sup everyone?

I just installed Red Hat 9, but have no clue how to do anything. The os is pretty easy to use, and I'm starting to figure out the file structure which is very different from windows. the biggest prblem I have is how to install applications. I want to install gaim, but just can't. I downloaded it from the net, and now have a file called gaim-0.74-1rh9.i386.rpm . If i double click it, a little window comes up that says preparing system upadate with a status bar under, it, but after that nothing happens. Did it install the program allready and if it did, how would I open it then?
2more question:
How do I take screenshots in linux?
How can I let windows pcs access the linux machine?

EDIT: one more: how can I access the other ntfs partition thats on my hard drive?

to access ntfs partitions you need to mount them,

/dev/hdxX /(mount-point) -t ntfs

where the little x is your hard drive (a-d on most systems where a is
primary master and d is secondary slave) and the big X is your partition
number (1-4=primary partitions 5 and up =logical drives).

Eg:

mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/win2k -t ntfs


screenshot... you could use Ksnapshot, usually installed by default. its in your graphics programs list in your.. err "start" menu.

Windows Pc to access the machine? you need to use Samba, google it, lots of tutes on the net for it.

As for RPM files, i hate them, with a passion.Get round it by removing that junk Distro and install Debian and you wont have to worry about those stupid .rpm files!

Usefull site for you:
www.linuxfornewbies.com

www.debian.org

thx 4 the help. I tryed to mount my drive, but all I get is a message like this:
mount point /mnt/win2k does not exist

I'm gona look into debian, is it a different distro or an addon app?

you need NTFS read support either compiled into the kernel or loaded as a module, i don't reccomend enabling write support if you value the contents of that disk..

i'd explain how but i'm late for work!

omg, I never though linux could be such a big pain in the a$$

I tryed to install ntfs for linux, but I get an error message like this;


Where can I select what kernel to load when i'm starting up linux?

also I tryed to install gaim but receive an error message like this:


ohh this is p***ing me off!!!

You could have installed several programs whil you were installing the OS... It usually takes about 40 minutes on a P2 @ 300MHz to install a custom RH9 installation!

what do you mean I could have installed several programs while I installed the OS? I installed things like word, graphics apps, games, etc. There is also a version of gaim installed by default, but it only suppports aim and something else and I also want to be able to use MSn messenger on linux

****, I finally managed to install gaim!
I had to install to other rpms first before I could install it.

Now there's another question: when I install it, where does it install it, and can I also change where it puts it in the start menu (whats the start menu called on linux?)?

Thats why i hate .rpm's!

Debain is a whole other distro, it doesent use .rpm files.

the path to your NTFS partition must be correct! the error given suggests you are using the wrong path.

you can move, create shortcuts anywhere you like. to move the shortcut in your start menu it should just be a case of dragging and dropping. Or move the shortcuts in your system folders.

Hey man, I gave up on Linux about 6 months ago, I hated rebuilding my kernel everytime I wanted to do something! <Ok i know I am being a little rediculous>
But still, it is great for a firewall/server type machine, but in the desktop os area it is still lacking against windows. Hopefully if Novell's bid gets approved then it will help make the Suse a bit better on the desktop(Read more).
Just my 2 cents

I think Linux is not that bad, but to time consuming for the avrege joe. The s*** I had to go through today, oh man...
My project for tomorow is to get samba to install and configure it so it works, If I can get that done I'd be happy

if you have ntfs support already then try that again, first creating the folder /mnt/win2k

ie:
as superuser:

$: mkdir /mnt/win2k/
$: mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/win2k -t ntfs

as said above, letters mean bus, numbers mean partition

there are many ways to specify what kernel to use, i've no idea what your setup is like but from that error message it sounds like it's as simple as selecting it from a list at boot (during lilo or grub or whatever redhat uses)

if you have the kernel but it's not in the list you can add it to /etc/lilo.conf, pretty straight forward just copy/paste an existing entry with the new infos

ok, about the mouonting, if the ntfs partition is on the hard drive thats connncted as the primary master, and it is on the 2nd partition, then I would use this command:

mount /dev/hda2 /mnt/win2k -t ntfs

correct?

Depends on the kind of install you did. when you installed it what was the layout?
Because HDA2 could be alot of things, by that I mean partitons setup by linux.

if you are sure it's the 2nd partition, remember you may have a swap partition aswell

an easy way to check would be to type cfdisk /dev/hda this will show all the partitions for you

I'm gona check it tomorow and post it here. I installed it in school so I cant check now.

ok, the hd configuration was hda5.
Now when I try to mount it, it gives me an error message "mount: fs type ntfs not supported by kernel"

http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/rpm/index.html Check here for what you are asking.

Also you might want to joing Linuxquestions.org they are very helpful people there.

oh, okay you need to recompile, this time enabling ntfs read support

This is another thing that I also ran into, it is such a pain recompiling! That is why I like windows for everyday use.

definatly. I use linux all the time, but for everyday use I XP

I just read that there's a new kernel out. 2.6 i belive. Should I upgrade?

Might aswell due to te fact that you have to recompile anyways.
Check out this thread to see about making a kernel.

I'll try to do that tomorow. How long u think it's gona take me?

depends on your computer really

and duron 1.3ghz, 256mb ram

2 hours. maybe.

that's not to bad.

I have another very important question: where do programs get instaled? I'm installing some apps but cant find them. The one program was an video program to watch avi files, and I also installed winamp. Its not in the start menu, and I dont know where linux install stuff. Also when I try to reinstall the rpm, it says package allready installed, so i gues the installation was completed

this is why i'm not fond of all this new fancy linux stuff, plus rpms are the tool of the devil!

anyway, the program could have been installed anywhere, try searching in /usr/bin/, or you could use the binary 'find'

ie:
find / -name '*mysql*'

should find all the files with mysql in the name

run "updatedb" from the SU acct, then run "locate", and input something like "winamp" and you should find it.

thx likuidkewl. I did that and can now atleast find the installation folder with the locate command. Still can't launch the program for some reason. I think I'm gona read a book on linux. there's just to much stuff that I don't know.
are there any book recomendations?

Linux Complete--Great book for a cheap price and
Linux Unleashed-- Great book also.