After A Week Of Linux

GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">Im back on windows</div> Yup, I rather liked running red hat 9.

Linux is certainly NOT for someone with no patience, as it pushed mine near the edge many times. I had almost everything running perfectly, except for my videocard drivers and that means no 3d support and no games <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->

NVIDIA has the *worst* driver installer for linux ever concieved, if I had a ati card things might have been different but im sticking with windows. (Because it works!)

ddiiiieeee nvidia (nubletmarinesmilie) <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Comments

  • Dr_ShaggyDr_Shaggy Join Date: 2002-09-26 Member: 1340Members, Constellation
    Windows isnt for people with no patience either.

    I'm in the middle of setting up a <a href='http://www.morphix.org' target='_blank'>Morphix</a> partition when I can the time around school. If you're not completely done with windows, I suggest you check out their Games ISO. It'll boot and live from the cd (no installation) and comes with a ton of free games on it, not to mention the quake3 demo, ut2k3 demo, and Wolfenstein 3d: Enemy Territory. The nVidia drivers are already set up on it and worked without any problems for me. I'm pretty sure it boots to the excellent <a href='http://www.xfce.org' target='_blank'>xfce</a> desktop which I'm pretty impressed by (not a big gnome/kde fan), check the screenshots. If you think the Morphix thing is working out well for you, theres the option to install it to the harddrive.
    cheers
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    <!--QuoteBegin-Dr_Shaggy+Mar 2 2004, 03:57 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dr_Shaggy @ Mar 2 2004, 03:57 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Windows isnt for people with no patience either. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Agreed, but at least I know enough that I can fix it. Thanks for the Morphix link, I might try it sometime.
  • davidsansomedavidsansome Join Date: 2003-02-07 Member: 13228Members, Constellation
    Trust me, the ATI drivers are *much* worse - at least the NVIDIA ones have an installer... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    If you can give me some more information (ie. what graphics card you've got, what you tried, what went wrong, etc.), I'll try to give you some help getting the NVIDIA drivers up and running.
  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Linux has installers now? Well what do ya know. A few more years and they'll catch up to Windows 98!

    ;)

    /me runs away quickly
  • Dr_ShaggyDr_Shaggy Join Date: 2002-09-26 Member: 1340Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-DOOManiac+Mar 2 2004, 08:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Mar 2 2004, 08:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Linux has installers now? Well what do ya know. A few more years and they'll catch up to Windows 98!

    <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    /me runs away quickly <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah, I've been using linux for awhile at school but this is my first install. Its obviously not as user friendly as windows, but were linux really impresses me is with the live-on-cd distributions. They way Morphix uses a ramdrive has it loading faster from the cd than it does from the cdrom drive (at least initially, i hear i can compile more of my modules into the kernel to speed it up, whatever that means)

    These live-on-cd things are great for trying out something without the hassle of installation. Autodetects all the hardware and loads the desktop faster than my win2k installation.
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    To sum up the troubles I had:

    I have a Geforce2 MX 64mb (Yah, im poor student <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> )

    I had a few problems with the stock redhat 9 kernel, the mouse lagged and it actually crashed <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> I updated everything including the kernel which fixed all the problems and it ran perfect.

    Premade drivers from NVIDIA were available for the stock redhat kernel but not for the new one, so the installer asks for the kernel development tools.

    I fire it back up with init 5 and grab those then retry, the installer compiles the driver fine.

    I also edited the XF86config beforehand, # out Glcore dri nv and adding Driver "nvidia" and load "glx"

    Everything shouldve worked correctly, but all I got was a blank screen with the newer kernel. I tried loading linux up with the older one, it worked but it didnt even have 3d support either. But it did allow me to revert my changes.

    I really cant tell the kernel versions, as its already off my system. But the kernel I was using was the recommend "athlon" one from redhat network.

    System Specs

    20gb Maxtor
    Geforce2 MX
    Some MSI via chipset mb
    1.33 ghz Athlon
    512 mb SDram
    Soundblaster LIVE! 5.1
  • SycophantSycophant Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
    Wow GWAR, you got a whole <i>week</i> out of Linux? I tried it on my server for a week<i>end</i>, and was drove just a tad shy of "institutional-grade" wacky by Sunday afternoon. Finally caved and re-installed win2k on it.

    Now I'm thinking of trying Linux again. Mainly because win2k is deciding to become incredibly finicky, even though I haven't installed or changed anything since the initial setup. Everything that <i>should</i> be running is automated - virus scan, defrag, etc.

