Hello everyone,
I am a newbie to Linux, very new.
I know absolutely nothing about Linux, but I want to learn.
Here is my problem,
I have winxp installed on one partition of a 30GB IDE drive, and I had Linux on the other. I had no problems loading either OS with Lilo. The only problem I had is my internet connection.
I have an alcatel USB ADSL modem. After I installed Linux, winxp would detect new hardware and try to reinstall my modem each time I booted winxp. I would reinstall, and the next time I got back on winxp it would find new hardware and try to reinstall my modem as if it kept losing it. I am not sure why this happened. I ended up having to uninstall Linux so I could work.
Another problem, I never could figure out how to get my USB modem to detect under Mandrake. If anyone has any help for either problem especially the first one I would appreciate it. Also please give any advice about what to do in Linux as basic as possible. I know Windows pretty well, but nothing in Linux.
Thanks in advance.
Adam <><

Hi Adam,
" I have an alcatel USB ADSL modem. After I installed Linux, winxp would detect new hardware and try to reinstall my modem each time I booted winxp. I would reinstall, and the next time I got back on winxp it would find new hardware and try to reinstall my modem as if it kept losing it. I am not sure why this happened. I ended up having to uninstall Linux so I could work."

I would first assume that you don't have a router?
Second - I would get one for your protection- (A nice little firewall helps a little).( NOT a total soluton but keeps things a littel safer for you.) You also can have additonal computers connected to your network as well and have just one connection to the ISP. !!!!
If you do this and get everything setup in XP- then install Mandy and run it under DHCP _ your router can and will handle this for you just follow the directions.

Strange that XP losses it Modem after reboot from Mandy- did you download service pack 1? cause if you did you agreed to let M$ look on your computer at anytime they feel like there is pirated software on it-
and disble your machine- who knows if they can tweak it if they think you have Linux on it as well. ( Far Fetch I know but read the EULA for yourself and decide for yourself if you want to subject your computer to them?)

Good Luck with Linux,

check near the beginning of your Mandrake handbook for details on usb modem support.

Thanks for the help,
no I don't have a router, and I will look into getting one.
And I downloaded Mandrake 9 from the internet instead of buying it cause I just wanted to try it out, so I don't have the handbook. Is there an online edition of it that I can download and print?
Would anyone know if BIOS settings and Lilo loading up with those settings would disable usb support in some way from winxp causing me to lose the modem? For instance, do I need to switch the BIOS command about "PnP OS" from yes to no. If so, will that effect windows by letting the BIOS set all my IRQ's and whatnot?
Thanks again,
Adam <><

Ya, sometimes the bios can be the culprit behind the scene did u try toggling it ? and then booting up in linux ?u have provisions in the bios to change ur settings .. i am a redhat user.. i dont use mandy .. so my level of knowledege is limited in this aspect

I have had to disable PNP support in Bios before just to install Vendow$ so this might be viable option.


ikw38

I think I will try the BIOS change tonight,
but will it mess up Windows in any way if I say that I don't have a PnP OS?
Adam <><

It should not affect the Vendow$ at all. If it does just reenable it on a reboot.

Good Luck let us here from you....

I just re-installed Mandrake and my BIOS is set to non PnP OS and I didn't have any problem with my modem the first time I booted into winxp. So far so good. I am about to go into Linux to see if I can get my modem working there.
I do have one question though. I have a USB modem and it is not an Alcatel USB, but when I go to the other options, PPPoE or something like that. It only asks for ethernet type modems. Is there something I need to do to install an ECI USB modem, or do I go with the Alcatel USB even though I don't have that brand of USB modem?
Thanks for all the help so far. I am actually enjoying Linux this time around.
Adam <><

Alright,
I have finished the install of Mandrake and have been back and forth between WinXP and Linux a few times. So far so good, thanks for all the help. Now if I could just get my modem to work under Linux.
Thanks again.
Adam <><

It isn't clear to me exactly which modem you have. I know some USB modems are supported under Linux, others aren't. Try to find some info at Google: linux + modemtype.

I have an ECI USB Hifocus modem, and it is a pain to try to install. Well, it is a pain when you aren't sure what you are doing.
I just downloaded an .rpm file of the driver and it got kpackage to unpack it. But now I don't know what to do. If I am supposed to run something or what. Also I am having a problem getting my dabusb to let go. I tried to follow some instructions to do it manually but it didn't work. It won't release it.
Thanks again,
Adam <><