My SuSe Linux Help Page!!

Discussion in 'Linux, BSD and Other OS's' started by megamaced, Dec 24, 2005.

  1. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    Hi All, I've been inspired to try Linux again. I've got myself a copy of SuSe Linux 10, and I'm ready to roll! :p

    The installation was a easy as ever. The PC I was installing on was already partitioned and had a dual-boot of NT4/2000/XP, so I was a little worried Linux would erase something. Luckily, everything when to plan and I can still boot into Windows :)

    OMG, Version 10 is a MASSIVE improvement over 9.3. KDE runs a lot faster, and amorak looks amazing. Unfortunately, I'm on holiday for a week, so I won't be able to tinker with it till I get back.
    Still, you can expect lots of questions from me regarding Linux in weeks to come! :D
     
  2. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    OK, bring 'em on! :) You should know however, that my flings with suse have always been brief, and I don't run it on any of my systems. Still, Linux is Linux for the most part, so I should be able to help you with most things.
     
  3. ProcalX

    ProcalX all grown up

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    Although AT may not be as familiar with Suse as he is with other linux distros, i have a very good working knowledge of most things suse, as AT knows.

    So AT if you're not sure, or i don't see a post, just tell them to PM me.

    Merry Xmas.
     
  4. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Thanks ProcalX, hopefully you can fill the void. I know how to do things 'the GNU way' (cross-platform), the Mandriva way, the Debian way, and the Red Hat way, but Suse's design decisions are just weird to me so I didn't dedicate as much time learning its nuances as the other major distros.
     
  5. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    SuSe 10 really is a MASSIVE improvement over 9.3. Amorak plays MP3's 'straight out of the box'! :) I'm starting to warm to Linux...

    Okay Round 1: How can I get DVDs working in SuSe? I inserted a DVD and a notice popped up asking if I want to play it in Kaffeine. I said OK and the program started to load. It didn't play however, instead it prompted me that my version of xine.lib (I think it was that) could'nt work because of 'legal reasons'. It also said I was missing the 'win32 codecs' amongst other things.

    So! :) Where can I find and how can I install the required codecs?

    Over to you Anti-Trend (or anyone else who can be arsed to help :D )
     
  6. Fred

    Fred Moderator

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    Great! I'm glad to hear it. I still very much suggest that you'd run Mandriva over Suse as AT and I have both tried it (I dont know about anyone else here). It's very nice and polished looking, but it still is just lacking functionability graphically IMHO.
    First of all, kaffeine is a horrible media player for ANYTHING. I would suggest you get rid of it. But that's up to you. To get your dvds working, open up a shell and as root type the following
    Code:
    apt-get install libdvdcss libdvdnav4 libdvdplay0 libdvdcontrol9 
    I'm not sure if apt-get can handle more than one install at a time like urpmi can for Mandriva and others, so if it doesn't understand the command, do it one at a time, or alternately you can use Yast (Suse's graphical installer/updater) to look for the files
    To get rid of kaffeine, you'd type
    Code:
     apt-get remove kaffeine 
    Once again, open up a shell and type
    Code:
     apt-get install win32-codecs xine-win32
    For more helpful programs you should install, click here and scroll to the second to last post.
    You can also update Suse by typing
    Code:
     apt-get update
    Good luck to you and lemme know if I screwed something up for you! ;)
     
  7. pelvis_3

    pelvis_3 HWF Member For Life

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    Sorry to but in, but in my experience with SuSE, apt-get doesn't work and pops out the error message 'unknown command'. I've tried and tried for the last week to get DVD's working in SuSE but i just can't do it. Everytime i get the missing package, whether it be a codec, frontend or backend it just keeps on telling me that the newly aqcuired codec or whatever has more dependencies and it just stays like that in a continuos loop.
    I'm only using SuSE for one more day until my Mandriva 2006 DVD arrives in the mail, and then, Mandriva here i come!
    My advice to you megamaced, don't use SuSE if you plan on doing anything multimedia related.
     
  8. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    Thanks for the tip Fred. Unfortunately, I don't have the internet at home (where my Linux computer is), so I won't be able to use any kind of online update. Luckily, there is an internet cafe 1 minute from my house, so I can transport files via my flash drive.

    Is there a codec I can download from the internet and 'install' when I get home? How would I go about this?

    PS, What does 'apt-get' mean - what is it refering to?
     
