Newbie to SUSE10.0 and Linux. I use Gnome and have downloaded my first program (Thunderbird). I have it on the computer/tmp file. How do I install this and make it my preferred e-mail program? I am also trying to figure out why my sound is not working.I can dual boot to XP and of course the sound card is working. If I can figure this out I think I can start really using Linux. Also I have a windows "flight Simulator program; is there any possibility it will work in Linux or will I have to keep my dual boot?

if you downloaded thunderbird from the official site, it will probably be a compressed source file, so delete it.

open your 'package manager' (similar to windows' add/remove programs). i think its called YuM on suse, im not familiar with the program.. but it should be straight forward. look around in it for thunderbird. you should be able to simply mark thunderbird to be installed, and then install it.. the program should take care of any downloading and configuration necessary.

for the sound card, we will need to know more. what kind of card? is it usb or pci? have you looked on the manufacturers site for a linux driver for it? what have you checked to know that it 'is not working'?

to play windows games or software, i belive you can use a program called 'wine'.. search google for it.

In SUSE its called Yast. I went to software management and it isn't listed. I did find wine there and installed that. I guess I need to know how to install downloaded programs. thunderbird is not compressed as far as I know. I downloaded the linux version and its 27 MB's. I don't understand the mount and umount commands enough to figure them out yet. As far as drivers go I will need to download them also and if I can't install thunderbird, I don't think I can install drivers either until I get the learning process down. Its a PCI Diamond DT0398.I don't even get boot up or shut down sounds.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in SuSE/Novell and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

To update my inquiry: I really want to use Linux and suse10.0 but I can't seem to break my dependency on Windows. I have the system loaded on one of my computers with a dual boot with XP pro. I have two books on linux and the 5 cd's on Suse10. I am able to get on line, dsl with a 2WIRE gateway. I use fire fox and evolution but can't install thunderbird to replace evolution. I also have no sound or video capability. Cd's etc no sound. I must need to download and install drivers, software etc to accomplish this. I've read so much I am completely lost. It might be my age as I am over the hill at 65 but would appreciate any honest help.Some sights,CNN,etc say they only work with windows and I know that that is not true, how can I get my self turned in the right direction, please.

Here's how to install Thunderbird and some other useful information.

http://www.thejemreport.com/mambo/content/view/178/42/

Once you have followed the instructions on how to set up Yast you will be able to use Yast to download and install programs - Yast will do all the work for you.

Post back any questions.

Sound - do you know how to use the console and issue commands directly to your computer?

Thank you thank you thank you. Now all I have to do is get sound. yes I use the Yast control panel in GNOME when I go to sound it shows sound config on a Xwave QS3000A[FM801]
I tried to add my sound card as shown in XP. It is a DT 0398 PCI slot 4(PC! bus0 device 9, function0.
when I try to add it manually yast only shows a DT-019X model. If I try to install that it shows an error "The kernel module snd-dt019X for sound support could not be loaded. This can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters."
Any suggestions? is my sound card too old? Do I need to load a driver, how?

Glad to hear that you have Thunderbird up and running. Now on to sound, not so easy ....

You could try - although i'm not confident - opening up a console and typing (as root user):

alsaconf
(this will *try* and configure your card)

alsamixer
(this will throw up a sound-mixer. make sure volume is up and you dont see 'M'
under the volume bars. this means sound is muted. To unmute push 'M' and to increase volume use cursor keys. To leave this screen push 'escape'

alsactl store
(this will save volume levels)

to get a console: kmenu>system>terminal

Enter the above commands. Post back success/failure.

I don't think that worked I never heard the wave. Gnome says it found the card as "Fortemedia FM801-AU, Diamond technology id #31. I tried a audio cd and that did not work either and shot me over to Banshee which was trying to download cd to a file. I don't want to mess with any of that until I get sound. It also said I could try loading a legacy card and when I started that it warned me it could make the system unstable so I aborted. When I try to play a cd it does not start until I go on to GNOME and advance to CD player. At that time the Audio Disc symbol comes up on the desktop, the CD player box comes up with the title of the album etc and a disc symbol in red. I lose the function of my mouse and keyboard and I can't abort anything although the time stamp is still working, and it acknowledged I removed the cd so the system is still running. After 20 minutes screen went blank, and screensaver did not start. Manually shut down computer for a restart. Restart successful. I do have a soundblaster live PCI card I could replace the audio card; is this SUISE10 a PNP type system? It says model CT4670. Mfg 1968 no longer supported I do have a cd but it is for Win95,98,NT4.0

You could try using the soundblaster card. The drivers on the CDs will not will. You will have to configure the soundcard via YAST.

What happends when you just type in (as root): alsamixer

It seems weird that you have do not even have system sounds. Sounds as though everything is muted. I used to have a soundblaster live 24bit card and although I never managed to get it working, I could at least hear something.

Does anyone else wanna throw in their worth?

with alsamixer I am able to adjust the volumes as follows:
3D Contra,3D CONTRA,CENTER,LFE,FM,12S,IEC 958R,PC SPKR,ALL ADJUSTED TO THE TOP GREEN.
MIC,IEC 958,AC97 18-,AC972CH,DIGITAL all had no change no bar and some had a MM in a box. Also PC SPKRS has a MM in the box yet, I think that may be the problem even though I can adjust the bar. How do I correct that before I change the sound card, which maybe I should do anyway but I think the DT card is newer but of lesser quality. Really appreciate your help, I may not be getting it fixed but I am learning a lot.one more thing. most of the little boxes still have a MM in them even with a bar graph adjusted in the green, do I need another command to change that?

Ok, so the sound is muted.

Run the alsmixer command again to bring up the mixer.

If you push the 'M' key on each channel, this should unmute that channel (the 'M' should disappear). Obviously, channels that have no 'M' leave as they are.

After you have done this: alsactl store.

I am not sure how to get the CD player working (mine too doesnt play). If you have MP3s, what music player do you use as you may need to install some additional codecs.

Well I removed the M's . still no sound anywhere. I also can't access /dev/mixer as user or root. "permission denied"
I did go to http://www.thejemreport.com/mambo/content/view/178/42/ and did all of that earlier and now I can download video etc but no sound. I assume SUSE10 has up and down sounds as it had properties for that. I don't use MP3 yet just trying to play my jazz cd's. funny thing is cd player shows empty disc and then when I try to eject it won't eject but acesses Banshee to rip the cd but that doesn't seem to work either, then I have to use the paper clip trick to open the cdrom and manually remove the cd; then the eject mechanism works on the cd player with the mouse. Sorry to hear you can't hear cd's either. Think I will go back to the Jem report and see if he has any good ideas.I'll keep this open just in case you have anymore ideas. Thanks for the info.

Ok, when I use my alsamixer I have to have one channel muted which is 'SPDIF" (or something similar). If I unmute this, everything else is muted. Might be worth having a play around in there.

When you run alsaconf - you have two options. the second is to probe for 'legacy' cards, the first is (i think) for 'pnp'. Have you tried running alsaonf with the first option?

To eject cdrom from the command line:

eject cdrom

Hang in there - I'm sure someone else will have further suggestions to get you up and running!

I'm thunk out. tomorrow I will try the soundblaster card as alsaconf has 2 sound blaster cards in legacy. I will try the PNP first aas I know that is what the soundblaster live is.I sent a notice to Jem but it maybe a few days b4 I hear from them. I'll bounce around some of the help sites, thanks for your help, if you think of something else,I'm game, thats how I learn.