access it now, I think that I'll live with this problem until I can get better aquainted with Linux.

Fair enough I was winging it there anyway it must be something simple though that I can't figure out because you can assess it as root so there is some kind of permission problem for the normal user.


Again, thanks for all your help. How did you get to learn so much of this system? was it books or doing what I'm doing. Can you suggest a good windows to linux book? Thanks. B

Just by reading, searching the web on any errors things like that it's all self taught. Speaking of searching did you know you can type a shortcut in the address bar od Konqueror and a search term and hit enter and have it searched for eg. gg:some search item then enter key would search Google with the term. There is a thread (http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4899#22717) on a book about using Knoppix to get from windows you may want to check it out. Another great place for information is the Debian User mailing list it is very high volume (250-400 mails a day sometimes) mailing list but there is all kinds of good stuff you can learn there you may want to use a news reader to view it you can subscribe to any of the Debian lists here (http://lists.debian.org) I would suggest the Debian security announce this list gives you announcements of packages that have been upgrade for security reasons usually only 2or 3 emails a week at most sometimes none for weeks.

Some links:

http://www.debian.org/doc/user-manuals
http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/
http://burks.brighton.ac.uk/burks/linux/rute/rute.htm
http://linux-newbie.sunsite.dk/
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Beginners/


And if you every want to recompile the kernel.
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2949
http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/system/kernel-pkg.html#CHECK-MINIMAL-KERNEL-PKG

[drbfunk]

I guess I don't know what Debian is. Is it a website? I tried there and they said it has been compromised.

I am embarassed about the LOL. Here I thought it was a command and it simply means what I knew it to mean all along. Oops.

I tried the tricks with the Cd drive, even some that we'd tried with the pendrive. It still gives the imput/output errors (previously written) and the permissions error. It seems I don't have permission to access hardly anything on my own machine. I feel like I'm in windows again :roll: I cannot access the cdrom through the desktop which is wierd because I can play CD's just fine. I tried tweaking the "properties" tab of the desktop shortcut to make it see the cdaudio instead of cdrom and succesfully stopped the cd player from working and got another permissions argument. I undid the cdaudio mount and everything worked just as fine/awful as it had before. I have 3 cd-roms on this machine. One is a usb drive (that I don't want to get into right now) another is an HP factory cd-rom that I swapped from an old machine and the one I've been playing around with is a gateway factory CD/RW drive. I had the HP and Gateway (GW) drives physically attached with a master/slave arrangement. Thinking this might be a problem, I unplugged the HP drive so only the GW drive would be seen by the machine. Turns out this is not an issue. Does knoppix usually have this many issues? Should I just download a linux program?

I'd like to do that ecasound from the debian install. Reading on the site it looks like it's already on my machine I just have to unlock it. I don't know how to do that. Also, I mysteriously got a program to work called audacity. I tried to record with it but it sounds awful when I play it back. Is this a program thing or a sound card thing.

Thanks in advance. You've been a huge help to me.
B

[Stephen]

I guess I don't know what Debian is. Is it a website? I tried there and they said it has been compromised.



HappyTux:/home/stephen# dict DEBIAN
1 definition found

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 Sep 2003) [foldoc]:

Debian

<operating system> /deb'ee`n/, *not* /deeb'ee`n/ The
non-profit volunteer organisation responsible for Debian
{GNU}/{Linux} and Debian {GNU}/{Hurd}. Debian's {Linux}
distribution is dedicated to free and {open source} software;
the main goal of the distribution is to ensure that one can
download and install a fully-functional {operating system}
that is completely adherent to the Debian Free Software
Guidelines (DFSG).

That is the first paragraph of the definition and says it better that I could except I would add the Debian project is run entirely by volunteers from around the world. There was a couple of machine that did get taken over they were mainly the machines that run the web sites, bug tracker, and mailing list the main archives that house all the program archives were never touched and are fine to download and install programs with apt-get.





I am embarassed about the LOL. Here I thought it was a command and it simply means what I knew it to mean all along. Oops.

I tried the tricks with the Cd drive, even some that we'd tried with the pendrive. It still gives the imput/output errors (previously written) and the permissions error. It seems I don't have permission to access hardly anything on my own machine. I feel like I'm in windows again :roll: I cannot access the cdrom through the desktop which is wierd because I can play CD's just fine. I tried tweaking the "properties" tab of the desktop shortcut to make it see the cdaudio instead of cdrom and succesfully stopped the cd player from working and got another permissions argument. I undid the cdaudio mount and everything worked just as fine/awful as it had before. I have 3 cd-roms on this machine. One is a usb drive (that I don't want to get into right now) another is an HP factory cd-rom that I swapped from an old machine and the one I've been playing around with is a gateway factory CD/RW drive. I had the HP and Gateway (GW) drives physically attached with a master/slave arrangement. Thinking this might be a problem, I unplugged the HP drive so only the GW drive would be seen by the machine. Turns out this is not an issue. Does knoppix usually have this many issues? Should I just download a linux program?

No usually it does not there has to be something wrong with the way the links are setup. Can you post the output of the command dmesg | grep scsi the "|" is the pipe command on my keyboard I use the SHIFT key and at the same time \ , plus the contents of the /etc/fstab so I can see what lines are being used for the mounting. And with the master/slave configurartion of the CD's are they actually jumped one a master and one a slave or are they using cable select if the cable select then jumper them properly that can cause problems. Also can you post the output of the id command so I can see what groups you are a member of.



I'd like to do that ecasound from the debian install. Reading on the site it looks like it's already on my machine I just have to unlock it. I don't know how to do that. Also, I mysteriously got a program to work called audacity. I tried to record with it but it sounds awful when I play it back. Is this a program thing or a sound card thing.

