Total n00b with Linux, help with drivers

[bravestar]

OK, I was able to get Mandrake 9.0 installed, but I had no sound. BTW, my specs are in my signature. I am a total, I mean 999% n00b with this, and am totally lost trying to install drivers, or modules, or packages, or whatever the heck they are called :(... I found some linux drivers through the soundblaster website, I seem to recall they were RAR files, and I couldn't figure out what to do next. I am back to win Xp for the moment, but was thinking about messing with it some more later this week. I am pretty familiar with computers in general, just not with linux, so any help would be appreciated :D. Some buds on 3dGPU forums (http://www.3dgpu.com/phpbb/index.php) recommended this site to me, so I hope you guys can help. Thanks in advance! ;)

[mdwatts]

I don't have one myself, but apparently the Audigy2 is not supported by the emu10k1 module/driver included with Mandrake 9.0.

You will find drivers for the Audigy2 at http://opensource.creative.com/ which should also include documentation on how to install.

One of the requirements is you have the kernel source installed for your current running kernel.

rpm -q kernel-source

will tell you if the kernel-source package is installed.

uname -r

will tell you the running kernel version.

If necessary, install the kernel-source-#.#.#.i386.rpm package from your installation cd(s) or from Mandrakes ftp servers if you have updated the kernel (through their update facility) since installation.

[as649453]

Have checked if the volume is on in AuMix or Kmix ?

By the way, you should really update to 9.1. It has native support for the audigy and is improved in all other aspects over 9.0...

[bravestar]

I did d/l 9.1 yesterday (Thank God for broadband :D) and I still didn't have sound. I got the drivers referred to, and I couldn't find any info on how to install. Now, midwatts, how do you run those command?? I see references to lots of command line stuff, but nothing says HOW to do that. Don't assume rookies know how to to do this :). The only real differences I noted were better refresh rate for my 9700 pro, but will only run in 16 bpp, at least with the native drivers. Also, with neither version have I been able to do a 'normal' install. When I try that, the screen goes blank, and my caps lock and scroll lock leds on my keyboard start blinking. I can do a 'text' install, but that is the only one that works. A bud said lick-nuts ;) doesn't recognize my 1024 mb of memory??

[as649453]

It may sounmd simple but when I installed 9.1 on my PC, all the volume were set to zero. I had to go in Kmix or Aumix to set the volume level and sound was OK after that...

Don't know the reason, but it seems that sound is off by default on the latest MDK release...

[bravestar]

That would make no sense, wonder why... The only way I know to have a sound play was to put a cd in, and I opened the cd player, don't remember what it was called, and the volume on it was at 40%. I did try turning that up, but if the mixer itself is disable for some weird reason.... makes no sense to me :).