Ubuntu - How To Install Drivers?

[Elliot B.]

When I used the LiveCD, the sound and Internet worked instantly. However, I have now installed it and neither work any more and I can't figure out how to install drivers.

User-friendly Ubuntu my a*se lol if it wants to become mainstream and 'for everyone', they need simple things like this to work from the start like Windows XP does.

[blik]

Try using the Marvell Yukon NIC.

You may have to modprobe sk98lin

[Elliot B.]

Try using the Marvell Yukon NIC.

You may have to modprobe sk98lin

Say what? Is is not as easy as clicking on a 'Add Hardware' applet like you can in Windows? I am not trying to annoy Linux fans (and I am far from a Windows lover) but this is daft, especially considering Ubuntu is known as the 'friendly' Linux distribution.

[blik]

Sorry, I'm an Arch Linux user, I dont use/have the GUI's etc :s

But I did have to add that module when using the Marvell NIC. (I have an A8N borad too)

Also check Synaptic for an nforce package, there is one available in the Arch repo's perhaps Ubuntu has it too?

Edited June 9, 2006 by Bliksem

[Elliot B.]

Sorry, I'm an Arch Linux user, I dont use/have the GUI's etc :s

But I did have to add that module when using the Marvell NIC. (I have an A8N borad too)

Also check Synaptic for an nforce package, there is one available in the Arch repo's perhaps Ubuntu has it too?

You're losing me lol

Ubuntu must have the drivers for the sound/network hardware on the CD as when it was running in Live mode, they worked fine.

[markwolfe Veteran]

Say what? Is is not as easy as clicking on a 'Add Hardware' applet like you can in Windows? I am not trying to annoy Linux fans (and I am far from a Windows lover) but this is daft, especially considering Ubuntu is known as the 'friendly' Linux distribution.

When hardware is auto-detected properly, it is much easier in Linux, as you don't have to 'install' any drivers.

Perhaps you have seen driver selection screens like this in XP when you have hardware that Windows isn't quite sure of:

I suppose that someone could (and probably has) wrote a simple GUI to point and click from a listing of very possible Linux module... But it isn't that tough to type a single modprobe line.

A matter of preference and what you are familiar with, I guess.

[Elliot B.]

When hardware is auto-detected properly, it is much easier in Linux, as you don't have to 'install' any drivers.

Perhaps you have seen driver selection screens like this in XP when you have hardware that Windows isn't quite sure of:

I suppose that someone could (and probably has) wrote a simple GUI to point and click from a listing of very possible Linux module... But it isn't that tough to type a single modprobe line.

A matter of preference and what you are familiar with, I guess.

Erm, type it where? Where do I download the drivers from and what do I do with them etc.?

I think I'll format the partition and put Vista back on. That downloads and installs the drivers for you :D

[blik]

You type it in console. You will find console in one of the menus, again I dont use gnome/KDE so not sure which menu it'll be under.

You type the command, and the kernel will load the module/driver, you shouldn't have to download a thing.

I think I'll format the partition and put Vista back on. That downloads and installs the drivers for you :D

:rolleyes:

[CaKeY]

If you want something that works like windows by all means please install windows.

[Elliot B.]

You type it in console. You will find console in one of the menus, again I dont use gnome/KDE so not sure which menu it'll be under.

You type the command, and the kernel will load the module/driver, you shouldn't have to download a thing.

:rolleyes:

Dont' roll your eyes. Call it 'noob' but it works perfectly, makes everything easy and you don't have to messa round with console entries!

[kinetix63 Veteran]

Dont' roll your eyes. Call it 'noob' but it works perfectly, makes everything easy and you don't have to messa round with console entries!

Console entries aren't exactly messing around. Linux is very useful once you get used to it.

Anyway, open a console and try typing the following:

modprobe forcedeth <enter>
dhcpcd <enter>

See if that works.

[Elliot B.]

Console entries aren't exactly messing around. Linux is very useful once you get used to it.

Anyway, open a console and try typing the following:

modprobe forcedeth <enter>
dhcpcd <enter>

See if that works.