  9. Fred

    Fred Moderator

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    Yeah, about apt-get... it was misinformation. I totally screwed up there. As it turns out, Yast is the only installer. Apt-get is for debian based systems such as debian and ubuntu/kubuntu. As for getting files from a website, it'll make it easy on you if you just try to find some .rpm files ... I'm thinking (but not sure) that you will be able to type
    Code:
    rpm /home/megamaced/downloads/win32-codec.rpm
    Or wherever the file is. I'm pretty sure that the the Suse cd will automatically be a source, so put the cd in the drive and give it a shot with Yast anyways... If that doesn't work, then you might as well try your flash drive. Sorry once again about the misinformation... got confused since I dont ever use Suse. If you dont feel comfortable in the terminal/shell/CLI right now, you should be able to double-click on the rpm file and it'll install it for you. Lemme know if I missed something or if you need any additional help. Good luck to you!:)

    **edit** apt-get is just a command for certain distrobutions to get files to install. For some, the file installer is urpmi (like in Mandriva) and there's apt-get and Suse has their own (Yast). I'm sure there are plenty of others that I dont know about.
     
  10. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    I downloaded RPMs of xine.lib, win32codecs-all and the libdvd codecs, and installed them earlier today. Thankfully, they all installed through Yast with only minor issues (user error of course :D )! Now I can watch DVDs and play quicktime, real, or Windows Media files :D
    At the moment I am using Kaffiene, but several people in this forum, and in others say to trash it!! What is wrong with it in your opinion, and what would you recommend? I am looking for the Linux equivalent of Realplayer - something that plays everything, from films, DVDs, videos, music etc. I know Realplayer is available for Linux, but it's not the same as the Windows version

    Also, I am after information on the file system/structure of Linux. What are the equivalents to 'Program Files' and 'Windows' folders? What are the common file types assiociated with Linux?

    Does anyone know of a good guide/resource on the net?
     
  11. Fred

    Fred Moderator

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    I'm glad you got it working properly. The problem with Kaffiene is that it is more unstable and doesn't play videos as nice as Mplayer. That said, I would rather use it than Windows media player. I would suggest giving mplayer a go though. You can also download a couple of plugings to make movies play in firefox using mplayer. Common File types... .rpm .sh All I'm thinkin of offhand, but different distros have different filetypes (i.e .deb for debian based systems). I'm sure AT will expand on these issues shortly... but if not, I hope that gives you decent understanding.
     
  12. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Linux/UNIX is not kept in a single monolithic folder such as C:/Windows; it is distributed in many folders by content type. In other words, /bin, /usr/bin, and /usr/local/bin are all places binary executables are kept (or symbolic links to them), and they are in the user's path. The latter is for user-added software to be kept, so that it is still in the user's path yet it is neatly seperated from system-installed software. Likewise /lib, /usr/lib, and /usr/local/lib is where shared libraries are kept, the latter being for user-installed libraries. To give you a practical example, I install 3rd-party and commercial games in the directory /usr/local/games/. If this concept seems a little confusing, don't worry. UNIX file and directory structures make a lot more sense than say Windows or old-world Mac directory structures (OS X Mac is UNIX-based, so it uses UNIX directory structures now), so it's easier to learn that you might think.

    Concerning filetypes, perhaps you misunderstand. A .JPG in Windows is a .JPG in Linux. Then again, perhaps I'm misunderstanding. Do you mean filetypes that are commonly found in the Linux world that are rare in the Windows world? In that case, RPM files are Red Hat Package Manager files. They rely on a Red-Hat-like system's RPM package manager to install them, containing all of the information necessary to install and remove cleanly. You see, in Linux, software installation and removal is typically not handled by the program itself (hint: spyware does this in Windows, do you trust it to successfully uninstall yourself? You have no choice!), but by a package manager. In other words, the system manages the software, the software doesn't manage the OS. Different distros use different package managers, for instance Debian-like systems use apt-get (associated with .DEB files), Red Hat-like systems use .RPM.

    As for literature, that's a good idea. UNIX directory structure makes a whole lot of sense once you understand the core concepts. Everything has a ryme or reason, unlike learning a certain other operating system where the answer to "why is everything just thrown together in the system32 folder" is, "why not?" I am hosting some free literature on one of my home servers, which can be found here: http://anti-trend.homelinux.org It's an older book, about 5 years old now. Although some of the statements made in this book are outdated (e.g. the maximum supported memory of a Linux kernel has increased vastly), the basic concepts are definately still valid. It's a good place to start, and it makes a very handy reference in a pinch.
     
  13. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    Thanks for the info :good:

    I experienced my first Linux crash the other night! What program was responsible? It was the Xine DVD player software!

    Everyone was advising I ditch Kaffeine. The program is stable but the picture quality is pretty bad, there is a lot of 'ghosting' in the picture.

