Text 3497, 209 rader
Skriven 2005-04-09 16:02:52 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 3495 av Robert Comer (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: Tribulations Of Installing Linux or Johnny O is right.
==================================================================
From: "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com>

I installed and ran OS/2 2.1 and 3 Warp without any problems I couldn't solve. 
Not so for MandrakeLinux.  I approached the Linux install as a typical windows
user who knows very little.  That kind of user would have never been able to
create the install boot floppy from the lousy incomplete directions, and that
kind of user would have had the same install problems I encountered.  That kind
of user would leave linux telling all his friends stick with windows cause
Linux sucks.  If linux is going to get market share beyond the techno geeks
like all of us here, than it is going to need an install routine that is better
than the crap put out by Mandrake.  That's the only point I'm making.

Gary

"Robert Comer" <bobcomer@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:425802ce@w3.nls.net...
> >I really fail to understand why everyone here seems to have so much
trouble
> > installing Linux.  I have installed various versions of Mandrake Linus,
> > SuSE
> > Linux, Red Hat Linux on three different desktops and two different
> > notebooks.
> > I have also installed FreeBSD and OpenBSDs on most of the same hardware.
>
> Hey, not all of us has problems, I've installed MANY different forms as
well
> and always end up with a working machine.
>
> Of course, I was also able to install and run OS/2 V4 quite successfully
as
> well. <g>
>
> - Bob Comer
>
>
> "Mike '/m'" <mike@barkto.com> wrote in message
> news:50if51pi8gh7dksn9cgka0u727fho0ua10@4ax.com...
> >I really fail to understand why everyone here seems to have so much
trouble
> > installing Linux.  I have installed various versions of Mandrake Linus,
> > SuSE
> > Linux, Red Hat Linux on three different desktops and two different
> > notebooks.
> > I have also installed FreeBSD and OpenBSDs on most of the same hardware.
> >
> > The installs have been smooth and progressed much, much more quickly
than
> > the
> > install of Windows 2000 on the same hardware.
> >
> >
> > /m
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 01:16:38 -0400, "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >>OK, Spent several hours off and on trying to get MandrakeLinux 10.1 to
> >>install.  After trying just about every possible video choice finally
got
> >>the install to complete and tell me congratulations I had successfully
> >>installed Mandrake Linux.  Gave off a deep sigh of relief with the
thought
> >>FINALLY!!  Rebooted with excitement awaiting my first try of Linux.
> >>Machine goes into the same constant reboot cycle I got when I didn't get
> >>the install successful message.  Took the 3 MandrakeLinux install disks
> >>and threw them away.  Thought, well at least they came in this nifty DVD
> >>Type Case that holds 3 CD's one on top of the other in safety.  This
> >>turned out to be both the best and only good thing about MandrakeLinux.
> >>
> >>I sure hope nobody here owns any stock in the company that puts out this
> >>Mandrake crap, because that's exactly what it is.  Someday I will give
> >>Novell Suse Linux Desktop or Lindows a try on this same machine.
> >>
> >>Gary  (at least os/2 would install with this kind of effort, not Linux
or
> >>MandrakeLinux)
> >>  "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com> wrote in message
> >> news:4256cd14@w3.nls.net...
> >>  About 6 months ago I bought a magazine that came with Mandrake Linux
> >> 10.1.  I did so to install linux just for the hell of it on an old
laptop
> >> (2 gig HD, Pentium 200 MMX, NeoMagic 2mb Video, capable of 800x600 on
LCD
> >> and 1024x768 on external monitor.)
> >>
> >>  I know windows and dos and PC Hardware, but I know nothing about
Linux.
> >> Unlike when I first began installing windows or before that OS/2, I
made
> >> no effort to study anything about how linux works and how to install
it.
> >> So I approaced the install as a normal uninformed computer user.
> >>
> >>  Plunked in the CD, but it either didn't want to install under windows
or
> >> I didn't give it enough time.  Decided to just boot the CD and let it
> >> install, but this laptop won't boot any CD, even though it is supposed
to
> >> have that capability.  A problem for me but not Linux's fault.  Made up
a
> >> dos floppy with cdrom drivers and tried to get linux to install, but
when
> >> this didn't work realized that Linux needs its own boot floppy to
install
> >> this way.  Directions in a text file for creating this floppy were VERY
> >> incomplete.  If I wasn't familiar with dos commands I would have never
> >> figured out how to create the needed linux boot floppy.  The text file
> >> said use this command and gives and example of the command, but the