I can't anywhere to enter that in Ubuntu.

[karma_police]

You must be blind: Applications > Accesories > Terminal

[Rob2687]

Applications>Accessories>Terminal

Or

Alt+F2, 'gnome-terminal', <enter>

Or

Alt+F1 if you still can't find the Gnome menu.

[vincent]

If you want something that works like windows by all means please install windows.

seconded

[markwolfe Veteran]

Lighten up a bit, guys. Most of us here weren't started on *nix computing, and had to each un-learn the Windows way before catching on to unix.

[Elliot B.]

Applications>Accessories>Terminal

Or

Alt+F2, 'gnome-terminal', <enter>

Or

Alt+F1 if you still can't find the Gnome menu.

Nope, not working... (screenshot attached)

I am not blind, I was simply told to find a 'Console' not a Terminal.

[Rob2687]

You need to run those commands under root permissions or whatever by using sudo

i.e.

sudo modprobe forcedeth

Ubuntu has dhclient. Not dhcpcd.

edit: I see there's not output after the modprobe forcedeth there so I guess the module loaded successfully. You can check for any possible errors by doing dmesg | grep forcedeth

dmesg will show you a ton of messages but |grep forcedeth will filter out lines that contain the words forcedeth.

[Elliot B.]

You need to run those commands under root permissions or whatever by using sudo

i.e.

sudo modprobe forcedeth

Ubuntu has dhclient. Not dhcpcd.

edit: I see there's not output after the modprobe forcedeth there so I guess the module loaded successfully. You can check for any possible errors by doing dmesg | grep forcedeth

dmesg will show you a ton of messages but |grep forcedeth will filter out lines that contain the words forcedeth.

That worked and I now have Internet access! About time, talk about effort lol

I guess the next thing is audio drivers, graphics drivers etc. but I have no idea how to go about that. I will go to NVIDIA and download them now...

[hotdog666al]

"I will go to NVIDIA and download them now..."

If only it were that simple! XD

Why download graphics drivers if it's all working already? I've never had linux do the crappy window refresh thing windows does when it doesn't have the right drivers installed.

[Rob2687]

Nvidia graphics drivers are in the repos.

apt-get install nvidia-glx linux-restricted-modules-`uname -r`

or just search in synaptic.

[phantasmorph]

Nvidia graphics drivers are in the repos.

apt-get install nvidia-glx linux-restricted-modules-`uname -r`

or just search in synaptic.

that would be 'sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx', the restricted modules should have been installed by default in 6.06.

or 'sudo aptitude install nvidia-glx', whichever you prefer.

Once the driver is installed, you then type 'sudo nvidia-glx-config enable' which will edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to specify the 'nvidia' driver.

Press Ctrl-alt-backspace to shutdown Xwin, relog in, and Xwin should now be using the nvidia driver. You may or may not see an nVidia splashscreen.

[Elliot B.]

"I will go to NVIDIA and download them now..."

If only it were that simple! XD

Why download graphics drivers if it's all working already? I've never had linux do the crappy window refresh thing windows does when it doesn't have the right drivers installed.

I want to install and play games eventually, that's why. Also, Windows Vista won't do that 'crappy window refresh' thing Windows does as the entire environment is DirectX.

[hotdog666al]

Also, Windows Vista won't do that 'crappy window refresh' thing Windows does as the entire envorinment is DirectX.

I noticed! :)

Very pleased to see it too.

[Elliot B.]

that would be 'sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx', the restricted modules should have been installed by default in 6.06.

or 'sudo aptitude install nvidia-glx', whichever you prefer.

Once the driver is installed, you then type 'sudo nvidia-glx-config enable' which will edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to specify the 'nvidia' driver.

Press Ctrl-alt-backspace to shutdown Xwin, relog in, and Xwin should now be using the nvidia driver. You may or may not see an nVidia splashscreen.

The OS now seems more responsive, thank you (Y)

Now, how about the sound drivers? I think they may be installed, but I have no MP3 decoder? As well as the command(s), Can you guys tell me how you knew it in the first place? Is there a list of what is in this 'depositary' that I can browse through?