Many problems, Don't know where to start...

chaz_bro1972 · 03-29-2007, 10:22 PM

I'm a little bit newbie, although I'm not totally stupid. I have read many MAN pages, HOWTO's and README/INSTALL pages (Please, no RTFM answers). Also, I have searched Google over and over till I'm sick of Google.com (Google is NOT my friend). I am not afraid of the command line (obviously - I've chosen Slackware). My Family is hooked on M$, while I want to abandon them as they did me (a previous Windows 98 SE user). In other words - NO Lectures!!! Anyway, here goes nothing...

Here's what I have to work with:

Fixed Income - very low income.
AMD - K6 II, 500mhz CPU.
1x 256mb SDRAM card, 1x 32mb SDRAM card (both PC100)
PC Tel modem, PCT789 (somewhat installed*)
Trident CyberBlade 3D graphics card w/ 8mb V-RAM
17 in. CRT monitor (I love CRT's)
scroll mouse - ps2 (scroll doesn't work in Linux)
ESS Allegro PCI AudioDrive sound card (also doesn't work in Linux)
Std. keyboard, mouse, speakers, floppy drive
cd-rom (Linux sees it as hdd)
HL-DT-ST GCE-8483B CD-RW Drive (Linux sees it as hdc)
(2) 10 GB hard drives: Dual-Boot w/ Lilo
1. Windows 98 SE (hda1, bootable)
2. Linux Slackware 11 (hdb1 - Linux swap, hdb2 - Linux ext2)

-----------------------------------

What I NEED Linux capable to do:

All hardware working correctly
Look and function similar enough to Windows
Get Applications that run in Windows running in Linux (Wine)
Get 'workaround' applications working to replace Windows Software

Get Windows Applications running in Linux using Wine:
After reviewing many pages of documentation, it has come to my knowledge that the last goal should be the first. Why? Because Slackware 11 comes w/ the old kernel 2.4.x and I need to update to the new kernel 2.6.x. This I have already tried, to no avail. I have major problems because I dual-boot the 2 hard drives, and the only bootable hard drive partition is for Windows 98 SE.

All Hardware working correctly:

I have to reinstall the PC Tel modem every time I boot Linux (something called udev is messing up or missing). On Windows it is a 'TAICOM V.90 Soft Modem'.
The sound card 'ESS Allegro' will not play even though I have maxxed out the volume in ALSA.
I do not know how to use the write function of the cd-rw drive.
I do not know how to get the scroll wheel to function when i use KDE or any other desktop environment.

Get 'workaround' applications working to replace Windows Software:
I no choice but to use Walmart Connect (now called Netscape Connect) to access the internet. I have heard that this is a AOL clone and that the programs 'PengAol', 'Peng', and 'Penggy' will solve this in Linux. This I have not been successful with so far. It says it connects, at 56k, but when I go to any browser, it acts like there is no connection at all. I cannot go to: 'http://www.google.com' or any other website.

Look and function similar enough to Windows:
I have settled on 'LookXP' from Sourceforge.net to solve this issue. Until I have solved the other issues, I cannot really pursue this issue yet. Hopefully it will just be a matter of installing the software.
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I want everybody to know that I am very grateful for any help that I receive here. I use a lot of open source software in Windows, and I love it. I have heard how well a PC can run when using Linux, so I thought, 'well, why not run all these open source software in their own OS?' So, I am making the switch. If all things go well, I will drop M$ Windows 98 SE altogether. Anyway, thank you ahead of time.

H_TeXMeX_H · 03-29-2007, 10:58 PM

Well, here are a few tips:

1) To upgrade the kernel go to 'extra/linux-2.6.17.13' on the install CD2/DVD and

Code:

installpkg kernel-generic-2.6.17.13-i486-1.tgz
installpkg kernel-modules-2.6.17.13-i486-1.tgz
installpkg kernel-source-2.6.17.13-noarch-1.tgz

run '/sbin/lilo' and reboot.

2) Run 'xorgsetup' as root while Xserver is down. Follow the instructions and your mousewheel should work, and numerous other things dealing with X should also be fixed.

