| Author |
A really nice Linux utility for slack, redhat or Debian users
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| Boulware5 2003-01-03, 12:00 am |
| First of all, is it just me or is this forum really dead? Seems like only LinuxGuy and I ever post in here. We need to convert some of the M$ Windoze people. 
I discovered a really nice utility called
CheckInstall
that makes either a Slackware, Red Hat (RPM) or debian package when you compile a program from source. It's hard to delete programs when you compile a program from source (usually there is no make uninstall). What this does for you is allow you to delete such a program and manipulate it as you would any precompiled binary package. Just rpm -e it if you use Red Hat and want to delete a program you compiled from source. | |
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| Boulware5
Even though this forum might be a little slow I haved learned alot from both you and Mr. Linux Guy.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the link also. | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2003-01-03, 6:35 am |
| The Linux crowd is hardcore, you won't get as many people here as in the other forums, but the quality of those who frequent this area is pretty darned high. As usual, when something is more demanding, the masses stay away. As people need answers though, they will come. | |
| prezbedard 2003-01-03, 10:37 am |
| I just got back from NY(Brooklyn)yesterday so I haven't been playing around with my linux box. I may be here again sometime soon. I recieved a Red Hat 8 Bible for Christmas so now I have some up to date reading material. | |
| mikekeating 2003-01-03, 5:46 pm |
| I've definitly learned more at this site in preping for the Linux+ test than anywhere else, so no complaints from me on the talk here.
Mike | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-03, 5:48 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by mikekeating
I've definitly learned more at this site in preping for the Linux+ test than anywhere else, so no complaints from me on the talk here.
Mike
Your first post. Welcome aboard! | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 12:09 am |
| I myself have just been busy reading as much as I can about Linux. I just bought Running Linux 4th edition the other day and I can't put it down. Basic Linux Training started yesterday also, so I know I am going to be busy with both. But I swing in here on a regular basis to see whats happening. This is a great forum with some excellent people.  | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-07, 12:13 am |
| Yeah I myself have been reading a lot on Linux. I'm reading the comprehensive RH 8.0 manuals on Red Hat's site. Going over things beyond the scope of Linux+...such as I want to play with IpTables and samba . Last week I managed to install the new Nvidia Linux drivers. Just checking out nvidia's message board, people are having all sorts of trouble getting it to work. After screwing up my XF86Config file a few times, I finally got it to work. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 1:21 am |
| I was trying to set up my modem configuration and after doing some reading realized that I had a winmodem.(no DSL in my area yet) I had purchased it just prior to installing RH 8. The good thing is that I mentioned it to the kid at P.C. store where I bought it and he told me I could return it and get something more suitable. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 1:28 am |
| By the way Boulware. I had a terrible time trying to download those drivers for my TNT2 card. I was trying to load them onto my win2k desktop and everytime I clicked on the specific file I needed my friggin Real Player would open up. Can I d-load RH drivers onto a win machine and burn them onto a CD to install in RH? and why would my Real Player open up when I tried to open the file?  | |
| ccieToBe 2003-01-07, 1:52 am |
| Did you try right clicking and selecting save as? | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-07, 1:54 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by iggy4270
By the way Boulware. I had a terrible time trying to download those drivers for my TNT2 card. I was trying to load them onto my win2k desktop and everytime I clicked on the specific file I needed my friggin Real Player would open up. Can I d-load RH drivers onto a win machine and burn them onto a CD to install in RH? and why would my Real Player open up when I tried to open the file?
Sure, download the .tar.gz or the rpm's and burn them to a CD. You don't need to, though, you can download them while you are in Linux. If you have any trouble just ask....I have done it recently. Just be sure to back up your XFree86Config file first or if you have a generic XFree86Config file, you really don't need to. If you screw you, the command "XFree86 -configure" which will generate for you an XFree86Config file (a generic one based on your vid card). It will generate XFree86Config.new (or something like that) in your root directory, so you would copy that over to /etc after deleting your messed up XFree86Config file. Is that the best way? I don't know, but that's what I did about five times.
