MDK 9.2 M(not so)HO

[MMYoung]

I finally got my MDK 9.2 CD's from LinuxCD the other day and did a clean install (personal preference). To be honest with you I didn't see anything that just really flipped my switch. The fonts looked a little better and it (KDE) seemed to run a smidgen faster. Had some newer versions of software, Mozilla 1.4 and OpenOffice 1.1rc3 or 4, and a few KDE specific apps. But it wasn't as stable as my 9.1 install was.

First thing is you can't install kernel sources (download edition) so I couldn't install my NVidia drivers. I will say, however, that the default drivers (nv) worked OK for a change, but I like the NVidia drivers better.

They still don't have the ALSA issue of having the audio muted on my Soundblaster Live audio card. I was really hopeful there, but after the install I had to do the whole alsamixer then alsactl store thing to get it to work.

Evolution worked sometimes, then sometimes it didn't. For some reason I couldn't install K3b 0.10. Was told that it needed libid3 and it wouldn't look on the CD's to find it. I installed K3b 0.10 on 9.1, got the same error message, and was told to put CD3 in my cd drive. It installed the lib file and then installed K3b. This happened on other programs that I tried to install. I figured something wasn't quite right and somehow my rpm database was locked!!???! Had to type in urpmi -update to "unlock" it and then, just for good measure, I did an updatedb. I could then install other stuff from my cd's but I never got any other rpms, that had some type of dependency problem, to install.

After I installed Epiphany (sp?) I lost most of the programs on my KDE menu. Don't ask me why, but this happened twice. That was the last straw so I dumped 9.2 and I installed 9.1 back and everthing is working fine, even K3b 0.10!

I'm going to wait a few months and purchase the PowerPack from a retailer. Hopefully they will have a few of the "other" bugs worked out by then.

These are my perceptions,
MMYoung

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by MMYoung
They still don't have the ALSA issue of having the audio muted on my Soundblaster Live audio card. I was really hopeful there, but after the install I had to do the whole alsamixer then alsactl store thing to get it to work. You only had to do that once though -- right?

Alsa mutes all channels on all soundcards by default. Mandrake can't package their kernel with settings for all cards unmuted, it'd be too many possibilities. Some of them would work, but not all. It's simpler to just alert the user that they'll have to unmute the channel(s), and then save / restore the mixer settings automatically.

*shrug* I still like my LFS. </me ducks>

[MMYoung]

Originally posted by bwkaz
You only had to do that once though -- right?

Alsa mutes all channels on all soundcards by default. Mandrake can't package their kernel with settings for all cards unmuted, it'd be too many possibilities. Some of them would work, but not all. It's simpler to just alert the user that they'll have to unmute the channel(s), and then save / restore the mixer settings automatically.

*shrug* I still like my LFS. </me ducks>

Yeah, I guess you're right on that account, it is only once and it stays fixed. That wasn't my BIG gripe with 9.2. Just had too many other things that just weren't quit "kosher", at least on my system. I've read where others had a good experience with it, so I'm sure that it's got something to do with my setup. I do plan on upgrading, just after a couple of months and they get the next issue of the cd's off the presses.

Also, the version that I installed is the "download" edition which doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" of the boxed edition so maybe that was it.

Later,
MMYoung

[dalek]

I think you have to have the kernel sources for the nvidia driver to install. I noticed that they are not on the CDs either.

I'm about this || close to going back to Mandrake 9.1. I have also really been concentrating on Gentoo lately. I can't get anything to really work in Mandrake 9.2.

I'm fixin to try to install those drivers to. I wrote the how to so I know how to do it. If that fails, I'm officially PI$$ED.

Later. We'll cry together.

:D :D :D :D

[MMYoung]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dalek
I think you have to have the kernel sources for the nvidia driver to install. I noticed that they are not on the CDs either.
Yeah, without the kernel source the driver install can't build the module. I even tried the "download" option and was told there wasn't a precompiled kernel for the drivers.

I'm about this || close to going back to Mandrake 9.1. I have also really been concentrating on Gentoo lately. I can't get anything to really work in Mandrake 9.2.
Me neither, but it didn't take me long to "downgrade" back to 9.1. I had downloaded the 9.2 rc2 ISO's and installed them with much the same results. I had hoped that Mandrake would've gotten some of the stability issues resolved. Right off the bat 9.2 wouldn't recognize my mouse until the install got to the section about what kind of mouse you have. Had to actually use the KEYBOARD ;) until that point. Then had to actually scroll up to USB and then select Intellimouse. After that the mouse worked fine. Strange thing is, I don't remember having to do that in 9.2 rc2 and in 9.1 I can use my mouse from the "git go".

Good luck with Gentoo, BTW. That's my next project so kinda' keep me posted with any tips you have.

I'm fixin to try to install those drivers to. I wrote the how to so I know how to do it. If that fails, I'm officially PI$$ED.
Prepare to get pi$$ed.