    SuSe Linux also preinstalls the Xine DVD software player, so I decided to 'try it out'!
    I stuck in a DVD of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (Jack Nicholson's finest hour :) ) and pressed play within Xine. The picture went to full screen and the film started playing. Everything was OK until I opened the options box. Xine froze while the film carried on playing. I couldn't access any of the Linux OS because I was in full screen mode, so I did what any other Windows user would do, I pressed ctrl+alt+del :D
    As you can imagine, that did not bring up the task manager :D , although it did bring up the 'shutdown box'. I was left with no choice other then to restart my computer.

    What should I have done in a situation like that? What is the command to end a program, without crashing the OS?

    Xine seems pretty buggy and nasty, would you recommend mplayer?
     
  14. Addis

    Addis The King

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    In Mandriva, the key to open up the process table to kill processes is CTRL+Esc.
     
  15. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Addis is right about the KDE equivilent of task manager, but that probably wouldn't help you if an X app was unresponsive like that and taking up the whole screen. The way I figure it, there are two ways to handle the situation. If you had no other apps up in which you would lose any data (e.g. an unsaved document on openoffce), you could simply press Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to restart the X server (not the whole system, just the GUI). On the other hand, let's assume that you really don't want to restart your X server (e.g. an unsaved document on openoffce). You would press Ctrl+Alt+<[F1]-[F6]> to reach a virtual terminal, log in with your username and password, and run the command
    Code:
    ps -u $USERNAME
    (Where $USERNAME = your username). That will give you a list of all the processes and their Process IDs (PID). Locate the process you want to kill, and run the command
    Code:
    kill -9 $PID
    (where $PID = the PID number of the process you want to kill). Logout with the command:
    Code:
    exit
    ...and switch back to the terminal with your GUI on it, Ctrl+Alt+F7.
     
  16. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    I've got KDE installed at the moment (as it's the default in SuSe). However, I want to try out GNOME now.

    Is there a way I can 'hot-swap' both GUIs and have a choice which one I want to use at startup?
     
  17. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Yes, simply install Gnome using YAST, and it will appear in your systems display manager, KDM (aka the login screen). Then just choose Gnome as your desktop session rather than the default (KDE).
     
  18. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    Tried GNOME - didn't like it - reinstalled KDE - end of story :)

    SuSe doesn't integrate into GNOME as well as KDE. Obviously the developers have spent more time enhancing KDE, and left GNOME on the DVD for any hardcore fans.

    Whether it's GNOME, my Pentium 3 computer (see my computer), or SuSe I don't know; GNOME is very sloppy in use. KDE on the other hand, runs flawlessly on the same computer. While I thought there were some great innovations happening within the GNOME environment, i still went back to KDE. Neutilus is pretty clean and tidy, but rather basic; I started to miss Konquerer!
    The default media players in GNOME are poor in comparison to Amorak and Kaffiene.
    Overall, I felt that GNOME is a rather dumbed down GUI with less to offer than KDE. It uses more resources and it's performance is lacking
     
  19. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Very good summary, I feel exactly the same way. Some people simply love Gnome, and I honestly don't know why. It isn't too bad I guess, but maybe they just haven't given KDE or Xfce a chance? Even Linus Torvalds, father of the Linux kernel, recommends KDE over Gnome. Not that he's a desktop authority or anything, but still a very intelligent man who is usually quite diplomatic.

    I think the whole reason the Gnome desktop gained as much foothold in the GNU crowd as it did was due to an originally restrictive license on QT, the framework KDE is built on. Now KDE is 100% LGPL compliant, so there's really no incentive to go with Gnome at all. As far as I'm concerned, you can make KDE look and act like Gnome if you want, but you can't make Gnome look or act like anything but Gnome.

    Of course, part of the beauty of GNU/Linux in the first place is a staggering amount of choice. That means no matter how clumsy and slow I think Gnome is, you have the ability to run it should you choose!
     
  20. megamaced

    megamaced Geek Geek Geek!

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    Behind every click on the mouse lays another suprise, another piece of excellent software on Linux :)

    I am refering to the K3B CD/DVD burning program. It is so polished and stable; it really took me aback! It is easily comparable to Window's Nero 6 (which costs money)!
    Yeah, really impressed with that. I wonder what I am going to discover next!

    I borrowed one of those 'learn Unix in 10 minutes' books from the library. It contains just enough information to give me a basic working knowledge of Linux, and more specifically: Unix.

    I can't really handle anything more complex at the moment, because learning Unix whilst studying for N+ and MCSE is going to make my head hurt! :)
     

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