I recommend getting the source files and compiling it. You'll need two files: a GLX source file and an NVIDIA kernel source file. The nvidia kernel produces a module that gets loaded at boot, and I think the GLX source file has to do with OpenGL and those kinda things. After that you'll have to make a few edits in your /etc/XFree86Config -or- /etc/XFree86Config-4 file, depending on which you are using. To verify which you are using, open up /var/log/XFree86.0.log and look for a line saying "==) Using config file:" The two changes you need to make are in the NVIDIA manual on the site. Good luck. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 2:15 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by ccieToBe - Did you try right clicking and selecting save as?
I don't believe I did. I'll try again this afternoon. Boulware for now I'll have to d-load them to my win2k desktop. I won't be able to set up my ISP on RH until I exchange my modem. As far as compiling the kernal, that is a task that I have yet to tackle. I will want to read up a little more on that before I make any attempts at doing so. Thanks for you input it's much appreciated. | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-07, 3:03 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by iggy4270
I don't believe I did. I'll try again this afternoon. Boulware for now I'll have to d-load them to my win2k desktop. I won't be able to set up my ISP on RH until I exchange my modem. As far as compiling the kernal, that is a task that I have yet to tackle. I will want to read up a little more on that before I make any attempts at doing so. Thanks for you input it's much appreciated.
You dont have to recompile your kernel when installing these drivers. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 3:24 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by Boulware5 -I recommend getting the source files and compiling it.
I got it. Thanks again. | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2003-01-07, 6:58 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by iggy4270
By the way Boulware. I had a terrible time trying to download those drivers for my TNT2 card. I was trying to load them onto my win2k desktop and everytime I clicked on the specific file I needed my friggin Real Player would open up. Can I d-load RH drivers onto a win machine and burn them onto a CD to install in RH? and why would my Real Player open up when I tried to open the file?
Try using "wget". | |
| onoski 2003-01-07, 2:56 pm |
| Thanks for posting guys, as I have learnt a lot from this great Linux knowledgebase. I still think we could do with more post on this link either way it's great keep the knowledge pool flowing. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 9:33 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by ccieToBe - Did you try right clicking and selecting save as?
All set, I've got them burnt to a cd. I've also printed out the install read me from Nvidia. So now I'll reboot into RH and see if I can get these puppies installed before I head into work. God I hate working overnights.  | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-07, 9:36 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by iggy4270
All set, I've got them burnt to a cd. I've also printed out the install read me from Nvidia. So now I'll reboot into RH and see if I can get these puppies installed before I head into work. God I hate working overnights.
Good deal. Any problems/questions, ask them here. It's always a good idea to print out the manuals and README's. It's not like windows where you click on setup.exe and you are done. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-07, 11:36 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by Boulware5 - you'll have to make a few edits in your /etc/XFree86Config -or- /etc/XFree86Config-4 file, depending on which you are using.
So I'll have to boot up in text mode as root correct? I cannot do this in a terminal from my X window. I did mount the cd in X and was able to see the files but obviously I was unable to extract them and install from there. Still thinking in the Windoze mode. AAARRRGGGHH  | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-07, 11:44 pm |
| I think you have to be in run level 3 (console). Just to be sure, type "telinit 3" in X or you can just log out. If the files are on CD, try this:
mount /mnt/cdrom
cp /mnt/cdrom/file.tar.gz /home/iggy | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-08, 12:13 am |
| O.K. I was just reading Running Linux p.g. 131. and it says that "for the most part, you don't need to concern yourself with runlevels. When the system boots, it enters the default runlevel(set in etc/inittab). On most systems, this default is runlevel 2 or 3." So is telinit 3 the command to verify that I am in runlevel 3? | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-08, 12:21 am |
| No, telinit 3 will bring you into runlevel 3. telinit 6 (reboot) will bring you into run level 6. If you are in the console, you are in run level 3. (run level 2 is also console but without networking). The default is set in /etc/inittab. You can always change that, if for example you want to boot up into X or if you want to boot up into console each time. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-08, 12:30 am |
