More Linux Questions [mandriva]

Ok, well after my last post about a month or so, i have another n00b queries in Linux. My last problem of selecting a good linux distro for a beginner was solved. I opted for Ubuntu, but since i didnt have much free time during college and exams i used to pawn upon friends computers that had linux installed. Just realised that for a few, installing Linux is a show . Anyways, to the point, i tried my hands on few but known distros of linux and finally decided to install Mandriva and go further.

Mandriva as i know was Red Hat first ? Please do correct me if i am wrong because i may make false assumptions in my post due to lack of linux knowledge. Heres the step wise things i need to know so its easy for you guys to answer

1) I went to the MANDRIVA Site .. this is the download link of that site. Now my question is .. there are so many things that i see but dont know which one to download ! I opted to Download from public FTP mirrors .. > LINK < .. which one on this page do i download ? I have a P4 ..
so do i get .. i586 or x86-64 .. i assume i586 is for 32 bit .. i.e my normal P4.

2) which version do i get ? the 2006 is a raw installation tree so i wont get into the confusing part, 2005 has 3 CD versions .. and 10.1 has the same ... I have chosen this version : Mandriva Linux 10.1 Official CD & DVD ISO images for i586 and higher > LINK < .. is it the right one ? If not .. then please give me the link to that page so i can go there directly if it not much of a trouble.

3) whats the difference between the 10.1 release and 2005 or 1006 release ? are they the same ? is the 2005 version called 11 also ? please do explain this.

4) This point is somewhat important .. I have been working on windows since the time i got my first PC, and i guess its high time i switch to linux, having heard the number of things you can do without hesitation. I have 2 HDD 40 + 40 .. I have split the drives as follows: c: = 20, d: = 20, e: = 20, f: = 20. now .. i wanted to use only linux for all the things i would be doing in future, as in completely porting from windows to linux. I have a reason to do this, as i am an IT student, i feel that the knowledge of computers is not just based on databases and hardwares, i need to learn somthing new. So when i shift to linux and get the basic things working, i would be able to branch myself more into it. I do not need a dual OS, so is it fine that i install linux on c: ? because d,e,f contain data that i use and they all have atleast 1gb approx free.

5) after i download the ISO and burn the 3 CD's .. is the 10.1 installation graphical or command ? If command what all do i need to know. I will need basic things such as my gfx drivers : GeForce4 MX 440 (not so good:P) .. nvidia has options for linux like .. IA32, AMD64/EM64T, IA64 .. i think i should be selecting IA32 ? because of my processor ? if i do that .. this is the driver that i get > LINK < .. How do i install this driver ? i have NO idea of installations on a linux .. is it just double click or command ? ( by now you guys know how much of a n00b i am in linux ).

6) after the gfx installation i NEED to get my DSL started so if any problems come about i could atleast log on to asta or download required patches etc .. My DSL Modem is : Lucent 20A-USB ADSL WAN Modem .. where do i get the drivers for this modem ? or does linux auto install the drivers for it ? if it dosent then what do i do ? i have NO alternate way to connect to the net. so i need this to be at my highest priority.

7) Sound drivers ? .. i hope they are auto installed ? if not how do i get linux drivers for my onboard soundcard ? if needed then i would give my model number .. i dont want to overload this topic with questions.

well that was long .. and the list is more to come .. i wanted to keep asking but until these questions are resolved and i get to downloading and installing linux i would hold back my further queries. A small request to all Linux users, Please keep an eye on this topic, and help me out in anyways you can.

Please do correct me if i went wrong somewhere or i did not follow posting rules. Hope to get professional advice soon

Regards
Dhanesh.

 

 

 

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OK, don't worry, dhanesh, the Mandrake 10.1 install is graphical and fully menu-driven. At least for the install part.
I did this from the DVD iso, but it's fully the same with CD, simply I boot on DVD and have everything on the DVD, you boot on CD1 and it will ask you CD2 and CD3.
So, installing Linux by itself is very simple, you boot on the first CD and let you guide. Accept most of the default values, and you will have a splendid, graphical, Linux fully installed.
Then, Internet is more difficult. As most of people, I use an Ethernet adapter, with a cable going to the Ethernet output from my ADSL router. Then, during the install, I say "DHCP", and everything is simple.
With a DSL modem, simply try it ! Try to choose "Ethernet from DSL modem", and see what happens. If your modem is not directly supported by Mandrake, then you will have to look over the net (or simply arount Astahost communications forums).
Hope this helped. Come back if something is wrong, but I suggest first make a full install, you will see that everything is very simple. then, do a second full install (saying "overwrite previous installation") while taking special care of the internet part.
Regards
Yordan

 

 

 

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Thanks for that prompt reply yordan, I am clear with the fact that Mandriva supports graphical interface while installation and after that too with "GNOME" .. right ?

About the ADSL .. could you be more specific about the different types of options used ? and a small discription .. because if there are more than 2 options then installing it everytime would be a problem for me, not because i dunt have the patience, but if i have to work i need some base for it. and with my college and travel time from 6 in the morning to 7 in the evening, i guess night is the only time i can do this

What about the GFX and Sound ? and also what exact copy of mandriva 10.1 should i d'load ( if you could provide the link )

Regards and thanks again.
Dhanesh.

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The link you show in your post seems correct, then I would choose the first one,
ftp://gd.tuwien.ac.at/pub/linux/Mandrakel.../iso/10.1/i586/
and then choose CD1, CD2, etc...
For the DSL part, I did not test it (just because I don't have a DSL modem right now, I use an Ethernet cable to a switch). However, i guess that the options are something like "what kind of network do you have ?" and you have to choose DSL modem, and then I expect a menu trying to access the modem, and configure your link to the modem.
Regards
Yordan

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sorry if I seem to be like "endorsed by Novell" or something but, I always tell everyone to use SuSE.