    On a related sidenote : anyone know of any <i>good</i> Linux newbie guides online? I've Googled for a few, but most are either <i>incredibly</i> dumbed-down or assume you've got enough techie certifications to insulate a house.
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    <!--QuoteBegin-Sycophant+Mar 2 2004, 10:56 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sycophant @ Mar 2 2004, 10:56 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Wow GWAR, you got a whole <i>week</i> out of Linux? I tried it on my server for a week<i>end</i>, and was drove just a tad shy of "institutional-grade" wacky by Sunday afternoon. Finally caved and re-installed win2k on it.

    Now I'm thinking of trying Linux again. Mainly because win2k is deciding to become incredibly finicky, even though I haven't installed or changed anything since the initial setup. Everything that <i>should</i> be running is automated - virus scan, defrag, etc.

    On a related sidenote : anyone know of any <i>good</i> Linux newbie guides online? I've Googled for a few, but most are either <i>incredibly</i> dumbed-down or assume you've got enough techie certifications to insulate a house. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This guide is pretty useful <a href='http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html' target='_blank'>http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html</a>

    Everything else I googled for, all while on linux. Red Hat 9 may be hefty (3 discs) but everything ran right from the start including my internet.

    Linux is excellent as a desktop OS, but without gaming it doesnt do me much good.

    (BTW: Im no pro <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> )
  • duvelduvel Join Date: 2004-02-09 Member: 26318Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    them installers are maybe good but not yet to the point, it's a debian related way to install software, you get it installed but don't know how or what path it uses and if the software is stable and if it's a finished product.
    linux is still working with dependencies, auto-install software overides linux dependencies so you never know if it's gonna work properly.

    if you like linux with auto-install software you're better of with this:
    <a href='http://www.debian.org/' target='_blank'>http://www.debian.org/</a>
  • MulletMullet Join Date: 2003-04-28 Member: 15910Members, Constellation
    I'm waaayyy too lazy to figure out linux. I've been using windows all my life, so I'll just stick to that.
  • SkulkBaitSkulkBait Join Date: 2003-02-11 Member: 13423Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-DOOManiac+Mar 2 2004, 03:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Mar 2 2004, 03:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Linux has installers now? Well what do ya know. A few more years and they'll catch up to Windows 98!

    <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    /me runs away quickly <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You know it's kinda funny, in the UNIX world they keep wondering when Windows is going to catch up to them and start using Package Managers. Personally I find this childish. Often when alternative filesystem hierarchies and installation methods (check out <a href='http://rox.sourceforge.net/phpwiki/index.php/AppDir' target='_blank'>AppDirs</a>, they rock) are mentioned it sparks a lot of ignorant and illinformed comments on why the 30 year old UNIX way is the One True Way.... kind of reminds you of a certain company doesn't it?

    Anyway, have hope GWAR, there are people out there who have a vauge idea fo what a good OS should be like and they're working on it (check out <a href='http://roxos.sunsite.dk/dev-contrib/guido/Blog/' target='_blank'>RoxOS</a>).
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    And actually, ATi has a Linux installer... in fact, you kinda *have* to use it. Sure, you can swing with the default binary if you're using something like RH9, but for best performance you have to go in, issue two commands, and run the configuration utility so X will see the new module and use it rather than the default.

    Just as a note, ATi's been keeping their drivers current on the Linux side... nVidia's let theirs fall behind. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    edited March 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-Talesin+Mar 3 2004, 02:22 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Talesin @ Mar 3 2004, 02:22 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Just as a note, ATi's been keeping their drivers current on the Linux side... nVidia's let theirs fall behind. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    If they ever do update, I may try RH9 again. (I cant llliiiivveee without games!)

    EDIT: On a unrelated side note, I picked up mydoom lovesan and msblast while while installing the service packs <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Well, it's more a matter of reading the 'README' file, Gwar. And following it to the letter. It's the people who don't RTFM that get bollixed up. General consensus is that nVidia tend to be the card of choice for Linux gaming, followed by ATi. Sadly, the driver rumors there linger longer than in the Windows world, as it's not just 'double-click-pretty-icon'.

    And next time, BEFORE hooking it up to an ethernet cable or linking the modem to your ISP, go into the Start->Control Panel->Network Connections and right-click on your adapter (modem or NIC). Select 'Properties', then the 'Advanced' tab.
    Check the 'Use ICF' or 'Protect my computer and network from blah blah blah' box. Hit Apply, then OK.
    That enables a very rudimentary firewall (for temporary use) letting you grab the patch updates, and a copy of ZoneAlarm. Disconnect, disable the ICF, install ZA, and you're golden. For the time being.
  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
    edited March 2004
    I did RTFM, and I also poked around in various linux help forums. People have had similar problems to mine. I likely rushed through it a bit to quick.

    As for the viri, I normally do enable the windows firewall but it slipped my mind. Thankfully I cleaned them out fine.
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