Finally switched to linux... what now?

[enorbet2]

Oh Man! having problems w/ the "enorbet" account. Plz try "enorbet2"

can we delete all these ot posts? LOL

[enorbet2]

OK Freeze I'm online in AIM as "enorbet2". I'm sorry for stopping cold like this but when things go wrong at all my instincts are to back up, pare down, and cover all the basics looking for anything skipped over. When two are involved fixing an issue, I need to know where we are and that we are in perfect sync. Yes it's possible to install from CLI, but that's a few steps down the road and won;t happen till I'm sure I'm not "steering the Mars Rover" into a ditch. The delay may not be quite 40 minutes but it's close.

[freeztar]

Oh Man! having problems w/ the "enorbet" account. Plz try "enorbet2"

can we delete all these ot posts? LOL

 

I certainly can, but I'm hoping that our dialogue is of some use to some wayward linux user. :)

 

Otherwise, some other mod will come and move the posts. I don't plan on doing it myself. :)

[freeztar]

OK Freeze I'm online in AIM as "enorbet2"

 

Umm...Pidgin does not see you.

 

Checking synaptic for another atm...

[enorbet2]

I'm better at IRC than AIM so I'm wondering what to do to hook up since I don't know your screenie. Can you see "enorbet2" yet?

[arkain101]

I didnt think I was computer dumb,

 

but this ubuntu keeps outsmarting me..

 

What a bastard operating system.. still can't find a way to make connection.

[enorbet2]

Hey Arkain

I'm not positive in Ubuntu but I am expecting the 1st thing to do is to find out if yer system "sees" yer modem and what it's called (eg ttyS0, ttyS1, etc). Once you know it's there and what it's "name" is you can gather info and send it commands, whether you have an app or not. To avoid permission problems log into root mode by typing "su" and giving your root password. That avoids having to type sudo everytime. although it is possible to bring up old commands with arrow keys. "Su" is just simpler for me. Do with what you feel comfortable, You can possibly discover what file is holding you back permission wise. There are several ways to change permissions. If you get that far, post again. I'm wasted (up like 40 hours straight) and need sleep.

[enorbet2]

Geez I really am tired. You can determine if your system is seeing your modem a number of ways. Start with "lspci" command as root (sudo lspci?) in a terminal. Look for your modem being mentioned. If using KDE you can use ControlCenter's SystemInfo. Cooler is typing "dmesg |more" in a terminal and looking for the detection and the disposition of driver/modules. Once you have that "cat /proc" becomes your friend.

[freeztar]

I can't boot into Ubuntu anymore. I'm typing from XP now.

I tried to install Slackware 12.2 and it seemed to work good except I got an error about a failed install of Lilo. Grub is still working fine, but upon selecting my normal Ubuntu boot, I get slack loading and it just hangs on the mouse loading. I think it says something like "loading gdk: /dev/mouse".

 

So, I f'd my Ubuntu install apparently. That's what I get for trying to "double stack" Ubuntu and Slax.

 

So, what now? :naughty:

[enorbet2]

OK Just got up and haven't had my Kona yet. So I'll try to be brief and not say something st00pid. First off since we're posting publicly here let me appeal to you. Please Freez, let's try to be consistant and accurate so we don't trip up other brave souls. Slax, though stripped down from Slackware, is not equal to Slackware. I'm at much as fault, or have been perhaps, for abbreviating with the fond "Slack" and I won't do that here anymore in the interest of clarity. So it was Slackware and not Slax, right? Did you not resize a partition w/ the GParted bootable CD as we discussed? Did you not format that freespace as ext3? Did you not note what GParted calls the new partition so you know which partition is new and empty when the Slackware installer prompts you to choose the root partition? While it may soon be technically possible to install parallel linux and BSD kernels in a Debian system on the same partition, I doubt that I will ever do that. It is generally not wise to play fast and loose with fundamentals without some kind of "safe word"...like "Don't stack! OK that's two words but like I said, no coffee yet. Fact remains it's not wise to stack two similar systems let alone two considerably different ones. Even much of the fundamental directory structure is different in Debian based distros and Slackware. So make it easy for yourself and create a separate partition so each distro has it's own root partition. Sharing swap space only is permissable when you're new to Linux and not willing to take unnecessary risks.

