Trouble preparing HD for slackware 11 install HELP!

Lypur · 03-04-2007, 01:23 AM

Hey, first off I'd like to say I'm COMPLETELY new to this whole thing, I might not be familiar with all the terms, but I'd appreciate any help I can get. I've read through alot of FAQ's and processes on how to install the slackware. I follow the instructions, login as root when I got into the fdisk /dev/hda menu, it says that I can't write to the disk. If I try the cfdisk menu, it says that it's in read-only mode, and won't let me write anything either. Also, it seems to only be showing 3000 odd mb as free space, but i have over 150gb for my hard drive. When I follow all the instructions online, I get to the part where I need to write and it won't let me. Any ideas?

Lypur · 03-04-2007, 02:01 PM

Hello?? I'm really in a jam here. Maybe my question was really stupid.....I'm not sure

If you guys want more information just ask me what you want to know and I'll be happy to answer, My system specs are a intel pen 4 3.0ghz HT processor, 256mb ATI graphics card, creative sound blaster audigy 2Z sound card, a 160 sata hard drive. If there's something else you want to know just ask. Right now I'm desperate for help. I've been a windows user all my life. Then I upgraded to windows vista and hated it. I've always been curious about linux, and I'm not bad with computers. I'm self taught and honestly I haven't learn much code (yet)...thanks for reading

I appreciate the time you've taken.

saikee · 03-04-2007, 03:19 PM

Try another Linux Live CD.

Slax is probably the best as it allows you to log in as root.

I used it to partition 200+ partitions in my box. Slackware should pretty comfortable in a 10Gb partition with another 1Gb swap.

titopoquito · 03-04-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lypur

a 160 sata hard drive

To start Slackware with SATA support you should try the sata.i (a 2.4.x kernel) or huge26.s (2.6.x) kernel (type this in at the boot prompt, then hit RETURN).
Then your harddisk should be called /dev/sda (hda is for a PATA disk), so "cfdisk /dev/sda" should allow you to partition your disk.

Lypur · 03-04-2007, 07:40 PM

thanks alot! it's I've got access to my partitions!! THANKS!

Lypur · 03-04-2007, 08:42 PM

So it's installed, but when it boots up it says "error loading operating system"....I don't understand since i flagged the linux partition as bootable??? anyone know what the problem might be? I booted back up with the disk, opened up cfdisk, and my partitions are as follows:
sda1 primary dell utility 57mb
sda2 boot primary Linux ext2 110103mb
sda3 primary Linux swap 8998mb
pri/log Free space 40838mb

completely confused over why it won't boot up into linux when I power up.

titopoquito · 03-05-2007, 03:25 AM

Well, that depends on which kernel you installed. Did you boot up with huge26.s and install that one? (If not me or someone else will need more info what you really chose when installing)

If you installed huge26.s: Boot up from cd. Adjust the line that is presented there with "root=/dev/sda2". Then log in as root, mount the CD (usually "mount /mnt/cdrom". Then you need to install the modules for that kernel ("installpkg /mnt/cdrom/extra/linux-2.6.17.13/kernel-modules-2.6.17.13-i486-1.tgz").

AH, did you forget to install LILO boot loader? Please give some info what you did about this during the installation process!

Lypur · 03-05-2007, 03:34 AM

Hey, yea i actually forgot to install lilo, it just dawned on me about 2 hours ago. So I installed that...now it boots up, then it wants me to login, so i do that...but i'm still in text based stuff??? where's the GUI? (sorry, I'm sure this all sounds incredibly stupid for me to ask. I'm a total linux newbie a week ago I didn't even know how to reformate my drive!) I find all this pretty fun. I've been useing my laptop (running XP) to search the internet for help etc.

Anyway, basicly the problem is...I want it to load up to the GUI...and once I boot up, login as root and put in my password it just gives me the

root@____:~#

I'm hoping once I get past all this text stuff and into the GUI I'll be able to figure out the rest on my own. I'm loading the default kernal by the way, the one the boot disk uses by default. Thanks ALOT! for all your help!

i'm such a

*blush*

titopoquito · 03-05-2007, 03:54 AM

First add a normal user (you really should not be running X as root, no

): "adduser <username>" and follow the instructions.
Then as root run "xorgconfig" and be sure to know your monitor's refresh rates.
Logout, login as the normal user you created, eventually do "xwmconfig" to choose the Window Manager/Desktop Environment you want to run and then type "startx" (the latter is the one to start X obviously).

