Getting started with Linux *UPDATE* Installed, video foobar'd. Help!

[rpc64]

Ok I know there are loads upon loads of topics like this, but I didn't really find any that answered my questions. Let me start by saying that I am a n00b and I want to start learning Linux. I want to be able to do the following:

Learn how Linux works and how to use it.
Be able to network Linux with Windows machines.
Have a really cool looking desktop like I've seen shots of in other threads.
Run a file and/or game server.

Considering this, I need to choose a distro. I would like to get your opinions of Linux From Scratch. I think it sounds pretty cool, but would it work well for my purposes? Or should I just go with something like RedHat? Also, people have said that Gentoo is really cool. I was wondering what makes it so cool and whether it is n00b friendly.

Thanks a lot for any help you can give me.

 

[n0cmonkey]

LFS would be damn tough for a newbie. You could probably stick through it, but I dont think it would be the best way to go. Gentoo may be a good solution. RedHat should be fine.

 

[mikecel79]

Mandrake 8.2 is very good for beginners. I'm starting to use it now myself.

 

[cleverhandle]

LFS is definitely not the way to go if you're a newbie. Could you follow the instructions and create a running system? Most likely, yes. Would you have any idea what you were doing? No. Could you do anything after the LFS book without bugging the hell out of the mailing list members? Definitely not.

LFS is very cool, and a great learning experience, but you need to be at a certain knowledge level before you start. Otherwise, it's a waste of your's and others' time. I would stick with RH/Mandrake and get a book like Running Linux that teaches the real basics alongside that.

 

[GigaCluster]

Gentoo is so cool because of:
1) its unique installation that compiles all programs to be optimized for your particular machine
2) its excellent package system called "emerge". I have yet to try it (as I run RedHat), but I hear it's great.

For you, I'd recommend RedHat or Mandrake, as others mentioned. A book/manual would be invaluable at this point.

 

[rpc64]

Thank you all for the help. So I guess it's down to RedHat or Gentoo(those are the two I was leaning towards before). Are those two very close to each other in terms of newbie-friendliness? I'm still wondering about the desktop situation. Do different Linux distros have different desktop capabilities? Or are they all the same?

 

[Tiger]

RH is a step or two above Gentoo when it comes to newbie friendliness.
You should have a certain skill set before trying a Gentoo install. You should be comfortable with the command line and know all of the basic Linux commands. You have to do some manual config of Gentoo before you even get it 100% installed much less running X and a window manager. Although not required Gentoo really needs a broadband connection and a machine of 450Mhz or more.

RH on the other hand is easier to install and is a good place for newbies to start. I'd also encourage you to force yourself to use the CLI instead of the GUI tools for everyday admin of the system.

 

[rpc64]

Ok cool I'll go with RedHat

 

[DnetMHZ]

after you play around with redhat for a while and become comfortable navigating around, then you might want to
progress on to Gentoo or LFS to get deeper into the O/S.

Good luck
DnetMHZ

<-- did his first Gentoo install without the instruction sheet last night

 

[hecresper]

The cool looking desktops you see on most online screenshots come from people that have been using Linux for quite a while, now. Like the recommendations, use RedHat/Mandrake/Gentoo and grab a book like Running Linux from your local bookstore. Then once you're comfortable with Linux and its command line stuff, give other stuff a try. SlackWare or LFS comes to mind. Also, by then you should be able to start fiddling with the cool window managers that allow you to have cool looking desktops. I started with a copy of RedHat that came with an edition of Using Linux. Now I'm using SlackWare and building LFS on the side. There's a learing curve, but is not as steep as some make it sound. This forum is good, but for real Linux newbie insight, go to www.linuxnewbie.org

 

[rpc64]

Ok I am downloading the RedHat isos now. I see 3 install discs and I also see 2 "SRPMS" discs. What are the SRPMS discs and do I need to download them?

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: rpc64
Ok I am downloading the RedHat isos now. I see 3 install discs and I also see 2 "SRPMS" discs. What are the SRPMS discs and do I need to download them?

Source RPMS. They're the source code to the software. If you're interested, get them. You don't really need them though.

