Re: how to extract *.deb files, etc.

[ktb <ktb@nixnotes.org>]

On Wed, Jul 04, 2001 at 05:35:25PM +1000, Stephen Jiang wrote:
> I am new to Linux (especially Debian), please help me out.
>  
> 1. Does anyone can tell me how to extract *.deb files? And where can I find Debian's special commands?
> 
> 2. I have just installed Debian 2.2 r0 (potato), but XF86 did not work (don't have SVGA driver - returned message at first time). So, I used VGA16 driver during XF86Setup (second time), the setup program told me successfully installed XF86 but it failed after I press ok to continue.
> 

If you could set your mailer to wrap to 72 characters it would be much
appreciated.

There is some good documentation at the debian site.  A good starting
point -
http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/
For your first question take a look at -
http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-pkg_basics.html

Take a look at the apt packages -
$ man apt.conf
$ man apt-get 

As to your second question what video card are you using?  If you don't
know -
$ xviddetect
will sometimes work in telling you which xserver you need to run.
You could also pop the cover and look on the card to see which card you
have.
XF86Setup does a nice job telling you which xserver you need  but
VGA16 is fairly generic so there may be a better xserver suited for your
card.  

Once you're reasonably sure you have the right xserver and X still won't
start for you, at the command line run -
$ startx > X.log 2>&1
This will create a log file named X.log.  Take a look at that file.
There will be clues to what is going wrong.

If you still have problems post back to the list with a little more detail 
on the steps you have taken and any error messages within X.log.
hth,
kent

-- 
 From seeing and seeing the seeing has become so exhausted
     First line of "The Panther" - R. M. Rilke