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hi all,

i just installed linux for the first time, i used mandrake 9.2 install cd.

my initial impressions are not good, after 15mins i found i cant do anything useful with it.. i was just about to go back to windows and ditch linux forever but thought i'd give it one last chance by posting here.

So... any advice on the following please...?

1> cant get audio cd's working with kscd, they seem to playing but just no sound.. please tell me linux isn't still in the 90's and doesn't support digital audio reading (ie. not with the analogue cable from cdrom>sound card).

2> can't change refresh rate, stuck at 60 bloody hertz.

3> can't install nvidia drivers, i downloaded them, ran the sh nvidia blabla command.. but it says i need root, so i log in as root user and then i cant find the bloody file!!

Would appreciate quick reply before I decide to whack XP back on. cheers!

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1> Look in kmixer to make sure you have cdrom set as the input

2> This is done in the /etc/X11/XF86Config file I believe

3> Try looking in /home/<your username>/<where you downloaded them>/

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very quick reply thanks man.

still stuck though im afraid. :(

1> not sure what im looking for, couldn't find anything relating to input sorry.

2> i found the file but didn't know what to change, could you be more specific please?

3> managed to do it thanks but it said error unable to find system file 'ID' or something stupid, any ideas?

Is there another distro available that takes less setting up?

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Is there another distro available that takes less setting up?

Knoppix has excellent hardware detection.

It is also based on Debian and once you install a graphical front end for the apt-get system it becomes MUCH easier to install applications compared to dealing with RPMs.

n.b. Don't run Knoppix off the CD. It's too slow that way. Use the HD install script and it will partition your hard drive and install the files. If you first want to preview Knoppix then by all means use it on the CD first.

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Is sound working? If yes and your only prob. is getting kscd to play audioCD digitally then use xmms 1.2.8 instead. 9.2 CD's come with 1.2.7 so do urpmi xmms to upgrade or use the graphical software installation program in Mandrake control center, I am assuming you did setup the 'plf' and contrib sources for urpmi if not just follow the instructions at http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/ additionally add contrib sources for cooker too for the latest and greatest packages.

For changing the refresh rate change the horizres and vertres options in monitor section of /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 ( an easier way is to do it through Mandrake Control Center->system->monitor)

I myself use the following freqs on Samsung Samtron 55v 35-65 40-150 (look at your monitors manual for your settings).

You might have to add the following line after installing nvidia drivers in the Driver section of /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 Option "IgnoreEDID" "true" beware that this could fry your monitor so read the README provided withh NVIDIA Drivers carefully also the latest drivers from NVIDIA have too many bugs download the fixed ver from http://www.sh.nu/download/nvidia/ if you don't know which kernel you have, choose the 2.4 directory.

And lastly for an easy way out, Ignore what ever I said above and download PCLinuxOS preview 4

it has Nvidia Drivers , RealPlayer, Flash , Java and all the stuff needed already installed and setup for you

site : http://www.pclinuxonline.com/pclos/

Download : http://www.pclinuxonline.com/pclos/html/download.html

Edited by Akki
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my initial impressions are not good, after 15mins i found i cant do anything useful with it..
Are you trying to say that there is NOTHING useful on an install that includes Office programs, Photo Editors, a full compliment of Server apps, web browsers and mail clients, programming environments, and more? :pinch: Have you looked at a default Windows install?
can't install nvidia drivers, i downloaded them, ran the sh nvidia blabla command.. but it says i need root, so i log in as root user and then i cant find the bloody file!!

Arrrgh! I just finished with my mother-in-law's computer, because she saves stuff, and does not know where to find them. This problem exists on Windows, too. It is really not an OS problem.

Use Knoppix. Look at the Linux screen for a while, and boot back to Windows. I think that you will be happier with Windows.

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my initial impressions are not good, after 15mins i found i cant do anything useful with it.. i was just about to go back to windows and ditch linux forever but thought i'd give it one last chance by posting here.

Well, there is your problem. How about learning the interface and how to do stuff, like access files from root and such, before you start getting other stuff to work.

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well give a xp system to a n00B and he wont know anythign to do with it.

people are not born with skills to work on windows environment.

i bet if my first OS was linux, i would feel the 97% windows users are idiots.

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well give a xp system to a n00B and he wont know anythign to do with it.

people are not born with skills to work on windows environment.

i bet if my first OS was linux, i would feel the 97% windows users are idiots.

There's no "idiots"... People each have their own preferences and needs.

Windows suits some. Linux others. MacOS some more. Maybe even Commodore 64! :rofl:

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There are still people out there that think their Atari 800's are better than today's PCs.

Mike

Hey! I had one of those!!!

Showing my age now, aren't I? :(

Good for a laugh, though! :D

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