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Old 03-14-2005, 02:42 PM   #1
srparke
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Question Complete Linux Newbie, Need Detailed Instructions For Problems


We just got this computer this weekend, it came with Linspire 4.5 pre-installed/configured. I need help with several issues: Linspire's response time if you don't have a CNR account is 3-5 days. If I have to wait that long for an answer everytime I have a problem, I can't see keeping this OS, so I am hoping I can get help here.

Printer not working: Going through the printer KDE that Linspire has for installing/modifying printers, we have tried several times to get our printer running. We have an Apollo p-2250 and it is supported and has several drivers to choose from, prepacked in Linspire. None of them has worked, including the recommended driver, hpijs. Everytime we print a test page it gives us a line of garbage, spits out a few blank pages, more garbage, more blank pages, and it doesn't stop, we need to completely shut down the computer in order to stop the print. We went to linuxprinting.com and downloaded the ppd for the driver and followed the instructions for using this instead of the prepacked drivers; still printed out garbage/symbols. I tried fiddling with the settings from inside the add printer KDE, installing it as a RAW printer: I got plain text this time for the test page instead of garbage, but still not the proper test print. I again tried the provided hpijs driver and finally got a test print page, except my printer sucked in a second page; since I was trying to use the garbage printed paper, the ink must have stuck them together. This made the test smear at the end. I ran the test again, just to double check, and it ended up not printing, again giving me garbage/blank pages.

Installing programs outside CNR: We dislike the look and feel of the provided Linspire web browser, so we tried dl'ing Mozilla Firefox directly from their site. We did a little research to figure out how to install what we dl'd, and since we aren't that familiar with using the console to issue commands, we aren't sure if we are doing it wrong or if it is a system problem. The provided web browser is a Mozilla browser, so that may be the conflict. Using apt-get to try to install the program, we get this message:

Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Package mozilla has no available version, but exists in the database.
This typically means that the package was mentioned in a dependency and
never uploaded, has been obsoleted or is not available with the contents
of sources.list
However the following packages replace it:
mozilla-mailnews mozilla-browser
E: Package mozilla has no installation candidate

Trying dpkg to install the program we get this message:

dpkg: error processing firefox-1.0.1.installer.tar-2 (--install):
cannot access archive: No such file or directory
Errors were encountered while processing:
firefox-1.0.1.installer.tar-2

This is not the original message we got while trying to install using dpkg: we didn't copy it down, but it said something like: conflict -install and -field

Help with installing this and other softwares in Linux would be helpful, including detailed instructions on what commands do what. We've gotten a Linux manual, but it doesn't seem geared to Linspire's version of linux (debian?), and it's not that easy to follow.

Instant messengers: Again, the instant messenger program included with Linspire seems like a good deal (an all-in-one messenger for all the basic programs: aim, msn, yahoo, etc.), but it doesn't work. I have only tried yim with it, but I get instantly disconnected with a "cannot read" message. Yahoo has a debian linux version: will I have the same problems installing this as I am having installing Firefox, since there is already a messaging program present?

Thanks for any help anyone can give me/us.
 
Old 03-14-2005, 03:21 PM   #2
Matir
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As much as I hate to say it, you may best be served by installing a different linux distribution. I believe the package in apt would be mozilla-firefox. It might just be firefox, I am not certain. You can try "apt-cache search firefox" to find the right package.
 
Old 03-14-2005, 03:53 PM   #3
XavierP
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Popescu Mihai: The forum rules do not permit advertising. Please visit http://www.linuxquestions.org/advertising/ for more information on advertising. Feel free to contact the forum admin if you have any questions about this policy.
 
Old 03-16-2005, 08:53 PM   #4
DAChristen29
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how is that advertising? hes advertising for CNR? and then turns around and says the IM program doesnt work? "yeah, buy our distro, CNR is awsome, but any other program just SUX!"

i would say try a different distro. since your PC has linspire preinstalled, another distro shouldnt have any problems detecing your hardware. i would say try Ubuntu or Mepis. either that, or paying a little more money for Suse would be good. ive always liked suse, and i bought their distro (9.0) but ive never had to call their support line, so i cant comment on that.
 
Old 03-18-2005, 02:41 AM   #5
eagles-lair
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Quote:
Linspire's response time if you don't have a CNR account is 3-5 days. If I have to wait that long for an answer everytime I have a problem, I can't see keeping this OS, so I am hoping I can get help here.
Don't know if this is "advertising" but frequently on their own forums at www.linspire.com you will get answers within hours, sometimes even minutes.

They also have a large knowledge base on their own particular problems, and hints and tips.

May I observe in passing that the amount you have tried to install from other sources may well have broken dependencies that they fine tune for their modus operandi.

Four other browsers are available through click-n-run plus two text mode ones.
 
Old 03-19-2005, 12:34 AM   #6
NfiniteZERO
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Registered: Mar 2005
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Linspire support

Well, Linspire's support is out right now and the forums @ Linspire won't let you post if you are a guest (?). Anyhow, try and get a hold of the new Linspire 5-0. PM me if you need the bittorrent.
 
Old 03-19-2005, 01:29 AM   #7
eagles-lair
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Re: Linspire support

Quote:
Originally posted by NfiniteZERO
Well, Linspire's support is out right now and the forums @ Linspire won't let you post if you are a guest (?).
Actually that should not be the case, my friend. I just logged in as a "guest". The only forums you can't access there are the moderators' (I'm not one either) and the "insiders" (which I can't as a guest, but can if I log in as I am one). It could be just plain overoad because of demand lol!

Quote:
Originally posted by NfiniteZERO
Anyhow, try and get a hold of the new Linspire 5-0. PM me if you need the bittorrent.
Actually I have a copy, beta testers were told a bit before the public release, but thanks for the offer, that is appreciated greatly. How do you like it?
 
Old 03-19-2005, 01:48 AM   #8
NfiniteZERO
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Well, to be honest - Linspire 5 is a DEFINITE improvement over 4.5. They really put a lot of thought and effort into this newer version. However, I ran into some snags that you may be able to help with. I've posted it here in the main Linspire thread. (Any and all help is GREATLY APPRECIATED)
 
Old 03-19-2005, 02:08 AM   #9
eagles-lair
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glad you could get in after all. I'll go and look. We can discuss it when I get back

Ummmm which of their forums? I can't find a post from you... and did you use the same nick of NfiniteZERO ?

Last edited by eagles-lair; 03-19-2005 at 02:12 AM.
 
  


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