[Linux-Discussion] weaning from W2K
- From: "S. Arif Khalid" <arif@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <linux-discussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 05:22:12 -0500
I am anxious to wean myself from Windows 2000. I've purchased a new system and
need to get Linux working on it. I've run into some glitches and would like
feedback.
System Description:
- Dual (2) Athalon MP 1900+ processors on Tyan motherboard
- nVidia GeForce2 32MB Video
- 512 GB RAM
- 40 GB hard disk
- CD-RW (CyberDrive)
- DVD
- 3.5" floppy
- Conexant HSF (controller-less) 56k modem
- KDS XF-9e 19" flat screen monitor
- no sound card or speakers yet
I have installed SuSE Linux 7.3 and I am using the KDE interface.
I already know that it was a mistake to get the HSF modem. Linux doesn't
recognize it and the Linux driver I downloaded from Conexant.com doesn't work
on a multi-processor kernel. Hopefully, when I replace the HSF modem with a
true modem (between $50 and $100, right?) Linux will recognize and configure
the modem automatically. I would like to use the modem to connect to my ISP as
well as to send and receive faxes.
Question #1: How do I get the highest resolution and color depth on my display?
After the Linux install, the screen looked good enough. But in trying to set
the screen resolution and enabling 3D acceleration via SAX2, I got the
following message:
The currently installed dummy nVidia driver which
comes with SuSE Linux does not include any 3D
capabilities. It is recommended to start an online update
whereas only the packages
NVIDIA_GLX and NVIDIA_kernel
are necessary to suppor the 3D feature for this card...
I downloaded the following files from the nvidia.com site:
NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
I did the following:
rpm -ivh NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
rpm -ivh NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
For some reason (I don't remember what error message I got) I thought that the
install didn't work, so went through the "upgrade driver" procedure given in
the README.txt file.
rpm -Uvh NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
rpm -e NVIDIA_GLX
rpm -ivh NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2880.suse73.i386.rpm
I tried changing the resolution using the SuSE "YAST2" program (X11
Configuration under Hardware menu). However, the highest resolution I can get
is 1280x1024 and 16 bit / 65536 colors. When I try to change to a higher
resolution, I get the message:
The test of the currently selected video settings
has not been passed successfully...
Also, it doesn't offer me any options other than 16 bit color depth and 60 Hz
refresh rate. It does say that 3D acceleration is enabled, though.
The console window on my login screen says:
linux kernel: nvidia: loading NVIDIA NVdriver Kernel
I've used windows on the same machine and have no problem setting the screen
resolution to 1600x1200 with 32 bit color depth.
Question #2: How can I get Linux read and write to a CD-RW disc?
With W2K and the InCD UDF format writing software that came with the drive, I
can read and write fine.
Clicking on the CD-R icon on the KDE desktop opens a Konquerer window showing
file:/media/cdrecorder
and the following files appear in the window:
autorun.inf
udfrinst.exe
I don't see these files when I look at this CD-RW disk under Windows. Under
Linux, none of the files that I've put on the CD-RW disc are visible. Thus,
under Linux, the CD-RW disc (which must be in UDF format because I read and
write to it using the same drive under W2K) is not reading (let alone writing)
properly.
Question #3: Is there Linux software that allows me to receive faxes
automatically?
Here's how it worked on my old Mac with Global Village Teleport Platinum fax
modem:
1. Incoming call would trigger the answering machine to pick up
2. Fax tones from incoming call could be "heard" by the modem
(since another extension, the answering machine, was off the hook)
3. Hearing the fax tones, the modem would then go off-hook (pick up the phone
line)
4. Answering machine hangs up whenever the modem (or any other extension)
is picked up (i.e., off the hook).
5. Global Fax software that came with the Global Village modem received the
fax.
I presume Windows software like WinFax with a fax modem can do what I just
described, but I haven't tried it. Is there some fax software for Linux that
will do auto-receive on faxes like described above for my old Mac?
Question #4: How can I adjust the amount of disk space allocated to Windows?
I chose the default windows partition size when I installed Linux. I thought
it was going to give me a simple way to adjust partition sizes. But what it
gave me was stuff for experts and I dared not tamper with the defaults. I
expected a GUI Windows partition sizer.
Question #5: What's the most Outlook Express-like mail package for Linux/KDE?
I currently use OE to download POP mail as well as Hotmail. I don't know of
any other software that lets you download Hotmail from its "http" server. It's
pretty slick though.
Final comments:
I've gained an appreciation for Windows in trying to get fully functional with
Linux (You've got to admit that the Windows method of changing the screen
resolution by right-clicking on the background and selecting "Properties" is
pretty easy.) I realize that much of my stumbling with Linux is due to my
lopsided ignorance of Linux. When I've got answers to the above questions,
I'll be a long way toward exclusively using Linux on my new PC!
Thanks,
Arif
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