The reason why is because SuSE has been proven to be a world leader in newb world and techie world. It combines the two of them. The power of a techie and the ease of use of a newb.


The YaST2 (Yet another Setup Tool) simplifies the installation alot, especially if you're new to UNIX/Linux world.

As for your drives. It could be left intact. The difference you would see is that they would be in different mount points. If your paritions are all formatted in Windows as FAT32, SuSE or even Mandriva would usually mount it in /windows/c (and etc.)

If you want to use Mandriva. They are great, but in order to upgrade something as simple as KDE, the only way to do that is if you're in their Mandriva Club (subscription service), which irritates people. Else, you can also compile it if you have the boldness.

Anyways, for the Mandriva installer disc, as Yordan pointed out: you need the i586 version and NOT the AMD 64 versions.

Good luck and welcome to the world of Linux and Open Source Software.

On behalf of the open source community, thanks for using Linux.

xboxrulz

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first of all
-Please Ask clear and precise questions ...state questions briefly. Most of us dont have time to read lengthy stories..and the admins may see lengthy stories as an attempt to get credit

-Dont stick with commercial distributions..As their business model is based on software support. Community Based Distributions like Debian , Fedora , OpenSuSe are good. Ubuntu is also good but their business model has not been announced yet..but there is a very large community of users.

-As far as drivers are concerned , I think Ubuntu and SuSe both top the list. (I have tested on limited variations of machines ...but i am confident that they would work same for others.)

-Last point...Give KNOPPIX a try before you install any thing. You will get to know about things which are not suported by knoppix and its safe to say that whatever is not detected automatically by knoppix ..ull have to do some manula work about it in any Distribution.

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@hatim : the initial question was about Mandriva, which is a free version of Linux. The question was roughly "help me with Mandriva", and your answer was towards Ubuntu, which is an info but not a solution.
Regards
Yordan

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Wow .. many replies in a day .. i checked a few while at college but waited to come home and post up



OK, i am shure that i have to download the 1586 version of mandriva or rather any linux distro. As for the ADSL config whilst installation, i have to check it out when i am on hand at it. because i guess it would be rather confusing and tough for you to expain too due to the different options and no onhand install screen to tell me in detail about them, i just have to try out config by config and get it to work ..



Thankx xbox .. i knew i could rely on a post from you, i remember the inputs from you in my last linux post " to choose which distro" .. were very helpful .. You say to use SuSE ? now frankly that was my first option lol .. because i have seen suse at work and its pretty easy to handle .. i dont know abt the indepth workings but for a newbie and a first time hand on suse .. i quiet got used to it real fast. But if i am not wrong i have heard that suse is MAINLY for mail servers ? PLease do corect me, i would like to know everything i could. This was told to me by my college computer admin whome i asked a week ago and he said he used suse for the mail server cause it was mainly built for that .. again .. suse or mandriva ? the 2 very best i know and i wouldent change my mind again because i want to atleast be shure to start atleast one.

You mentioned YaST2 .. i will shurely check that out after i post this, and hope that helps with my little question of "How to install stuff on linux, is it the windows way or command way?"

I didnt quiet get your installation on drives part, i have all my 4 drives NTFS formatted so does that mean i can install linux and the file system stays the same or the install path stays the same ..

Now something you said about mandriva , was the upgrade method ? is it really a pain .. i mean is it easy to get stuff on mandriva then on suse or are they both the same .. $$$$ ?? .. cause i aint spending cash on something i dunt know , maybe when i learn a few basics i could get into a community etc .. and compiling is out of the question lol .. i cant do a simple progrm in c/c++ .. hell i duno what would i screw up in linux ..

ANd finally, YES, i need a complete port to linux because i am kinda obsessed with it now , i dunt have the guts to try an installation, but well this friday its a do or die situation i WILL install the penguin and see what happens ..



Heya hatim , i am sorry if my post wastes valuable time, but i cant be more sorry because i need to learn. By writing these huge lines i try to explain myself better because this is a COMPLETELY new world to me, so i am trying to be as specific as i can ..

As for your driver part, i think now suse would support more drivers .. but still .. confused about the mail server part .. please clear this mind set of mine ..

I have heard of Knoppix , and before i say anything please check this post of mine http://www.astahost.com/linux-n00b-needs-help-t7635.html .. I have had a long discussion about which distro to use , and all i have learned till now is that it depends on the person who uses it , i would give knoppix a try but after i am done with some basics on an installed system .. and right now my mind is going from mandriva to suse .. arrg .. i'll just shut up and d'load and then tell you which one i use lol ..
_______________________________

Anyways, thankx for the help guys, but please keep those inputs comming in, this friday i would install and saturday i will post my results .. so lets see .. but still some of my questions werent answered .. about sound and GFX ... is it the same as driver installation for ADSL modem ?? Because nvidia provides a driver for linux but would ANY distro support that installation ? i have no clue about how installations take place in linux.

Regards
Dhanesh.

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I would say that the easiest way to do is... remove the last partition (after backup), leaving unused space. And then, ask the Linux installer (yes, it's graphic, menu-driven) to install on the remaining unused space.
By the way, YAST means Yet Another Setup Tool !
Regards
Yordan

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Umm .. i am planning to install it on c: .. my d,e,f have stuff on them like softwares and mp3s .. c: is NTFS .. does the installer tell me if i choose c: that => " do you want to format and install linux on c: using the linux file system" ? just like in windows as windows xp setup gives the option to format in fat32 or ntfs while installation .. hope i could explain my self ..

and yes i did search up for YAST i came up with many searches in google .. where can i d'load it ? as much as i read the stuff on sites .. i realised that it WAS bundled with suse ?

Regards
Dhanesh.

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