New User with 3 questions.

[ohno]

Hello:

I am sampling Linux with the Knoppix 3.6 Live cd.

I have 3 basic questions to help me decide if I want to use it or go with the Debian install.

As a first time user I think I adapted fairly well in one day however there are a couple things I can not understand.

1. When I try to save my configuration to floppy it appears to have been saved. However if I click on the floppy icon on the desktop it says the file is not available. Any help with this is appricated.

2. I have an intel based computer with a pci modem. The modem was not found and configured. I did not notice this at first because I was connected the first test on a highspeed through lan.

I decided to connect my external serial modem and it was found just fine. Can anyone tell me why my other moder was not found?

3. Last thing may seem simple but I am just confirming this. I am only testing this on a test computer the first day not my regular machine. I do believe from everything I have read that the program does not touch my hard drive in any manner. I ask because I can read the hard drive and see the contents. Just want to make sure everything is run from ram.

Thanks
Vince

[OErjan]

1. When I try to save my configuration to floppy it appears to have been saved. However if I click on the floppy icon on the desktop it says the file is not available. Any help with this is appricated.

try typing sync in a console (dos prompt), did you mount the floppy first? mounting/unmounting is one diference in Linux. mounting means making it acessible to read, write... unmounting "disconects" it...

2. I have an intel based computer with a pci modem. The modem was not found and configured. I did not notice this at first because I was connected the first test on a highspeed through lan.
I decided to connect my external serial modem and it was found just fine. Can anyone tell me why my other moder was not found?

some modems are so called winmodems, that is they only have drivers for Windows, and those drivers are used to "simulate" a real modem in the operating system. yours sounds like it is one of those. not impossible but hard to get working in linux, defenetly a hard experience for a beginner.

3. Last thing may seem simple but I am just confirming this. I am only testing this on a test computer the first day not my regular machine. I do believe from everything I have read that the program does not touch my hard drive in any manner. I ask because I can read the hard drive and see the contents. Just want to make sure everything is run from ram.

it only reads no writigng unless YOU alow it.

[ohno]

Thanks for the info.

As for all the answers they were good. You are correct when I checked out the modem on the one machine it is a winmodem. I just assumed it was not because it did not say so on the box.

Now, you stated I needed to mount the floppy, I did not do that (I don't think anyway) could you kindly give me the steps to do that. Also when I use the format tool included with the cd it gives me two optionsto format the floppy. Which should I use.

Last thing and not a tech question of sorts.

I also am going to try the Mandrake moves to see what I think of it. Then what ever I like the best I will order a cd set for the install version. Do you have any thought one way or the other why one would be better than another?

Thanks

After I get by these steps I can just play and learn as I go.

Vince

[Cuddles]

You are correct when I checked out the modem on the one machine it is a winmodem. I just assumed it was not because it did not say so on the box.

"Winmodems" are more "standard" on computers now than "hardware" modems, since, most people use "Windows" as there Operating Systems, currently... I would say, if it doesn't say what kind of modem it is, it is probably a WinModem. This can be true for a modem that connects to your USB port, or plugs into your PCI card slot, or, is hard wired on your motherboard... About the only way to be sure it isn't a WinModem, is to get a Seriel Port type modem. ( it has been the "standard" for being sure it will work, all the time, in Linux. Not saying that you "might" be able to get a WinModem to work in Linux, it is more of a "hit and miss" kind of thing. )

Now, you stated I needed to mount the floppy, I did not do that (I don't think anyway) could you kindly give me the steps to do that. Also when I use the format tool included with the cd it gives me two optionsto format the floppy. Which should I use.

If you clicked on the "desktop" icon for your floppy, it probably, did the mount part for you, and the desktop icon will have a little "shortcut" notch, like in Windows, in the lower right corner of the icon, when it is "mounted". If the device is not mounted, it will not have this little "notch". To unmount a device, just right-click on the desktop icon, and choose "unmount" from the menu. If you right-click on the floppy, and it isn't mounted, you will also have an option in the menu, to have it mounted.

To mount and unmount devices, you can do them two ways, one is through the desktop, which you know how to mount, and above, I explained how you would unmount it... The other method is the CLI, or Command Line Interface. You can bring up a Konsole screen, the thing that looks like a DOS Prompt in Windows, that is the CLI for Linux ( very powerful ). To mount a floppy, you would use the "mount" command, and to unmount, the "umount" ( note, there is no "n" in umount, the command is umount, not unmount )

For your floppy device, you will use the standard "fd0" for the device name, thats F D ( zero )...

So here would be the CLI's for mounting and unmounting that floppy device:
mount /dev/fd0
umount /dev/fd0

Last thing and not a tech question of sorts.

I also am going to try the Mandrake moves to see what I think of it. Then what ever I like the best I will order a cd set for the install version. Do you have any thought one way or the other why one would be better than another?

Never tried anything other than Knoppix, seen Kanotix, but thats it, sorry, can't help on this one...

Hope this helps,
Ms. Cuddles

[firebyrd10]

knoppix automounts floppies and cds. There is no need to amnually mount them or umount them (umount =unmount) as knoppix as the sync option on the mount parameters.

[ohno]

Ok thanks for everything, I have enough to get me going.

If you have any recommendations on a good book that I can purchase to get more intune to this os I would be glad to buy and read it. Then when I am more knowledgeable I will return to the group to get and offer any support when possible.

Vince

[firebyrd10]

Ok thanks for everything, I have enough to get me going.

If you have any recommendations on a good book that I can purchase to get more intune to this os I would be glad to buy and read it. Then when I am more knowledgeable I will return to the group to get and offer any support when possible.

Vince

Any linux book would suffice as most of the commands are the same.
But if you can get a book on debain, get that one instead.

[ohno]

Off to the store to see what I can find.

Thats all then for now till I learn more and come back when more knowledgeable.

Thanks Again
Vince