Problems with Fedora...switch to Mandrake?


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Hi guys, I'm a relative newbie to Linux, so please be patient with me and be sure to explain everything to me using small words ;)

Since late last summer I've had a box running as my file server/web development server, first with RedHat 9 and now with Fedora on it. I've experimented with IPtables and the like, but really it's mostly just a file server. However, I've always had wierd problems -- RH9 I sometimes experienced strange errors while trying to install rpms. No error messages, it would just stop. That's not as big of a deal as what happens with Fedora, though: half of the GUI control panels don't work now. I try to open up the Services window, and nothing happens. I try to open up the GUI for the HTTP server, and nothing happens. And I mean NOTHING. I watch the CPU usage while I click on the icon and it doesn't even spike like it's trying to do something. I may as well have just been staring at the monitor and not clicking on anything. I'm having a few other strage problems with it as well, but that's the main one. And before you say "Just use the terminal!" I want to tell you that I have tried. I do as much as I can in the terminal, but I'm still rather tied to the GUI for many things.

So I guess my question is this: Should I go back to RH9, or should I try Mandrake? I've heard Mandrake is pretty good too, but I'm just worried about having to relearn everything. How similar is it? This year I don't really have time to mess with stuff as much, I just want to set it up and let it go. As a side note, I also want to put a VPN server on it, if that is possible.

Thanks for your input, everyone.

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Sounds like something got messed up... :(

By any chance, do you run in root?

Are you very careful when you are in root? (I ask, because you stated you were a newbie)

As far as RH/Fedora vs. Mandy, they are similar enough that you will not have problems.

However, if your primary purpose is as a server, perhaps a secure, reliable BSD system? I have not used any of the BSD variants, but they are unix-like (as is Linux), so will be familiar. They are always very HIGHLY recommended by people who have used both.

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i recommend using MDK 9.2. I have found it the only OS i have been 110% productive in.

:wacko: I fail to understand Mandrake, to this date I have not found a distro that doesnt pick up my USB mouse and network card BUT MANDRAKE...

It makes no sense?

Microsoft USB wheel mouse

VIA VT6103 ethernet card

both fail to work no matter what

No offense to mandrake of course, I just don't understand it.. I would switch back to mandy any day if it would work, but for now Fedora all the way

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:wacko: I fail to understand Mandrake, to this date I have not found a distro that doesnt pick up my USB mouse and network card BUT MANDRAKE...

It makes no sense?

Microsoft USB wheel mouse

VIA VT6103 ethernet card

both fail to work no matter what

No offense to mandrake of course, I just don't understand it.. I would switch back to mandy any day if it would work, but for now Fedora all the way

Errrr... If you have your mouse working on Fedora, just use the same settings (or .config file) from Fedora in Mandy? :shifty:

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Sounds like something got messed up... :(

By any chance, do you run in root?

Are you very careful when you are in root? (I ask, because you stated you were a newbie)

As far as RH/Fedora vs. Mandy, they are similar enough that you will not have problems.

However, if your primary purpose is as a server, perhaps a secure, reliable BSD system? I have not used any of the BSD variants, but they are unix-like (as is Linux), so will be familiar. They are always very HIGHLY recommended by people who have used both.

I do not run in root, no, unless I have to make some config changes. To my knowledge, I've never come near anything that could have messed up the control panels in the GUI.

I will investigate BSD, but I am not at all familiar with it. I am curious as to why you recommend it since I am running a server? What makes it better in that respect than RH/Mandrake?

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Red Hat has always had problems. If youre considering a new unix variant, i would suggest slackware. Much better than Mandrake IMO

I would qualify that with RedHat home edition isn't as robust. But their high-end corporate editions are well-tested (of course also on older kernels, etc.).

Pick what suits your needs best. :D

(P.S. I would agree that Slack would be better for all-around management, as it is the most unix-like Linux. Mandy will be the easiest for you to jump to, and *BSD would probably be the most secure, robust solution of all)

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I have never been a big fan of any distro's GUI config tools, I do almost everything from the shell or webmin. If the box is truely a file/web server - I see really no point to even install a GUI at all.

If your not a big fan of VI to modify your configs, etc.. I would HIGHLY suggest you check out webmin. Off the top, I can not honestly think of anything you can not do using webmin.

Add/Remove/Edit user accounts, Add/Remove/Edit cron jobs, Add/Edit/Remove services, network changes, NFS exports, Package management, samba configs (shares, users, etc..), hard drive parameters, DNS admin, Apache and FTP configs - the list goes on and on.

If your having issues with the GUI config tools - I would have to suggest you give webmin a try, it works on like every flavor of linux, all the BSD's, about every Flavor of unix I can think of IRIX, HPUX, AIX - even handles Solaris and Mac OS X / OS X Server, etc.. etc.. and even supports quite a few languages for the vast majority of its modules.

I would really suggest you try out webmin for any and all of your admin related stuff on any *nix/BSD type OS.

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