Issues with my new Mandrake install

[WMD]

In my own quest to start ridding myself of Microsoft     , I installed Mandrake 9.2 on my main box today.

The installer was great, it got everything set, except two things:

1) I thought 9.2 had the right WiFi drivers for my USB adapter.  But it doesn't apparently, and according to the Linksys notes here, I would need the kernel source to install it.  Mandrake doesn't seem to have a package for that (or do they?), so would I need to compile my own kernel?

2) The refresh rate refuses to go any higher than 60Hz.  The monitor settings are the same as they were when I had my old Slackware machine hooked up, and that worked at 100Hz.  I think it could be the fact that I'm using the "vesa" X driver right now (since "nv" won't work with my FX57000 for some reason   :confused:   ).  In Gnome, I try that utility that can change the resolution and refresh rate, and it reports that the rate is 85Hz (and offers no other options).  I could get the current nVidia drivers, but they raise the same question as the wifi driver: do I need the kernel source to build it?  Or, at least for now, is there another generic X driver that works better (other than "nv")?


Ok, that should be enough for now.  

[ April 23, 2004: Message edited by: WMD ]

[insomnia]

quote:Originally posted by WMD:



1) I thought 9.2 had the right WiFi drivers for my USB adapter.  But it doesn't apparently, and according to the Linksys notes here, I would need the kernel source to install it.  Mandrake doesn't seem to have a package for that (or do they?), so would I need to compile my own kernel?

By "kernel source" they mean the sources of your installed kernel. It should be included as an RPM in your distro. (You should always install it.)
 

   

quote:Originally posted by WMD:

2) The refresh rate refuses to go any higher than 60Hz.  The monitor settings are the same as they were when I had my old Slackware machine hooked up, and that worked at 100Hz.  I think it could be the fact that I'm using the "vesa" X driver right now (since "nv" won't work with my FX57000 for some reason       :confused:       ).  In Gnome, I try that utility that can change the resolution and refresh rate, and it reports that the rate is 85Hz (and offers no other options).  I could get the current nVidia drivers, but they raise the same question as the wifi driver: do I need the kernel source to build it?  Or, at least for now, is there another generic X driver that works better (other than "nv")?

Install the kernel source and use the NVidia driver.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux.html

Also check if mandrake identified your monitor.


For your kernel sources, do this:

#uname -r
#urpmi --fuzzy kernel-source

This will make urpmi download and install the the kernel source of the kernel you're running.

[ April 23, 2004: Message edited by: insomnia ]

[WMD]

quote:By "kernel source" they mean the sources of your installed kernel. It should be included as an RPM in your distro. (You should always install it.)

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/9.2/features/15.php3
They don't seem to include one.  

 

quote:Also check if mandrake identified your monitor.

Yeah it did, right away.  Don't know how it does that, but it did.     I even tried defining them myself (based on what Slackware used to set it to), and that didn't work either.  (Right now it's set to the detected one.)

 

quote:For your kernel sources, do this:

#uname -r
#urpmi --fuzzy kernel-source

This will make urpmi download and install the the kernel source of the kernel you're running.

...But I can't do that, I can't get online.  Need my wifi drivers.  

[insomnia]

quote:Originally posted by WMD:


...But I can't do that, I can't get online.  Need my wifi drivers.    

lol
  :rolleyes:  

Their on CD 4 and 5, so you don't have them with the download version.

I take you made dual boot?
If so, download them with system you used to download Mandrake or use something like Knoppix(if you have it).

You can find them here:
http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat/4/idpl/813815/com/kernel-source-2.4.22-10mdk.i586.rpm.html

PS: Mandrake sucks for doing this.
You NEED those sources.

[preacher]

quote:Originally posted by WMD:
 I think it could be the fact that I'm using the "vesa" X driver right now (since "nv" won't work with my FX57000 for some reason    :confused:    

Go to http://www.nvidia.com and get the official nvidia linux drivers now. The default nvidia linux drivers are very poor in comparison and have no openGL support. This also might fix your probhlem with the refresh rate settings.

[preacher]

I forgot to mention, you dont need the kernel source to install the nvidia drivers. The install is simple. Do it now, it is a huge improvement.

[WMD]

Ok, got the Nvidia drivers installed...holy shit, why can't all Linux 3rd party drivers be that simple?     And now I get an 85Hz refresh, so that problem is fixed!  

 

quote:Their on CD 4 and 5, so you don't have them with the download version.

 :mad:   Ah well.  I'm downloading that RPM now.  Hopefully that'll work out.

Oh BTW, yeah this is a dual boot machine.  Got the hardware a few weeks ago, and it has Windows 2000 on it as well.  Should work out OK, use Linux for pretty much everything, execept some games that don't run.

[WMD]

Alright...it didn't work.     The source RPM installed ok, but the wlan config says the source is 2.4.22-10mdkcustom, and that I'm running 2.4.22-10mdksmp.  I just have it install into the module directory for what I run (the smp one).  I can modprobe the driver, but then the instructions say:

 

quote:D) Run 'wlanctl-ng wlan0 lnxreq_ifstate ifstate=enable' to initialize the
   driver+MAC functions.
E) Run 'wlanctl-ng wlan0 lnxreq_autojoin ssid=<your ssid> authtype=opensystem'
   to enable the MAC in Infrastructure Station mode.
F) Run 'ifconfig wlan0 <your IP address>'

But it's not recognizing "wlanctl-ng" as a command.

Ok, I just looked the driver up, and found that the Linksys site gave me an old version.  Gonna go try that.  

[insomnia]

quote:Originally posted by ThePreacher Linux Game Master:
I forgot to mention, you dont need the kernel source to install the nvidia drivers. The install is simple. Do it now, it is a huge improvement.

If you change or update the default kernel, you do need them.

[preacher]

quote:Originally posted by insomnia:


If you change or update the default kernel, you do need them.

That is not an issue for him because he is using the default kernel. Read his post above, looks like he has it working.

[WMD]

I tried an updated version of linux-wlan and it still doesn't work.  When doing "make" it gives a bunch of "Error 2" messages.  I'll have to copy them down next time

It's interesting, because someone I know couldn't get his wireless drivers to install in Mdk 9.2, but said they worked fine in Fedora.  :confused: