New PC/Linux Problem.
 

Hope I can post this here as it is a new PC that I built myself.

1. Linux Live DVD doesn't boot. It appears that once the Live CD loads, it is not able to detect the DVD DRIVE. It says unable to find the linux system and puts me into a very limited kernel with 6 commands. (I tried Knoppix live DVD as well as Damn Small Linux live DVD. It does this soon after it says Detecting USB devices. Mobo detects all USB devices ok.

There are some related issues as well. Can't help wondering if any or all of these can also cause Linux not to boot on this PC.
2. I have a Sata hard drive. The Hard Drive light never comes on. In Manual it says hard drive light is plugged into a IDE port.
3. I am unable to connect to the internet DSL using this PC. There is no Green Light in the network port, where the network cable goes in.
4. I was unable to install the ports panel for the motherboard behind the case. It just doesn't fit. Appears that I might have to duct tape this later.
5. There is a BIGGG sound comming from inside the Desktop whenever the door is closed. When case is open I don't hear this loud noise. Since all fans are close to each other, hard to say what is causing this noise. Specially, as once I open the case, the noise is gone.

You should check out the actual hardware there may be something unplugged or something you just didn't put in right.

Windows XP loaded ok on this pc. I have a feeling that this can be perhaps due to older Linux Os not recognizing newer hardware. I am using a Vista ready S775 ASUS p5K GR EEN P35 PCIE Motherboard and also DVD+/- RW LG GH20NS10 SATA DL 20/20 OEM NR dvd drive. The Linux OSes that I tried are about 2 years old or so.

My last option is to try puppy linux that I have and if that doesn't work, download a new copy of a brand new linux OS. All other issues mentioned in my initial post have been resolved. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Thank You.

I got the latest version of Puppy Linux and it booted very well on this PC. Now to get the latest version of Knoppix DVD and try.

It is unbelievable. Knoppix has fallen down to #20 in the distrowatch rankings (distrowatch.com). Also, last version of knoppix was released in January 2007, no other releases after that. Wonder what is happening in this regard ?

Ubuntu and Mepis seem to be better choices for a Debian HD install presently. Knoppix, Debian HD install breaks when one tries to upgrade. Being stuck with an old and unsupported/poorly supported OS is scary these days. Building my own PC is certainly becoming an eye opener and helping me avoid issues before they become a crisis.

Whew !! Whew !!

Hi,

You should try some newer Livecd on the equipment. You will find several in the link that I provided.

Is this your motherboard:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=935&num=1
Ubuntu should run ok on it according to that review.

I tried latest Ubuntu and it worked fine. So it was a case of older OS/Latest Hardware conflict.

By chance the latest version of knoppix cameout and I was able to install it on my new PC. But when I go to Star Samba or configure soundcard etc., from the menu icons it asks for admin. pwd and then says: conversation with su failed.

I am able to type #su and then enter roon pwd to go root at terminal.

Also on boot there are several modprobe failures, screen scrolls really fast. So, I tried the comand: #cat /proc/kmseg to get everything that happens at boot and post here. Unfortunately, that doesn't do anything and just stays there.

I hope you're busy reading the Knoppix documentation. The latest is the just released 5.3.1 DVD. Got that? knoppix.net has lots of how-to guides and FAQ's, plus a dedicated Knoppix forum is there for more information.

There's an easy Knoppix tool right from the Knoppix menu to set the root password so stuff like kdesu can work. But the traditional way works too:

su -
passwd root

OR:

sudo passwd root

Once you set a root password and logout and in, those gui administrative applications will be able to run. You won't even need to enter in the password! It's how they setup sudo. Not good for an installed system (it's like the original Linspire or Microsoft Windows) but fine for a DVD running Live as long as the computers hard drives aren't mounted in write mode. Once you make them writable (right click "change read/write mode") be careful what you do since you'll have permission to do anything to your installed partitions on your real hard drive.

Knoppix 5.3.1 has one of the newest Linux Kernel's but that still doesn't mean that the absolutely latest hardware is natively supported in the Kernel yet. Sometimes that takes a while. Maybe that's why you're getting some errors loading the kernel modules.

Knoppix is wonderful, and the new version has so many things, all mostly the very latest versions! And it's great as either a Live system or a way to repair installed Linux/Windows systems. It's also great installed onto a USB stick!

However, for a real installation on a hard drive there are several things that really should be changed since it becomes a customized Debian operating system, still tweaked to run like a Live DVD. You would be better served just installing the real Debian and dist-upgrade to testing if you want the latest software. At least security and permissions are setup properly for a real installed system that way and the same software is available to you in the Debian repo.

The tasks in aptitude can set up your favorite desktop (KDE, GNOME, XFCE, pick one or all and include the desktop task too so you get xorg and the Debian tools and default settings). That's best if you don't know just what to install. It sets up nice default software that you can add to later. If you do that during the install you get just the standard, desktop, and gnome-desktop tasks if you leave the check boxes as they are. That's probably best for a complete newbie, then run aptitude once up and find the help in there for a full guide to Aptitude. It's a good start learning the recommended Debian package manager.

