few questions about Mandrake

[DeepBlade]

Well, i've been debating the idea of installing Mandrake Linux on my system, I'm a COMPLETE newb to linux, so hopefully using Mandrake will help me with the basics.

Firstly, I understand that Linux runs on a different file system, different from NTFS and FAT32. I plan to install it on a 2 gig HD, is this enough? And is the file system that Linux will be formatting my 2 gb HD be irreversable?

Secondly, wat are the main differences/fixes/updates/benefits of Mandrake 9.0 and the Mandrake before that? 8.2 (if i'm correct, correct me if i'm wrong) because I don't have 700mb cd's to spare, so i'm downloading 8.2 instead (which is 650 mb)

Thirdly, on the Mandrake site, it mentions that I only need the first CD for the main thing, but the other cd's are extra. Would anyone happen to know exactly wat CD 2 and CD 3 contain? i'm going to be using the system as a server, DHCP, file, and as a router, (similar to windows xp's internet connection sharing - ICS)

 

[Zedric]

1a. If you don't install too many packages it should be fine I guess.
1b. Nope.

2. Don't know really. Security updates and bug-fixes, newer versions of general stuff I guess. Should be something about it on the Mandrake page.

3. I think some of the server packages are on CD:s 2 and 3, but I'm not sure.

Extra FREE answer:
If you only want to use it as a router/server and not for playing with Linux, I would recommend ClarkConnect. It's based on RedHat and is made to be router, DHCP server, Samba (Windows file sharing) server, active firewall and so on. It's easy to install and use. The only problem I had was not being able to run PHP and mySQL on it.
They are releasing a new beta, 1.2, tomorrow btw.

 

[DeepBlade]

cool

well, i saw an installation pic of Mandrake, the screen where u choose the services/packages, and it had router/firewall on it, so i'm guessing Mandrake would work the same way, so i'm gonna try Mandrake.

when i download them, the ISOs are named
Mandrake82-cd1-inst.i586.iso
Mandrake82-cd2-ext.i586.iso
Mandrake82-cd3-supp.i586.iso

i'm assuming 'inst' stands for the main installation files
'ext' stands for wat...? extension/extra packages?
'supp'..... 'support'???

 

[Nick M]

Extention is other files; they aren't nessesary for install I believe; but you need them if your install is anything but default. Support is help files and manuals I suppose. I may be wrong.

 

[DeepBlade]

uuuummm..... well, i installed Mandrake Linux 8.2 properly ( i think ) but the thing is, it didn't ask me to make a boot disk, it didn't ask me which boot loader i wanna use, like most ppl say it does.......................

and when it resetted, after installing, it just shows
01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

over and over again, then stops.. and the disk drive light stays on

wat i had to do was boot disc 1 of Mandrake Linux, press f1, then type in rescue, and reinstalled Windows Bootloader

Can someone plz give me a solution to boot Mandrake Linux?
My Linux is installed on my 2nd hard drive (hdb)

 

[baser5nature]

you need to install the boot loader to /dev/hdb1 (where the 1 is the root, "/" partition)... once you install the boot loader there, use your boot disk, that you created during the install (make sure you press F1 before starting the install and then use the "expert" command to follow a more interactive install...this also lets you create the bootdisk everytime), so yeah, use the boot disk to load up mandrake, then you open a terminal window and type the following with a blank floppy in your drive:
dd if=/dev/hdb1 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1

mcopy /bootsect.lnx a:

make sure the terminal window is started in the root... and hdb1 is your second harddrive, 1st partition, or corresponding to your setup... then you have to exit mandrake, copy the bootsect.lnx file from the floppy to your c:\ root directory where windows is, whatever letter you need other than c is go go good... then edit the boot.ini file (hidden, and you may have to make it not read-only first) with the folliwing line added after all the existing text:

c:\bootsect.lnx="Mandrake Linux 9.0"

where the text in quotations is just whatever you want to appear in the windows bootloader... then when you restart you will be able to use the windows boot loader to enter either windows, or the linux bootloader... PS i hope you used GRUB... many have said LILO causes problem with dual booting situations, i'm using grub and have no problems...

I know this info is posted elsewhere on the net, but i figure i'll put it here on xp-erience too just so people don't have to go chasing hyperlinks all afternoon...

 

[Zedric]

I've posted it twice here in the forum as well, but I don't mind.

 

[Jahya]

From one Mandrake n00b to another....

I just installed Mandrake 9 over the weekend. Here's how I did it.
I used Partition Magic to create a Linux drive (3.5 gig) and swap file (500 meg). Mandrake will do this for you during installation I'm told. I have no idea if this is a good setup or not as this is only the 2nd time I've ever tried Linux, I just went with the Partition Magic default for the amount of space I allowed it to use (4 gig total). When I boot up, I get a Mandrake window that asks which mode I want to start in, one of them being NT, which takes me to my normal XP boot. All the other options, I'm still trying to figure out. I doubt this will help you in any way.....

Now, on to my own problems.....

My primary goal in installing Linux is to learn how to use it so that when I get my old box back up and running (450mhz, 256 Ram, 12.8 gig hd) I can have a Windows machine and a Linux. The Linux will inevitably become an FTP server, but before I try and understand all that I need to learn the basics. So far I have spent about 2 hours playing with it and all I've figured out so far is how to surf the web and check email. I tried to set up LICQ, but....well....ummm, I'm not sure what happened. I double clicked the file and it entered a bunch of data, but now I have no idea how to compile it or whatever I need to do to get the program active. I'm soooo confused.

I've found a few sites that are (somewhat) helpful for general Linux, but all them go under the assumtion that I already have a base knowledge of Linux, which I don't. I have yet to find anything that will specifically explain Mandrake in n00b terms. Mandrake's site didn't help me much. If anyone knows where I might find this info, it would be greatly appreciated.