hello, there
i just installed debian gnu/linux, to be exact it was yesterday. but i've ran into two major problems!
i changed the kernel from 2.4.something to 2.6.7, configured it for the machine on which it was going to be used, compiled it and everything was running smooth. i put on the nvidia drivers. the x server was running normally. then i had to install gnome and kde. the kde-core was installed, but gnome won't install. i'm using the non-free, main and unstable packages. the "apt-get install gnome" gave me some error messages that some packages were needed for the installation but they weren't going to get installed.
my other big problem is with the two cd recording devices. the ide-cd module is loaded on startup. lsmod shows it's loaded properly too. in the grub config file, i've added a kernel argument hdc=ide-cd and hdd=ide-cd (hdc and hdd are the correct devices, i've checked that). when i use cdrecord dev=ATAPI: -scanbus, the two cd-rw are detected. but when i launch the k3b program it tells me that there are no suitable drives. i launch the k3bsetup2 program and add the cd-rw drives, there they are shown correctly with they're names and all. i click on OK, it tells me that everything is saved but then again when i try to burn a cd it tells me there are no suitable drives. i open again the k3bsetup2 and there the drives list is empty again. so i'm up to here..i can't figure out a solution! i'm desperate!!!
could anyone help me with these problems? how to i install the lates gnome and make the writing devices work with the 2.6 kernel?
thank you in advance! i appreciate it!

To be able to burn with the CD-RW you need SCSI simulation loaded. Here is a link I used to get mine going.

http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux/cdrw.htm

Sorry, I can't help with the other problem.

but in the 2.6 kernel ide-scsi is deprecated and it's told to use ide-cd, just what i did

I'm using kernel 2.6.7 and my grub entry in menu.lst has "hdc=scsi" as a boot parameter for my cd writer.

that's a no go...
i mean, everything again starts, again my drives are recognized by cdrecord, this time they're shown as scsi drives, but the same weird thing happens with the k3b program. it just refuses to let me add these 2 valid and working cd writer devices!
if that could be of any more help i'm using the k3b 0.11.12...

i installed devfsd and all came to its right place but with ide-scsi again...
but the gnome installation problem persists!

to install gnome.....try this at root in console mode...

-# aptitude

this is a non gui front end for apt-get and just follow along....look for uninstalled packages...

"i just installed debian gnu/linux, to be exact it was yesterday. but i've ran into two major problems!"

What version of Debian did you install? woody, sarge, sid, what?

"i changed the kernel from 2.4.something to 2.6.7, configured it for the machine on which it was going to be used, compiled it and everything was running smooth. i put on the nvidia drivers. the x server was running normally. then i had to install gnome and kde. the kde-core was installed, but gnome won't install. i'm using the non-free, main and unstable packages."

So, you are using Sid? The significance of this is that Gnome2.6 is only available on Sarge and Sid. I think KDE 3.2 is only available on Sid, but i'm not sure, due to the fact i don't use any of them.


"the "apt-get install gnome" gave me some error messages that some packages were needed for the installation but they weren't going to get installed."

Correct. I'm on Sid/kernel 2.4.26 and after reading your posting, i tried it with a -u flag and gives me the same message, you will have to wait for the bug to be solved, go to the #debian channel in the IRC and ask the gurus. From the #debian:

"bts is the Bug Tracking System for Debian packages, http://bugs.debian.org/ or to go directly to the bug page for a particular package, try http://bugs.debian.org/packagename or anyone running unstable who's unable to check the BTS should be shot on sight. apt-get install reportbug, and check out querybts too. sid users, apt-get install apt-listbugs"

hehe
install 'report-bug'

it will keep you abreast of the situation when you try to install it.

"my other big problem is with the two cd recording devices."

i can't help you there either, it seems to me that should be appended in the grub/lilo menu.lst/lilo.conf depending on what you use.



"could anyone help me with these problems? how to i install the latest gnome and make the writing devices work with the 2.6 kernel?"

At the moment you can't until the bug is resolved, BTS and #debian will announce it.

go to the #debian in the irc, for the latest, before you go there, read their wiki:

#debian FAQ Wiki
http://www.linuks.mine.nu/debian-faq-wiki

this is a must, otherwise they will tell you to read it, those people don't suffer fools lightly, i know, i was one of those fools.

and ask them what's the latest on that bug, because as of 2 days ago Gnome2.6 could be installed on Sarge and Sid.

i installed originally with debian installer beta4 ...using 2.4.26 kernel.....i have no need at this time for any of the features in the 2.6.x.x kernel... i use gnome 2.6 after upgrading from 2.4,,,,,i have been using gnome for years with other distros ...redhat 6,7 &9 , suse, slackware....i have had minimual problems other than with gnome 2.6 minor dependency problems which i fixed within a day of loading gnome 2.6....it appears that gedit and gnumeric load not compatible dependencies in testing when loading gnome 2.6 from testing....so i loaded the SID (unstable) versions and have not problems since...