Mandrake 9.2 Installation

[[A3D]Hatswitch]

1) I learned to always type "expert" at the first prompt (to allow me a more customized installation). The installation was pretty much the same as with 9.1.

2) As with almost every previous Mandrake version I've installed, I got one package that wouldn't install correctly, so I had to choose "Go on anyway."

3) I had to remove several packages (libkrb?) in order to install Samba 3 (I didn't install Samba 2.8.x, as I was already running 3 with Mandrake 9.1). What's up with that? It took quite a bit of copying-and-pasting dependency error messages into Google.com to finally get it installed.

Other than that, it seems "faster" than 9.1. There was probably no real reason for me to upgrade, other than the fact that it only cost me three CD-R's to do so (unlike some other OS's). It works fine for what I use it for: Samba, SSH, FTP, MySQL, NTP server, ddclient (to automatically update my IP with DynDNS), Ventrilo server, and game server.

[crazyray]

As a complete Linux noob, I chose to install Mandrake 9.2 on an older PC I had laying around, using the basic install. Completely painless! All drivers installed without any coaching from me. I am slowly working to learn the system. So far, it has been simpler than I could have anticipated.

SiS 630 based mobo with integrated vid, aud, and nic.
P III 800EB with 512 MB SDRAM
Non-LG CD-ROM

[hickory]

Quick question: Do I need the disk 3 iso to get 9.2 working? Its still downloading on another very slow pc connection and I want to get going? :-)

[lost-and-found]

no, you don't need disk 3

[hickory]

Thanks L & F

[[A3D]Hatswitch]

UPDATE:

I found an IBM UltraStar 36LP 9.1 GB 7,200 RPM SCSI drive for $28, so I added it to my IBM UltraStar 36LZX 9.1 GB 10,000 RPM SCSI drive (I got that one for around $40). I cloned my IDE onto the 36LP successfully using Norton Ghost, but LILO wouldn't work, and when I tried to use the "rescue" feature with the Mandrake install discs, it kept trying to find /dev/hda (the old IDE drive). I finally got it working by doing a new install on the drive letting it use only disc 1 of the set (I kept getting errors when I tried all three, and it wouldn't let me continue). I just manually added ProFTPD and Screen after the installation was done (these get left out by using only the first disc). My drives are set up as follows:

36LP: /boot, /swap, /

36LZX: /var (kept all the data from previous installations)

I can definitely tell a difference having the boot drive as SCSI as well as the data drive.

A bonus with Mandrake 9.2: It actually detects both sides of my Dazzle 6-in-1 media reader, so I can now view pics on my SD card from my Linux box. I promptly added a "KODAK$" share to my smb.conf file (for sharing it on my LAN). Now my Linux box is even more of a file server.

[[A3D]Hatswitch]

UPDATE #2:

I finally got my SCSI scanner to work. I have the SANE backend set up and use SaneTwain to scan on my Windows computers over the network.

Getting the scanner to work was quite a learning experience. I learned what high-byte termination is, and that you can't connect a narrow device to a wide bus without it. Instead of spending $50 on a cable with this capability, I used an adapter to go from my Adaptec AHA-2940UW's internal 50-pin connector to an external 25-pin connector (ribbon cable + adapter = $10). Connecting a narrow device to a narrow bus (whether it's 25 or 50 pin) is not a problem.

I got a [free] external modem from a friend; maybe I'll also set up my Linux box as a FAX server.