Later. We'll cry together.
I ain't had a good cry in a while. Might do us some good! :D

Later,
MMYoung

[dalek]

Let's have a good cry. We need a emoticon for crying. I use that a lot.

I'm still curious why they didn't put the sources in there. They should know that people will need it. Silly huh?

I had problems with 9.2 that I didn't have with 9.1 too. I thought it was supposed to be better. I'm not convinced yet. I don't think I will be.

I've got gentoo booting and all. I'm just trying to get the stuff updated and working. No sound or printer yet. Just got to work on it a bit at a time.

The install was not that bad. You type in a command and go take a nap. :rolleyes:

I really thinking about going back to 9.1. I really am.

Later

:D :D :D

[aNoob]

You're not alone with Mandrake.RH9 does not supply the kernel headers if you upgrade the kernel via up2date. I hope they do now or at least I've read there's a solution (dnld them :))Because of this (and many other stuffs) I've installed Slackware and so far it rocks. I have to upgrade to 9.1 but I'll do it latter. If you want another small distro try Vector,but I still think Slack is the best solution for my desktop. Is just better installing from sources than rpm.At least for me.Never had a problem.Oh , nvidia drivers were installed in few seconds.Slack DOES supply them.

[MMYoung]

Originally posted by aNoob
I've installed Slackware and so far it rocks. I have to upgrade to 9.1 but I'll do it latter. ...Oh , nvidia drivers were installed in few seconds.Slack DOES supply them.
I've already installed Slackware 9.1 and you're right it is REALLY nice. The NVidia drivers installed without a hitch (just had the installer create the modules rather than download a precompiled kernel). So far I'm really impressed with Slacks stability and speed. Takes a little more work but worth the time. One thing that blew me away was after I installed OpenOffice, using ./setup -net, and then did a "Workstation" install under my username, OpenOffice "automagically" appeared in my KDE menu. Didn't have to edit it manually at all. REALLY NICE.

Not to say that I'm not having some issues with it, but I'm getting some good help from Slack users on this forum. That's one thing that I cannot say enough about this forum. You people are GREAT! I've asked some pretty dumb questions since I started here in February, but I've NEVER been told RTFM! Everyone has bent over backwards to make my Linux experience as easy as possible. Hopefully I'll be able to repay someone else as I gain more knowledge and experience with Linux.

Later,
MMYoung

[je_fro]

I still don't know why people even use Mandrake, other than to generate working config files......

je_fro@gentoo je_fro $ emerge -p firesuit

These are the packages that I would merge, in order:

Calculating dependencies ...done!
[ebuild R ] protective-gear/firesuit-0.9.2

je_fro@gentoo je_fro $ emerge firesuit

[aNoob]

Originally posted by MMYoung
I've already installed Slackware 9.1 and you're right it is REALLY nice. The NVidia drivers installed without a hitch (just had the installer create the modules rather than download a precompiled kernel). So far I'm really impressed with Slacks stability and speed. Takes a little more work but worth the time. One thing that blew me away was after I installed OpenOffice, using ./setup -net, and then did a "Workstation" install under my username, OpenOffice "automagically" appeared in my KDE menu. Didn't have to edit it manually at all. REALLY NICE.

Not to say that I'm not having some issues with it, but I'm getting some good help from Slack users on this forum. That's one thing that I cannot say enough about this forum. You people are GREAT! I've asked some pretty dumb questions since I started here in February, but I've NEVER been told RTFM! Everyone has bent over backwards to make my Linux experience as easy as possible. Hopefully I'll be able to repay someone else as I gain more knowledge and experience with Linux.

Later,
MMYoung

I was a RH fan for two years.The first time I was staring at a KDE desktop was with RH7.0 . Then I've bought 7.1 (50 bucks) and then installed cable and took 7.2 from the net. My favorite RH distro was version 7.3 . then everything went a bit wrong with 8.0 , couldln't play with themes and other things working for some other people with "clean" distros. 9.0 finaly convinced me that I have to choose a real stuff.And small. So I took Vector for a whirl. Pretty neat but hated the default options (i'm a lazy person). Then took Gento for ride.Took my one day & night to boot in a fresh gentoo installlation but didn't had the patience to emerge all packages , so i clean again the hdd.i was browsing distrowatch and checked slack.And since then ... my desktop is on slack and never had a problem.Didn't had that much problems with RH either but I hate the fact that they started to put stuffs all around the hdd. And honestly , I wrecked mysql trying to upgrade via rpmfind (I suck when is about rpm,I find it much more nice ./configure-make-make install).And it gives ya the impression that you're already a linux guru :D . Used to impress my friends with that. And it worked :D

[aus9]

I am so disappointed with 9.2 that I did something I don't normally do.

I ordered a VectorLinux v4 cd, cos I don't have a cd burner.

Can we have a group cry, can we? heh heh