Corel Linux--How Do I?

[richardi]

I installed Corel Linux to a Windows partition. I would like to uninstall and start over, so that I can create and install to a Linux partition, but this does not seem possible without reformatting my hard drive. Is there another way around this? Corel Linux is supposed to recognize and automatically configure hardware upon installation. The documentation does not describe how to manually configure hardware, although I am sure this must be possible. When I try to add packages, the system does not recognize my installation CD as mounted. The documentation indicates that with the system, either floppy disks or Cds will be automatically mounted, but this doesn't seem to work. The help pages that have been installed on my system seem to duplicate the Corel manual, which does not go into sufficient detail. Maybe if you point me to the right commands, I can delve into the manual pages and figure out what to do. I cannot access the internet while I am running under Linux, because I cannot configure my modem (I probably need to download and install a driver for my modem [Conexant HCF V90--this may be a winmodem, but it looks like there are now drivers which work around this]. Maybe I am asking too many questions at once, but I appreciate any help you can give. Thanks.

[Geoff]

If you installed to a windows partition then there should be some method for uninstalling - maybe there's a "Corel" directory with your whole system in it and you can simply delete it, and then do a "fdisk /mbr" in DOS to get rid of LILO (only if you use LILO to choose between doze/linux at boot).

Otherwise I'm not sure. Linux on FAT partitions = yuck, I have never done it.

The best way to reconfigure your hard drive to run a real linux partition is to use partition magic to make some free space. There is also a tool called FIPS with that's a free partition splitter and will give you the same result. partition magic looks nicer though http://discussions.linuxplanet.com/wink.gif

Linux distros do configure some hardware automatically, but not all. For example, ISA sound or network cards are <sarcasm>HEAPS</sarcasm> of fun to get working, especially if they're plug and play (no jumpers on the card).

Your modem sounds suspiciously like an internal PCI modem, 90% of which are "winmodems". If the manufacturer has provided linux drivers then you will be able to get it working by following their instructions, but past experience has shown me that winmodems are terrible things. Fine for browsing but I used to get bad performance in games. Demanded my money back and bought an external modem and I've been happy ever since (sure, I wish my modem could download at 10MB/sec but who doesn't).

Geoff