3) To burn a CD or DVD use k3b. I would run it with root permissions.

For a listing of lots of apps, a lot of them open-source and thus available for Linux:

http://freshmeat.net/
http://sourceforge.net/

chaz_bro1972 · 03-29-2007, 11:34 PM

Thank you, but I already downloaded those kernel files... and installed them... didnt work... kept rebooting to the old kernel

chaz_bro1972 · 03-29-2007, 11:36 PM

no matter how i do the xorgsetup... that doesnt help my mouse problem either. Please give more explicit instructions instead of general ones. thank you.

chaz_bro1972 · 03-29-2007, 11:43 PM

oh, yea... i installed linux off the zipslack ...then added all the slackware tgz packages. i did not get the cd/dvd. from the zipslack on hda1 i followed the FAQ.txt guide to install to slackware to a partition on the 2nd hard drive.

rickh · 03-29-2007, 11:54 PM

Slack is definitely not the easiest distro for a newbie, and having a primary goal to make it "look like Windows" is hardly a positive beginning.

If Slackware is really what you want, organize your problems coherently, and tackle them one at a time.

Otherwise , try a more user friendly distro where the people who can help you, are not really gurus, but rather 8-10 pages ahead of you in reading the manual.

Your hardware is suitable for most any distro, if you give some thought to making it "light."

bioe007 · 03-30-2007, 01:04 AM

mouse problem - does your /etc/X11/xorg.conf look like this?

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/mouse"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

kernel problem - did you edit /etc/lilo.conf to point to the newly installed kernel image?

Quote:

4. I do not know how to get the scroll wheel to function when i use KDE or any other desktop environment.

don't take this personally, but I think you'd get much better performance out of xfce or fluxbox on that machine.

arcanex · 03-30-2007, 01:10 AM

At 500Mhz, I don't think you'll get satisfactory performance running Windows app under Wine. And I'm really skeptical about being able to connect to your ISP who uses special Windows software... at least, not without some tough work.

onebuck · 03-30-2007, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaz_bro1972

oh, yea... i installed linux off the zipslack ...then added all the slackware tgz packages. i did not get the cd/dvd. from the zipslack on hda1 i followed the FAQ.txt guide to install to slackware to a partition on the 2nd hard drive.

Hi,

Welcome to Slackware and LQ!

There is no reason not to use the Slackware 11 install with the 2.6 kernel. Your hardware will support it, I suggest you start with that instead of zipslack, Pat made zipslack so people can try slackware. If you use the full install for Slackware, you can trim at a later date.

As stated before, wine will be slow on your platform.

Now, your original post was a tall order for a newbie. But well thought out map of what you desire to have. Googles fine but do some search on LQ. A lot of what you listed has already been handled.

BTW, check my sig for some good online reference. You will need to read and then read some more. We are here to help but you will need to make some effort on your part.

H_TeXMeX_H gave some good advice and pointers for the kernel upgrade.
Your AMD k6 will work with no problems. I use that on a small server platform with no issues. Just trim where needed. If you can increase the ram then do so. The cost for this is minimal. I'm not aware of what motherboard you are using but the increase in memory will be an advantage.

I suggest you use something other than KDE. XFCE or Fluxbox would be better for the X environment. As for the mouse problem, a old link but good direction to look. A simple LQ forum search 'X mouse wheel' produced the results.

Use the search to find some answers to your questions. If you still have problems then create a thread with the problem and errors relevant to the problem.

To place all your wants in one thread makes it difficult for everyone. Tackle one at a time.

edit: You can leave the Win98 on the system and make a dual boot with GNU/Linux. There could be times that you will still need to use the Win98.

onebuck · 03-30-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcanex

At 500Mhz, I don't think you'll get satisfactory performance running Windows app under Wine. And I'm really skeptical about being able to connect to your ISP who uses special Windows software... at least, not without some tough work.

Hi,

I agree with the wine statement. There will be not issues with connecting to ISP. That is unless they use some propriety issues then I would be finding another ISP.

