Slackware!!!

[Mikenell]

Wow! Slackware rocks! I had no problems whatsoever with the installation or setup of anything! And I hadnt even previously partitioned the hard drive, I used fdisk to do it while I was installing! Also, that 1024x768 console I selected is really good! And it even has a logo of a penguin while its loading! I'd choose slack over Debian if Debian didn't have apt-get.
So far Slack has been the easiest to set up for me, even easier then when I tried Mandrake 7.1. It even set up X perfectly without me having to run XF86Setup. Its a really good distro.
But anyway, is there a way to do that 1024x768 console in Debian with the penguin? I really liked that.
Mikenell

[vhg119]

what version of slack?

[ph34r]

http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/cool.gif Slackware http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/cool.gif

For that 1024x768 console, you need to setup a framebuffer device - I have no idea as to how to do it.

[Mikenell]

The newest one 7.1. So it is possible in Debian?
Mikenell

[Muzzafarath]

It's possible in all distros. You might need to recompile your kernel though.

[wmHardRock]

Debian is better IMO. As easy to install as Slack, but everything in Debian worked out of the box. pppconfig worked the first time. pppsetup never worked. etc.

wmHardRock

[CRT_Monkey]

As far as Slack is concerned, I've never been able to get X to start up for me. Getting to CLI is a breeze but that pesky XF86config this is really bitin my butt.

So for now, I'm really enjoying Deb & Ian's little OS!! By way of Stormix of course http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Mikenell]

I'd love to try storm, I already have the cd but I'm having problems getting UDMA66 working.
Mikenell

[fuzzy]

Can't you unplug it from that controller and plug it into the regular one on your mobo to simply install, then recompile the kerlen for UDMA support, then put it back on the UDMA66 controller?
Have you asked the stormix maillist? http://www.stormix.com/community/lists/listinfo/stormlinux-users-list

Give those a shot.

------------------
"Suppose you were an idiot... And suppose you were a member of Congress...But I repeat myself."
--- Mark Twain

[SlCKB0Y]

Originally posted by Mikenell:
Wow! Slackware rocks! I had no problems whatsoever with the installation or setup of anything! And I hadnt even previously partitioned the hard drive, I used fdisk to do it while I was installing! Also, that 1024x768 console I selected is really good! And it even has a logo of a penguin while its loading! I'd choose slack over Debian if Debian didn't have apt-get.
So far Slack has been the easiest to set up for me, even easier then when I tried Mandrake 7.1. It even set up X perfectly without me having to run XF86Setup. Its a really good distro.
But anyway, is there a way to do that 1024x768 console in Debian with the penguin? I really liked that.
Mikenell

It is possible on any distro. Here is a rough quick guide.

1. For more information, search for stuff on the "Frame buffer device". If you have the linux kernel source installed, look for the doc:
/usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/framebuffer.txt

2. To be able to use the framebuffer device, you need to have support compiled into the kernel. Now i cant remember the exact things you need off the top off my head, but i know you need the following.

# Code maturity level options
#
CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL=y

and also later on in the console drivers section.

# Console drivers
#
CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_VIDEO_SELECT=y
# CONFIG_MDA_CONSOLE is not set
CONFIG_FB=y
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
# CONFIG_FB_PM2 is not set
CONFIG_FB_VESA=y


And anything else from this section that you think you might need. Note that this is simply the way i have it setup, and this may differ for you.

3. so you have compiled support into the kernel for the framebuffer device, now we need to tell lilo to use /dev/fb so you need to add a line to your lilo config file (usually /etc/lilo.conf), and change the vga value from normal to something else. Alternatively just use liloconfig in slack to set up the framebuffer device, but after you run it, you might need to edit lilo.conf again to load the right kernel etc.

Here is the enties in my lilo.conf:

vga = normal
# vga=791
# vga=790
# vga=773
# vga=788
# vga=787
# vga=771
# vga=785
# vga=784
# vga=769


You may ask why i chose the normal mode and in fact am not using the framebuffer device? Well i quickly found out that the fb stuffs up any applications that need to use fullscreen mode. These include any programs using Glide/Mesa based programs such as quake3, fullscreen mode on VMWare, and programs such as XF86Setup. All these programs will not load for me in a useable form with the fb running.

For a complete list of those vga= codes, your best bet is to look at the framebuffer how-to. You might have it on your computer, or go to linuxdoc.org.

Also you might want to search these boards for framebuffer stuff.

Hope this helps.

[bdl]

Slack comes with the fb pre-configured; you can run it with the framebuffer straightaway. You just edit your default 'lilo.conf' file after reboot and see there are listings for every vga mode available, just 'uncomment' one and reboot. As far as ata66, what have you tried so far? I've got it up and running with no probs (after some trial and error of course); let me know how I can help. BTW, all I run is slack.

[Mikenell]

The ATA66 problem was with Storm. It has worked fine on all other Distros I've tried...
Mikenell

[Mikenell]

The ATA66 problem was with Storm. It has worked fine on all other Distros I've tried...
Mikenell