Thanks in advance. You've been a huge help to me.
B

To check if it is already on the machine use the apt-cache policy package_name, when you want to install a program you would use apt-get an example of a simulated install:


HappyTux:/home/stephen# apt-get -s install ecasound
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
libecasound7c102 (2.0.4-11)
libkvutils2c102 (2.0.4-11)
Suggested packages:
mp3-encoder ()
python-ecasound (2.0.4-11)
ladspa-plugin ()
mikmod (3.1.6-7)
The following NEW packages will be installed:
ecasound (2.0.4-11)
libecasound7c102 (2.0.4-11)
libkvutils2c102 (2.0.4-11)
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.
Inst libkvutils2c102 (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)
Inst libecasound7c102 (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)
Inst ecasound (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)
Conf libkvutils2c102 (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)
Conf libecasound7c102 (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)
Conf ecasound (2.0.4-11 Debian:testing)

This shows that I can install the program with no problems so I would remove the -s when I repeated the command (the up arrow in the console is good for this then left arrow over and backspace to delete the -s) and then actually install. Did you try the locate or whereis command to see if you can find the ecasound program that you tried to install before? Normally it would have been put into /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, /usr/local/bin or /usr/local/sbin when installed. For the audacity I'm not really sure I have never used it but if the sound from the audio cd sounded fine like you say then I would think it is a configuration problem with the software.

[drbfunk]

Here is the requested info


root@bryce:~# dmesg | grep scsi
etup: hdd=scsi
ide_setup: hde=scsi
ide_setup: hdf=scsi
ide_setup: hdg=scsi
ide_setup: hdh=scsi
ide-cd: passing drive hdc to ide-scsi emulation.
hdc: attached ide-scsi driver.
scsi0 : SCSI host adapter emulation for IDE ATAPI devices
Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 31x/32x writer cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
scsi1 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1 at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
sr1: scsi-1 drive
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Attached scsi removable disk sda at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0

# /etc/fstab: filesystem table.
#
# filesystem mountpoint type options dump pass
/dev/hdb2 / ext2 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdb3 none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy vfat defaults,user,noauto,showexec,umask=022 0 0
/dev/cdrom /cdrom auto defaults,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom1 /cdrom1 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom2 /cdrom2 iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/dvd /dvd iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdaudio /cdaudio iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/sda1 /pendrive auto rw,noauto,user,umask=000uid=0,gid=00 0 0
/dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/sda2 /usbcdrom auto rw,noauto,user,umask=000 0 0
none /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs defaults 0 0

# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hdb1 /mnt/hdb1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000 0 0


I haven't had a chance to really do much else. It is late here and I'm getting tired. I found Debian and it is a neat thing. The thing I was stumbling over was whether or not it was on the knoppix cd. To my knowledge it wasn't. I'll get it from debian sometime very soon.

Again... thanks a lot.
B

[Stephen]

Here is the requested info


root@bryce:~# dmesg | grep scsi
etup: hdd=scsi
ide_setup: hde=scsi
ide_setup: hdf=scsi
ide_setup: hdg=scsi
ide_setup: hdh=scsi
ide-cd: passing drive hdc to ide-scsi emulation.
hdc: attached ide-scsi driver.
scsi0 : SCSI host adapter emulation for IDE ATAPI devices
Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 31x/32x writer cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
scsi1 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1 at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
sr1: scsi-1 drive
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Attached scsi removable disk sda at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0

# /etc/fstab: filesystem table.
#
# filesystem mountpoint type options dump pass
/dev/hdb2 / ext2 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdb3 none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy vfat defaults,user,noauto,showexec,umask=022 0 0
/dev/cdrom /cdrom auto defaults,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom1 /cdrom1 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom2 /cdrom2 iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/dvd /dvd iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdaudio /cdaudio iso9660 defaults,ro,user,noexec,noauto 0 0
/dev/sda1 /pendrive auto rw,noauto,user,umask=000uid=0,gid=00 0 0
/dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/sda2 /usbcdrom auto rw,noauto,user,umask=000 0 0
none /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs defaults 0 0

# Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/hdb1 /mnt/hdb1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000 0 0


I haven't had a chance to really do much else. It is late here and I'm getting tired. I found Debian and it is a neat thing. The thing I was stumbling over was whether or not it was on the knoppix cd. To my knowledge it wasn't. I'll get it from debian sometime very soon.

Again... thanks a lot.
B

Try this for the fstab copy the one that is there now for a backup with cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.knoppix then edit the /etc/fstab there are a lot of changes here so it is always good to have a backup that you know works in case you have to copy it back.



# /etc/fstab: filesystem table.
#
# filesystem mountpoint type options dump pass
/dev/hdb1 /mnt/hdb1 vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000 0 0
/dev/hdb2 / ext2 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdb3 none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy vfat defaults,user,noauto,showexec,umask=022 0 0
/dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/scd1 /usbcdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/sda1 /pendrive auto rw,noauto,user,umask=000,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0
none /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs defaults 0 0


I see that you have a /usbcdrom for a mount point for the USB CD-ROM you have created the directory for this with the mkdir command? And the uid & gid options should be the user number that you see with the id command. When you try to access the cd's and usb stick from the desktop you should create new shortcuts and use them for the access this way you can be sure that nothing will go wrong by having modified the old ones for re-use.

Knoppix is Debian once you put it on the HD or for that matter run it from the cdrom it is just a bootable form of Debian with a whole lot of scripts that allow it to run from cd. So to get packages once you have installed to the HD you use the Debian archives and apt-get to install new ones or upgrade existing packages already installed.