Ok, I know this is probably going to make you break out into hysterical laughter, but I am a Linux newbie and here goes:

I don't know how to make it read CDs. I clicked on /cdrom and /cdrom0 which is where I guess it mounted since they aren't under /mnt or /dev, and there isn't anything there. The CDs aren't scratched or anything... so what am I doing wrong or just not doing right? Linux probably handles CDs differently but I don't know how it does so can someone help me out here? Thanks.

I'm on Debian (Sarge- Kernel 2.6.6-k7) if that info is important at all.

Hi

In Linux, you have to mount a CDROM.

If you are using KDE or gnome, you can do this by right clicking on the desktop and then follow your nose (ie DISK and then choose CDROM or mount CDROM etc)

If you want to do it manually, you need to be root. Do this by logging in as root or in a terminal type in su (which means superuser mode) You will then need root password.

get to the folder mnt (type cd /mnt)

See what's there (type ls) and look for something like CD or CDROM

If there isn't anything like that, type mkdir cdrom

now type

mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom

You can now read your cdrom in that folder so just cd cdrom to get there.

Alternatively use your file manager (nautilus, konqueror etc)

If you need to remove the cd, you need to unmount it. Make sure you are not in the folder /mnt/cdrom and that nothing is using that folder and then type

umount /dev/cdrom

Notice the spelling is umount not unmount.

Good luck

Hmm... it lists two CD-ROMS when I only have one drive, when I check both of them both have the same stuff (contents of cd). How do I get rid of the option for the other one?

If you don't like the mounting stuff, use autofs;
http://www.desktop-linux.net/autofs.htm

Thanks for that info, I never would have thought there was a program like this for Linux

I installed it from Synaptics package manager, and it works great. Ty for the info