 

[rpc64]

Boy I'm just full of questions, aren't I? Here's another one. I'm planning on dual booting RedHat and WinXP Pro. My question is will I be able to see one partition from the other? In other words, if I'm in Windows will I be able to see my Linux partition? Say I have Windows on partition 1 and Linux on partition 2. If I'm in Windows will I be able to place files or install programs onto partition 2? Same question for if I'm in Linux. Will I be able to place files/install programs on partition 1?

Also, how should I partition for Linux? I've read about making separate partitions for swap file and other things. How exactly should I do this?

Thanks

 

[TonyRic]

Linux will be able to read your NTFS partitions and read/write to fat32 partitions, on the other hand Windows will not be able to read Linux partitions whatsoever. Thanks Microsoft for making it too tough to build IFS modules.

 

[Tiger]

At a bare minimum you need /swap and "/" partitions.
This IMHO isn't a good idea. If you ever have a problem on the "/" partition you could potentially lose all your data and applications.
You need a /swap of about 1.5X the physical memory onboard. The more memory you have the less swap you need down to a 1 to1 ratio.

I've got my Gentoo setup like this on a 10 G drive.
/boot = 50M
/ swap = 384M
/ = 4G
/usr = 4G
/var = 1.5G

 

[LuckyTaxi]

*COUGH* FREEBSD *COUGH*

 

[gentobu]

Im using Knoppix right now. The entire os boots right off the cd, so you dont have to worry about screwing up your Hdd partitions and such.

 

[rpc64]

Linux is now installed. The install was easy and went very well. Then I decided to try to update my video drivers. I found, downloaded, and installed the correct rpms for the driver. Then I did "XFree86 -configure" and replaced the old XFree86Config-4(whatever that file is called, can't remember exactly)with the new generated file. Now when I try to do startx, I get errors. It says "Failed to load NVdriver kernel module!" and then something about "no screens found". Is there a way to fix this or am I totally screwed? Thanks.

 

[Chaotic42]

Find the NVdriver file. When you find it, type "insmod NVdriver"

I don't know where the rpms put it. You can just download the .tar.gz files.

You can find it with

find / -name NVdriver

 

[rpc64]

I found the file and did the insmod command and I got this: "Hint: You are trying to load a module without a GPL compatible license and it has unresolved symbols"

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: rpc64
I found the file and did the insmod command and I got this: "Hint: You are trying to load a module without a GPL compatible license and it has unresolved symbols"

1.) Make sure kernel headers are installed.
2.) Goto /usr/src/linux-2.4.2 and execture the following commands:

make clean
make mrproper
make menuconfig

make dep
make clean

3.) Now try compiling the NVIDIA drivers.

Got that from http://www.mcdownloads.com/do_q.php?q_id=17

 

[rpc64]

Thanks, but I'm a noob, so I'm afraid I need a little more clarification How exactly do I make sure kernel headers are installed and how do I compile the drivers?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: rpc64
Thanks, but I'm a noob, so I'm afraid I need a little more clarification How exactly do I make sure kernel headers are installed and how do I compile the drivers?

There is a FAQ on installing nVidia drivers. Try it out. It may not be posted to the FAQ location linked in my sig, so if you dont see it there check the Linux FAQ thread. If that doesnt help, get a video card from a company that takes Linux seriously.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: rpc64
Thanks, but I'm a noob, so I'm afraid I need a little more clarification How exactly do I make sure kernel headers are installed and how do I compile the drivers?

Well, you can't compile the drivers. Nvidia won't release anything but a binary, so no source. Yeah, it sucks.

Anyway, did you compile the kernel yourself? You'd remember it. You have to select things like "Enable SMP" and your network card. If not, I'm not sure what you should do. I'd search through n0c's links.

Sorry I can't help you anymore. Let Nvidia know that you don't appreciate their lack of open drivers.

 

[Granorense]

I am also new to Linux, installed it a couple of weeks a go and I really like it. I am from Costa Rica and always wanted an OS in Spanish, and of course Windows doesn't support multiple lenguages like Linux. I love it, everything I need it Lunux has it; word processor, spreadsheet, browser...all in spanish, just the way I wanted it.

The Only problem I have is that I can't play audio cds, and no sound come out from the speakers. All the sound drivers for my mvidia card are installed and everything seems to be find. If someone knows knows what the problem could be, I would appreciate an advice. At the mean time I am reading lots about Linux, I may be able to figure it out on my own.