RH9 Install Problems 040416a

[Stuart Sears]

Gene Sears (MUMC) wrote:

>Hi Stuart,
>
>I know RH9 is being written off by RedHat, and I am reaching my limit with
>inexplicable failures and software like VIM and EMACS.
>
see comments below about other editors, if you need them... I hate EMACS 
as well, but
that's an entirely different flamewar :-)

>  I have been using
>computers since before the PC appeared. This level of software and failures
>was common in the DOS world in the mid-eighties.
>
but is less common now, particularly with Linux boxes. If you mean the 
command-line
approach when you say 'this level of software' - well in many ways 
that's the nature of the beast.
The command line is the center of the linux Universe...

>I keep reading how
>superior Linux is to Windows, so I decided I would dual boot the new (to me)
>PC with Win2K and Linux and give it a fair trial.  About 3 hours after
>installing the hard drive, it was fdisked, partitioned formatted and Windows
>and several of my favorite utilities were installed.  Next I began
>installing RH9...  That was on the 11th, or 12th of April, so far the only
>thing about Linux RH9 that has worked and is useful is the Grub dual-boot
>menu.
>
Actually as I see it -your linux system is actually installed correctly 
- there are two remaining issues
- the up2date thing, which will pretty much stop working at the end of 
April anyway (RH9 hits end of life then),
and X.
You appear to have a fully functional command line and the other items 
ought to be fixable. It depends on
whether you still feel inclined to struggle with them!!

>  None of the foregoing is intended to be a reflection on you.  Your
>suggestions have all made sense to me, the fact that so far I haven't been
>able to bring any of them to fruition is not your fault.
>  
>
Thanks. But I still want them to work. I hope your experience thus far 
hasn't put you off completely.

>In regard to your comment that you are using RHEL, (I think you said beta),
>why would one choose RHEL as opposed to Fedora, or vice-versa?
>  
>
That really depends on whether you want to pay for it...
RHEL is a purchase-only option - you pay for the RHN and Support 
contracts that come with it,
although I have a copy and RHN subscriptions through work, so no support 
contract (boo hoo).
The binary versions of the software are not available for download, 
although the source rpms are.

I pointed out that I am using some of the betas because I opted for that 
channel in RHN - I have entitlements
for it and can usually fix any issues that dodgy buggy software causes!

Fedora is more or less what RH10 would have been if they had decided to 
go that route.
It is freely downloadable in binary form and contains almost exactly the 
same software as RHEL3 does
- some of it in later, more 'bleeding edge' versions. the kernels for 
Fedora are usually more
recent than those for RHEL. Fedora Core2 is due out shortly (the Roadmap 
suggests May 17 for
the final release version. I'm looking forward to it. Some of the 
additions look quite exciting. )
<note to self> Get out more.</note to self>
see http://fedora.redhat.com for details.

As a home user, I would probably plump for Fedora, as opposed to RHEL, 
especially if you are
simply trying it out. Besdies, RHEL is *expensive* for home use...

>I attempted this, I posted a message a few minutes ago on the experience.
>Search for (gs010419a) in the subject line.
>  
>
yes, I see it. the rpm -Fvh didn't work then?
you _were_ in the same directory as the up2date-...rpm files, weren't you?

>I also attempted the edit of the /etc/X11/XF86Config file.  Everything went
>fine until I tried to save it, first it asked if I wanted to overwrite the
>existing file, I said yes, then it paused for a while, then said no, the
>file was also open in another buffer.  It then became disagreeable and I had
>trouble getting out of VIM, but that may have been a screwup on my part.
>  
>
if you're not entirely happy with vim, you can always use pico -w 
instead... (the -w turns off
automatic hard line-wrapping which can break config files)

my offer still stands on the XF86Config file - send it to me off list 
and I'll see what I can do if you like!
ie - what resolution do you want it to work in, what monitor you have etc...

HTH

Stuart