I am using Mandrake 10 community download and Gnome desktop. I am really confused by the huge number of packages selectable. What should I do? According to someone I need the compiling tools to install the driver for my sound chip. Thanks in advance.

Look for the gcc packages and install at least the base gcc and gcc-g++ and binutils. If you're going to be compiling a driver you'' probably also need the kernel-headers and kernel-sources. You might also need glibc-devel, if not to compile this driver than for compiling stuff that doesn't run as part of the kernel. If you try to compile the driver and something goes wrong then you can post here and somebody should be able to tell you what you're missing.

Where do I find them? I tried to install from the mandrake software package but it asks for a CD that I do not have. Any other way to get those programs? Sorry for being stupid.

Try looking for the Mandrake RPMs and rpmfind.net or on a Mandrake FTP site.

Ok, I got...
gcc2.96-2.96-0.83mdk.src.rpm
binutils-2.14.90.0.7-2mdk.i586.rpm

anymore rpms to look for?

So long as you've got the hard-disk space (I don't, but hey. You kids with your new fangled billion-GB dirves....get off my lawn, I' ll turn the hose on ya'.) its a good idea to have as many libraries and compiling tools as you can find. You may not use them all, but you'll always be prepared whenever some program whines about not being able to compile because such-and-such is missing.

May I point out that whoever said you needed the compiling tools to install the drivers for your sound card was heading you off in the wrong direction... the drivers for your sound card are contained in the kernel (because the module now used by default that contains the all the available sound card drivers is now part of the kernel, and does not need to be compiled separately as in the past).

Not that you don't need the compiling tools (if you should reinstall, make sure to include the "development" group of packages to have these tools installed from the outset), as you may need to recompile the kernel, or something else, during the course of your Linux use. You do need them, and it's good to have them.

But I would suggest that you post the actual problem with your sound card (maybe in the Mandrake section of the forums) and allow us to help you fix that before you go wildly compiling things .

This was my original problem...

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=203051