 

Apparently you installed the Grub bootloader in the MBR from Ubuntu and that's good since you still have a working Linux bootloader. It is imperative, assuming you still want both Ubuntu and Slackware to coexist on the same computer, that you not attempt to install two different bootloaders to the same MBR. The last one will overwrite the previous. So 1st of all remember well that if you're going to keep Grub, and I recommmend that you do as it is superior in some ways to Lilo, during the Slackware install be certain to choose the option to install Lilo to the Slackware root ( "/") partition NOT the MBR. Your error message was likely due to attempting to install Lilo to the same MBR with Grub present. It's good to review the Install tutorial before you begin anew, here:

How to Install Slackware 12.0 - Got Slack? - Softpedia (don't worry that one's for 12.0 instead of 12.2 as it's barely changed at all, is sufficient to instruct, and is easy to follow)

 

The last recommendation I'm going to make until I've had some coffee is to reinstall Slackware and this time, in addition to the Lilo install change, do not choose command line mouse support when prompted. It's better to eschew reliance on the mouse so you develop some CLI skills and anyway XWindows, including CLI under X, will have mouse support. There are numerous other options but this would constitute a simple, straightforward start and allow you to see the previouslyu botched install and determine if anything remains of Ubuntu.

 

I'll check back in an hour or so. As always you're more than welcome to contact me directly. I won't leave you hanging .

[GAHD]

Sabayon Linux Four Oh! <- "live DVD" downloads

 

Savage 2 - A Tortured Soul <- Awesome game for linux (or Windows, or mac)

[enorbet2]

Hey Freeze

Just wanted you to know I did check back but now have to be gone for 2-3 hours to handle business. The best thing about windows is that the repairs pay my bills. To keep this somewhat on topic let me reinforce the concept of measuring at least twice and cutting once, or more bluntly the "Six P Rule". Regardless of OpSys, but particularly with "sharper tools" like Linux, you can "cut yourself". If you choose risky behaviour, take precautions, backup critical or even desirable data.

 

Best Wishes for your success

[freeztar]

Well, You've correctly identified the problem. I was lazy. :D

I didn't create a new partition as I thought they could be shared. (even though we talked about sharing swap and *not* root)

So, damn.

 

Ok, I'm going to make an ext3 part and see if I can get slack on that. Fortunately, I don't have anything I need to keep on Ubuntu. So, if I can get slack up and running, then I'll just reinstall Ubu.

 

One last point of confusion. How do Lilo and Grub coexist once I get them both up and running?

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Maybe by the time I download a previous version of ubuntu like 8.10? ...... 9.10 will come be released!! Remember I have a max download speed of 3KB/Sec (on my 28.8bps connection 56k dial up)

 

I think it took me 70+ hours to download 9.04.... Maybe I will just compensate by using ethernet and inernet connectino sharing untill an update is released.

 

 

I don't wanna spend 500hours downloading 3 versions of ubuntu... :shrug::lol::lol:

 

 

I could buy it... . :beer:

BUY!!!!??????????????????:D what means this word buy?

 

You know they will send you free (you might have to cover shipping....I dunno) if you ask?....WTH are you use dialup????very rural or what?!?

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

BTW... Din I tell yins!:D

 

Sorry to see you have many troubles:(

 

Arkain101 & Freezy

Get last Hardy (mostly cuz support has been discontinued for Gutsy which is very sad cuz gutsy was such a nice lidl distro:( and cuz intrepid is reallly big.....but if you don't mind old software go for the last round of Gutsy... tis smallish, quick, and reliable)

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

K this sux much!

 

this here box just gets slower an slower.....still unable to remedy pretty much everything....anyone here know how to down grade without furkin up everything else?

[freeztar]

No help here DD. Sux dude! :shrug:

 

I'm working on fixing everything right now. Thank Hey-Zeus my XP still works. :beer:

 

So, here's my predicament. I installed slack on its own partition (/). I bypassed installing it to another partition (/home) as it said it wasn't necessary.

 

Lilo will not work at boot. Grub is still working and when I select Ubuntu (kernel 2.6.27 I think) it shows the Ubuntu loading bar. Then, it goes to a text based loading of slackware 12.2. Good enough. Weird that it hijacked my Ubuntu, but that's what I get for mangling the MBR in my lazy attempt to not partition. :D

 

It keeps stalling at the mouse. It says "Loading Gsm:" (or is it GPM...hell I can't even remember now...damn acronyms!)

 

So, my slackware is not working and Ubu is funcked. I'm guessing that all my probs are related to a shared /boot. So, I'm off to boot up gparted again and re-install slackware (with a dedicated root partition *as well as* a dedicated /boot part).

 

Wish me luck!

 

I think I'll defrag from XP first...