danleff

Yes, there is a utility to read the disk partitions/structure included with Knoppix called QtParted. Boot the CD and get into the GUI. This is what I do, cause it's easier than remembering where it is in the start menu structure. At a root konsole, just type qtparted. A word of caution. I have used qtparted to change partitions on my system and ended up with corrupted partitions that PartitionMagic could not fix. But qtparted is good for looking at the disk structure in Linux. NTFS partitions are also an issue with qtparted, from my experience. In terms of a recovery utility, someone must have done this, I just have not found one. Perhaps someone else has an idea.

Well, do you have a recovery disk for the system? This is the problem with the hidden/transfer partition in Compaq's. Some of these systems also keep some of the bios settings on the hidden partition. If not, did you look on the HP/Compaq web site to see if you can still get the recovery disk?

Hmm... I found Fedora quite easy to installl RPM's. Are you compiling from source or RPM's? If from source, did you choose to install the development packages, during install?

Since you are looking for "free" I won't mention Lindows (oops!). I agree, if you know how to install Linux and are experienced with helping her with what games that she wants to play (setting them up) and want to make point's with your girl friend's mom, Mandrake is a good choice. I broke my linux teeth with Mandrake, then moved on to RedHat. Is she has certain games that she can't live without, this is a consideration. Some will not have Linux equals or will not run easily without some experience setting them up. If she is willing to try some new stuff, then Mandrake comes with some good default choices.

It sounds like you have done some research already. what is it that you want to do with the bios? Withoou knowing what system you have )which nios you are using) depends how you access the bios and change things. First, please give some information about your system and if you are running any other Operating System. Giving information like what system you are running, eg; how much ram, hard drive size, what motherboard or system name model, do you want this to be a dual boot system...helps us troubleshoot what may be going on. Secondly, you should make sure that the burn was OK. A common problem with burning ISO images is to burn them too fast. What speed did you burn the image at? Generally, you want to burn each ISO at 8X or less. At the very least check to see if the downloaded ISO images file sizes match, or closely match, the sizes posted on the download site. I have to agree, that in many systems, mandrake 9.0 seems like a better choice, in terms of features and ease of use.

As Dapper Dan suggested, this may be an issue with Mandrake recognizing the onboard network card, although if it is a Realtek, this is a mystery. Such network cards are cheap, as Dan said, and worth avoiding the hassle. If the computer store is at all helpful. ask them to confirm that you buy a realtek or 3com card. I popped in a Realtek card on my nForce board, since Mandrake won´t recognize the onboard. Works fine, cost me $10.

I think I can. In Lilo, which is found in /etc/lilo.conf, you will see a little different syntax. Maybe I can learn something from this abour Mandrake also. I could never find a konqueror in superuser mode. Anyway, as root, get into lilo. You will probably see something like the following, as the first boot paragraph entry; image=/boot/vmlinuz label=linux or mandrake (can´t remember what Mandrake uses) root=/dev/hdaX (x will equal the root partition of Mandrake. read-only The next line may or may not have an append line. If I remember correctly, there may be one. If not add the following; append=¨hdc=ide-scsi¨ (don´t forget the quotations on each end). If it does, you will notice that each argument has a space between it and the next one. add the following, making sure that there is a space between this argument and the prior one and the next. hdc=ide-scsi So, if there is an append entry, add the above so it looks something like this; append="acpi=off hdc=ide-scsi" Again a space before this argument and the next, if there is one. It should then look something like this; image=/boot/vmlinuz label=linux or mandrake (can´t remember what Mandrake uses) root=/dev/hdaX (x will equal the root partition of Mandrake. read-only append=¨hdc=ide-scsi¨ Save the file. As root user in a konsole, type lilo, then hit the enter key. This will save the new entry to the boot sector. If you make a mistake, when you run lilo, it will tell you about a syntax error. If this happens, look back at the lilo.conf file and make sure that you entered it correctly, re-run lilo as root user. If it returns something like; adding Mandrake windows... then returns to a prompt, with no errors you are all set. If you get a permissions error, or can write to lilo.conf (save it) after making the change, let us know and we can walk you through it.

Thanks sulake. I am using lilo, but let´s remember this person is new to linux, so I thought that I would go slow. If he is using grub, this is the answer. With Grub, you don´t have to write the .conf file to the boot sector, as you do with lilo?

Thank you for the additional information. It is most helpful. I will be looking into this. I found your system and get it now. Let me just ask one more question. Are you using Konqueror as your web browser? If someone has an obvious answer, please chime in! Let me look at the Control Panel and see what we have. It looks like you have been in the control panel already. If so. go to the control panel choose network and internet. Choose DrakConnect helps you set up your network and Internet connection. Under hostname it should say localhost. Under internet access; Look and see if under status, it shows that you are connected. This may take a few seconds. Under LAN configuration it should show; etho <your local connection address..like 192.168.X.X> 8139too up If not let us know.

