Hi everyone, I'm brand new to slackware, and linux for that matter. I burned the ISO images for 10.2 from bittorrent. I was able to only complete the install using the test26.i kernel for install and later on to write to the directory. I am having a heck of a time getting the touchpad to work. I type startx, the kde desktop comes up, but I cant use the touchpad. I noticed during install there wasnt a synaptics touchpad option under the mouse selection menu. I am dual booting xp and slackware on this machine. I have reinstalled slackware 9 times total the last few days. This is really beginning to frustrate me. If someone could lay it out for me step by step how to diagnose, and fix this problem I would really appreciate it. I have found information that looks like it applies to my situation in this forum and at bitbenders, but since this is my forst post I cant put the urls in the message. Thanks ahead of time for any help.

-Dennis

Look at myhomepage (link is in my sig). I use a synaptics pad.

Thank you for the reply, I learned alot form looking at the links in your sig. I have also done alot more reading since my last post. Now it seems that because I can only install slack using the test26.i kernel, I am going to have to add extra packages to that kernel. I was unsuccessful adding the packages from the 2nd install cd. I tried pkgtool before restarting during the install, and I also tried pkgtool from the shell prompt after restarting and logging in as root. I also tried a 3rd way which was as follows, I also tried the commands using sda2 instead of hda1 because my root partition is partition 2 of my harddisc:

mount /dev/hda1 /mnt
mount /dev/hdc /cdrom
cd /cdrom/linux-2.6.13
pkgtool


After all of this I decided to turn in for the night and try again later. Could I download a complete 2.6 kernel and then install it from a floppy or thumbdrive? If this is possible, how do I go about doing it? Again thank you for your help.

-Dennis

After the install, reboot your machine. Then put the second CD in and type as root:

mount /mnt/cdrom
cd /mnt/cdrom/linux-2.6.13 (I think that is the directory)
installpkg alsa*.tgz
installpkg kernel-modules*.tgz
installpkg kernel-source*.tgz

Then restart hotplug:
/etc/rc.d/rc.hotplug restart

You should be in business. You have to install the kernel modules for 2.6.13. The stock kernel has a lot of stuff build as modules. I install the kernel source because I need it for my grapics and NIC drivers.

It is kinda early for me to be thinking, If you didn't understand any of this let me know.

What he said....lol

(I drive for a living. Was asleep/driving. Just now saw your post)

Thank you for the advice. I was able to install all three pkg's but after I restarted hotplug, my screen stopped at the following line:

message from syslogd@slackbox at Wed MAr 31 18:32:22 2006
slackbox kernel: Disabling IRQ #10

I powered down and restarted and the startup process never made it the login prompt. Now I really dont know what to do. On a good note, slackware did recignize my synaptics touchpad. If ya'll have any ideas on what I should try next, I'd really appreciate it. Oh yeah I'd like to mention even though I'm having a heck of a time getting this running right, I am still learning alot and enjoying it.

-Dennis

Add this to your /etc/lilo.conf. The run the command lilo.
append="irqpoll pci=assign-busses"

Hi,

I would like to suggest that you read some reference to get some background information. You could read some of the online reference in my sig.

In one of your post I noticed that you refer to sda2 as your root but was attempting to mount /dev/hda1. Maybe I just mis-read your post(s).

If you boot using the slackware cd1 install disk then do a;

You should see all the storage devices the system recognized.
Since you seem to use a sda device then the kernel should see the sda2.

This would take care of the IRQ problems.

Gary,

Thanks for the advice. I have been reading alot lately about linux and I am finally getting a grasp on the basics. As far as adding the to my /etc/lilo.conf I keep getting a permission denied statement everytime I try to open /etc/lilo.conf . Could this be a conflict between the 2.6.13 kernel or modules I added after booting up for the first time after install?

Do it as root. You'll need to run the lilo command too.

Ok, now I am confused. I logged in as root. I typed in /etc/lilo.conf it said -bash:/etc/lilo.confermission denied

I then typed in lilo then I got a list of commands showing what to do. I then tried some of the commands but nothing allowed me to configure at all. I know there is probably some basic command I am missing here. Thanks for putting up with all of these newbie questions. On another note, I just bought the book Running Linux(an Oreilly book) I have learned alot from it so far, but I need that extra little nugget of info that cant be conveyed through a book. Thanks everyone for helping me out.

You have to edit the /etc/lilo.conf.
Some vim commands are:
Then as root run the lilo command. You should get something similar to this output.

Ok, I was able to access to /etc/lilo.conf file, now where exactly do I add the append="irqpoll pci=assign-busses" ? Thanks again tangle, you have been a huge help to me.

-Dennis

I have it right after the timeout=1200.

Hi,

You can put the append in the stanza for the desired kernel. If you have a stanza for the 2.6 kernel then place it there. Anytime you don't want to pass something in the global section you can pass information within the stanza that you wish to pass the needed information.