ok i have tryed linux a few times but each time something dosents work obviusly you guys know much more than my so im going to list my ardware and have you guys tell me what distro and drivers ect. i need.

Processor: AMD 1700+
Mother Board: Gigabyte GA7VRX
Sound: SB Audigy 2 ZS
Video: Geforce 3
Modem: Lucent Winmodem (im getting a USR hardware modem soon)
Network: Linksys WMP11 (V2.7)
i also have a wireless microsoft keyboard and mouse.

if its possibule i would like to have my soundcard working in 5.1 like it is in windows.

are you new to linux (ie, not aquainted with it)? if so, use something like mandrake or redhat (preferably mandrake 10, if you use mandrake). but if you want to switch later when you get better, go to debian or gentoo.

i forgot to mention that i have a Canon i475D printer (USB)

im not relay woried about ease of use but rathere that it supports my hardware.

so far the hardwae i noticed that dosent work (this is when i tryed with fedora an mandrake 9.1 are the Lucent Winmodem, the printer and the Linksys WMP11 i know the modem wount work so thats why im getting the USR hardware one but everything elts i cant replace. the printer is very nice and is still new so there is no excuse for a new one and the wifi/network card i jsut got a month ago. so if you could help me out on making this work that would be grate

I'm using SuSE and I can't really think of a thing I CAN'T do.

I plug in my removable USB device - works.
Plug my Canon PowerShot S1 - works.
Plug my ancient printer - works.
mp3's - work.

thou I'm not a RAID or some special hardware user. Just an ordinary Joe with a PC. I have to say I'm really happy with my SuSE.

how much is SuSE?

and ill see if its compatibule wiith my printer

thanks

Right now I'm using Mandrake 9.2 (thinking about 10 in the near future). Almost everything was configured on install with only some minor tweaking to get the network card to connect to the internet. Camera, printer, scanner and all else worked just fine.

Check the hardware manufactur's website for linux drivers. Some have them and they are not too bad to install.

SuSE can be installed for free, if you have a nice broadband connection. Ftp install will install the same system you can buy on a box. Except for the support.

i have dile up so the ftp install is out of the question and i found a driver for my printer it seems Turbo print has the driver for it and its free so now how about the 5.1 suround sound?


thanks guys you guys are a lot of help i should be using linux in no time well at least as soon as i get my new modem

I'm using Fedora Core 1 right now and i like it very much. Granted, the only Linux I have ever used before was Red Hat 7 in class, FC is nice for a personal computer OS. The only problems I have with it is that it will not reconize my PCIMIA card(it finds the drivers for them, but doesn't seem to find show the card in the slot), and my damn winmodem. Other than that, it's good.

As they (who are they anyhow?) always say, if you want your hardware recognized...use KNOPPIX. If you want ease of use, SuSE, Mandrake, Xandros, or maybe Linspire/Lindows? I'll be honest, I have no experience with any of those distros. I personally use FC1. Before I installed it, I was computer-illiterate (other than using M$ Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.). I managed OK.

One thing I WILL recommend, however, is BUY BOOKS!! You never know when your internet will go out on you. It's always handy to have a reference. I use the RHLinux Bible all the time. Well worth the $$ I paid. Plus, you support those that support us. It's a happy circle.

Caveat: I have only used Linux (Fedora) for three months. My opinion is not backed up with much experience. Take it with a grain of salt, and some Advil, too.

thanks i used Fedora too and i loved its look and feel but had to remove it becuse i couldnt get on line and it just wasnt working for me (mostly becuse i live online) but once i get my new modem i should be just fine my wifi card wont work still but i am willing to work that out once i get a vast majority of it working.

and yet again THANKS

The good news, your motherboard will work. Video card will work too, just visit Nvidia's web site and download 32 bit modules (drivers). I suggest the tar files, so you can try other distributions with out any trouble. Also, your sound card does work (unfortunately) but just go to alsa-project.org and download all the stable packages. Read the documentation to help you compile alsa and add a few lines in modules.conf. The sound card can output to 5.1 but few LINUX programs output to surround sound. Windows surround sound works differently. It uses sound fields to generate surround sound in software. When you play DVD movies, you will get the effects in LINUX like in Windows. I suggest using digital output and then use a digital decoder to get 5.1 channels. Mplayer and Xine are the only video and audio players that can output 5.1 channels. You probably want to use an home theater test CD when you are adjusting the mixer levels.

The bad news, USB printers are a pain to work with in Windows and they are a pain to work with in LINUX. I suggest using the parallel port for printers. Wireless keyboard and mouse do not work well in LINUX. Its best just use a wired keyboard and mouse then hooking them to the PS/2 connector on the motherboard. Your wireless network card will not work. I suggest buying wired network card because you are going to have a time getting the wireless NIC working. If you still want wireless networking, buy a wireless bridge. Then hook it up to the wired NIC. This way you can still have wireless networking and it will be very easy to setup. All you need is a working OS and a web browser.

Half good news and half bad news, the modem can work but its going to take a long time to set it up. Visit linmodems.org to find out how to set it up. An external modem costs a lot but its a little easier to set up.

IMO, When Creative Labs sound cards introduced their LIVE! sound cards, they went down hill in sound quality. Now they produce very poor sound quality. For the price of the Audigy2 ZS, you can get two Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound cards and save four US dollars for something else. With two Turtle Beach sound cards you can create up to 10.2 channels or use five bi-polar loudspeakers and two subwoofers.


BTW, next time you post, please proof read for grammar and spelling errors.

When I installed Mandy 9.2, it automatically configured my USB printer and USB scanner. In fact, the printer responds faster in Linux than it does in Win2K. In addition, it recognised my camera when I plugged it into a spare USB port.

Maybe 9.0 wasn't so good on USB stuff?

Mandrake 9 is good with USB but I just do not like to use USB printers. I preferred to use the parellel port for printers.

thanks a lot too bad i didnt know about the soundcard thing before i bought it also the printer i think i found drivers for it that might work if not il just print from windows and the modem is going to be replaced with a hardware one. thanks guys.

sorry about my spelling im not very good at it never was