I recently performed a fresh install of SuSE Linux 9.3 in a desktop system that previously ran WinXP-Pro. The installation process proceded flawlessly, and I was up and running. Once logged in, I began to do a series of hardware checks to ensure that everything installed correctly, and realized that neither my DVD or CD burner drive functioned properly (as far as watching DVDs or burning CDs). Also, the 3D acceleration aspects of my video card are not enabled. It's an Nvidia MX/MX400 AGP 4x with 64megs of memory. Granted, it's not a barn-burning card, but it's definitely capable of 3D acceration support.

Both drives are detected and supported by the OS, and both function as optical drives to examine data on discs, but neither performs it's critical function that they're named for. Kaffeine indicated that I was missing both audio codecs as well as a DVD bundle of software, and the CD burning software appeared to function all the way up to the point where the actual "burn" or "write" was to take place, and then it immediately failed. I downloaded and installed the requested DVD support bundle as well as the audio codecs, but the DVD drive still will not playback DVD discs. Do I need to be logged in with Root credentials in order to burn or play DVD movies? If not, any other ideas as to what to check? What about the graphics card? In Windows, I always had full 3D acceleration support, even if I decided to stick with the native drivers that were installed via the OS itself. Does Linux not really benefit from 3D acceleration, and thus doesn't install software support for the hardware present?

For those willing to assist, I performed the SuSE 9.3 install from ISO images I downloaded from Novell/SuSE's site. However, I also have the full retail version of SuSE 9.2 in my possession if you feel that there might be something missing from the ISO image downloads. Also, both drives performed their full functions with any version of Windows installed (ME, 2000, XP). Thanks for your help.

Can you post your xorg.conf file. You can find this by opening up a terminal and going to /etc/X11/. I think you need a line that says glx. Also check to see that you have the nvidia drivers installed. Your installation my have put the vesa driver in instead of nv or nvidia.

Okay,...thanks for the reply back to my graphics card issues. Overall, it seems to function fine within the SuSE 9.3 OS GUI, it's just that 3D acceleration is disabled and I'm definitely a gamer at heart. I'll follow your suggestions. What about the DVD drive and the CD-R/RW drives? Both function properly as optical drives, and allow me to examine data present on discs and execute programs that may be contained on those discs. Also, I've tried playing normal retail cds in each, and they both playback the music cds without any problems. It's just when I try to use the DVD drive to watch a DVD movie,...or use the CD-burner drive to burn a copy of a cd in the DVD drive,...or to backup data onto the drive, etc. Is this a rights issue? Do I need to login as Root and establish write and rewrite priviledges to the CD-burner,...and perhaps rights to be able to play DVD movies in the DVD drive? Thanks again for your help. I saw that a lot of individuals had opened and read my posting, but you were the only one that replied to it. Was it my posting? Too long winded? I was just trying to ensure that they had any and all details that could answer any immediate questions they might have.