> >> example omits the needed full paths to the util file in question and
the
> >> image file it takes as a command line option, and these two files are
NOT
> >> in the same directory.  So if you type in the command as shown in the
> >> text file it fails every time because it can't find the
> >>needed image file that is in and entirely different branch of the
> >>directory tree.
> >>
> >>  Then in using the command to create the floppy you have to choose one
of
> >> five file names to fill in one spot of the command.  The descriptions
of
> >> the choices are so poorly written that you are unable to determine for
> >> sure which one is the real choice you are looking for.  After a couple
of
> >> wrong guesses about which image file to use, I finally lucked into the
> >> right one.
> >>
> >>  Finally, reboot with floppy and CD in place and installation begins.
> >> Graphics screen in high resolution comes up and I get to the first
> >> install screen.  Select language.  The screen is not clear as to what
to
> >> do next.  Select other items, hit advanced or hit next.  Hitting next
> >> causes the install to immediately fail and the machine to reboot, so I
> >> think maybe I should have done something before hitting next.  Couple
> >> more tries with similar failures and I finally notice an error message
> >> going by the screen so fast you barely have time to read it, that hints
> >> that maybe the problem is video related.   Boot again and select
advanced
> >> options for install, look at my choices that are video related.  Now
the
> >> install has no problem displaying graphics to the point of that first
> >> screen.  It just can't figure out how to do it after that first screen.
> >> Seems odd, but I play along.  Select lowres graphics install option and
> >> reboot.  Get to same graphics screen, now in low res, and same error,
> >>crash-reboot..  Ok try a different option, reboot, graphics screen, hit
> >>next, same error crash-reboot.  OK try text mode install.  Finally,
> >>something works and I get passed the first screen in text mode.  Next
come
> >>a series of screens to choose various setup options, sadly some of these
> >>screens are so poorly written and documented that they are impossible to
> >>decipher as to what to pick.  Like a screen with at least 50 files or
> >>programs or options, not sure which :-( ,  that is nothing more than a
> >>list of unintelligible names that look like a series of random letters
> >>thrown together with absolutely no meaning in the name, no description
of
> >>what the thing is, does, or when it should or should not be selected.
> >>With such complete lack of info, unable to decided to select anything on
> >>the list or not, so I just hit next and keep going.  Install continues
for
> >>about 1 hour more now.  Finally, install completes and I start getting
> >>some screens for configuration of various items, like root
> >>name, server name, security level choices, etc. etc., absolutely NO
> >>explanation is given for any of these items.  Nothing NADA.  You have no
> >>clue as to whether you should fill something in or leave it blank.  You
> >>are given no clue as to what the ramifications are if do or don't fill
in
> >>something or not (like root password or user password, etc etc).
Finally,
> >>I get to a screen that shows a summary of what has been configured.  I
> >>note the video has not been configured.  While given absolutely no clue
by
> >>the install routine that anything that wasn't configured could be a
> >>problem or not, I decide that the video not being configured could be a
> >>problem.  So I select the video and hit a button to try and configure
it.
> >>The install immediately gives me a screen that correctly identifies the
> >>video card as a NeoMagic 128XD but it asks me to choose which resolution
> >>and color depth.  I remember I used to run it at 1024x768 so I select
that
> >>option (unfortunately I forgot that the internal LCD
> >>will only run at 800x600).  Computer proceeds to lock-up, install is
> >>trashed and I need to start over.
> >>
> >>  Bottom line.  In some respects the install routines of Linux are not
as
> >> good as say OS/2 around 1993.   In other ways, it is as good as OS/2
> >> 1993.  The almost complete lack of onscreen documentation and help
files
> >> that can be pulled up for each of the install screens, etc. is a HUGE
> >> drawback to the quality of the install.  When the install crashes, it
> >> never tells you why.  If you don't catch something as a log entry goes
> >> flashing by at the bottom of the screen by accident, you have no clue
> >> what the problem is with the install.
> >>
> >>  A real newbie would have never gotten past the create boot floppy part
> >> to even begin the install with help from someone else.
> >>
> >>  I am going to try the install again over the weekend, but I sure hope
> >> linux runs a hell of a lot better than the install routine.
> >>
> >>  Gary
> >
>
>

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