Debian Sid install using Knoppix - A Few Issues

[ewanrg]

I am trying to get a "pure" Debian setup going on my machine as part of a possible conversion project. The easiest way to do this (for me) was to do a Hard Drive install from the latest Knoppix CD (3.4 5/17 build).

This went just fine, and I can bring up the system ok, but I'm running into some issues. The Knoppix boards are generally unresponsive (at least to me ), and so figured some of y'all might be able to give me some direction. If you know of a better support forum for these issues, feel free to direct me there...

My issues are:

1) Desktop seems to be limited to 1024x768 even though my laptop runs just fine as 1440x900 under Windows. My video card is an nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 with 64 megs on the card. I'm wondering if the problem is that I need to install the driver from nVidia rather than the default that came with the distribution?

2) Installed the 2.6.6 kernel option. However, if I go to change anything I notice that /usr/src/linux is pointing to linux-2.4.26. Can I use synaptic to just get the latest source package, and would that get things pointing correctly?

3) Finally, am having some firewire "fun". Doing lspci shows both the internal and pc card firewire controllers, but running gscanbus or the other firewire scripts only shows the internal controller. Anything I might be missing that could be screwing up the PC card controller?

Thanks again for your help,
Ewan

[variant]

1. Edit /etc/X11/XF86Config (as root) and use that to set the resolution. Also update to the official nvidia drivers (only if you want 3d support, don't do it otherwise).

2. /usr/src/linux is just a symlink to the real source file. You can change it with the "ln -sf" command as follows: "ln -sf sourcefile destinationfile".

3. If lspci lists everything you need then what is the specific problem, the other apps you are using are probably just crap!

[doppleganger]

Beware of 4stacks being in 2.6.6 kernel and nvidia drivers it may or may not cause problems depends on distro.

[ewanrg]

1. Edit /etc/X11/XF86Config (as root) and use that to set the resolution. Also update to the official nvidia drivers (only if you want 3d support, don't do it otherwise).

Probably a "newbie" question - but do I need to run something to get the changes I make to the XF86Config file applied? If I'm not looking for 3d support then I gather I should be fine with just changing resolutions in the file and not installing other drivers, right?

2. /usr/src/linux is just a symlink to the real source file. You can change it with the "ln -sf" command as follows: "ln -sf sourcefile destinationfile".

Dumb question - but how do I know which/where the real source file is? I'm somewhat suspicious that the problem is that Knoppix doesn't currently provide it's 2.6.6 source, and am assuming that it's ok to get the source package using synaptic. But would like some expert advice on whether that's going to cause more problems than it solves. The main reason for doing this is a desire to get a 2.6.6 compatible Atmel driver built for my Linksys WUSB11 v2.8 wireless network device.

3. If lspci lists everything you need then what is the specific problem, the other apps you are using are probably just crap!

No, they were reflecting a real problem. Which I managed to get worked out. Firewire support in Linux is still a little shaky, not that it's anything special in Windows either, and getting all the devices seen still seems to be as much magic as science

Appreciate all the help so far, and hope I'll be able to get things running cleanly soon!

Thanks again,
Ewan

[dswain]

1. In XF86Config's case, you will just need to restart the X Server. Try either just rebooting, or Control Alt Backspace. That should resolve that

2. Look under /usr/src and look at the directories under there. The real directory should be something like "linux-2.6.6" or something to that extent. Not sure how Knoppix displays it. Nor did i know it used the 2.6 kernel...

[variant]

what dswain says is correct, and yes, if you don't want full blown 3dgraphics in games then the default "nv" drivers are fine.

[ewanrg]

Outside of trying to get the Linksys up, everything is now working nicely. Even have a RAID-5 array on my external hard drives.

Thanks again for the assistance and pointers,
Ewan

[dswain]

what "linksys" are you talking about? a router/NIC card?

[ewanrg]

what "linksys" are you talking about? a router/NIC card?

Linksys WUSB11 v2.8 - which is where Linksys switched from using Prism to Atmel. Building the driver requires having the kernel source setup, and while it's a pain to boot into Windows just to access the net, that has been a bit easier at the moment than getting the Linksys working.

FWIW,
Ewan