Re: please help- I can't even figure my mailer
chuck boothe wrote:
Please read the letter attached- I didn't have enough
time to re-write it, and this is important! Scan it-
there are no viruses included- just a lot of begging
from a man desperate to use the operating system
(Debian) that he's installed and can't figure out- not
even the mailserver thingy.
PLEASE HELP ME.
I would encourage you to send a separate email for each topic.
As was mentioned earlier in another thread, Debian may not be the best
choice for a newbie, unless he's willing to be patient and struggle and
learn. Since you seem to be more of the type who just wants a working
system, you might be better off downloading a (free) copy of Knoppix
(www.knoppix.org) and installing that to your hard drive.
However, if you really want the best distro (Debian), and are willing to
spend the effort to get it working, this is the place to be.
What is the use of a sound card, video card, et al, IF YOU CAN'T USE
THEM!!!!!!
I can't even access my cd roms!!!!!
Hell, ROOT can't even get in through the regular sign-in screen- why the
hell would ROOT need any of that stuff?!!
I know that I'm just another dumbass newbie with no background in UNIX-
much less Linux- but I'm poor(no $300 for a Winblows in my pockets- and
this box was given to me), so I'm stuck with you!
I know you're frustrated, but according to the Code of Conduct
(http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/#subunsub):
"Do not use foul language; besides, some people receive the lists via
packet radio, where swearing is illegal."
Could you, would you plleeeaaasssse look down from your mount of
knowledge just long enough to give me- line by line (VERBATIM)- the
directions that I need to access root through a terminal (yes, I do
know the password) and then give me the line by line (VERBATIM) that I
need to allow myself and my family access to my two cdr/rw s and to
allow us to hear the beautiful music which once so freely flowed from
our speakers (yes, we can't even afford a stereo).
I am begging you!
My soundcard is an Allegro ESS Maestro (1988?), my video driver is an
Intel !810, and my two cdr?rw s are LG's.
Please help- my only other option is a pirated version of Windows ME- I
don't want to go to jail for stealing Bill's precious products.
By the way- I did pay for a mailed cd version of Debian 3.0 r2 i386.
I'm not sure the i810 is supported in Stable's version of X. If you have
broadband access (or dial-up access without paying by the byte, along
with lots of time), I'd strongly recommend you upgrade to Sid. It's an
easy process, and will give you a _much_ more usable workstation. Let us
know if you need help with this.
Okay, it seems you have problems with four things:
1. Logging in as root
At one point in your message, you imply that you can't log in as root to
a graphical login screen. This is by design. Running X as root is like
looking down the barrel of a pistol; chances are fair you won't get
hurt, but it's a really stupid thing to do. (For you non-gun people out
there, Rule #1 in safe gun handling is to never point a gun, expecially
the unloaded ones, at anything you're not willing to destroy.)
Instead, log in as a normal user, and then use sudo or su to temporarily
"become" root to do whatever administrative thing you need to do. I
believe sudo is not installed by default, and it takes a small bit of
configuration, so you're probably best to start off with "su -" from a
command line once you're logged in. When you're finished doing root
things, "exit" to exit back to a normal user.
You can override the default behavior, but again, it's not recommended.
If you're trying to log in at a text console (not graphical) and you
can't, something's wrong.
2. CD-RW
This is a little hairier than I'm willing to try to tackle right now,
especially without more information.
3. Sound
You probably need to install a module for the Maestro. I'm not sure
which module is needed, or if the kernel you installed even supports it.
Try running "lspci" and look for the line dealing with your sound card
(if any) (and assuming this card is a PCI card, or integrated). Then
look in /lib/modules/[kernel-version]/kernel/drivers for anything that
looks like the correct module for that card. For example, for an es1371
sound card, in the subdirectory "sound" is the module file "es1371.o".
Then to install this modujle, you'd type "modprobe es1371" (without the
".o").
Alternatively, and perhaps better, run "modconf" (as root) and see if
you can find the Maestro listed.
If neither of these work, you may need to upgrade to (or, eek! compile)
a new kernel.
Also, and this is important, you'll need to add your users to the audio
group. You do this with a command like "adduser chuck audio" as root.
4. X video
Try running "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" as root, and when asked
which video device you have, look for i810, or alternatively vesa, or if
you have to, vga.
And perhaps, according to the subject of this email, 5. mailer
I don't know what you mean by "mailer". Can you be a little more detailed?
Again, separate emails with more info for each topic will likely get you
better responses.
--
Kent
Reply to: