Mandrake 7.1 questions.......small ones

[Nikster]

Totally new to Linux, just got the urge to give it a shot..........took a friend install/app CD......installed...............smooth!.......first run.......notice its really slow ! and
.......realize...........

No RAM!
Not really It only recognizes 64MB of 256MB installed. The BIOS reads 256 also, there are 2 128 sticks in there.

No internet
How do I make my network work? I would need detailed help, might be a good idea if you knew any help page on this topic - I have a 3Com 10/100 Etherlink XL

No sound
Turtle Beach Monetgo Quadzilla 2 - Vortex 2 based with SPDIF out

In genenral how do I install device drivers in Linux

Thanks!

 

[IamDavid]

The easiest way to get the network card workin is to install dhcp during the install process. It will configure it all for ya. I have the same NIC and had no probs.

 

[SlimHarpo]

For the ram thing, open up your /etc/lilo.conf (pico and mcedit are good editors for beginners). Add a line in there that says Append="mem=256M". Now run /sbin/lilo and reboot (you have to root for both of these steps).

For the net and sound cards, try doing web and usenet searches for your card name and linux.

 

[Wallysaurus]

Nikster,
If you are running an Abit mb, try upgrading the BIOS to fix your mem problem.

 

[jtshaw]

As for the memory, Slim has that one down. Now for the sound card, you won't get full support for all the features but go to aureal.sourceforge.net and download the drivers there. Oh, and that NIC is supported by default, but you are going to have to figure out which 3c module to use, I want to say it is a 3c59x or something.

 

[Jaraxal]

Your memory should be detected at installation. You can do the "append" trick to fix it or, or during installation it will have an option where it says how much memory it has found and you can enter how much is actually in your system.

As far the 3Com card, I've had this problem before. I could never get the card to work. Mandrake/RedHat would see the card but I couldn't access the net.

If you go into your bios and change the option "Plug n Play OS" to no, that might fix it. I have tried it several times for verification and it solved my problem. Same thing with my SBLive.