| Got it. When I installed RH I set it so it boots to X. would it have been easier if I had just set it up to boot into console, seeing that is where everything needs to be done. And am I correct in assuming that if I did set it up to boot to console I would just have to type "start X" to go back to my GUI? I have my book next to me but I figured I would just ask while I have you here. Hope you don't mind. | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-08, 12:39 am |
| Hey I don't mind. I learn too by answering questions. First of all, a lot of things you CAN do inside X. When it invloves XFree86, it's probably a good idea to be in console because you will have to restart the X server anyway. Starting console or X at startup is totally up to you...It's your preference. If you are in X and want to open up a console, you can hit CTRL-ALT-F2...This will open up a new virtual terminal. To get back to X, hit CTRL-ALT-F7 (X is always F7). That's a nice feature of Linux that many new beginners might not know of. But then again, you can just open up an xterm inside of xwindows and do your command line stuff there. And yes startx will bring you into X. It's "startx" - not "start X" like you typed; Unix is VERY fussy about that. If you want it to start in console every time you boot into Linux, look for this line in /etc/inittab:
id:5:initdefault
5 is run level 5 (xwindows)
Change the 5 to 3 (console with networking) if you want it to start in console each time. I have that way. I just type startx to get into xwindows. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-08, 12:50 am |
| Excellent, Good stuff. I really appreciate your help. I'll work on those drivers when I get home in the morning, and I think I will change it to boot into console. I'll check back in tomorrow night and let you know how I made out. I love you man LOL | |
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| iggy4270 2003-01-08, 8:23 pm |
| I'm just starting chapter 4 of Running Linux and it covers all of this IE: directories, listing and viewing files, file ownership, permissions, etc. I'm just going to bring my book into work tonight and read as much as I can. I know I just have to be patient and just keep practicing. Thanks Guys | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-08, 9:11 pm |
| Hm..Iggy...Is that book too complex for you? I don't have "Running Linux" but it seems like a more advanced book. There's other books out there that may be easier for the beginner. But hey if you are understanding it and learning from it, great. There's also thousands of websites that are good for newbies. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-08, 11:55 pm |
| Thanks for asking Boulware but I would have to say no. I took a solaris course at school last year, but I didn't keep up with it afterward. So now I am basically refreshing my knowledge base. Running Linux is an excellent book the problem is that I have to just spend more time reading and dealing with the hands on. I have also been reading the manuals on the RH site. The past week or so I have been just kinda jumping in and out, and I know thats no way to learn. I have to get my discipline back and get a bit more serious about this because I really want to learn Linux. I also have come to the realization that you can't read a few pages and then come back to the book a couple of days later, it's constant vigilance that produces success. So as of tonite I am going to stop procrastinating and get very focused. And once again I want to thank you guys for bearing with me, so please don't give up on me, I haven't | |
| Boulware5 2003-01-09, 12:07 am |
| Yeah I took a Unix class a few semesters ago. I found it very easy. It was an intro course. But I already had some Linux experience (from playing with it). | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-09, 12:21 am |
| I just started reading ch.4 and it's geared for the newbie with no unix experience and the M$ user who is tackling linux for the first time. They also recommend this book which I think I'll pick up. | |
| onoski 2003-01-09, 1:56 am |
| I'm just going to bring my book into work tonight and read as much as I can.
I thought you're supposed to be in work and not the otherway round | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2003-01-09, 6:38 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by Boulware5
Hm..Iggy...Is that book too complex for you? I don't have "Running Linux" but it seems like a more advanced book. There's other books out there that may be easier for the beginner. But hey if you are understanding it and learning from it, great. There's also thousands of websites that are good for newbies.
Actually "Running Linux" is a beginners' book, but it covers a WIDE variety of interests, much of which the typical Linux user may not need. It also focuses more on the command line which tends to be helpfulp later on. This is the book I always recommend to newbies who are serious about Linux. There are other quality books, but this one tops them all IMO. | |
| iggy4270 2003-01-09, 9:57 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by onoski - I thought you're supposed to be in work and not the otherway round
Fortunately I watch an empty building for 8 hours all by myself. Thanks MLG. Running Linux is a beginners book and an excellent book at that. I just finished chapter 4 and have gathered an incredible amount of info. Basicaslly a refresher to my Solaris class. The book and Boulwares help(not excluding yourself)have really brought me along. |
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