Hello! This is one of my gripes with Mandrake 9.2 and K3b, which I assume you are trying to use? Let us know if this is the case, that you are using K3b as the CD burner. Don get me wrong. K3b is the best around, but needs some tweaking in your system. For a new user, K3b should ne set up to run correctly. Obviously it is not. There may be two ways of fixing the issue. I just can´t remember which one I tried in my system. But before I go into detail, are you using K3b? If so, we will try the easier solution possibility first.

Distro = RedHat Version = 9.0 I see you have another post open with the information. I always try to stick with one post, so that users can track and help better, so people don't post the same information in two areas. Dapper Dan has a RedHat system and probably can answer this right off the bat. I assume that you do have some sound, such as when RedHat boots? Also assuming that you have KDE desktop, what happens when you insert a CD with music? If you have KDE, look under the start menu > multimedia and see what is listed under sound and video. I also assume that if you double click on the file in the file manager, nothing comes up? Also, look at the post; http://www.linuxcompatible.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1088

Sorry for the lingo... NIC = the realtek LAN card, in your case, built into the motherboard. Yes, I was trying to make sure that you were not trying to connect the modem directly to a USb port. I will have to get into my Mandrake box later and follow through. Tell me what model Asus motherboard or system this is. By any chance an nForce chipset motherboard? What I mean, is, did you install a motherboard or is this a system that you bought. If you have Windows installed also, does the internet connection work there?

Just a repore back. apparently Linux will work with the nFORCE chipsets. I am currently running a Biostar M7NCD board wirh MEPIS and it detected my onboard NIC and audio right off. The boot messages confirm that they have the NVIDIA drivers installed. Now to see how they did it!

I see where the other nForce users are frustrated. I installed Lindows, which uses the ALC650 (according to kmix), which works. Lan and all! Mandrake Cooker won recognize the onboard nic. It uses, as you guessed the snd-intel8x0 module, which just produces static on demand. Acording the Harddrake, the lan is using nvnet module, but no-go. I popped in an old Realtek card, works fine. Any ideas? There is no NVIDIA RPM for Mandrake Cooker yet and the kernel is 2.6.0. No source code yet that I can find for the kernel. I guess that I should use the NVIDIA source drivers, since I can´t find the kernel source?

What distro and version are you running? It depends on what distro and version that you are using and if the version has installed these tools (software) already, or if you need to install the software. Do you have any sound now?

Nice run of information! This is over my head, but let me ask a few questions. You have a realtek NIC? The NIC is connected to the modem? In other words, you are not trying to run the modem to the system via USB? Quote: IP address (What do I fill in here when my ISP automatically allocates a different IP address everyytime I log on???) Netmask Boot Protocol (I am given a choice of DHCP - this is the default, static or bootp) Started on Boot Y/N DHCP Client This is what I did in Mandrake. Skip the question about Netmask. I did not need to add an IP address, since it is dynamically assigned by the ISP. Choose dhcp. Yes, to start at boot. I also seem to remember that Mandrake should auto detect the nic, then answer the questions I noted. So, skip and addition of IP addresses and netmask, just leave them blank.

Yes to both questions. Without knowing what system you have, look in the bios setup, usually under, I think, integrated peripherals, and choose to enable USB keyboard support. Save your settings and reboot. See if that solves the use of keyboard issue.

Both the kernel messages in MEPIS showd NVIDIA lan and audio and those in Win XP's device manager show NVIDIA drivers for lan (NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Controller) and audio (NVIDIA nforce audio codec interface). In Win, the onboard nic was not detected until I installed the drivers from Biostar. I'll have to see what Mepis did and report back.

Could you be more specific on the circumstances? Is this a new install? What distro and version are you using? If you recompiled the kernel, Did you specify the correct partition in /etc/lilo.conf? Did you remember to rerun lilo after changing /etc/lilo.conf?

Good deal! I didn't think of this straight off and should have. Most Linux distros like it this way. Nice searching job!

I just checked mine and the correct syntax is XFdrake (capital X and F and lowercase drake), but you need to do it as root user.

Arson is pretty good also, but does not exist along side of K3b well. Often dependency issues in KDE get into the way and you lose one. I agree, K3b is the best!

I'm no good here. I have an old Agfa 1212U USB scanner that works well. What distro and version are you using? Look on the distro's home page for scanner (hardware) compatibility and search on the web for those whiich are listed to work. Choose one that meets your budget and needs. Anybody got a good one that is newer than my old horse?

Yes, Apt will work with Mandrake. I am using this on the latest Mandrake cooker (testing version) with apt. Do not use the Fedora RPM's, use Mandrake RPM's. Other distro's rpm's are not always compatible. I't a little tricky getting dependencies correct with Mandrake, but once it is set-up, it works.

You don't need these utilities. Linux takes care of this on it's own.