Plz Help me Switch to Linux

[Satissh S]

I wan't to Swinch over to linux from windows because i'am using an illegal copy of windows and i don't like it. Also since i've joined BE Comp sci. i think learning programming thro' linux is better as i can help the community in future. Moreover i like the policy of Opensource software movement.
So i wan't to switch over to linux. I tried to install the distros from the Digit DVD's, but i face a problems when installing.
1. They donot install or show up errors when i use my AGP card (NVdia Ge-Force fx 5200). But when my take the card out and install using on board graphics (intel 865 Socket 478 and p4 3.0 ghz) all of them work well.
2. After Installing they don't detect my modem. So i'am not able to connect to internet.
3. They don't detect my printer or webcam either.
I tried everything i can inthe KDE and GNome Configuration Dialog but of no use.
If someone could help me sort out the following issues i would b greatful and bid goodbye to windows once and for all.

My Father has promised me to buy SUSE Linux 9.3 that costs rs 4500 approx. Is it worth the money? Will my Gfx card and modem problem wud b sorted out if i buy their commercial Edition ? Please help Me. Thanks in advance.

 

[bharat_r]

Wasn't SuSe Linux in some months's DVD?

 

[FilledVoid]

Im using an Asus V9520 Dispay card on my system with Mandrake Linux and it installed well ( Based on the 5200 ) . For the modem issue, I think it basically depends on what kind of modem you are using. I have an exteral modem and hence it works fine, Check out this link for more about internal modems in Linux

*tldp.org/HOWTO/Modem-HOWTO-2.html

If you check the previous posts in this section youll find more about this .

 

[Satissh S]

Yeh ! same thing here mandrake installs well but it doesn't detect my sound crd so what can i do! perhaps if i buy a external modem and replace the internal one with a pci sound card such as creative audigy wil my problem b solved?

 

[gauravnawani]

Satish, there is no need to panic, and buy SUSE9.3 just yet,
The version you want is SUSE9.3 professional and it can be shared. I have it but rightnow my cousin took it. I am sure you can get a copy of it from some one here or may be other distro.

Which Distro's you tried to install from Digit DVDs?
Provide details about your hardware like modem like name, make etc
Can you please elaborate what are the problems with your graphics card during the installation, I have the same card so my be I can help.

Answer these questions and you will surely get help and you can use that money for purchasing books for your education.

You said Manderake, I think it was supplied with digit a long time back. So it will be better to get a fresh distro, which of course we can help if you tell us where you live.

 

[Satissh S]

Satish, there is no need to panic, and buy SUSE9.3 just yet,
The version you want is SUSE9.3 professional and it can be shared. I have it but rightnow my cousin took it. I am sure you can get a copy of it from some one here or may be other distro.

Which Distro's you tried to install from Digit DVDs?
Provide details about your hardware like modem like name, make etc
Can you please elaborate what are the problems with your graphics card during the installation, I have the same card so my be I can help.

Answer these questions and you will surely get help and you can use that money for purchasing books for your education.

You said Manderake, I think it was supplied with digit a long time back. So it will be better to get a fresh distro, which of course we can help if you tell us where you live.

Thanks a lot for Helping me
Here Goes :
P4 3.0 ghz s-478 presscot
intel 865 ghz chipset
Nvdia Ge-force fx 5200 128mb ram
1 GB DDR Ram (2 x 512 mb Dimm's)
and the usual stuf.

I tried to Install,
Fedota core 3 ,4
Elx Linux
Free BSd
Ubuntu
Mandrake 10.2
Xandras
Arc Linux
and Live CD's
Knoppix , Linspire and Ubuntu.
All of Them except Mandrake gave errors when i tried to install with the Gfx card plugged in, but they worked very well without gfx card.
But in any case they didn't detect my Conexant Modem , Usb printer (canon i255) and webcam (creative).

I thought Suse was commercial. Thank a Lot

 

[coolblue]

Hmm....try SimplyMepis 3.3. It came out with one issue of Digit few months back. Also try Xandros 3 OCE which came with this month's issue of Linux for You magazine.

Suse 9.3 Pro is in my opinion the best distro in the world! But WHY BUY IT WHEN ITS FREELY AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD???

ALL OF ITS 5 CDS ARE FREELY AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD.

Let me also tell u that since Linux is free & opensource it does not come with proprietary stuff such as nvidia drivers (but I think some distros like SimplyMepis, Xandros, and Suse 9.3 Pro do).

By the way, I'd also suggest that u post ur questions at linuxquestions.org - its a wonderful site for newbies. Or try talking online in linux channels within freenode with any IRC cllient in Linux/Windows.

Hope this helps

 

[coolblue]

One more thing hehe.....Digit NEVER gave any Pro version of Suse. It only gave Suse 9.1 Personal Edition many months back.

Yes Suse is a commercial distro but Suse makes its distro freely available for download after a few weeks of the official release of the Pro version (things were not this way always). And now that OpenSuse has come, it will be available for free download to everyone as soon as its released. Go to www.opensuse.org for more interesting info on OpenSuse

 

[gauravnawani]

Hmm you have quite a list,
So you always purchase DIGIt

My suggestion is to install fedora4, keep others away, if you can get SUSE9.3 or Debian you can try them.

Back to your queries, I asked you to elaborate what kind of problem do you get during installation for the Graphics card (you also forgot the manufacturer).

