Trying to migrate to Linux. Problems on the way. Please help

**Juozasg** · 06-25-2003, 05:44 AM

I've been trying for the last week to leave Windows (except for gaming) and embrace Linux. Unfortunately, all my efforts so far have been in vain.

I've tried Mandrake. But sadly, Mandrake doesn't seem to support my Motorola USB SB4100 cable modem. Furthermore, it fails to get my monitor's refresh rate, despite all my messing with XF86Config-4 files.

I've tried pure Debian. Couldn't get past XFree86 saying : "No screens found." Besides, it couldn't detect my USB mouse.

Along comes Knoppix CD. My USB devices work, my refresh rate is tolerable - 85Hz, and the only real problem is with my SB Audigy sound card. In short, Knoppix so far has been very nice to me.

However, when I try knx-hdinstall, the script runs without any troubles, Debian is installed and all seems well. Then I reboot and get a stream of digits that represents knx-install messing up the lilo.conf, which is no biggie and is quickly fixed with my handy boot floppy and the pain in the ass that is vi. The really sad part begins when I try running Konqueror - no connection. Usbview gives me something about usbdevfs, which wasn't on ramdisk even before the install, but my mouse works. However, with Knoppix booted from CD usbview detects all devices, including my mouse. Without Internet I can not find a way to fix my other problems without ackward rebootings.

Can you please help me with the following problems. If you don't I won't quit Linux, but I will be in a great pain while wasting days or weeks that could be spent doing less frustrating things.

1. Why is my USB modem and the whole USB kaboodle gone after knx-install

2. How can I preserve the CD boot settings and then put them on root after install? Which files do I need?

3. Did you, after installing Knoppix, had a lilo.conf file inproperly configured? I have two disks: hda (one partition) has Win2k; hdb (4 parts) has Linux + Swap + 2 FAT32 parts. lilo after hd install and the choice to install it into mbr, has boot=hdb instead of hda. It's easy to fix, but its existance is a cause for concern.

4. X-Windows has my monitor at the following: 1024x768@69/85
Windows2K has it at 1024x768@81/100. How can I fix it? 85 (or maybe 69 for horizontal) is too flickery for me. Xvidtune makes me very uneasy, since I have no idea what those numbers mean.

5. What files and programs run at boot time? I'm very interested in finding the configs for the frame buffer, which, like X-Windows, has my refresh way too low, as low as 60Hz.

6. How can I fix my sound? I think my problem is with ALSA, though I have no clue what ALSA is.

Hardware includes:
USB Motorola SB4100 Cable Modem
Audigy XGamer soundcard
Phillips Brilliance 107P Monitor
Geforce 3

Thanks for reading my long and poorly written post. Now gimme asnwers

Juozas Gaigalas

P.s. What is a modprobe?

**rickenbacherus** · 06-26-2003, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by Juozasg

However, when I try knx-hdinstall, the script runs without any troubles, Debian is installed and all seems well. Then I reboot and get a stream of digits that represents knx-install messing up the lilo.conf, which is no biggie and is quickly fixed with my handy boot floppy and the pain in the ass that is vi.

Don't like vi? Then use mc or nano or pico or kate or gvim or.....any of the multitude of text editors out there. Hell for that matter reboot your Knoppix cd- it IS a rescue disk afterall.

The really sad part begins when I try running Konqueror - no connection. Usbview gives me something about usbdevfs, which wasn't on ramdisk even before the install, but my mouse works.

usbdevfs is a filesystem that works very well. You just need to learn how to use it. Try this:

Code:

cat /proc/bus/usb/devices

Are you aware that usbview is just a frontend for the above command?

However, with Knoppix booted from CD usbview detects all devices, including my mouse. Without Internet I can not find a way to fix my other problems without ackward rebootings.

I would highly recommend that you forget about all the nice pretty gui tools and learn REAL Linux.

Code:

ifconfig -a

OK- this is "networking 101" no matter what your OS.

Do you have an i.p. address? If so can you ping by i.p.? If you can ping i.p.'s can you ping by domain name? Start there and let's see what you've got.

1. Why is my USB modem and the whole USB kaboodle gone after knx-install

Your USB mouse works right?
Realize that you are dealing with a distro that was meant to be used from the cd. The install script is just a bonus and there are certain "issues" that arise after an install. No it isn't a perfect script but it works on a majority of systems and it beats the hell out of wimpdoze any day. I have installed win literally hundreds of times and it is a pain in the arse if there ever was one. I have a natural distrust of any os that puts a "fix me before they find another security hole" button on the start menu.

2. How can I preserve the CD boot settings and then put them on root after install? Which files do I need?

That's a broad question.

3. Did you, after installing Knoppix, had a lilo.conf file inproperly configured? I have two disks: hda (one partition) has Win2k; hdb (4 parts) has Linux + Swap + 2 FAT32 parts. lilo after hd install and the choice to install it into mbr, has boot=hdb instead of hda. It's easy to fix, but its existance is a cause for concern.

That's not an improperly configured LILO- it's exactly as it should be. If you want to boot /dev/hdb then it should say /dev/hdb right? You apparently chose "no" on installing LILO to the MBR- don't blame LILO for doing exactly as it was told to do. Are you trying to use LILO as your boot manager? That is- do you want to boot windows with LILO too?

4. X-Windows has my monitor at the following: 1024x768@69/85
Windows2K has it at 1024x768@81/100. How can I fix it? 85 (or maybe 69 for horizontal) is too flickery for me. Xvidtune makes me very uneasy, since I have no idea what those numbers mean.

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

I would suggest getting very familiar with this file. You can read all about it at Xfree86.org There is a command for reconfiguring XF86Config-4. You can find it there.

5. What files and programs run at boot time? I'm very interested in finding the configs for the frame buffer, which, like X-Windows, has my refresh way too low, as low as 60Hz.

Kmenu>System>sysvinit editor

(I might have the wrong menu path- not at my Linux box right now but it's there.) BTW- get used to sysvinit- as it is the new emerging standard for Linux. You'll be seeing alot of it.

6. How can I fix my sound? I think my problem is with ALSA, though I have no clue what ALSA is.

/etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig

ALSA is....Advanced Linux Sound Architecture

Now gimme asnwers

Notice that not one single person responded to your post until now. Maybe you could forgo the demands in the future, afterall you've already gotten more support than M$**T will EVER give you - and to think you actually PAID for that pile of code masquerading as an OS.

P.s. What is a modprobe?

It is a way of inserting a driver into the kernel "on-the-fly" Try doing that with wimpdoze!!

Oh and BTW- alot of these questions could easily have been answered if you had used the search function. Also- plug your errors and whatnot into G4L and you will find a wealth of info.

**kazbek007** · 07-07-2003, 07:04 PM

Hi,

I use also knoppix 3.2 with an Audigy soundcard and I solved the problem by downloading the right software by opensound.com. It's free to use only it works for a certain period.
For the complete software you have to buy a license (hmm..tja..buy..).

Greetings,
Kazbek007

**Juozasg** · 08-01-2003, 02:08 AM

Thanks for your help.

P.S. demanding tone was a joke. I appreciate your assistance greatly.

**rickenbacherus** · 08-01-2003, 03:27 AM

OK so how did you make out? Is Knoppix working for you or are there still some issues to be resolved? I realize that Linux isn't always easy and there is never a "fix-all" answer. Hardware has alot to do with it and a little luck never hurt either.