A question for Tech Cat or a seasoned Linux user

I assume that a driver for your network card did not get autoselected during installation, and one was not included with Mandrake. When it comes to trying to find a driver for your hardware, I think the best place to search first is the hardware manufacturer's website. I assume that Microsoft would not bother to provide Linux drivers on their site, so the next option is to do a Google search. It is likely that someone else out there who has the same network card as you went to the trouble of writing a driver for it. If you do find a driver, you will need to read the included installation instructions to install the driver. There should be a README file or some kind of text file clearly labeled as the file you can find instructions. You will need to use the command line to complete the installation process. Open up Konsole, type "su", then enter your root user password. This will set your command line in root user mode since installation can only be performed by the root user. After you have Konsole set in root, follow the installation instruction included with the driver.

This is the best help I can offer.
[Message Edited]

Thanks Tech.

Tech: So far not good. Found this. Can you help explain it to me:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/archive/3/2003/07/4/45421

It looks like a driver for your network card does not exist and the only way to get it to work is to modify a driver for another card. Maybe you could purchase another network card that either has a working driver in the open source community or the manufacturer of provides a driver for. It would be even easier to use a network card that has a driver that is already included in Mandrake. That way all you have to do is have Mandrake detect it and install the proper drivers.

Ah...the joys of Linux....[or any other OS that has less than ideal hardware/driver support]...

Ah...the joys of Linux....[or any other OS that has less than ideal hardware/driver support]...

indeed...

It's not the GNU/Linux community's fault that some hardware companies do not support GNU/Linux by either making Linux drivers or offering the blue prints to their hardware to the open source community such as ATI has done. Microsoft has a very hold on the market so naturally many hardware companies will only bother to only support Microsoft OSes. The government needs to step in and level the playing field. Microsoft may not have a monopoly but I feel they may have an unfair advantage.

The government can do no good by adding more regulations. what would it be? force manufacturers to write drivers for every alternative OS... this is a happ hazzard solution that could add financial strain on some companies, force them to release blue prints... now they get phone calls from users complaining about how bad the driver is... I really believe that the open source software is doing fine the way it is... just so long as they can put down SCO... and on another note MS is indeed a monopoly

Ok Tech Cat:
I installed Mandrake.
First I resized the Window 98 Patition down to 2 gigs. It still has about 750 megs to go before it is full.

Then I gave 300 megs for the swap (I have 128 megs of RAM and you always say it is a good idea to make your swap twice that of your RAM. So I figured what the heck, 300 megs sounds good.)

Then the rest of the 3.8 gig HD I gave to Native linux for the system.

According to Linux i only have about 500 megs for Linux

I am using KDE 3.1 and I must say I am impressed with the ease of use so far. I am also impressed with the way my machine boots and gives me a choice. All that being said, a few questions:

1.) how the heck do I resize partitions (if I can) in Linux?

2.) My DSL caqn also be plugged in the USB port. Is it possible to do this in Linux just like in windows? I know I will need the Linux driver for my modem.

3.)How do I install extra packages?

Thanks, Terry

1. I think you can resize partitions in Mandrake Control Center. I don't know if you can resize your root partition using Mandrake Control Center since your OS would be running off of it while using Control Center.

2. Linux is USB compatable. If you have a Linux driver for your DSL Modem, then it should be able to work.

3. There are two different formats commonly used for installing programs. RPMs are the easiest to install. All you need to do is double click them. Just make sure the RPM package you are trying to install was designed for Mandrake. The other format and the most widely used are compressed files in the .tar.gz format. To install you first have to start Konsole, type "su" and enter your root password to set Konsole in root user mode, decompress the .tar.gz file (usually "tar xfvz ***.tar.gz"), "cd' into the folder that was decompressed from the .tar.gz file, and follow the installation intructions found in a README file or something similar. Open source programs tend to be distributed as just source code you compile yourself. Usually the you compile them by "./configure" then "make" then "make install". Closed source programs tend to be distributed in an installer that you execute by typing a command like "./install-***".

*note: where I have placed "***", what you type depends on what you are installing.

thanks again tech. sorry to bother everyone.

First of all before i ask tech about a bazillion questions about Linux i would like to say yes, i know this is a skinning site and a Windows site.

That said, I apoligize for asking here but it seems email is to slow. And decides, maybe the questions I ask can help out other new Linux users.

Tech Cat here is alist of questions i had after my last 2 hour venture in KDE 3.1. Thank you in advance if the answers can be provided.

1. I have noticed in the KDE Start Menu on the top it has a recently used programs area. How do I go about clearing it or removing (turn it off) all together?

2. When I installed Linux, I forgot to install the Linux games. How do i get those games on my system?

3. What program do i use to explore the Hard Drive and how do i navigate it?

4. Do you know of a USB driver for a Microsoft DSL 1000 Maodem?

5. How do I set up and configure my sound in Linux?

6. How do I reaname my desktop icons IE cange the name of the CD ROM icon?

7. what website would have good reads about learning Mandrake Linux?


Thanks Tech for any answers you can give.

Terry

1. Open KDE's Control Center. Go to "Look and Feel"->"Panels". Click on "Menus" tab. Set maximum number to 0 under "QuickStart Menu Items".

2. Open up Mandrake Control Center. Go to Software Management and use RpmDrake to add programs. Just choose the programs you want and insert the Mandrake CDs when prompted.

3. Use Konqueror. Konqueror is both a web browser and a file manager in one. Double clicking the Home icon on the desktop opens up Konqueror in your Home directory. Click on the Root Directory tab on the left side of your browser to see a tree diagram of your file system similar to what you use in Explorer in Windows.

4. No I don't. Have you done a Google search?

5. Use Kmix. in your start menu go to "Multimedia"->"Sound".

6. You can change your desktop icon names by right clicking then selecting properties. I don't think you change the name of CD-ROM icons.

7. There is mandrake.com of course. There is also a free message board dedicated to Mandrake at mandrakeusers.org. It's not owned by Mandrake. Mandrake's official message board is on their club website at mandrakeclub.com and is only for paying Mandrake Club members. You can read their posts for free, you just can't post there. Linux.org is a good site to find a list of distros and other info about Linux. Linux.com is a good site for keeping up with Linux news.

thanks for you time tech.