A lot of the ISPs' state they don't support GNU/Linux but that is because of the support personnel not available to answer questions properly. Lots of ISPs' use a unix/Linux based system but the admin is done by a IT who won't be answering the phones. As long as you know the protocol then there is no reason not being able to connect. You need to get out of the M$ mindset, especially if you plan to use GNU/Linux.

Again this is not 'at least, not without some tough work', don't discourage. Most things are possible with little effort. You just need to know how. If there is a problem then present it to the forum and I'm sure someone will assist.

H_TeXMeX_H · 03-30-2007, 08:50 AM

For the kernel, please read carefully. Edit '/etc/lilo.conf' if necessary (it shouldn't be, because if you installpkg all those packages it will symlink vmlinuz to the new kernel). Then run '/sbin/lilo' as root, this is very important.

GrapefruiTgirl · 03-30-2007, 12:27 PM

As for that PCTel modem, I'm not sure what you have for drivers, if anything, but as you noted, your internet connection is not working as it should under linux.
The PCTel chipset in that modem *is* a tricky one to get working, but it CAN be done.
For drivers and related information, check out the sites linuxant.com, winmodems.org, and conexant.com, plus of course Google for stuff like "linux PCTel789" and you will see results. There aren't a million pages on that subject. If you get stuck on that issue, and/or can't locate a driver, I have the exact same modem here, a PCI card Pine/PCtel789, and also have at least a couple drivers for it, so I would be happy to email you a driver or two if you think you need them. I don't have the modem installed, because I am connected to interent by LAN, but would be happy to help you try to get it installed properly and connecting.

animeresistance · 03-30-2007, 01:20 PM

Hi there !

For the sound problem, have you choose your soundcard on the kernel configuration ? and only enabling ALSA without enabling the OSS ?

pbhj · 03-30-2007, 07:23 PM

Just a thought ... but are you sure you're wanting Slackware - it sounds like you have a challenging system. Perhaps a more mainstream distro Xubuntu or Fedora Core might be better? If you want a challenge plug away ...

I had a PCTel modem (http://alicious.com/linux-issues#modem), every time I upgraded anything I held my breath as it often needed care and attention. In the end I just acquired a second hand serial port modem which was nearly configuration free.

chaz_bro1972 · 03-30-2007, 10:46 PM

WOW! what a lot of responses! thanks alot everybody. Here's what i have to say about all those comments:

1. This pc... the AMD 500 K6-II... it IS the upgrade. The RAM ...it HAS ALREADY BEEN upgraded. When I said "Fixed Income", I meant it. There is no more money for any more hardware - PERIOD.

2. Yes, I know KDE is too much for my system, which is why after all the problems get fixed, I intend to use 'LookXP' which uses IceWM (although KDE is working on the system now, w/o much problems - except for the sound).

3. bioe007, Great post! Thank you so much. I need posts like this more, Give me actual commands to type. A lot of time the MAN, HOWTO, or forum pages say do this or do that, but they never say HOW. Nobody ever says what command to type at the command line explicitly. A lot of MAN pages say do this and then refer to another MAN page on how to do it, but i dont know how to access that MAN page, u cannot click inside a command line MAN page.
Since i have to boot into Win98 to get internet access, I'll have to write down what u posted then compare it to what i have.

4. Sorry for lumping all the problems into one huge post... i guess i just am very impatient. I normally detest forums, cuz u cant respond at the drop of a hat. it would be much better if i could just get a huge group to IM/PM me thru GAIM (see i use open source stuff). My AIM screen name is 'rokin1972ltd429', my Yahoo Messenger name is 'chaz_broam'. I'll open up my IM/PM programs to allow for people to IM/PM me. My email: chaz.broam@gmail.com

5. i want to do all the work. the work doesnt bother me. Slackware's command line doesnt scare me that easily. I'm fine w/ Slackware, problems or not. It's the understanding that gets to me, I'm not an IT tech.

6. TO ALL FUTURE RESPONSES: I will post these problems (the ones that go unfixed) seperately in their own posts. I have learned my lesson. DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS THREAD ANYMORE.