Doubts in Wine, Samba, etc

[sakumar79]

Hi,
I have an office system that I am converting to Linux with a few Windows apps that are needed for office compatibility. Since the system was quite old, it would not install KUbuntu and Fedora LXDE, but finally I got VectorLinux Lite to install on it... Now I have a few queries regarding usage for proceeding further...

1. How to create a shortcut of start menu items and any other file/folder on the desktop? The default interface appears to be IceWM... Also, how can I set it up to use KDE or Gnome?

2. I need to mount some folders that are shared in Windows computers in the network. I am able to mount them manually using samba interface, but I have to enter user name/password each time. I need a way so that the regular user (non-admin) will have access to the network files in a few shared folders automatically without having to go through this process... Is it possible to set it up?

3. How to setup printers shared in the network through Windows computers... I have a couple of HP Laserjet printers(1010 and 1020 models) that are shared from the Windows computers on which they are connected... When I try to mount the printer, I get error after entering user name/password...

4. How to install Wine? I found that VL is slackware and downloaded the Wine files for slackware and unzipped them...There are two folders created of which install is one... In this, there are doinst.sh, slack-desc, slack-required, slack-suggests files. I ran doinst.sh but it created a few additional files in the install folder but didnt seem to do much... Am I missing some dependancies? How do I find out?

5. The office internet is through a Windows system which I am able to access on samba... But when I need to connect to the internet from the Linux machine, I am not getting access... I have setup the gateway IP as the IP of the system with network...What else am I missing?

Thanks in advance,
Arun

 

[sakumar79]

59 views and no reply even for one of the 5 queries? Guys please help...

Arun

 

[mediator]

Only the basics......I dont understand your 5th point though.

*www.fedoraguide.info/index.php?title=Main_Page

Read the procedures given in the link.

 

[sakumar79]

About point 5: The internet in the office is a broadband connection with USB modem on a XP machine (say sys1). The linux machine (say sys2) is able to access sys1 and the shared folders on it... The net connection on sys1 is shared... But even though I have provided the Gateway address as the sys1 machine IP address, I am not able to access the internet.

About the link:
1. I have VectorLinux (slackware based) and not fedora, so lot of differences are there... Also, since it is Lite version, I think IceWM is the WM manager used...
2. Mounting shared windows folder data seems available, will try it out...
3. Creating desktop shortcut is probably IceWM specific, hence another link or directions are required; also installing wine is slackware specific (I got wine slackware binaries but could not install even based on the instructions in wine website. Then tried compiling from wine sources, but it threw up a lot of errors and finally did not complete installation successfully)
4. No info on mounting printers

Thanks again
Arun
Arun

 

[mediator]

There are differences, but you are forgetting the fact that both are still linuxes.


1. The easiest way to add shortcut is 'ln -s /path_to_target /home/user/desktop'

Hope you understand the usage of basic commands. Target could be folder or command.


3. Printer -> *www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/i...urces_Using_Samba#Adding_The_Printer_To_Linux

4. You will have to check vector linux's repositories for wine or use tar files. Yep it throws errors, but you will need to study them and install the corresponding libraries.

5. Enable the internet and file sharing service on 'sys1'. It requires a lot of things related to firewall etc. Search TDF, your will find full tutes from me and other members on it.

Try to implement it and you might find ways to deal with other problems too.

 

[sakumar79]

1. I need to create a copy of a start menu item on the desktop for ease of access... How can I find what is the command to call it up? There is no right-click option to get properties...
3. Will check it out...
4. Will try it after I get net sharing working...
5. Internet sharing is on (and I can access the net on a few other LAN systems running windows...

Arun

 

[mediator]

1. Dunno bt Icewm man, install fluxbox or make shortcuts like said. Never used Icewm
5. Have u configured the DNS on ur linux machine?

 

[sakumar79]

Is DNS configuration necessary? What should I enter? For the windows systems, I did not enter any DNS data to be able to access the shared internet...

Arun

 

[damngoodman999]

Is DNS configuration necessary? What should I enter? For the windows systems, I did not enter any DNS data to be able to access the shared internet...

Arun

Which Broadband are u using typo that DNS , DNS is not necessary if u r using fedora 8 or above !

 

[mediator]

^DNS is usually required in "manual settings".

@sakumar :
Rule : Do not compare windows with linux! U didn't install any antivirus or disk defragement for linux either.

If you can ping 4.2.2.1 or 4.2.2.2, then u only need to set the DNS

modify /etc/resolv.conf and put an entry like

nameserver 4.2.2.1
nameserver 4.2.2.2

 

[sakumar79]

@mediator: Please dont say something like dont compare windows with linux.... It is only natural that a person who works with windows most of the time compares linux with it... Of course I dont expect both to be the same and each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but it is because comparisons are drawn that linux user-friendliness has reached the current limits (I have used linux on and off since late 90s)...

BTW, this project of mine has been shelved for a week or so due to other (office and personal) work loads, so I will get back to the suggestions after trying them out later...

But any other suggestions/advice are also welcome...
Also for info: Internet connection is Airtel (256kbps unlimited). Modem is (very old) Globespan Virata model with only USB option.
Arun

 

[FilledVoid]

1. How to create a shortcut of start menu items and any other file/folder on the desktop? The default interface appears to be IceWM... Also, how can I set it up to use KDE or Gnome?

I believe the program name s called rox-filer? Do a search and you can find tons of information about it. For keyboard shortcuts refer the .icewm directory and you will find a folder you can use to create keyboard shortcuts.

2. I need to mount some folders that are shared in Windows computers in the network. I am able to mount them manually using samba interface, but I have to enter user name/password each time. I need a way so that the regular user (non-admin) will have access to the network files in a few shared folders automatically without having to go through this process... Is it possible to set it up?

You can set guest access to the configuration however this might pose a security risk if I recall right.

3. How to setup printers shared in the network through Windows computers... I have a couple of HP Laserjet printers(1010 and 1020 models) that are shared from the Windows computers on which they are connected... When I try to mount the printer, I get error after entering user name/password...

Posting the error would help alot more.

4. How to install Wine? I found that VL is slackware and downloaded the Wine files for slackware and unzipped them...There are two folders created of which install is one... In this, there are doinst.sh, slack-desc, slack-required, slack-suggests files. I ran doinst.sh but it created a few additional files in the install folder but didnt seem to do much... Am I missing some dependancies? How do I find out?

Not a clue but try this command perhaps . *www.linuxquestions.org/questions/vectorlinux-36/wine-install-598464/ IM not sure how Slackware distros work so you might want to check on their forums.

5. The office internet is through a Windows system which I am able to access on samba... But when I need to connect to the internet from the Linux machine, I am not getting access... I have setup the gateway IP as the IP of the system with network...What else am I missing?

Are you saying your Windows system is connected to the net using a USB Modem and then your Linux system is trying to access the net through the Windows system ? Either way personally Id check if the Modem has a Eth0 port and just plug it into the switch and have all systems configured to access the router directly. Haven't hit this scenario so I can't really explain what else to do. Although I would seriously consider the above unless you need to monitor the access or has some specific need which restricts you from doing the above. Also you might want to enter the host name and its I in your DNS file or whatever file does that task as mentioned above.

For whatever its worth you started off by using a Distro which probably no one in this forum uses and if they do they rarely check the forum to answer it. Second you are probably using pre-historic hardware so you probably can't use one of the more latest distros.