Ok... i know this is probably somewhere on this site... but i don't know what all this linux talk is. I am pretty handy with pc's... I am working on getting an A+ right now... and a friend said it would be good to know and play around with linux. I have used windows all my life, and do not wish to give up my windows system... but i do really want to dabble with linux. So, here is all the info i thought important to my current situation.

I am running an Asus A7N8X mobo, with nforce2 chipset. Onboard ethernet controller and sound.
A 57 gb seagate hd, 15 partitioned for linux. 1 gig of MT PC 2700 ddr ram.
And an AIW Radeon 9800 pro.

I installed linux, and everything went fine until at the end when it asks you to confirm settings... it had my video card down as some other ati card, can't remember which. i didn't see an option for aiw 9800 pro... so i just picked aiw 9800 i think... or radeon 9800... one of the two... so anyways... i messed with the settings, i tried every combo of resolution and color settings... but everytime i tested it it said error... so i thought i was just a glitch, and proceeded anyways. now, it won't load x auto on start up like i asked it to... and it won't load it at all. i get the following...

XFree86 Version 4.3.0
Biuld OS: Linux 2.4.18-23 mdksmp i686 [ELF]
(EE) No Devices detected
Fatal Server Error: no screens found
XIO: fatal IO error 104 (connection reset by peer)
on X server ":0.0" after 0 requests (0 known processed)
with 0 events remaining

now, i am going to try to decipher the install instructions once again from ati... but the only driver i could find was radeon 9800... will this still work with my AIW PRO?

Thank you ahead for any time spent helping, any advice given, and any comments or suggestions.

use a text editor on /etc/XF86Config-4 (you need root permissions), and change a line that says (or something like this)
PCI 1:0:1
to
PCI 1:0:0

ok... like i said... i am very new to linux... as in, i don't know how to do anything. how would i use a text editor? i am stuck in the text login.

Try:
user@localhost / $ su root
Enter password:
root@localhost / # vi /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

This will get you into the vi text editor. In case you don't have vi installed, you could try emacs instead.

while i am at it, could anyone tell me how to install the ati drivers? the directions say, navigate to the directory which contains the file, and type the command rpm -Uh --force <fglrx-4.3.0-3.7.6.i386.rpm

i don't even know how to navigate to the file? it is contained on a cd... D:\

ok... i got into the root folder... i typed vi /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
it put me in vi, but in a new document... how do i locate the document you are speaking of? i am really lost...remember... i have never used linux... not even once. i don't know what any commands do, i don't know how to navigate... nothing. i don't even know how to access my cd roms?

Wow, I've been where you are and at the time I got a book to start understanding the basics first. Before getting into installing ATI drivers and manually modifying the XF86Config file you may want to do some reading on the fundamentals of Linux.

"The Complete Reference: Third Edition" although I started with RedHat Linux for Dummies.

well, i am reading linux for dummies, quick refrence... but it is so boring... i just seems like a bunch of commands... not really anything you could sit and read... and bieng in the shell part of linux... almost seems like you have to have some c++ knowledge or some kind of programming experience... the commands are so... i don't know the word... uneasy and hard to remember! i am just trying to get my xfree86 to work, i'm not trying to learn how to use the shell... or at least not just yet. i got learn to crawl, with the GUI before i take on the shell...

One thing you can do, is if you're loged in as root at a command line type xf86config (or xf86setup, can't remember which). That should run a Q&A setup script for the file. Try some other options.

A quick primer for vi can be found here http://www.slackware.org/book/index....rce=c3621.html

you really need to read the docs, book ect, I was where you were once about three months ago, and I now getting very good at making changes to my system, I love the ability to tell my computer to do what I want, and not have the software dictate what I can or cannot do for a price.

you must read!, read!, and when you are finished reading, read some more.

"vi" is a force not to be messed with, but it is a very powerful configuration tool.

the screen you got meant that you did not open an existing xf86.config file, but actually started to create a new one.
when you invoke vi, it opens the file you asked it to edit, and the actual configuration data is displayed.
the following commands are entered without the "Quotes"
"vi" is case sensitive, meaning that "zz" is a different command than "ZZ"
"i" means insert text characters, and edit text
"ZZ" means "write, save file and exit".
":q!" "enter" means abandon changes and exit.
"esc" means to drop to command mode.
While you are actualling inserting data/text, if you put a "#" at the begining of a line it is the same as "rem" in windows.

speaking of windows, you must unlearn the windows "mouse needed to operate microwave" line of thinking, and learn to take control of your computer.

while you are learning, you would be best advised to make your init file boot to run level 3 instead of 5, that way you have a recovery point when your tinkering with the xf86.config file fails.
some flavors of linux default an escape keypress of "ctrl" "alt" "bksp" which will drop you back to the command line.
when you are booting to "init 3", then at the command line, if you type "startx" you will be sent to the x gui.

the above is basic, but if you read lots, and apply the right files for your system, you will be up and running in no time.
linux is not for everyone, there is a beard growing learning curve, and you can teach a chicken to install and operate windows.

good luck and have fun.

what you really need to do is go to
www.tldp.org (the linux documentation project)
download and print at least the following

Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

Bash Guide for Beginners

The Linux Users' Guide

and for your Xwin.....

XFree86-HOWTO

there are plenty of other guides and howtos there
just dont get so frustrated that you give up,it takes
some time
good luck

---------------------------------------------------------------
GO BUCKEYES!!!!

Thanks, grcunningham, great resourse link!

thank you all for taking time to help me, and not talk down or bash on me... very appreciated. i know i have to do some reading, and i don't mind that... but as long as it is real reading with explanation in plain english. everything i read assumes i already know linux code, and tells me how to do everything in "linux language" and doesn't tell you what it means in english... it's just really hard to understand an explanation in the format that the question is about... for example...

I look up how to mount a cdrom drive so i can access files to instal the appropriate ati drivers... and it tells me a bunch of linux commands that i don't know the meaning of. then i look those up, and more linux talk... it's like a never ending loop.

i am not getting down on linux... i am extremely excited to use it... i just get really frustrated... that's all.

ok, you will all be happy to know i finally figured out how to access my cdrom in the bash shell, and i installed the ati drivers. it is working fine now. thank you all for your help!

Congradulations, you are on your way, only log in as root to mess with the system, you can accidently change settings that will upset the penguin, logged in as a user will prevent you from making critical errors.
after you have the system fine tuned, and you want to mess with it, You can save a lot of time by making a cd of your system files, and drivers that you have to setup individually, if you have a cdr-rw. better yet there is a program called mondo that creates an iso bootable cd to restore your system to whatever stable state you need. You do need a bootable cdrom, or at the least a floppy restore disk that enables the cdrom at the command prompt.
Mondo works much like partition magic's "Drive image" for windows, which make a restorable snapshot of your system, and puts it back the way it was before you messed with it.
I am using Debian Linux, simply because it is the most configurable, and manageable using the apt-get system of administration, this allows simple fine tuning, and makes it easy to avoid and get rid of the bulk that usually comes with the prepackaged distros. apt-get lets you know of, and automatically solves confilcts and dependency problems.

good luck, have fun