Is that an internal modem?

Try these threads for more information on the printer driver.
*www.computing.net/linux/wwwboard/forum/26882.html
*www.linuxprinting.org/pipermail/canon-list/2005q1/001988.html
*www.canon.co.nz/products/printers/colour_bj_printers/i250_drivers.html

There is a www.fedoraforum.org for every thing related to fedora.

 

[tuxfan]

Don't install Fedora. Instead install PCQ Linux 2005 with Service Pack 1. Its based on Fedora Core 3 and their customisation is pretty good.

I use it and it works quite well. Do you want it? Its 3 CDs of installation and 1 CD for Service Pack.

Alternatively contact PCQuest from their website and they will send it to you with their March 2005 issue.

 

[Satissh S]

Fedora 4 Installs and runs well without The Gfx card not plugged in. (Ennyah GeForce FX 5200 128 mb Ram)
My modem is an 56k internal conexant modem.
I use canon i255 and creative webcam.
I got hold of nvdia drivers for linux from december Digit issue. I somewhere saw that using the sh <Script>command will run the script.
I executed it from the teminal, first it said that i need root privilages to install the drivers. So logged in as root and executed the command. Then i got a message saying that i sud exit the X-subsystem and run thro' the linux terminal. How to do it. I did all the above work thro' KDE.
I logged off and tried the same thro' the Linux Fail Safe Terminal. Again I got the same error.
How to exit the X-windows thingy.
I guess iam near

 

[coolblue]

Try SimplyMepis 3,3 or PCLinuxOS 9.1...excellent newbie distros....
I suggest get bsnl broadband connection.....i have it and it runs flawlessly on my kubuntu....i didnt have to install ANYTHING to get it to run...u just need the username & password..it will work on all distros i think...

 

[bharat_r]

Which Linux has a easy/best GUI & dosn't look complicated for people switching from Windows.

 

[GNUrag]

Which Linux has a easy/best GUI & dosn't look complicated for people switching from Windows.

Do you like this desktop?
Its my Ubuntu Warty desktop.

*img184.imageshack.us/img184/3733/gnome1kh.th.jpg

 

[Aijaz Akhtar]

Yes, PCQ LInux recognises my Conexant Modem fine. I cannot say so for nVidia as I don't have that.

 

[ujjwal]

Then i got a message saying that i sud exit the X-subsystem and run thro' the linux terminal. How to do it. I did all the above work thro' KDE.

You could press CTRL+ALT+F2, login as root, and type "killall X". Or you could type "init 3" at a terminal.

@bharat_r - You can install whichever environment you like on any distribution you choose. You can see Gnome in GNURags screenshot, you could also choose KDE, another popular and more windows like environment, or millions of others.

 

[gauravnawani]

Fedora 4 Installs and runs well without The Gfx card not plugged in. (Ennyah GeForce FX 5200 128 mb Ram)
My modem is an 56k internal conexant modem.
I use canon i255 and creative webcam.
I got hold of nvdia drivers for linux from december Digit issue. I somewhere saw that using the sh <Script>command will run the script.
I executed it from the teminal, first it said that i need root privilages to install the drivers. So logged in as root and executed the command. Then i got a message saying that i sud exit the X-subsystem and run thro' the linux terminal. How to do it. I did all the above work thro' KDE.
I logged off and tried the same thro' the Linux Fail Safe Terminal. Again I got the same error.
How to exit the X-windows thingy.
I guess iam near

Do a complete boot and log in to KDE/GNOME then

1. Press Ctrl+ALt+F1 to get into text terminal.
2. Login as root
3. Issue init3 (to get into single user mode)
4. Go to the directory having the NVIDIA driver then issue
./NVIDIA(complete name)*** -a (press enter)

Automatic intsllation will begin. After completing the installation.

5 Issue vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
The xserver configuration file will be opened in vi (editor)
6. Remove the following lines from the file (press i once to start editing file)
load "dri"
Well actualy just add #(hash) infront of this line.

7. Also replace driver 'nv' with 'nvidia'
You are done.
Exit vi by issuing
ESC then :wq (write and quit)

8. At the prompt again issue init5
or issue
reboot (to reboot the computer, the driver should work fine.)

I am sorry but I think that your card is not standard might be local made. Linux dont have drivers foe every card. Even then it can be made to run, if I could have seen whats going during installation.

 

[gauravnawani]

Which Linux has a easy/best GUI & dosn't look complicated for people switching from Windows.

It strictly depends what you want from Linux, if you really need to work on it then you can use UBUNTU or FEDORA or even DEBIAN.

Generally KDE is pretty close to windows (similarity in UI behaviour) so you might want to try SUSE or KUBUNTU first.

 

[gauravnawani]

just one query Satish, usualy Linux will install the drivers of the hardware, I suspect you might not know about this and you have drivers wroking. But you might be needing to check the confugurations.

If PCQLinux detects connexant then so should FEDORA after all its FEDORA from inside. Unless of course PCQ have specially added those drivers, in which case it can still be installed on FEDORA and worked upon.

 

[Satissh S]

Hi! I am using Xandros, Red-Hat witout any problems after installing the Drivers. My Father has promised me to get broadband, so that is solved. Pinnacle Tv-tuner was detected but there was problems with my canon printer. It was detected but the test page wasn't printed properly