If you have configured your system properly you might want to start straight in the GUI, but I cannot advice that as long as you haven't configured X and all that. It would just give you additional problems.
To later change the runlevel edit /etc/inittab as root and change in the line

Code:

id:3:initdefault:

3 to 4 (GUI level in Slackware).

Lypur · 03-05-2007, 05:23 AM

alright i followed what you said. wow...i can't get my network settings up, i can't get audio, i can't get my resolution over 1024 X 768, i can't get it to recignize my second monitor, it's just displaying the same image on both screens i have a 19"VGA LCD and a 20.1" DVI widescreen LCD....i have SO many questions it's not even funny....do you know of any good manuals for this?

titopoquito · 03-05-2007, 05:34 AM

About network: You should have been asked some questions about it during installation, but you can do it as root, just type "netconfig".
Audio: It's probably just muted. Do "alsamixer" as root, change the volumes and exit that mixer with ESCAPE key. Then type "alsactl store". Edit /etc/group as root and add your normal user to at least the groups audio, cdrom and video.
EDIT: resolution: Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf as root and add the needed resolution, the lines look like this for example:

Code:

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection

Don't know any about the dual monitor problem.

Some good information sites about Slackware:
The revised SlackwareBook: http://slackbook.org/
Shilo's site about Slackware configuration: http://shilo.is-a-geek.com/
Slackware Linux Basics -- written for 10.2 but most should be true for 11.0 also (you might indeed be careful about kernel and modules stuff): http://www.slackbasics.org/

And of course the Slackware forum here on LQ.org: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...php?forumid=14

One more EDIT: It would be a good idea to use the forum's search, it works quite well. I've seen the dual monitor question some times and think you will find without problem a solution in the Slackware forum.

prozac · 03-05-2007, 05:34 AM

You will have to sort out your problems one by one. So what would you like to get working first?

Lypur · 03-05-2007, 06:37 AM

Ok, So first I'd like to get the internet working...when I enter netconfig, it askes for a hostname? I don't have a clue what i should put down...I know very little about internet configurations...being brought up on XP I'm used to the whole "let's just auto detect everything ^_^" sort of mentality.

Once i can get my internet up. I'd like to be able to access my external HD with all my backup files, music, movies, documents all the good stuff, the problem is when I plug my external HD in...it doesn't recognize it or even do anything...I can't seem to find a way to manually find the external HD either....

once THAT"S done, then I'd like to get sound working, I tired going into that drive and turning the volume up, except, i have no music files to test it with....normally I'd just use a program to check the sound, but I'm completely new to linux, and I don't know which programs make which sounds yet!

once sound is done, I'd like to add the second monitor display in, as well as change the resolution on the monitors ^_^...after all that I should be pretty darned happy!!! lots of work

titopoquito · 03-05-2007, 07:17 AM

You can chose the hostname freely if it's your private computer. Doesn't matter at all. Just choose a name you like. Depending on how you want to connect to the Internet (modem, DSL directly, with help of a gateway/router) I suggest searching in the Slackware forum.
You have to change the ALSA volume settings just once. It will be restored if you reboot your machine. For my individual volume settings I just "aumix", but if you want to use KDE kmix will be your best choice.
About that external HD: Search for it, it's no bigger problem. Maybe try as search words "external usb disk dmesg fstab". That will reveal some useful posts about this.

Lypur · 03-05-2007, 05:17 PM

So...i've been at it for another 3 hours...so far i've gone through the netconfig, alsamixer, tried to reconfigure the display resolutions, and tried to mount the external hard drive useing fdisk -l ....so pretty much the only thing i got to work was getting sound useing alsamixer, but ONLY got my sound to work on my root account. when i use fdisk -l i can see my 300gb external HD but when i type mount /dev/sdb1 or mount /dev/usb it won't work....i'm starting to wonder if this distro is good for a newbie like me. What's the simplest and best distro for someone like me? a distro that works alot like windows, where most of the stuff you do is through the GUI. OR do you think i should keep toughing it out and trying to get this working?