I'm mainly a ubuntu user (Gnome), but for a bit of KDE variety I've been trying out Simply Mepis from Live CD.

It's good. I'll be keeping ubuntu but I'd like to dual-boot with Simply Mepis.

My problem is this: I'd no difficulty going online via dial-up in ubuntu. I downloaded the test Linuxant driver for my Conexant HSF modem and once it proved itself paid for the full license.

The difficulty is that when I try to use the driver in Mepis (still on Live CD) the package manager won't let me unpack it.

Is this because I need a different version? (The one that works in ubuntu came from a .deb package.)

If so, would I have to go back and get a Simply Mepis-dedicated driver? And would I have to fork out for another license?

After all, I'd still be using it on the same machine, just running a different OS from a different partition.

Or can I do something in the Konsole to get the one I have working? Is there some way I can convert it to a format that's compatible with Simply Mepis.

Looking forward to some answers.

You definitely need a different driver for Mepis, they are usually compiled against a specific kernel also, meaning you have to get the one matched to the kernel you will have in Mepis. It is also possible they do not have any pre-compiled for Mepis in which case you can get the source in whatever package management system Mepis uses, (I don't know Mepis), if it uses .deb files, you should be able to get hsfmodem_7.60.00.04full_i386.deb.zip and make sure to have kernel source and gcc installed to compile the driver. Same goes for a .rpm distribution etc.
As for having to pay again, chances are you can use the previous license and avoid paying a second time, but you would have to check on their web-site for confirmation as I'm only guessing.

During the installation process, you are asked to put in the license information. Put in the information from your previous license and see if it works.

Thanks for that. I checked out the kernel version and there is a Linuxant driver, which I've downloaded. Mepis has happy with .deb.

The package manager won't install it for me but I think that's because I'm using live CD and I don't have full root access. I'll do a test full install to get root privileges and see if that works.

As you suggested, I contacted Linuxant and they say there's no problem using a different driver on the same machine with the same license, so long as the mobo and the modem are the same.

I'll post back to the thread if I've any other problems but here's hoping that's another question easily resolved.

Thanks again.

Yep, got the driver and all. It's on my Mepis desktop but the problem is that I still can't do anything with it through the package manager. It tells me I don' have the permission to do it.

Now, the problem is probably that I'm totally new to KDE. In ubuntu, if I'm doing anything the system might think is dodgy, I'm invited to put in my root password and hey presto. Off it goes.

I have a root password for Mepis as well, but it's not asking me for it. Is there anyway I can get into a Konsole and do it. The file is on my desktop at the moment as hsfmodem_7.60.00.09full_k2.6.15_27_386_mepis_i386.deb

Can I do anything in the Konsole with this as root?

I'm afraid that the Konqueror helpfile system isn't quite as good as ubuntu's.

Any help - again - will be appreciated.

I don't think Mepis requires you to use sudo like Ubuntu. From a konsole, type: su to become root and give your root password, then navigate to the desktop and install it with dpkg:
If it does not seem to work, move the file into your home directory off the desktop and try from there, or the dpkg command must be preceded with sudo.

Great. Iĺl give that a try tomorrow. Itś getting a bit too late for me to be going into the Konsole right now. Bedś where I should be.

Iĺl be in touch.

Cheers.

Thanks. Did a hard drive install and it worked as per your instructions. I'm so used to ubuntu now that I automatically go into the terminal with sudo -i to get root.

Cheers.