First Linux install

[pilotgi]

I built a pc and I'm installing Mandrake 8.1. I partitioned the hard drive like
this: 3000 mb for Linux "/" the rest I chose auto configure ( or whatever it was called) which the wizard named "/home". Mandrake was happy with that.

When I got to the screen that asked whether I wanted workstation, server, etc. I chose "select package", or something like that which said I could choose which apps I wanted to install one at a time. Mandrake seemed happy with that and told me to insert the second disk. I followed the instructions on the second disk and Mandrake seemed happy. Told me installation was complete and to reboot. I rebooted, screen said welcome to Linux and then went blank. Then my monitor gave me an error message:
out of range, and went to sleep. I have no idea what I'm doing and having a ball. Any ideas?

[jglen490]

Two questions:

1) Did you create an emergency boot disk?

2) Did you install lilo, or did you install grub (both of which are boot managers)?

[pilotgi]

1) No

2) Not unless the install disk did it for me

[abrakadabra]

Hi, sometimes this is a signal that the refresh rate for the monitor is not configured correctly. To do this you need to know the Horizontal refresh rate of the monitor (measured in Hz)
Say your monitor has a rate of 60-75 (just to give a number) if it was configured as 75-80 range then mostlikely you'll get an "out of range" error. Again, this may be ONE possible cause.

[pilotgi]

Why would the monitor work fine while I was doing the install and now have a problem?

[OOPS!]

Yep, the problem is your xserver. The reason it works during install is that they use a generic vga mode. Windows does the same during the install.

Do you remember being asked by Mandy to set up your xserver during the install? That is where you need to tell it what videocard (and how much ram it has) and what monitor you have. Mandy is pretty good at automagiclly detecting them, but some times you need to be specific. I think that it is just your refresh that is wrong. You should be able to test your server setup before commiting to it. If it is wrong, it kick you back and let you change things around till you get what you need.

At this point, since this is your first try at it I'd just do a re-install to keep it simple.

Hope this helps you,

OOPS!

[pilotgi]

I don't remember seeing anything about an xserver. I remember it detected
the mouse and keyboard, and some other things I can't remember. And it asked me if I wanted KDE or KED or KGB or whatever the hell it was and I chose that instead of GNU.

Do I need to go back to install disk 1 or 2?

I'm still curious about what it means that I selected "select package" like I stated in the original thread. After that, the install went pretty quickly, like
6 minutes. I'm thinking I didn't get very much in that short of time.

[OOPS!]

I just noticed, are you trying to install on your Mac? I've never done a ppc install.

But, at any rate. First off, you did an "expert install" if you selected packages individually. Which is great if you know what you want. Maybe not so great for the first time. I do recommend a "default install" of the workstation. You will get a good selection of apps to try. You can always add to it if you want.

KDE is a good desktop. I like it better than Gnome myself. But it is a personal preference thing. Maybe you want to install them both (if you have the room) to try them out.

As I said, to keep it simple for your first install, I would go back to the first disc, and reinstall everything fresh. After it gets to the end of installing all your software it should ask you to setup X (or x-server). It will attempt to automagicly detect your videocard, and ask you which server you want, 3.3.6 or 4.0.2 (if you don't need 3d use xfree4.0.2). Based on your pick it will ask if you want to test. If you try it, it will show a splashscreen and ask if it is ok. If there is any problem, it will kick you out, and tell you to change some settings. You should be able to use pulldown menus to change monitor, videocard, and display resolution. And then you can retest. Most often it's the refresh rate of the monitor that is wrong.

After you get through that, you will be asked if everything is the way you want it, i.e. timezone, printer, xserver, etc. Then it will reboot and things should work.

OOPS!

[pilotgi]

No, I'm not installing Linux on my Mac, I built a pc for that.

At the beginning of the install, I selected "recommended" instead of expert.

The select package was an option I got when I got to the window that had a choice of workstation, gaming , server, KDE etc.

But I'm going to start over and see what happens. Thanks for the help.

[pilotgi]

deleted by pilotgi

[pilotgi]

Solved the monitor problem. Had to select 800 X 600 for the resolution.

I need to install the software for the graphics card and other hardware before I can get the resolution back up to 1024. I've been searching the how
to documents for some help but no luck yet. So far, installing software has
been a real puzzle.

[OOPS!]

Well, at least you're up and running!

Now, what kind of video card do you have? If you have a nVida based card, nVida has Linux drivers at their website. The "boxed" drivers are a bit dodgy. nVida has a very good howto on getting their drivers installed and running.

Welcome to the pergitory that is known as rpm's. It isn't all that hard to install software, but it is very different from Windoze. After a while it will get easier. Just takes some practice. Keep at it and soon you will be compiling from source.

[pilotgi]

I meant to post my equipment.

ECS SIS AG315T video card. I checked their website and the version of the
driver is the same as the one on the disk I got with the card.

USRobotics/3Com 56k internal modem. I think the model # is 5160.

[Computer Hobbyist]

If you need to find drivers go to datapower. They have a great collection of drivers and tips.

CH

[pilotgi]

How can I find out if I got rpm with my install?

I saw a snapshot of a typical KDE desktop and it had a rpm icon on it. I don't have one on my desktop.

[Computer Hobbyist]

If you installed Mandrake you installed the ability to use RPM. Try loading something.

Strictly speaking, it is not necessary that you log on as root to install using RPM, but your userid must be authorized to create and access the files and directories required by the package. Generally, the easiest way to ensure such access is by logging on as root.

Typically you install an RPM in a termina l by typing

rpm -ivh package

the -i switch specifies that RPM should install the package or packages given as arguments.

the -v switch (the verbose switch) specifies that RPM should print messages summarizing its progress.

the -h switch specifies that RPM should print hash marks as it installs the package to let you know that it is progressing.

RPM generally installs the package, but occasionally you will get a report that (1) the package is already installed, (2) that a package file conflicts with a file from another package, or (3) there is a failed dependency. If you have one of those, let us know, or look in your documentation about the actions to be taken.

When I use the word package I am (it is a standard convention) referring to the name of the RPM package not the word "package."

By the way you are only in RPM purgatory. After a few experiences you will find it heaven.

CH

[pilotgi]

Hey CH, thanks for the mostly plain english info. Although, "packages given
as arguments" is geekspeak that goes right over my head.

I got a software cd with my graphics card that I wanted to install, but the more I investigate the more it looks like this software is only for windows.

When you say "try loading something", any suggestions as to what that
something might be?

[Computer Hobbyist]

Sorry about the geek speak. I'll try to do better in the future.

I suggest you go over the Linux.org and look at the applications topic. They have a links to a lot of different application catagories. Pick out something that looks like something you might use. You can also find links to downloads at c-net.

CH

[pilotgi]

I got Nero 5 burning software with my cd-rw. Any chance this will work with
Linux?

If it does, I'll try this for my first software install.

[OOPS!]

No, Nero is Windoze only. In Linux you will use cd-record, which can be used at the CLI, or you can use a front end, such as Gcombust. If you look in your menu under Applications-Archiving, you should see them there. If not they are on your install CDs. Burning CDs' under Linux is a far better way to go than Windows. A lot more stable.

If you want to download something, I recommend going over to Mozilla.org and getting their latest stable release, 0.9.9. Its a great browser, and should go into your box with no trouble.

Have some fun and play with everything. You will eventually break it, but you will be learning and you will be amazed at how hard it is to do so.

OOPS!