I am back here almost as a newbie. Forgot a lot of Linux stuff I have learned before. Recently, I decided that I need to get a new PC asm ycurrent PC is wayyy too old.

I bought a New Dell PC. Thing is it doesn't come with an installation disk. Came with Windows XP, don't wish to do a full disk erase just in case anything happens. Want to partition it and load Linux on it and then wish to connect to DSL. Presently, still using dialup, wish to start using broadband internet. (Then need to backup everything from my older to my newer PC.)

Not sure hot to connect to DSL with Linux. (Still need to contact provider and get DSL service by the way.) Would appreciate any tips in this regard.

This is not an upgrade for fun but rather out of necessity. Feeling overwhelmed by it all. Whew !! Whew !!

The easiest thing to do is to get a DSL router, rather than a modem. This will enable you to connect any computers you have to the Internet without having to install drivers on them at all. Most include wireless as well.

A router will also provide you with at least basic firewalling due to NAT. Systems connected to the Internet for long periods of time are also much more "visible" to scans, so exposing a dedicated router to the the Internet rather than a regular computer provides a significant level of security.

DSL modems really are a false economy all round, IMO.

What DSL modem you have there. Nowadays these modems often have built-in NAT and DHCP server. These features may be not activated though.

A lot of this is going to depend on what DSL rtr/mdm you do get. For example... I work for a Telco on the DSL helldesk. Our DSL mdm's are actually rtr's with NAT, and Firewalls. They also have DHCP and port forwarding abilities among other things.

Sorry, I didn't respond to all the friendly, helpful responses to my original post. Having quite a hard time with this PC actually. The DVD Drive of this PC will not allow me to burn DVDs. Before it used to allow me to burn but didn't read 8+ burnt DVD. They asked me to download a driver lastly, did it and try to run it, said it doesn't support my drive !

Dell doesn't give CD with OS installed anymore. The OS restore is a hidden partition in the HD. The OS install CD costs $15 extra !!

I tried to do a Knoppix HD install. For this I have to run fdisk. I did fdisk /dev/hda3
made sure it was mounted. Says can't fdisk /dev/hda3 !!!

Moreover, unable to read the windows partition from knoppix live cd. All it says for this partition is src1, src2 ...src5 This is the /dev/hda3 with about 70 Gigs of space. Also asked Dell Customer Service, they said Dell doesn't support HD partitioning as it corrupts the OS.

Reason I was looking to try to preserve the XP OS was because, it is good to know it for work sometimes. Also, Linux seems to have a hard time reading some CDs, hence unable to rip them for music. But Windows reads them very well !!

I am typing this with my older PC with Linux on it, seems more peaceful using it for what it does.
There is certainly a need for me for a better PC for now, hence the new purchase.

Also wondering how to burn a Video file like mpg in Linux so that my DVD player can play it ?

Lastly, Dell forgot to include the power chord with my order, my Local shipping company is giving me such a hard time with having it delivered to me (Purolator).

Whew !! Whew !! Whew !!

Vijay

For my reference:
Knoppix Changing Screen Resolution
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...ght=resolution

Knoppix Hard Drive Install
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...260&highlight=

Hoping I will be able to use these on my new PC. By the way, there is a real long hold and lots of transfers before being able to reach a person for Dell Tech Support, specially the first time.

Whew !!

Had to use the command
#sudo fdisk /dev/hda3
this worked and glad I figured it out. Made a partition /hda3p2
However, unable to mount it. Now to figure this one out. I added a line to /etc/fstab about this partition but this doesn't seem to help.

You are not supposed to make partitions on partitions ...
You want to run fdisk /dev/hda (not hda3).

Thanks. This is good to know. Then how can one make an extended partition within a primary partition ? I am confused about this.

Revised the Partition making section of Rute's Tutorials. With regards to some critical aspects of Linux I was and am still lost. Slowly revising it all again. Now partitioning is much clearer to me.

Vijay

I got acceptance from Dell that my Warranty is not void if I install Linux. Then installed Knoppix 3.6 to HD after making the partitions.

Here are the drawbacks, after HD install there were about 8 error messages on the screen. Rebooted machine and tried, OS loads OK. However, the following don't seem to be recognized:
1) Sound Card (Unable to play sound files)
2) Video Card/adapter (Unable to change LARGE resolution, unable to play Video DVDs)
3) DVD ROM (Able to read but says unable to burn 8+ DVD, requests 16+/- DVD

Appears that perhaps if I use a newer OS, the above issues can be better handled. Comments welcome from all.

Vijay

DVD/Audio/Video Card Info. for this system:

16X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) Drive
Integrated Intel® Extreme Graphics 2
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 325 (2.53 GHz, 533 FSB)
Integrated 2.0 Channel Audio

Now to try either XF86Config or to get a new version Linux OS on CD.
Also, will try to burn DVD from commandline. This might eliminate some of the errors encountered.

Will also Google posts by other Dimension 1100 users who have installed Linux on their system and how they overcame their challenges.

Lastly also, need to get my Monitors Sync Rates, Model #AOC 7ELR.
Horizontal: 30K-69KHz
Vertical: 50 -160Hz
Also need to learn, Linux Networking.


Vijay

I noticed carefully again when Knoppix was loading. The Video and sound card are detected, I used different cheat codes and tried to change resolution etc., Also read the XF86Config file. What I have is a low end monitor with a low end Video Card. This Video Card is unable to handle the Sync. Rates of my monitor and hence the issue. If I try to force anymore, appears that I might damage the hardware.

Also tried, expert mode bootup. When I tried Soundconfig, it said I need to use a Kernel that supports Sound. Smile)

When it comes to hardware, Linux is demanding and having real low end hardware seems to be a real limitation. I expected today's hardware to be much better than yesterday's hardware, however this seems to be true just for Processors. For the rest, low end, always seems to be low end. Quite an interesting experience indeed and a lot to reflect about.

Vijay

This is hardly the case unless you have some really ancient piece of hardware. Every video card out there works with vesa driver and does nicely 800x600 at 70 or 75 Hz and every CRT monitor can take it. All this can be easily set in xorg.conf, vesa driver comes with every binary distro. I'm sure you can do even better and find a driver for your card which enables higher resulotions.

One of the sync rates for my monitor is 30 to 69. so even 70 is pushing it.
Incidentally, my older PC runs Knoppix 3.6 and doesn't have this problem, it is able to find a resolution at a safe rate.

At starters, I see it trying 800x600 but it becomes blurry and so it switches to a lower resolution.

By the way, I found only XF86Config only in /etc/X11/ there is no xorg.conf
but everyone mentions this file.