Once you have the general idea, you can just use the command line things just like apt-get (aptitude update, aptitude safe-upgrade (or just upgrade on Etch), aptitude full-upgrade (or on Etch, dist-upgrade), aptitude install, aptitude remove, aptitude search, aptitude show, aptitude purge, aptitude clean).

It just sounds like you installed Knoppix and although that's available even the developer admits that isn't the real purpose it's intended for. Get Debian. Loads of documentation is available and it really is not harder than any other distro to setup. That's a big secret nowadays. Since Sarge the installation is a breeze. Check forums.debian.net and their how-to topic forum for some real nice suggestions and guides. And wiki.debian.org offers how-to's and information about how to get just about anything going on Debian.

For the hardware, module problems you may need to research (google, or forum searches, or check the manufacturers website for linux support info, the distro website). Nothing found? Post in the appropriate section of your favorite forum!

Thank you for your response.

Yes, I got the Knoppix 5.3.1 DVD
How can I catch the modprobe errors slowly after login ? They all scrollby so fast during boot. Same doesn't happen during the Live CD use.

During HD Install, I was asked and set a root passwd. This works ok from the command prompt. However, it is no good to run sound config etc., from the icons on the desktop bar. This is confusing apart from being wrong security.

Also, I have Knoppix DVD installed to HD on another PC. This is an older version. Network card config and other desktop bar items in it take the password. However, they don't save it. So, I need to configure network card each time I login. This is a pain.

Knoppix comes with pretty much everything I want, hence the reason to avoid install everything from Debian from scratch.

If you already have windows installed and have an internet connection, you can use unetbootin to do net-installations of either debian or ubuntu, it is not that difficult.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

I understand that you already have your systems all setup with just what you want. But the problems you mention are those inherent with a Knoppix hard drive install, apart from module errors that may be anything, may be incompatible hardware, whatever. That's why that although folks do it, the hard drive Knoppix, it is discouraged.

If you feel that Knoppix comes with everything you need, you may be very pleasantly surprised to find that Debian has the exact same things. Knoppix takes the Debian repos and makes a customized Live distro version of it.

A Debian installation would offer you very easy access to the same software. The tasks offer easy default configurations of your favorite DM (KDE, GNOME, XFCE, whatever), and then you can add whatever you want.

All you need to do is learn how to do a few things. The same things you'd need to learn for any Linux distro, like how to upgrade, install software, seach using the package manager, install specific drivers that don't come built into the Kernel, get your multimedia going, stuff like that. Debian will have its own specific methods, but you may be a bit familiar with them since you have had your Linux introduction on Knoppix, which is Debian mostly.

You could use a net-install cd, a cd that installs a KDE desktop, a cd that installs a Gnome desktop, a cd that installs an XFCE desktop, a DVD that installs Gnome by default but you could uncheck that and then once in the system adjust your sources to testing, add contrib non-free, add debian-multimedia, aptitude update, aptitude dist-upgrade, reboot, purge the older Etch Kernel, open aptitude, scroll to tasks, select the desktop, kde-desktop, and gnome-desktop tasks, pick a resolution to dependencies that seems logical, reboot to whichever you select and then go ahead and install your other favorite applications.

You'd wind up with essentially what you have now, but without the weaknesses of using a hard drive install that is designed to run from a DVD or CD.

Most don't like the tasks, but I still use them and they're certainly helpful for those who don't know exactly what to install, xorg, alsa, hplip, cupsys, kde, kdm, selecting a Kernel, etc, etc. Why reinvent the wheel when the tasks do it fine? It's not a lean system, but Knoppix isn't lean either and that's what you're used to. I like bloat. :) I add a lot of it myself, pictures, videos, etc.


DVD 1 has all the customized Kernels and there's the option of just accepting the default Desktop Environment and booting up to Gnome right away. If you're afraid of installing your desktop with Aptitude and not having a GUI right away, then get the DVD as the initial install won't take as long. You can still upgrade to Lenny afterwards. But start with an Etch installation cd or dvd. The Lenny installer is still beta. I don't trust it. Etch at least gets the basics installed properly. Then dist-upgrade as soon as you figure out how, but at least you'll have a GUI to use if the terminal scares. :)

Don't know about that install from Windows thing. Nothing like an official Debian install media to depend on and not having to deal with Windows running. Debian will install Grub to the mbr with a Windows section to choose at boot. Or you can install Grub to the Debian partition and use EasyBCD for Vista/Linux (what I do) or something like Partition Magic's BootMagic for XP/Linux or 98/Linux whatever you have.

Or just ignore the whole thing and get what you have fixed up with Knoppix! :) It's your system. I'm just saying you could be just as happy and have the real Debian installed without the Knoppix Live idiosyncrasies.

Thanks for the response again. I have installed the real Debian before from scratch and had it crash on me. Installing each program on its own takes time, then to have it crash after all those efforts is certainly not desirable. Solving Knoppix challenges is a lot easier.

I have posted in their forums already:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...=117381#117381