Hello I am an I.T. guy who is burned out on windows.... yea I know, "You dont say", any way I a linux class 5 years ago, and I dont remeber much.

I have mandrake installed (ubuntu and mint would not install) I have the linux chipset drivers for my network card, I have un tared them to my desktop and I have located the config file and the config.mk file, if i run either in the konsole nothinghappens.

can any one point a newb to a page online that shows the proper steps and commands to installing drivers.

I cant find my linux for dummies book...

Mandrake?, do you mean Mandriva or did you actually install an old version of mandrake?
just run ./config, then make, then make install(as root)

I have an old oem copy of mandrake on cd, (came with an hp I sold a customer and put xp on) its the only version of Linux I can get to run, I have downloaded Ubuntu 3 times and tried to oem cd's, tried to install it on 3 different computers, all using amd cpu's and it wont even start the install process, it gives me hdd timeout waiting on dma, same thing with mint.

I want to get used to Linux so I am running the only one I can get to work.

I have the network driver and when I run the configapi.cpp file from the utility folder I get permissions denied error, have checked the permissions on the files and there set to give me what I need, just not having any luck..

I notice if I start harddrake it ask me for root password,

Do I need to some how switch to the root user before trying to run those install files?

I am currently downloading my 4th copie of ubuntu from the site, but I have no faith it will work.

I have found the readme.txt. I have made the chmod changes to the 3 files it states, but when I run the makefile i get a run command not found error.

Did you check the md5sums on the cds?
you don't type run when you run a program
just type make, then su to switch to root, then type make install

wow, after 4 copies, i got an ubuntu iso to work, and instlled, the device manager shows my card, and has it listed, but when I go to wireless it does not show networks, I dont think the card is installed correctly, and once again i cant get the driver files I got from ralink to install. any Ideas?

whoops, ment to delete this post

Did you enable the device in the network manager?
try running /sbin/iwconfig in the terminal and post it here

yup that was the issue, I used an intellinet wifi card, with the ralink chipset, ubuntu had the driver by default, it just took me a minute to slow down enough to see that check mark.. so im on and posting this with my apple/pc frankenstien...

now if I can just get my apps to install right, but thats another post. this one is solved.

thanks again.